Minor League Office blocks DJAXX move to SC

[T2E]

And the story takes yet another curve:

 

A frustrated Diamond Jaxx administration is left to wonder what the future holds after Minor League Baseball on Friday turned down the Jaxx's application to relocate to South Carolina.

 

Instead, Minor League Baseball awarded the Greenville, S.C., territory to the Capital City Bombers, a Class-A franchise from the Sally League. The team will play in Greenville's Municipal Stadium in 2005 while a new stadium is built. At this point, the Jaxx have no place to go after 2005.

 

Jaxx owner Bob Lozinak has officially notified the city of Jackson he plans to move the team after the 2005 season due to financial losses of more than $1 million the past two seasons. The Southern League had approved the Jaxx's move to South Carolina. But Minor League Baseball blocked the move, possibly because the city of Jackson has expressed an interest in buying the Jaxx franchise. Uncertainty over the Jaxx ownership after 2005 might have influenced the decision of Minor League Baseball, Parker said.

 

http://miva.jacksonsun.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?NEWS/news_storyV2005.mv+link=200502126941566

[davecubsfan]

Good for the West Tennessee guys!!!! I'm glad to see this.

[Chris]

I'm personally glad to see it and am not surprised at all that this happened. For one, other teams were offering to put up more money for the building of a new stadium. The big picture, as mentioned in the article, is the uncertainty of the Jaxx ownership.

 

I would like to see the team sold to the former owner, David Hersh. However, I highly doubt that will happen. To put into perspective how much he is disliked, the asking price for the team went up millions after he expressed interest.

 

My basic reaction is simple: ha ha in the face of the Jaxx ownership with particular emphasis towards the front office. Yeah, I know, real mature of me. In any case, the new group came in and has treated people of West Tennessee as thought they are the most ignorant people in the country. They changed things, took away popular promotions, burned many bridges, and are now facing the consequences. Rather than admit they were wrong and rather than give in, they tried to up and move and blame it on the lack of support.

 

From a psychological perspective, I am so intrigued as to what will happen this season. I wonder if the fans will forgive and forget, or if they will not show up at all and make them lose even more cash in 2005.

[sirmiltonshaggy]

Just an update.

 

The city of Jackson contractually has until Sunday, March 13 to either buy the team themselves or find an investor to buy the team to keep it in Jackson (or 45 days from the issuance of a letter by the Jaxx ownership of their intent to move the team). Apparently, according to Jackson Mayor Charles Farmer, they are close to reaching a deal with one such investor. A meeting was scheduled for today, March 10, to let people know the result of that negotiation, but this morning it was learned that the Loxinaks gave the city a one week extension on the 45 day window and a meeting is scheduled for March 18 to make an announcement.

 

The mayor said the contract would be for the new owners to keep the team in Jackson for 10 years regardless of attendance or revenue (which is how the Lozinaks are wiggling out of the current contract.)

 

I'm sure some don't really care where the team plays, but I'm sure there are those that do, so just keeping everyone updated.

[The Hawk]

Yeah thanks sirmiltonshaggy. I live an hour away and hadn't heard anything. Thanks for the update.

[Slugger_16]

This column was in the local paper this morning. It's only one guy's opinion, so I don't know if it'll ever become anything more than that, but I thought it was interesting nonetheless.

 

login: tikhon

password: nov19bw

 

Once again this season, the popular RiverDogs of the low-level Class A South Atlantic League are outdrawing most of the teams in the double-A Southern League.

 

Among the Southern League's 10 members, only the Jacksonville Suns, Montgomery Biscuits, Birmingham Barons and Mississippi Braves are averaging more fans per home game than the RiverDogs' 3,822, which ranks fifth in the 16-team South Atlantic League.

 

Better yet, the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx -- last in attendance in the Southern League at 1,571 fans per game at Pringles Park in Jackson, Tenn. -- are for sale. At the least, the Lozinak family wants to move the Chicago Cubs' affiliate.

 

Available Southern League franchises are hard to come by.

 

If not now for Charleston, when?

 

Personally, I'd love that, but I'm VERY biased. :D

[Chris]

For what it's worth I was told earlier in the season that the Jaxx will be in Jackson through 2006 through a pretty reliable source.

[bradbury]

BUT!!...according to the Sunday Jackson Sun's Jaxx Report, the Jaxx ownership is now considering Baton Rouge, LA, Tallahassee, FL, or even the gulf coast area of Mississippi. I personally believe they are just bluffing. :roll:

[Chris]

BUT!!...according to the Sunday Jackson Sun's Jaxx Report, the Jaxx ownership is now considering Baton Rouge, LA, Tallahassee, FL, or even the gulf coast area of Mississippi. I personally believe they are just bluffing. :roll:

 

Agreed.