It’s the ‘Binghamton Rumble Ponies’

The Binghamton Mets (Double-A, Eastern League) introduced their new branding Thursday morning during an unveiling ceremony at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in Binghamton (NY).  The team will now be known as the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.  Watch unveiling here.  Read more here.

 

B-Mets Rebranding Campaign Heats Up

As a follow up to the rebranding-the-team announcement we posted in March, the Binghamton Mets (Double-A, Eastern League) have unveiled the following six possible names from which voters/fans can now choose: Bullheads, Gobblers, Rocking Horses, Rumble Ponies, Stud Muffins, and Timber Jockeys.  Read more here.  Vote here until June 1.

Help Rename the B-Mets, Rebranding Campaign Begins April 7

PRESS RELEASE – Evans Street Baseball is giving you the opportunity of a lifetime – the chance to help us name your hometown baseball team.

B-Mets Introduce New Ownership

PRESS RELEASE – Evans Street Baseball Inc., headed by John Hughes, announced today that they have completed the purchase of the Binghamton Mets from the Binghamton Mets Baseball Club, Inc. The Double-A baseball team, affiliated with the New York Mets, is a member of the Eastern League and has been based in Binghamton, New York, for 24 years.

Kinston Approves Lease for Carolina League Team

The Kinston (NC) city council voted Monday to approve a lease for a potential baseball team at Grainger Stadium.  The deal is expected to be with a Single-A, Carolina League team and include $1.6 million in improvements and enhancements to the facility.  Read more here.  Read background story here.

Lawsuit Over Sale of B-Mets Allowed to Proceed, But Owners Can Look to Other Buyers

Federal District Court Judge David Hurd issued a ruling Thursday, telling the owners of the Binghamton Mets (Double-A, Eastern League) that there is sufficient cause to allow Main Street Baseball, which claims it has a contract to purchase the club, to proceed with the breach of contract suit.  However, the judge rejected a request by Main Street to stop team owners from negotiating

Lawsuit Claims B-Mets Backed Out of Sale

Despite repeated denials of plans to sell, the owners of the Binghamton Mets (Double-A, Eastern League) have been negotiating with multiple buyers over the past four years, based on the allegations contained in a lawsuit filed by Main Street Baseball claiming the ownership backed out of a sale.  Read more here.  Read statement by B-Mets President Mike Urda here.

B-Mets Extend Lease Another Seven Years

The Double-A Binghamton Mets (Eastern League) announced a lease extension on Wednesday, which keeps the team playing baseball at NYSEG Stadium through the year 2021.  The team made the announcement on the field prior to Game 1 of the Eastern Division playoff series.  Read more and watch news report here.

Local Group Raising Funds to Bring Double-A Team to Ottawa

A group of local businessmen led by Patrick McGarry, partner with Hulse, Playfair & McGarry Funeral Homes, has been working to raise a 30-percent share to help bring a Double-A Eastern League franchise to Ottawa Stadium in 2014.  Read more here.

Extension Granted to Seal Ottawa Deal

Beacon Sports of Boston has been granted an extension until the end of the first quarter of 2013 to finalize a deal to bring a Double-A Eastern League franchise to Ottawa.  Beacon COO Richard Billings will be at the Baseball Winter Meetings in Nashville next week to apparently round up additional investors for the ownership group that already includes Hall of Fame

B-Mets to Ottawa Deal Falls Through?

Adam Ruben from ESPNNewYork.com is reporting that a deal to sell and relocate the Double-A Binghamton Mets (Eastern League) to Ottawa “appears to have fallen through, according to a source with knowledge of the minor league arrangement.”  Read more here.  Meanwhile, B-Mets president Michael Urda continues to deny reports that the team is part of any Ottawa deal.  Read more here.

Baseball America: Deal for B-Mets in the Works

Baseball America is reporting that sources are saying that the Double-A Binghamton Mets are indeed the team targeted for Ottawa, and that inquiries have been made to bring the Single-A Batavia Muckdogs (New York-Penn League) to NYSEG Stadium to replace them.  There is hope a deal can completed during the Winter Meetings, with the sale of the franchise closing by the end of the year.  Read more here.

B-Mets President Dances Amid Relocation Reports

President of the Double-A Binghamton Mets (Eastern League) Michael Urda bobbed and weaved around questions surrounding reports that the B-Mets ownership was planning to sell the team and then buy a Single-A New York-Penn League franchise to replace them at  NYSEG Stadium.  While Urda appears to bluntly deny negotiations are happening, the wiggle room is there.  Read more here.

B-Mets, NY Mets Extend PDC

PRESS RELEASE – The Binghamton Mets and New York Mets today announced a four-year extension of their Player Development Contract, securing the B-Mets as New York’s Double-A affiliate through the 2016 season. The Binghamton Mets have been affiliated with New York for the past 21 seasons.

B-Mets Expect PDC Renewal

Despite talk that the Double-A Binghamton Mets (Eastern League) are bound for Ottawa after the 2012 season, B-Mets President Michael Urda, who has denied any sale and relocation of the franchise, is optimistic that the team’s player development contract with the New York Mets will be renewed in the next few months.  Read more here.

B-Mets Announce Front Office Changes

PRESS RELEASE – Binghamton Mets General Manager, Jim Weed announced today that Heith Tracy-Bronson will serve as the club’s Assistant General Manager.

Ottawa Council Approves Double-A Deal

The Ottawa City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve a deal with Beacon Sports of Boston to bring a Double-A Eastern League franchise to Ottawa Stadium beginning in 2013.  No word yet on the franchise slated for relocation, but all signs continue to point toward the Binghamton Mets.  Read more here.

Mets Not Moving Affiliation to Norwich

Whew, that was a close one!  Not really.  With all the rumblings about a possible Eastern League shakeup in the affiliation ranks, if the Double-A Binghamton Mets are sold and moved to Ottawa, a rumor surfaced that the New York Mets are interested in having their Eastern League affiliate take up residence at Dodd Stadium in Norwich (CT), the current home for the Single-A Connecticut

B-Mets Vehemently Deny Reports of Sale, Relocation

Michael Urda, president of the Double-A Binghamton Mets (Eastern League) has angrily denied reports that the team has been sold or contacted by anyone interested in the club.  Rumor has it that the B-Mets are headed to Ottawa, and that the Single-A Batavia Muckdogs (New York-Penn League) would move to Binghamton.  Below is an interesting tidbit from the Press & Sun-Bulletin Friday that

More on Ottawa

As reported earlier, Ottawa has agreed to a tentative deal with Beacon Sports of Boston to bring a Double-A Eastern League franchise, expected to be the Binghamton Mets, to Ottawa Stadium in 2013.  One debate now is whether the Intercounty Baseball League’s Ottawa Fat Cats can play this summer or not.  City staff are recommending

B-Mets Fire Sale?

The Double-A Binghamton Mets (Eastern League) have been one of the teams rumored to be relocating to Canada, if  Beacon Sports of Boston locks in a deal to use Ottawa Stadium.  Could the Mets’ current merchandise clearance sale be a sign?  Start shopping here.  Thanks to John Cerone for the heads up.

Beacon Sports Submits Bid for Ottawa Stadium

Beacon Sports Capital Partners of Boston beat today’s 3:00 p.m. deadline to submit bids to lease Ottawa Stadium for the long haul.  Beacon Sports has been the group gunning to relocate a Double-A Eastern League franchise to the capital city starting in 2013.  Read more here.

No Chance Fisher Cats Affiliation Moving to Ottawa?

Eastern League President Joe McEachern tried to snuff out rumors that the Toronto Blue Jays’ affiliation with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats would be heading to Ottawa (along with the Double-A Binghamton Mets) in an affiliation swap with the New York Mets.  McEachern said there is no chance of that happening, primarily because of a territorial rights issue with the Boston Red