Avon City Council extends Crushers lease

The city of Avon and Bluedog Baseball LLC have reached an agreement to extend the team’s lease of Crushers Stadium for one year after the novel coronavirus pandemic cancelled the 2020 Frontier League season.

City Council approved the agreement Nov. 23, which Mayor Bryan Jensen said codifies the city’s approach in 2020 after a lost season, ending any concerns of a breach.

Under the current lease,

Bluedog Baseball pays the city $250,000 in rent annually in monthly payments of $50,000.

The team made its rent payment in May after receiving federal assistance from the Paycheck Protection Program.

Crushers Co-owner and President Tom Kramig announced on Nov. 24 that Mercy Health is the team’s new naming rights sponsor beginning in the 2021 season in a three-year deal.

Jensen expressed his hopes that the announcement means brighter days are to come.

“Hopefully, that’s positive things for them coming forward because we wish them well, he said. “It’s been tough for them, I know, just as tough as it has been for us, but especially and certainly baseball now.

“So, Tom’s (Kramig) tried to work as much as you can. And we’ve been in contact with him. So, I’m excited for him to get to this next chapter.”

The Crushers play a 96 game season in the independent Frontier League and the season was cancelled June 24 citing growing concern due to COVID-19.

The Crushers are the

reigning Eastern Division champions, clinching their

first playoff spot in five years in 2019.

In May, Council voted to postpone a planned $600,000 turf replacement at the stadium until 2021 and moved forward with $150,000 in transfers to the General Obligation Bond Retirement Fund for debt service obligations on the stadium.

Earlier in 2020, Avon and Bluedog Baseball were in talks on a longer term lease to keep the team in the city for the foreseeable future.

Jensen said at that time, the two sides were working to get through 2020, but said there could be more discussions on a longer term lease in 2021.

KEVIN MARTIN — THE MORNING JOURNAL Avon City Council on Nov. 23 extended Bluedog Baseball LLC’s lease a year of Crushers Stadium, 2009 Baseball Blvd.