Every season for eight years, Avon High School's baseball team has played 16 home games at the city-owned stadium for the minor league Lake Erie Crushers.
This year is different.
This spring Avon might only be playing five games at Sprenger Stadium because the Crushers rented it out.
"We're a private business, so yes we have to turn a profit, and be financially feasible," said Crushers’ owner Tom Kramig.
The lease between the city and the team allows the Crushers to rent the stadium out for up to $1,000.
Avon High played for free.
Kramig says paying organizations take priority, but is that fair?
"Whose to say what's fair, I mean we're following the terms of the lease with the City of Avon, so we feel like we're operating under that agreement," Kramig said.
Because taxpayers funded the stadium, News 5 also asked Mayor Bryan Jensen.
"I don't want to get into the politics of it, but I think the gist of it was the ownership was trying to say, 'we're a business. We're for profit. We got to make money.'"
Wednesday afternoon, the mayor and team owner said there’s a potential compromise.
Avon could play night games for free, but there are logistics, including having other high schools rearrange game times.
"We still have to work on schedules," Kramig said.
Avon superintendent Michael Laub doesn't like how the situation is being handled.
He released a statement, reading in part:
Our Avon community high school team was not given the opportunity to have a conversation before a final agreement was made with another high school team.
The other team is from outside Avon.
Avon High School has a baseball diamond which is used primarily by the JV team.
Their schedule is already made at Avon High School.
