BREAKING: SwampDogs Announce Cease of Operations in Fayetteville After 19 Years
The Fayetteville SwampDogs announced Friday, that they will be ceasing operations in Fayetteville after 19 years in the community – the city’s longest-running sports franchise.
The summer collegiate baseball team has spent all of its 19 years in J.P. Riddle Stadium on Legion Road. In a letter to host families, the SwampDogs said “Due to our inability to negotiate a satisfactory lease with Fayetteville Technical Community College, the current landlord of JP Riddle Stadium, we will not be returning to Fayetteville next summer.”
“Our goal was to continue being a source of low-cost summer entertainment for the community of which we’ve become an integral part,” Jeremy Aagard, SwampDogs’ general manager, said in a release. “The financial terms of the lease we were offered by FTCC were inconsistent with that goal.”
The SwampDogs recently completed their 19th season at the Swamp, watching the season come to a close in a tough playoff matchup.
“We always sought to provide affordable entertainment while giving back to the community that so enthusiastically supported us,” said SwampDogs owner Lew Handelsman. “We thank the thousands of fans, host families, and the many business sponsors who warmly welcomed us and helped made the SwampDogs successful.”
The team has said they will not operate in the 2020 season, before relocating for the 2021 CPL season.
