Binghamton Mets will have new name in 2017

The Binghamton Mets will be playing under a new name starting in 2017. Team president John Hughes was quoted as saying that he wanted a new name that Binghamton could call its own, and that the team will be the "crown jewel" within the community. In that spirit, the team will be launching a contest to name the team on April 7.

The New York Mets' affiliate will be staying in Binghamton for the foreseeable future. They have a player-development agreement with the team through 2020. The future of baseball in Binghmaton was in doubt, however, when new owners bought the franchise with sights on moving the team to Wilmington, Delaware after the 2015 season. The league rejected this proposal, and the original buyers walked away from a $8.5 million deal. This opened the door for a new ownership group to come in and keep the team in Binghamton.

This rebranding of the team by the new ownership is most likely an attempt to garner more excitement around it. Attendance has been an issue, as the team averaged an attendance of only 2,766 last year. On top of the new team name, improvements to the stadium are said to be on the way.