Recently, the Guerriers learned that they will no longer be responsible for the maintenance of Stade Napoléon-Fontaine next season, a decision by Granby Multi-Sports. For the organization, the loss of said contract will represent a significant shortfall financially. A shortfall – of a few tens of thousands of dollars according to our information – which even means that the organization is neither more nor less on pause at the moment.
“I can guarantee you one thing: we want to play baseball in Granby next season,” explains François Giasson, who once again became president of the Guerriers following the resignation of Claude Gosselin and who remains general manager of the senior team. But now, as we speak, it’s complicated.”
Complicated to the point that Giasson did not dare to confirm beyond any doubt the return of the Warriors, senior and junior, in 2025.
“It’s a lot of money that we’re going to lose, a significant part of our budget. International players like Oscar Nakaoshi and Carlos Naveda, who come from Brazil and Venezuela, don’t come here for nothing and that’s normal. And we can’t commit to them right now.”
For obvious reasons, Senior Warriors cost more to operate than Junior Warriors.
“Even though we would have liked to have had more people in the stands at the senior Warriors matches last season, we managed to cover our costs. But here, by losing the stadium maintenance contract, it will be very difficult.
Giasson, who is the general manager of the Town of Roxton Pond in everyday life, is expected to meet the people of the Town of Granby in December. According to other information obtained by The Voice of the Easta proposal will be made to the Warriors to help them financially following the loss of the maintenance contract.
“The meetings of the Quebec Major Baseball League and those of the Quebec Junior Elite Baseball League will take place in January. We’re going to have to answer questions.”
— François Giasson, president of the Warriors
The man insists: the Warriors do not want to leave Granby. But a strong wind of worry is blowing through the organization.
“You have to have the means to operate. We do volunteer work here. And no one wants to put themselves on the street to volunteer.”
The general director of the Junior Guerriers, Mathieux Rochefort, now lives in Saint-Hyacinthe, a city that is taking up more and more space in the world of Quebec baseball with its sports-studies program at Fadette high school. And it seems that Saint-Hyacinthe is preparing for the construction of a new site that could accommodate high-calibre baseball.
In the City of Granby, however, we don’t seem to have it against baseball. The upgrade of Stade Napoléon-Fontaine, with the installation of synthetic turf in the infield, is even in the plans.
