The United Shore Professional Baseball League (USPBL) operates 4 teams out of just 1 stadium in Utica, Michigan. It is a different business model than the traditional independent minor league professional baseball leagues in that the league has reduced expenses which plague most independent team owners: hotels and buses and per diem meal money. The average team owner may spend the following on a 3-night trip (even with just 2 nights of hotels — if the league’s by-laws say that the visiting team is in charge of its own accommodations):
- 12 hotel rooms per night (8 for players @ 3 players/room + 1 room for the manager + 1 room for the coaches + 1 for team staff which may travel with the team (such as assistant GM and trainer) + 1 for the broadcasting team) x 2 nights = 24 hotel rooms
- Per diem for all players and coaches (manager gets more) x 3 days on the road = $20 per player/coach/team staff x 3 days x 28 (or more) team members
- Bus rental (if the team doesn’t own one) for 3 days/nights + the driver
- Incidental team expenses + any payments made if a player gets injured on the road
The USPBL centralizes everyone, so it has reduced costs to some degree. The league invested in marketing more than many of the other leagues, so included are some examples of its “This Week In The USPBL” recap shows + some of the 2018 championship game highlights.