Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, who already owns the Triple-A Round Rock Express (Pacific Coast League) and Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks (Texas League) as part of Ryan-Sanders Entertainment, is believed to be negotiating through Beacon Sports Capital Partners to own a minority stake in the Double-A Eastern League franchise expected to set up shop in Ottawa (ON) in 2014. Read more here.
Nolan Ryan Interested in New Ottawa Team?
Filed under League & Franchise, Market & Location, Personnel & Operations
ballparkbiz.wordpress.com 
I had no idea that the weather was so much warmer in Ottawa in April than in Binghamton !
I don’t know why the owners get bend out of shape about ottawa i like the idea mets move there and then binghamton can get a short a team for the summer lets face it april is a cold month and its nasty a lot of players could like the warm months of june through sept would anyone object to that?
BMets owner Mike Urda is sort of denying these reports in pressconnects.com.Let the games begin.Somebody gonna have some ‘splainen’ to do.
If you look at recent transactions of Double A clubs preferably Eastern League, with the moderate success of the B-Mets one would have to think they could not get much more than $12-$12.5m for the club, which isn’t bad however, I do not remember what they paid….
Mets affiliations would be all over the Map with Las Vegas, Ottawa, St. Lucie, Savannah, leaving Brooklyn as the only local team. I believe they recently renewed their affiliation in Binghamton for 2 years (correct me if I am wrong). I also do not see the reasoning, Ottawa had a very brief period of success in Minor League Baseball since the one year they topped 600,000 in attendance they dropped horrifically, the ballpark is now outdated if you compare to ballparks of the last 10 years and other then its large seating bowl and many luxury boxes it is very bland.
Well, I think we have two questions here:
(1) Is it a smart move to bring a Double-A club to Ottawa Stadium?
(2) Is it a good business move by the owners of the B-Mets to sell the team?
Alan
Still don’t understand what the B-Mets owners are getting out of the deal (except cash). They have a sweetheart deal in Binghamton with their $1 lease.
As for that other site, they have NEVER admitted to being wrong about anything. I still remember the time they reported that West Tenn was moving to Greenville, SC. Still waiting for that to happen … lol.
Brian,
The owners of the B-Mets could sell the franchise for a profit, and then flip the cash to snatch up the up Batavia Muckdogs for a lower price, move the team, and end up with a franchise and profit to boot while maintaining a favorable lease arrangement in Binghamton. I am not sure what a shorter season franchise would do to their bottom line, but we are talking about eliminating colder, less profitable months from the schedule. Then, of course, the summer collegiate Perfect Game League or NYCBL moves into Batavia.
Alan
Good thinking, Alan! Good site by the way – informative without the snark
Lol, Brian, you don’t even have to mention names; I know what site you’re talking about already! Good site but definitely too arrogant for their own good. I remember them chastising fans for saying that a college team and MiLB team could share a ballpark, and wouldn’t happen…even though it’s happening already (Charleston).
I see another “report” indicates that the Binghamton Mets will be the team moving to Ottawa ? Any idea whether it will be Binghamton or Erie that is moving ?
The B-Mets have been the team most believed were the target all along. It is funny that the same site that scoffed at the idea of a team relocating to Ottawa in the first place is now proudly reporting that the team moving is indeed the B-Mets. Of course, there was no admittance of being completely wrong.
Alan
My contact in Erie tells me it’s not the SeaWolves. If true, that only leaves the B-Mets.
Alan