The Northwest Indiana Oilmen, the summer collegiate club that has played at Oil City Stadium for about 15 years, have been kicked out of their longtime home. City officials told the team to clear out as they weigh new tenants and fresh uses for the Whiting ballpark, leaving players, staff, and fans scrambling for a summer backup plan.
Team leaders say they were given short notice
Oilmen president and general manager Don Popravak says Mayor Steve Spebar informed him on Jan. 12 that the city was “going in another direction” and that the club would no longer be allowed to use Oil City Stadium. According to the Chicago Tribune, team officials say the Oilmen have drawn more than 100,000 fans through the gates over their run, helped roughly 40 players reach affiliated professional baseball, including two who made the majors, run youth camps that reached thousands of kids, and piled up multiple league titles. That is a sizable legacy to lose in one off-season phone call.
About Oil City Stadium
Oil City Stadium at Standard Diamonds Park opened in 2011 as part of a lakefront redevelopment project. The ballpark was led by American Structurepoint as a public–private partnership and was designed with an 800-seat grandstand plus raised lawn seating for overflow crowds. According to American Structurepoint, the facility was intended to serve Whiting High School, Calumet College of St. Joseph, and local summer leagues. The Oilmen list Oil City Stadium, 1700 119th Street in Whiting, as the club's home field on the team's official site.
Why is the city pursuing other partners
Spebar has told local officials that Whiting is looking at other options for the park, including a verbal agreement with the Crestwood Collegiate League and an inquiry from a second team affiliated with the Chicago White Sox. He also described the Oilmen's league as “stagnant,” according to reporting by the Chicago Tribune. Popravak told the Tribune that the Oilmen submitted a proposal in October that offered $30,000 a year in rent, plus a share of alcohol and ticket taxes, and included taking over maintenance and operations. The city's Board of Works turned that offer down.
Where the Oilmen might play next
Team officials say realistic regional options are thin, so they are checking out college fields, neutral venues and other short-term fixes while they search for a stable home. Stadium Journey also flagged the eviction and the abrupt timing, noting how hard it is to re-book a full summer schedule on short notice. The Oilmen say they hope to stay in Northwest Indiana this season while talks continue with the city, other leagues and potential host sites.
What’s at stake for the community
The fallout goes beyond the roster and the front office. The dispute touches youth clinics, host-family arrangements, seasonal ballpark jobs and downtown businesses that count on game-night traffic. Fans and local partners say they are waiting for a formal notice from the city and for the Oilmen to roll out contingency plans. For now, both sides appear to be negotiating the next steps while Whiting decides what exactly Oil City Stadium will be in its next chapter.
