A threat from Penn State University to boot the State College Spikes (summer collegiate; MLB Draft League) from Medlar Field at Lubrano Park has been withdrawn after negotiations yielded an agreement.
In March 2026 Penn State sued the Spikes and argued that the Medlar Field lease had expired, while also seeking $1.7 million in termination rent and other costs. The Spikes countered with a statement arguing that this was an unlawful early termination of its lease, calling it a “calculated effort to drive the State College Spikes out of business.” The issue: Whether the Spikes has adequately exercised a second option to extend its lease at the ballpark for 10 more years, following the expiration of a first 10-year lease option. The Spikes launched in 2006 with a ten-year lease, followed with provisions for two 10-year options.
But despite some pointed commentary from both sides, the pair did agree to further talks about the future of the Spikes at the Penn State ballpark, though Penn State did end up filing suit, saying that termination fees were sue and that the college was subsidizing the MLB-affiliated team. Losing the lease would have certainly meant the end of the Spikes in State College and brought up some uncomfortable talk about the future of the six-team MLB Draft League, which operated as a hybrid development league: collegiate players in the first half of the season, undrafted players with no more collegiate eligibility in the second half. The matter had been referred to mediation in October, but the agreement bypasses that step.
“The revised agreement allows the Spikes to continue calling the ballpark home and provides stability for fans and the broader community,” Penn State said in a press statement. “Both organizations look forward to moving ahead together and continuing to make the facility a premier destination for baseball, family entertainment and community events.”
Terms of the settlement were not made public. In the past the Spikes had been paying $117,000 in yearly rent and committed the past several years to offseason ballpark improvements.