TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Jarad Hildenbrand, City Manager
FROM: Leslie Hardy, Community and Library Services Director
1. Subject
title
Agreement with Major League Softball, Inc., for Ball Field Maintenance and Adult Softball Program Services
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2. Summary
An agreement with Major League Softball, Inc. to administer the City’s adult softball program, perform maintenance on the softball fields at Hart Park, Steve Ambriz Memorial Park and Shaffer Park, and use of the Maintenance Garage at Hart Park.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
1. Approve the agreement with Major League Softball, Inc. to administer the City’s adult softball program for a five-year term commencing July 1, 2026, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute on behalf of the City.
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute optional renewals as outlined in the agreement.
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4. Fiscal Impact
The City will receive revenue annually from Major League Softball Inc. for registration fees, softball tournament events, and the Hart Park Maintenance Garage lease. The anticipated revenue from all activities is expected to be approximately $90,000.00 annually and will be appropriated into the General Fund (100):
100-7001-47630 (Adult & Youth Sports)
Minor incidental costs will be funded by the revenue collected:
100-7203-53201 (Repair & Maintenance Supplies)
5. Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 3: Enhance Public Communication Strategy and Quality of Life
Objective 3.7: Continue to offer high quality and efficient city led recreation programs
6. Discussion and Background
The City currently has an active multi-year agreement with Major League Softball, Inc. (MLS), to provide adult softball program services, ball field maintenance for fields utilized during MLS’s programming, and a lease to use the maintenance garage at Hart Park. The current agreement with MLS was initiated in 2019; however, MLS has been providing softball programming and associated field maintenance services to the City since 2005.
Staff have found that contracting this service is the most effective and efficient means of administration, and with the current agreement expiring June 30, 2026, staff researched Orange County municipalities and determined that MLS continues to be the only local full-service adult softball program provider. Moreover, the City’s ongoing partnership with MLS continues to provide high quality programs and customer service to residents and participants. As such, staff recommend pursuing a renewed agreement with MLS for these sole source services.
The proposed agreement will continue MLS’s provision of adult softball programming and keep MLS’s field maintenance obligation levels consistent. Like the current agreement, MLS will be responsible for collecting registration fees for softball programming. Under the proposed agreement the City will retain a portion of program revenue from fees ranging from 18% - 29%, depending on the program type with MLS retaining the remainder.
Additionally, the new agreement’s terms for the Hart Park maintenance garage lease, which MLS utilizes for field maintenance operations, will increase from $1,905 to $2,500 per quarter. Projected net revenue for this agreement is expected to be approximately $90,000 per year, with actual revenue dependent upon league participation and registrations. The proposed agreement has a five-year term that will expire on June 30, 2031, but includes an optional five-year term extension/renewal that can be exercised at the City’s sole option with approval by the City Manager.
7. ATTACHMENTS
• Agreement with Major League Softball, Inc.