From Community to the Diamond: How One Couple Brought Baseball Back to Jacksonville

by Daniella DeNicola

From the sideline, Eli Patino and his wife Arlin watch another one of their Jacksonville Ospreys baseball game conclude. It’s the team's first summer playing and their first summer owning. As fans trickle out, a little girl, no older than four years old, and her parents approach the couple. 

    The father, a member of the Jacksonville community, approaches the Patinos and gives a heartwarming message, “Hey, thanks for bringing baseball to our community. We would like to tell you this, but we don't even watch baseball. We don't even know the rules of baseball, but our daughter loves coming to the games.” 

    At that moment, both Eli and Arlin knew their decision, their hard work, and their love for the community were all worth it. Two ordinary people – a Marine vet and a real estate agent – who lived and breathed their community came together to build something special. 

    Jacksonville, North Carolina is the home to a Marine base, Camp Lejeune. After serving himself, Eli and his wife decided to make this their hometown. They raised their kids there, sent them to school, joined a church, and even bought a local ice cream shop. However, there was a desire to see local events happen in Jacksonville. 

    That is when the initial idea about starting the Ospreys came to fruition. Both Eli and Arlin were familiar with the baseball culture. Eli had played up through high school, and Arlin who was from the Dominican Republic, had baseball in her culture. 

Knowing it was good for the community, the Jacksonville City Council agreed that the team would be a good addition. With that, they created the team’s mascot. Unlike most mascots in sports, the Osprey logo design was a homage to the Marines, one of Jacksonville's pillars. When it came time for their first game, there wasn’t an available seat on the field. The attendance broke the record for the league. It was a physical representation of the love the Patinos had for the community. 

    Owning a baseball team is much bigger than to the Patinos than the title. They wanted to create a space where all families, no matter if they liked baseball or not, were welcomed. Every game has some type of theme or message that includes different aspects of the community, including one night that needed a few Taylor Swift for a lookalike contest. Eli recalls having to even dress up as a version of Taylor Swift himself. It pushed him out of his comfort zone, but as owner, he wanted to show the community, the team, and his employees how deeply he cared for the team. It was one of the key pillars. 

Pillars were significant to the owners. The pair was aware that following a hard preseason and regular season, these guys were exhausted. They wanted to make sure the players were having fun while still improving their talents, which would help them thrive professionally. "We wanted a nice conducive environment where players can come and definitely feel like, hey, I was able to play baseball, but also have fun," explained Eli Patino. 

In the Players League – a collegiate summer baseball league – first-time owners are welcomed. What was important for the couple was the league's mission and how they valued players, owners, and employees. When the Patinos met with Alec Allred, CEO of the Players League, and his wife, they knew they were on the same page. "We saw their vision, we understood their vision, and we believed in their vision," Arlin told me.

Of course, owning a team comes with difficulties. For one, the field Osprey’s play on needed to be redone. There’s also the maintenance of the field, gathering sponsors, and the long hours behind the scenes. But for Eli and Arlin, the rewards far outweigh the difficulties, especially when they see the smiles of children like the little girl who fell in love with baseball because of the Ospreys. 

Jacksonville Ospreys operates in the Old North State League, the largest league for the Players League. In the future, the Player’s League plans to expand to other leagues and states like Texas and Tennessee. The expansion means requiring more owners and teams. If Eli and Arlin’s story resonates with you, perhaps it’s time to explore the idea of owning your own team. The Players League is always looking for passionate individuals ready to make a difference. As first-time sports team owners, they recommend that any future owners have fun with it, involve their community, and be humble through it all.

With college baseball season about to commence, the Patinos and Jacksonville begin getting ready for the second season for the Ospreys. They hope to continue their mission of family, fun, and baseball. The Patino’s invite all of Jacksonville – baseball fans or not – to join them this summer. 

Despite the success they had this summer, the Patinos know the road ahead won’t be easy. But with the support of the league, their community, and town officials, they are ready to take on what comes next. And who knows? Maybe they will break another record.