“The new ownership announcement spells out, even in general terms, a future for the Double-A franchise’s presence in Binghamton.
In May, a lawsuit between the Binghamton Mets owners and a Florida group trying to buy the Double-A franchise ended with general terms on an agreement, but details were kept kept private until the parties could finalize a contract. The settlement agreement was related to a potential sale of the team for $8.5 million.
The prospective owners wanted to move the team to Wilmington, Delaware, but the former B-Mets ownership said they found another buyer who would retain the franchise in Binghamton.”
snip
“The B-Mets have been the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets since the franchise’s first season in 1992. The most-recently announced player development contract between the New York Mets and the B-Mets runs through the 2020 season. The lease between the team and the City of Binghamton extends through March 31, 2022.”
Source: Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin
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From a strictly business perspective, I don’t know if this is a smart move by the new owner. He probably got a discount on the final sale price for keeping the team in Binghamton, but that’s a tough market to do well in. Their attendance has been declining in recent years and is consistently last or second-to-last in the Eastern League. Wilmington is a better environment in terms of drawing fans and corporate sponsorship.
If I owned the team, I’d overhaul the name and logo. There’s got to be a fair amount of merchandise money they’re leaving on the table.
The stadium is a dump.
Hey, I love to watch the Mets there when I can — AA is a fabulous level — but the Southern Tier of NY State is such a sad region. Really struggling without much hope for the future. There’s no money, no industry.
I wouldn’t want to own a ballclub in that spot.
Binghamton is Not a dump ! It has a top university ranked number at # 20 for public school in the United States, the downtown has been revamped, new family and entertainment additions to the area include Magic City Music Hall & Animal Adventure just to name a few. Binghamton along with the triple cities is the carousel capital of the world with 6 working Allen Hershal carousels in different parks all free to ride to the public. Binghamton is home to the AHL Binghamton Senators top affiliate of the Ottawa Senators. Binghamton like all cities in the north eastern region of the United States has faced it far share of ups and downs but the area and people are resliante.
Having spent some significant part of my life in the Triple Cities (Bingo, Johnson City, Endicott), I’d like to throw a bone that way.
Sure, like the saying goes, its a better place to have come from than to be going to. I get that. Practically forming the heart of Rust Belt is truly sad. A large part of the area was destroyed when the Susquehana River flooded making even a sad condition worse…my aunt’s house, about a block from the river in Johnson City was literally filled with flood water to the top of the first floor.
So on the good side. Binghamton has a flagship state university campus filled with kids from the City. This provides youth and energy and a potential fan base to capitalize on. BU also is plays a big roll in being part of a multimillion dollar high-tech business incubator in downtown. The region is also part of a post “weather disaster” revitalization investment, meaning that more money is coming in and new things are coming. Long Island is also a large recipient of such money after Sandy, so one cant help but wonder if a joint revitalization vision using the Mets as a link can be generated. The team gives a footprint upstate where its nice to grow fans that arent necessarily hooked to the Skankees. The B Mets certainly provide jobs and serves as a reminder the Mets are a NY team. Bingo has a pretty cool history, including being the place where IBM was founded. Anyway, I get that the city comes off as bit green around the gills, and NYSEG is a dumpy stadium in a bit of a dumpy part of town, but having a legit baseball team with players headed to the Show could be another one of the things that sparks the community to continue to rise instrad of just being buried by time. If I were a Mets PR guy, Id be working this night and day to make this an opportunity to cement good will and make fans.
8.5 million isnt that much money. If I ever win the Lotto I’m buying this team and moving them to NJ.
Haven’t they suffered enough?