It appears as though the Camden Rivershark's playing days at Campbell's Field are numbered.
Due to long-standing attendance and financial woes, and with an expiring lease at Campbell's Field, the Atlantic League is considering to move the franchise to New Britain, Connecticut after spending 15 seasons on the Camden Waterfront.
Allison Steele of The Philadelphia Inquirer was the first to report the speculated Riversharks' relocation Thursday morning.
In Steele's conversation with Louis Cappelli Jr., Camden County Board of Freeholders director, it was noted that the board is in search of a 'long-term viable relationship with a tenant for Campbell's Field for years to come'.
Riversharks' general manager Lindsay Rosenberg said to Steele that the Riversharks want to remain at their current home, however, because they want to show their dedication and continue to be a part of the 'great things happening in Camden.'
The New Britain Rock Cats of the Eastern League, the current tenant of New Britain Stadium, is moving 12 miles south next season to a newly-constructed park in Hartford, according to Baseball America's Josh Leventhal.
A vacancy at Campbell's Field would allow for the relocation of one of New York-Penn League's teams there, considering the Atlantic League has no current plans of expansion.
The most likely candidates, Leventhal adds, would be three of the league's oldest franchises who currently play in dilapidated ballparks and thusly suffer in attendance: the Auburn Doubledays, Batavia Muckdogs or the Williamsport Crosscutters.
Plans surrounding this matter are 'still being evaluated', and that 'it is not clear which team would move to Camden.'
The founder of the Atlantic League and current co-owner of the Riversharks, Frank Boulton, confirmed to Leventhal that a team from its league will in fact be headed to play in New Britain pending completion of a signed agreement they had with the Eastern League and the city of New Britain last week.
Leventhal further writes:
"While Boulton conceded that Camden is a candidate for relocation, he said that the league is still attempting to stay there. He is meeting with city officials this month to try and work out the terms of the lease that expires after this season to make it “economically viable for a team to be profitable.”
Moving Camden to New Britain 'could happen,' Boulton said, 'but I would say that my desire is to work things out in Camden and make sure that baseball is going to be there for a long time.'"
A formal decision about what team from the Atlantic League will transition to the Eastern League's New Britain location is expected to be made at the end of the month.
The announcement of the new home for either the Crosscutters, Doubledays or Muckdogs of the New York-Penn League would likely be made soon thereafter. This, of course, is pending upon which Atlantic League team moves to New Britain.
The team that makes the most sense for a move to Camden would be the Crosscutters, who are the short-season A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Campbell's Field is just a short drive away over the bridge, 7.5 miles separated to be exact, from Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia.
For fans to be able to see future players of the Phillies at such a short distance away would surely increase attendance at the stadium which opened in 2001.
Any move of an affiliated team with major league baseball team to Camden would require approval from the Phillies, as the ballpark falls within their territory.
Also, any MLB-affiliated move to Camden would not occur until 2017 the earliest, as Kevin Reichard of BaseballDigest.com notes that the application deadline for next season has 'long past', and that Campbell's Field would need to see upgrades in order to satisfy standards.
According to Reichard, the Phillies have reportedly 'signed off on the effort' to utilize Campbell's Field.
The other two rumored tenants, the Auburn Doubledays and Batavia Muckdogs, are affiliated with the Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins respectively.
Matt Rappa (@mattrappasports) is managing editor of Philliedelphia.com
