Calling it “a good market that just needs some work,” Robbie Nichols is ready to perform his baseball magic in Niagara Falls.
Nichols, owner of Can-USA Sports along with his wife, Nellie, (photo above) confirmed today that his organization has purchased the Niagara Falls Americans’ franchise of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League and has signed on to manage Sal Maglie Stadium, the team’s home ballpark.
Can-USA Sports also owns the Elmira Pioneers and the Batavia Muckdogs, both members of the PGCBL. Nichols, General Manager Marc Witt and their staff have been credited for rejuvenating baseball in Batavia.
“Niagara Falls, I believe, is a good market that just needs some work,” Nichols said. “The gentleman that owned the team last year wasn’t returning and I think our league needs a team there.”
Last year, the team was called the Niagara Power and competed in the PGCBL’s West Division along with Batavia, Elmira, Jamestown, Auburn, Newark and Geneva.
Nichols said Niagara Falls’ leaders have committed more than $2 million for repairs of Sal Maglie Stadium.
“They put in a new turf field. It will be a very good-looking ballpark,” he noted, adding that Michael Gabriele, a former Niagara University baseball player, will be the club’s manager. He said the team already is signing players for the 2024 season.
City and state politicians reportedly are enthusiastic about the team’s prospects with Can-USA Sports on board.
“We are really excited to introduce them to the city of Niagara Falls and the Sal Maglie Stadium,” Mayor Rob Restaino told WIVB-TV.
State Sen. Rob Ortt echoed his sentiments, telling the television station that the Nichols team “chose Niagara Falls because of the stadium, because of the history, because they believe in Niagara Falls.”
“And hopefully that will inspire and tell a lot of other people here that we too should believe in Niagara Falls.”
Nichols announced that Niagara County Community College and D’Youville University baseball teams will play their home games at Sal Maglie Stadium next year. He said he plans to book many other events there, just as he does with Dwyer Stadium in Batavia.
When asked if he was stretching himself too thin – having to juggle the activities of three franchises, Nichols said he will continue to be “stationed” in Batavia once the season starts but will rotate among the three.
“I’ll probably be at 65 baseball games, working, so it will be a busy summer,” he said. “Nellie and I are excited about the new opportunity. It’s a market that needs work, but we’re not afraid of a little work.”
Nichols admitted he’s taking a financial risk as the Niagara Falls team did not attract many fans last year,
“Definitely, it’s a risk because it’s no Batavia. They weren’t drawing the crowds that we were drawing last year,” he said. “Everything’s a risk, but our staff – and how hard we work – I’m confident that we can turn Niagara Falls around.”
File photo: Robbie and Nellie Nichols by Jim Burns.
