Bainet-Aspe Merger: Baseball Monopoly Looms

«I have strange sensations that are difficult to explain. This trip is over for me. “It has been 28 years,” he began by saying in his speech. “Aspe is a company, but it is everything to me,” he added while praising the people who have accompanied him during this journey of almost three decades.

«We have managed to continue the family tradition of pelota and there are the results. “I don’t want to make comparisons,” he boasted, immediately highlighting his team of pelotaris and citing the Manomanista champions he has had in the company.

He recalled that “as in any long process, there have been difficult situations like the 2008 crisis. Terrible. We had to negotiate a salary reduction with the pelotaris and we reached an agreement. And Covid, which caught us all off guard.

“Now, for health reasons and the lack of enthusiasm necessary to continue, because you have to be strong, I feel obliged to take a step forward and cease my activity,” he explained. «For the good of the ball, and seeking greater stability for the company and the workers, I have transferred the majority of my shares to the Bainet group, although I will continue to maintain a small symbolic participation to maintain the link of the Vidarte family. It is a symbol. I will not be a director nor will I manage the business activity. I will simply be a small shareholder. My son will also continue as an employee, as manager of Aspe. It is a hard but necessary decision. I know that Bainet will take care of and make this project grow,” he stated before ending his speech by thanking the players, the family, the sponsors and, above all, the fans. Without you nothing would have been possible. I say goodbye with honor and gratitude. Thank you with all my heart.

All employees follow

Already in the question period, Vidarte has been more precise and explained that with Bainet “there is a commitment that all employees at the sports and administrative level continue” and that “the corporate headquarters remains in Eibar. This is how we have agreed. Aspe will remain the same except that the owner is another, the Bainet group. At a sporting level, Aspe is a company that is going to face Baiko, there will be a duel between companies,” he assured.

However, no one is aware that this decision leaves Aspe in a clear position of inferiority: «Exactly now I don’t know how Aspe is going to turn out. The property is already owned by the Bainet group. They can make their moves that maybe they can explain in a couple of days. “I cannot, nor should I, nor do I know,” he said.

He has also acknowledged that before selling his shares to Bainet, he had considered other options: «A year ago I tried it. I was with a person. I was there and we didn’t get anything, but I tried. I also tried with two or three groups and one of them is still waiting for them to give me an answer.

Vidarte leaves convinced that this is the best option for the future of the ball: «I don’t know what Bainet will do but now the ball is buoyant. They are people with a lot of experience, years, and I think they will do it well. “You have to give time to time,” he commented.

However, he understands that the fan thinks that with this agreement the essence of the Aspe-Baiko duels is lost: «I agree. As a fan I would think that way, but let’s give it time. Aspe’s spirit continues and so does Baiko’s. I don’t think there is a monopoly. There may be changes that I cannot say, nor should I, nor do I know. But if I were a fan I would say that the point is going to be lost.

Secret decision

He has acknowledged that during these months they only knew about the “Errandonea and Nagore” decision and that with the pelotaris “I have not spoken about this issue. They found out a few days ago,” he said. “This has been handled with the utmost discretion. I wanted to have warned earlier but… I put myself in your shoes and it would bother me. I’m a pelotari and it would bother me. But it was done this way because we thought it had to be this way,” he explained and then said that he is willing to talk to them in the coming days.

Regarding the situation in which his son Jorge is left and his independence in decision-making, Vidarte has made it clear that “he will always have to consult with the company. He will make contracts with pelotaris, which he has been doing now. But Jorge is no longer a company, he is an employee, he is a manager. “You will have to reach agreements with the Bainet Group.”

The until now owner of Aspe, does not fear a possible cut in the staff, both administrative and sports: «No. Cutting staff not because they are needed. The pelotaria will have a contract and it will be the same. “Everything is going to remain the same because the ball has to remain the same.”

With his goodbye a dynasty ends. Is it the dream ending?: “I think so but life takes many turns.”