The Snakes are scoping out a new home in the desert.
WIth their stadium lease up after the 2027 season, the Arizona Diamondbacks are assessing their options.
“Obviously the city [of Phoenix] doesn’t want to lose us and the impact that we make on downtown,” team CEO Derrick Hall told the Phoenix Business Journal. “So we’re having good conversations, and I would say within the next couple of months, we want to know.”
Remaining at Chase Field is an option, but one that would require “hundreds of millions” in renovations, per Hall, who mentioned that it would be easier to generate revenue at a new site.
The team is in active discussions to build a new ballpark at a different location in the Phoenix area.
Whichever path it takes, the team is looking to follow the trend of building a commerce area around its stadium.
“It’s not just about the ballpark,” said Hall. “It’s about having retail and hotel and office space. We want to see what the opportunities are here or anywhere else so that we can activate 365 days a year.”
Media Mayhem
The Diamondbacks may have to switch local broadcasters midseason.
Diamond Sports Group, owner of Bally Sports Arizona, missed a $30.8 million payment to the team for its local broadcast rights, and MLB is seeking to terminate the contract. The regional sports network also broadcasts the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, as well as the Arizona Coyotes.
Under that scenario, the league would likely produce games and broadcast them on its MLB Network.
