Victoria hosts Nanaimo on Tuesday night
This is a rivalry series of mixed emotions for the group that owns both the Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls, who meet over the next three days, beginning Tuesday night at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.
“This is an Island rivalry that is awesome for everybody except me,” quipped Jim Swanson, managing partner of the group that owns both West Coast League baseball clubs.
“I don’t know which way to turn during these games.”
Swanson has a general rule that he doesn’t wear either team’s jerseys when the HarbourCats and NightOwls meet each other.
Nanaimo leads the Island series 2-1 so far in the 2025 season.
“This series this week is especially important,” noted Swanson.
“Both teams are middle of the pack [Nanaimo 8-7 and Victoria 7-8 in the North Division] and the team that wins this series will be back in the chase. The team that loses two games, or three, in this series will find it hard to catch up in the [first-half season] race,” said Swanson.
Both squads are good at the long ball with Logan Shepherd of the HarbourCats second in league home runs with four and Jacob Hayes of the NightOwls tied for third with three.
“Both teams can hit the ball hard,” said Swanson.
The final game of the series on Thursday is a school-day special with an 11 a.m. start.
The rivalry may seem unique but dual ownership is not unusual in summer collegiate or minor-pro-type leagues. The Yakima Valley Pippins and Walla Walla Sweets of the WCL have been both majority owned by John Stanton, who is also majority owner of the Seattle Mariners of MLB.
There is another example close to home, echoing the HarbourCats and NightOwls situation, as Island-based Pacific FC and Vancouver FC of the professional soccer Canadian Premier League were both founded and owned by the same company, co-headed by 43-time Canada-capped Josh Simpson of Victoria and 32-time Canada capped Rob Friend of Kelowna, both former Bundesliga pros.
Teams are operated independently by different management groups.
AROUND THE BASES:In a bit of cross-sport promotion, Pacific FC soccer players will be taking batting practice with the HarbourCats and attend Wednesday night’s game and be introduced as guests of the baseball club. The Tridents will return the favour later this month and host the HarbourCats players during a CPL soccer game at Starlight Stadium.
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