The AA affiliate of the Angels has a new owner. The club confirmed on Thursday that they had been sold to BallCorps LLC. Currently, the Angels development contract with the team runs through the 2018 season so it’s unclear if this will affect anything moving forward. Mobile is a new affiliate for the Angels who were previously tied to the Texas League team Arkansas Travelers through the 2016 season.
According to the above linked article, this could mean a team move to northern Alabama in 2019. I think what may be the biggest bummer about that is I’m fan of the Mobile BayBears logo and I imagine that may change unless the team does a naming fiasco like Arte came up with a few years back in the process of switching over to the LA Angels. The Mobile BayBears of Huntsville has a similar sounding ring doesn’t it?
Assuming the Angels and “BayBears” renew their contract past 2018, it will be interesting to see what kind of stadium the AA team ends up playing in. Currently, Hank Aaron Stadium where the BayBears play is much more pitcher than hitter friendly.
It’s possible the team could also stay put in Mobile, but they have one the lowest attendance in the league there and average just under 1,500 per game.
The sale talk has been going on since the summer with the possibility of the team anchoring a new retail district in Madison, AL (just outside of Huntsville).