RH a-changing … what invitation protocol means

We hear a lot of talk about a “new normal” and what it might be like.

I’m puzzled by all that talk inasmuch as we are in an age where there is change every day.  

Greetings from the Roy Hobbs Geezer!

Here’s hoping that by a year from now, masks will be nothing but a memory.  Not sure we will be out of those woods by October, but we can hope …

Technology advances impact us left and right.  Looking at what we do on a daily basis, I wonder how we ever got some of this done back in the ‘dark ages” of the 1990s … or even 2010!  Yikes!

Things are changing at Roy Hobbs as well.  

We have posted that all Roy Hobbs events will be invitation only going forward.  We don’t anticipate that will have much of an impact, unless, of course, we have teams and players who choose not to abide by our guidelines.  (More below.)

But, as the old tune says, the times, they are a-changin’.  Changes in personnel. Changes in procedures. Changes in available fields.  We know we will be short fields at the RHWS again in 2021, what with the impending demise of City of Palms Stadium and working around MLB fall instructional play at Centurylink and JetBlue.

As previously announced, Rob Giffen has left Roy Hobbs to pursue his passions, and Meg Giffen is curtailing her involvement as she has started her own marketing business and plans to focus on making that successful.  We wish them both well as they pursue passions important to them.

Long-time part-timer Marc Landals has joined the Roy Hobbs staff and will be very involved in what we do on a daily basis.  He has moved to Fort Myers and will be running our offices at the Player Development Complex and assuming many of Rob’s duties.

Back to the invitation-only operation, which we have successfully used for the Sunshine Classic and Spring Dinger.  It has worked well in those events, although we are limited in the number of teams we can accept and initial invitations do go to returning teams that are in good standing with Roy Hobbs.

So, what constitutes not being in “good standing” or might cause invitations to be withheld … it’s pretty simple and it’s also common sense.

We have so many good people who depend on the Hobbs events to compete, to pursue their baseball passions and to celebrate the opportunity to continue to play this great game of baseball.  We want to honor those individuals.

What we won’t abide are the bullies who believe they can browbeat us into doing things their way.

What we won’t abide are those who have the attitude that RH rules and guidelines don’t apply to them.

What we won’t abide are those who cannot behave.

So, to make it easy to understand, here’s a laundry list of behavior Roy Hobbs is simply not going to reward with continued opportunities to participate in our events.

To wit:

1. Cheating, ever how it manifests itself, including but not limited to violating or refusing to follow RH Rules, Procedures and Behavior Guidelines, on the field or anywhere on the grounds of the complexes.
2. Fighting – does this need to be mentioned?  (Bench-clearing brawls terminate games.)
3. Verbally abusing Roy Hobbs staff – Bullying our concierges, our concessions folk, our registration personnel.  Don’t do it!
4. Alcohol possession/use in the complexes or parking lots.  Going forward, that could result in automatic dismissal from any event.
5. Refusing to attend or be represented at managers meetings when requested.
6. Unauthorized use of Roy Hobbs name and/or Trademarks.
7. Multiple game ejections.
8. Continually arguing judgment calls – it’s not going to change the call – and failure to let it go.   Want to discuss a baseball rule, fine, but judgment calls belong to game officials, regardless of your opinion of their judgment.
9. Understanding, appreciating and rewarding RH staff, a.k.a., tipping when requested at the Sunshine Classic and in the locker rooms.
10.  Finally, items 1 & 2 carry potential banishment sanctions for teams and/or players (and possibly spectators).  Roy Hobbs officials will be the final judge with regard to all of the above. Roy Hobbs officials may interpret these rules in their sole discretion, consistent with the best interests of the Roy Hobbs and its events and take actions they deem appropriate to maintain the integrity of the rules and the fairness of its events.  

Yes, it is simple.  Some may think we are over-reacting or being especially hard-assed about it. 

On the contrary, 98% of our clientele get it and understand the privileges associated with Roy Hobbs events and our relationship with Lee County and its facilities.  We are not going to let the bullies and those who cannot behave ruin it for that 98% … or for us!

Life is short and it is not worth the hassle of dealing with the issues created by a distinct minority.

We look forward to many more years of trying to produce first-class events, and we thank that 98% for their support and participation.