Eugene Emeralds Eye Medford as Potential New Home

Published on April 11, 2025

The Eugene Emeralds Baseball Club has pitched the idea of moving south.

The minor league team presented its proposal to relocate to Medford to the Mayor and City Council during a study session on Wednesday, April 9.

The Emeralds, who began their 70th season in Eugene that night, said that efforts to establish a stadium in Eugene that meets Major League Baseball’s standards for minor-league teams have stalled.

Now, the team is exploring a public-private partnership that would allow them to continue as a minor-league franchise. The group’s owner, Elmore Sports Group, said it views Medford as a “promising location for a new home,” due to the city’s growth, enthusiasm for recreation and sports facilities, and its status as a regional hub for the area.

Beacon Economics also presented at the study session, highlighting the potential economic and fiscal impacts of constructing and operating the proposed stadium.

The company provided an example of $90.4 million in construction spending and $25 million in annual direct spending, which includes team and game-related spending. These figures were intended to illustrate the scale and potential impact of the proposed stadium and were not directly linked to Medford.

Councilors and staff discussed both the opportunities and challenges involved. The group then expressed interest in the potential benefits the relocation could bring and gave staff direction to continue conversations with the sports group. This direction involves understanding what the public and private investments would entail, including stadium construction and operations. 

Photo Credit: Eugene Emeralds