The Class AA Southern League has approved the sale of the Mobile BayBears to BallCorps, LLC of Arizona, potentially setting up an eventual move to Madison, AL.
Earlier this year, it was learned BallCorps was working on an effort to purchase the BayBears with the intention of relocating the franchise to another city. Some discussion has taken place about moving the team to Madison–a city that is included in the Huntsville Metropolitan Area–where a new ballpark could be built as part of the Town Madison development.
The group’s purchase of the BayBears has been approved, with the team slated to remain in Mobile for at least 2018. More from AL.com:
WAFF reports that the Southern League owners were told that BallCorps will immediately request relocation to Madison, Alabama, upon final approval.
“With regard to final approval of the sale of the team as well as potential relocation, I will defer to the Southern League office at this time,” Mobile BayBears general manager Chris Morgan told AL.com on Monday morning. “I can, with 100 percent certainty, state that the BayBears will be playing at Hank Aaron Stadium in 2018 and our staff is looking forward to staging a great season for our fans.”
In this case, there will be multiple steps before the team can be relocated. First, the sale is considered in a separate vote. That is followed by a separate request to move the franchise. (You cannot just request a move of the franchise; you need to have a destination and facility specified.) If the relocation of the BayBears to Madison does indeed happen, it will mark the Huntsville area’s first professional baseball team since the relocation of the Huntsville Stars (Class AA; Southern League), who played their last full season at Joe W. Davis Stadium in 2014.
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