Rich, who will continue to own the team, confirmed the news in a press conference on August 25, 2014, as did officials from the city of Jamestown, who indicated that the New York–Penn League had been trying to get out of Jamestown for several years. The league had been in the city continuously since 1960 and intermittently since the league's launch in 1939, long after nearby cities such as Bradford, Olean and Wellsville had lost their pro teams; it was one of only two of the league's charter cities still with a team, and the other, Batavia, returned its franchise to the league after the 2017 season. Most of the remaining teams in upstate New York below the AAA level are slated for shutdown in 2020."The Minor League Teams That Could Lose M.L.B. Ties." The New York Times (November 16, 2019). Retrieved November 19, 2019. Rich Baseball still had one year remaining on its lease with Diethrick Park, and it is unknown how the team fulfilled the terms of the lease.Mayor speaks about Jammers' departure (full article in source code). The Post-Journal (August 26, 2014). Retrieved August 26, 2014. Attendance declines were a major factor in the team's departure; while in 2009, the team was still drawing close to the league average in attendance, the team averaged less than 800 fans per game in 2014 and had lost half of its attendance in the past five years (this may have also been a result of the fans knowing the team was leaving).Houghtaling, Jeremy (August 26, 2014). It's time to say goodbye to the Jamestown Jammers. Auburn Citizen. Retrieved August 27, 2014. The other factor in the team's departure was the decrepitude of Russell Diethrick Park; other teams in the league were refusing to use the facilities there, and the attendance declines made it impossible to fund upgrades that the city and other entities that used the ballpark also refused to finance.Moritz, Amy (August 31, 2016). In the evolved NY-Penn League, the charm & nostalgia of Batavia may soon face final out . The Buffalo News. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
