Ripken group buys Sports Force

SANDUSKY — Ripken Baseball, a nationally known brand in youth baseball, is expanding into northern Ohio. Ripken Baseball has purchased Sports Force Parks at Cedar Point Sports Center in an asset transaction for an undisclosed amount. The transaction was announced Tuesday. The land on which Sports Force operates is still owned by Cedar Point Park LLC, but the name on that popular destination could change. Ripken takes over operations at the park for the 2023 season, which is underway and includes more than 50 tournaments. For now, not much will change at the park, which employs more than 100 during the baseball season. "All of the team members who operate Sports Force Parks — sales, marketing, operations — will now work for Ripken Baseball," said Will Spence, vice president of Sports Force Parks. "Sports Force Parks is a strong brand in the region as is the Ripken Experience." Spence said any rebranding has yet to be determined. Sports Force, which opened in 2017, was sold by Sports Fields Inc., which constructed and operated the facility. Brian Storm, the founder and CEO of Sports Fields, died in February 2021. "This is a good step forward for all divisions," Spence said. "Brian's legacy will continue on in many different ways." Erie County commissioner Pat Shenigo worked with Storm and former Cedar Point chief legal counsel Duff Milkie to get the complex built, said Storm would "be extremely proud" that Ripken bought Sports Force. "Ripken Sports should be able to not only maintain the high-quality facility that Brian Storm envisioned, but hopefully be able to add to it." Ripken Baseball, which was founded by Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. and his brother Billy Ripken, now owns six complexes. Sports Force will provide the company an opportunity to expand beyond baseball. Sports Force operates baseball and softball tournaments and also hosts soccer, lacrosse and football events. It features 11 synthetic turf diamonds in addition to an ADA-accessible field for adaptive sports. "It brings two content operators together," Spence said. "We owned all the tournaments and that's how Ripken will operate as well. This allows Ripken to get into the multi-sport market." The Ripken Experience currently owns facilities in Aberdeen, Maryland; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Pigeon Forge, Tenn.; Elizabethtown, Ky.; and Cooperstown, N.Y. "Adding Sports Force Parks to the Ripken Baseball family is significant on many levels," Michael Kenney, CEO of Ripken Baseball, said in a news release. "We now have an opportunity to bring a big league experience to not only baseball and softball, but also soccer, lacrosse and even football. "The proximity of the complex is ideal for families looking for a complete entertainment experience with a world-class amusement park down the road at Cedar Point." As part of the acquisition of Sports Force Parks, Ripken Baseball also assumes control of youth baseball tournament operator 17 Tournaments and travel planner Oakwood Lodging Group. Spence said local leagues, including Perkins youth baseball, will continue to play at Sports Force. "All the great programming will continue and the local programming will continue," he said. The park was built on 32 acres just outside of Sandusky near Sandusky Bay. Cedar Point bought the land from Griffing Sandusky Park for $2.8 million in August 2015, according to Erie County Auditor records. The park pays approximately $96,000 in taxes each year to Perkins Township. The appraised value of the facility is $3.7 million. Sports Force Parks had contracted with Cedar Point to operate the facility, which was constructed for Sports Fields, Inc., using more than $20 million in taxpayer funds. "We think it's been very successful in attracting people for overnight stays," Shenigo said. "That leads to sales taxes and that makes Erie County run." Storm threw the ceremonial first pitch at the facility on April 27, 2017. "When my late friend, co-founder, and the vision behind Sports Force Parks, Brian Storm, first dreamed of entering the youth sports business, he endeavored to build parks where sports, family, and fun could bring people together," said Mark Stalnaker, President of Sports Fields, Inc. "The model was built on the strong foundation that Ripken had already established for baseball but also added a variety of other sports such as soccer, softball and lacrosse. "Brian would be thrilled to see the growth opportunities that the industry leader Ripken Baseball can offer to Sports Force Parks employees as they are the backbone of the brand and have made the companies so successful." In January 2023, Ripken Baseball announced Josh Harris and David Blitzer completed a strategic investment in Ripken Baseball and Cooperstown All Star Village. Blitzer is a part-owner of the Cleveland Guardians. "We welcome Ripken Baseball to the Northeast Ohio region," said Cleveland Guardians VP of Communications and Community Impact Curtis Danburg. "We look forward to partnering with the Ripken Baseball family to create unique Major League level experiences for their athletes visiting their complex in Sandusky and Progressive Field."