The Canberra Cavalry are already counting the cost of the smoke haze blanketing the capital which threatens to sweep away more than half of their budget for the year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Cavalry chief executive Donn McMichael says the prospect of cancelling another Australian Baseball League series next week would have a major financial impact on the club.
The city's hazardous air quality threatens to derail Canberra's series against the Auckland Tuatara, beginning on January 16.
It comes as the Cavalry and Adelaide Giants split last weeks abandoned series with both sides awarded two wins apiece after Canberra's horrendous air saw the matches cancelled.
So while Keith Ward's Cavalry outfit are preparing for a series in Brisbane against the Bandits beginning on Thursday, McMichael's mind is wandering towards next week.
Officials are exploring the prospect of shifting the series to Blacktown with Canberra's air quality to be monitored over the coming week.
Conditions had cleared across Canberra before a fresh wave of smoke was expected to blow in from nearby bushfires on Wednesday afternoon.
MORE CANBERRA SPORT
"It's huge. As it stands now, we've dropped 35 per cent of revenue, certainly," McMichael said.
"If we lose the Auckland series, it effectively gets up around 55 per cent of the budget for the year, and obviously that hurts anyone.
"There's not many teams or operations that successfully work by a reduction of income by 55 per cent.
"The series against Brisbane [in Canberra] was affected and really poorly attended, understandably, because of the smoke. The Adelaide series was smoked out.
"In a short season, we really need to put on as many games as we can. We want to provide some baseball for the public as well, it's more than just playing away every week.
"We want to get home and get our home crowd cheering the team, and hopefully getting into the finals."
Something more than clear air will be waiting for the Cavalry when they arrive in Brisbane this week.
It comes in the form of former Major League pitcher Akeel Morris after he signed a deal with the Australian Baseball League franchise.
The 27-year-old had stints with the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels.
Morris' arrival comes at a crucial time for the Cavalry as they come to grips with the loss of pitcher Frank Gailey due to a side strain.
"It's been a very quick turnaround between talking to him and getting him here," McMichael said.
"We're hoping the stars align and he gets to Brisbane on Saturday morning, so he will go straight to the ballpark and throw, probably, on Sunday."
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
