Amberjacks say Monterey will not renew contract, city says otherwise
MONTEREY, Calif. (KION-TV)- After five years the Amberjacks are swimming away from Monterey, or so the team says.
The team announced online on Tuesday that the City of Monterey will not renew its contract for the next five years. Effectively making the 2023 season their last at Sollecito Park.
KION asked the City of Monterey for a statement about the future of the Amberjacks and they said:
"The city manager says that this is a non-story. We have been and are currently in negotiations with the league on having the Amberjacks play their 2024 season at Sollectio Park," said City of Monterey spokesperson Laurie Huelga.
The team was one of the original Pecos League California teams, founded in the 2017 season after Bakersfield and High Desert left MILB.
The team made a statement and expressed some seeming grievances. "Sollecito Park is one of the only pieces of flat ground on the Peninsula and is used almost 300 days a year for every sport imaginable. The Amberjacks were only allowed to play Friday/Saturday/Sunday Nights and were never allowed to sell food concessions or take batting practice."
During their final season, the Amberjacks played in the California Pacific Division, finishing with a record of 31-18, earning them a playoff spot with a 2nd place divisional finish.
The team said the City of Monterey did not allow the Amberjacks to host a playoff game. The Amberjacks went to Bakersfield and lost in three games.
The Pecos League will keep its doors open in Monterey, and the Pacific Division will comprise six teams for the 2024 season, according to the Amberjacks statement.
