Temerity Baseball, a seasoned player in minor league baseball, has joined forces with a local investor group to acquire Lexington's Atlantic League team and stadium. With a track record of successfully managing the Greensboro Grasshoppers and the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, Temerity Baseball is set to bring a fresh chapter of professional baseball to Lexington.
Alan Stein
The ownership group comprises local investors, including former Lexington Legends President Alan Stein, who played a pivotal role in building the stadium and bringing the Legends to Lexington in 2001. Temerity Baseball founder and Chairman Andy Sandler expressed excitement about the venture, aiming to revive the glory days of the Lexington Legends and reignite community support.
Andy Sandler
In 2021, the Legends team was among 42 teams that lost Major League Baseball affiliation. The Legends had been affiliated with the Kansas City Royals. The Legends joined the Atlantic League that same year. Nathan and Kerri Lyons acquired the Lexington Legends in October 2022, as well as the 19-acre property that includes the stadium and parking lot, and changed the team's branding to the Counter Clocks.
The Atlantic League has given the green light for the ownership transfer.
Stein commended Temerity Baseball on its expertise, financial resources, and enthusiasm, expressing hope for a resurgence of community support. “I have spent much of my adult life establishing and promoting professional baseball in Lexington, and I am so excited to have the opportunity to reengage in this labor of love with the Temerity Baseball leadership team,” he said.
Temerity has also signed a multi-year partnership with Transylvania University for the Pioneers to continue playing at Lexington’s professional baseball stadium.
"Transy's baseball team has shared a home field with Lexington's professional baseball club since 2019, and we are truly excited to continue our partnership with Temerity and its community supporters,” said Transylvania's president, Brien Lewis. “The facilities and staff at the ballpark create an exceptional experience for our student-athletes.”
Looking ahead to the 2024 season, Temerity is gearing up for a February 15 announcement regarding the team’s branding. Said Sandler: “It will be legendary.”