Milwaukee Brewers Could Leave Milwaukee Over Ballpark Issues, Per Reports
The Milwaukee Brewers could reportedly consider leaving town if they don't figure out issues over ballpark improvements and stadium funding.
MLBTradeRumors did a great job covering all the bases on this article from all the local sources who cover the team.
From the article above:
At issue is the club’s lease on American Family Field, with negotiations over a new funding package for improvements yet to reach an agreement, as detailed by reports from Tom Daykin of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Beck’s report indicates the club could start looking for a new home this fall if a deal isn’t in place by then.
American Family Field is owned by a public agency called the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball District, who leases the stadium to the Brewers. The current lease runs through 2030 and requires the agency to pay for improvements present in at least 75% of all other MLB stadiums. The district must also replace or repair infrastructure items consistent with the replacement items of the top 25% of all MLB parks.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, proposed a $290 billion spending package earlier in the year as part of a deal that would get the Brewers to sign an extension keeping them in Milwaukee through 2043. When combined with interest and the $70MM that the district already has on hand, this would have eventually led to $448MM in spending.
That deal was scrapped by Republican lawmakers, who control the legislature.
The article also takes note that lawmakers have considered softening their stance on giving no funding but we don't know the details yet of what they are proposing.
We don't know yet if this a real threat or just a threat meant to drum up fear and money. Teams often use relocation threats as a way to get what they want financially. The Oakland A's are another team going through something similar now, although their relocation threats are much more real and they appear intent on moving to Las Vegas.
The Brewers have been in Milwaukee since 1970, after they spent one year in Seattle.
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