Boyd Sports, LLC has announced it will assume the management contract of the Kingsport franchise in the Appalachian League. Boyd Sports, which also owns the Tennessee Smokies, Johnson City Baseball, Greeneville Baseball, and Elizabethton Baseball will assume all business operations of Kingsport Baseball.
“We are ecstatic that upper-level baseball will continue in Kingsport with the new look Appy League. We are also excited to partner with Boyd Sports to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Kingsport Club,” said Jud Teague, Executive Director of Visit Kingsport. “Boyd Sports has a proven record of providing an excellent fan experience and community relations. I have no doubt they will bring this to Kingsport.”
Kingsport Baseball will continue to play at Hunter Wright Stadium in Kingsport, TN. Hunter Wright Stadium has been the home of Kingsport Baseball since 1995.
“We are very pleased to add Kingsport Baseball to our Boyd Sports family and grow a strong relationship with the Kingsport community,” added Chris Allen, Boyd Sports President and COO. “We are thrilled to be a part of the community, and we cannot wait to get started. We are looking forward to great success for many years to come.”
Boyd Sports will announce staffing and key details about the organization at a later date. The Kingsport franchise will commence the 2021 home campaign on June 3rd against Bluefield.
The Appalachian League is one of the longest standing baseball leagues in U.S. history and is rooted within 10 cities in the Appalachia Region of the country. It will do so as a collegiate summer league and part of the Major League Baseball and USA Baseball Prospect Development Pipeline (“PDP”). The PDP is a collaborative effort that establishes a player development pathway for amateur baseball players in the United States.