Peninsula Oilers announced on Thursday that they will not participate in the Alaska Baseball League’s 2025 season because of financial difficulties. The team is coming off a 2024 season with a 23-19 record, including a strong 16-5 at home. Due to Peninsula Oilers’ financial challenges, the team plans to regroup before considering a return.
Team President Michael Tice explained that taking the season off would allow the Oilers to focus on securing better fundraising avenues. He stated that the will have to come up with some better strategies for fundraising because gaming just isn’t cutting it anymore. Historically, the team has relied on bingo proceeds, which were raised at a facility known in the league as the Bingo Hilton. This building also houses visiting teams and will remain central to the team’s financial recovery strategy.
“Our main focus is going to be on just new revenue streams,” Tice said. “We can’t rely on bingo bringing the money in. We still have that large building. We’re going to be renting it out for events.” The Oilers absence leaves the league with four remaining teams: the Anchorage Glacier Pilots, the Chugiak-Eagle River Chinooks, the Anchorage Bucs, and the Mat-Su Miners.
Mat-Su Miners General Manager Pete Christopher had finalized the 2025 schedule before the Oilers announced their hiatus during a recent league conference call. “Now I’ve got to scrap it and redo it for four teams,” Christopher said. He further said it’s not ideal, but they require time to regroup.
League bylaws usually allow teams a one-year break to stabilize, as the Oilers announced. The statement expressed gratitude for community and league support, emphasizing financial recovery as the 2025 priority.
Derek Foote, former Oilers GM, and current Glacier Pilots GM, remains optimistic about the league. He acknowledged the Oilers’ long legacy and hopes for their return. “We’re just going to have to address the schedule a little bit and make some changes,” he said. He and Christopher discussed bringing back the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks, a charter member that exited in 2015.
Reflecting on the Oilers’ history, Christopher noted their significance in nurturing future major league players. “They’ve had a lot of big leaguers. It’s a shame, but we hope they come back,” he said.
This news article was originally published by Anchorage Daily News.
