The Kokomo Jackrabbits announced Friday that they will not play in the 2025 season due to an ongoing legal battle over their lease agreement with the city of Kokomo.
The announcement, shared on the team’s Facebook page, stated that the unresolved lawsuit has forced the league to proceed with its 2025 schedule without including the Jackrabbits. “While this necessarily doesn’t mean the end of the Jackrabbits, however as it stands the future holds more questions than answers right now,” the post read. It concluded with a hopeful sentiment: “It isn’t ‘goodbye,’ we hope it’s ‘we’ll see you soon.’”
The Jackrabbits are at the center of a legal dispute between Kokomo Baseball LLC, the Wisconsin-based entity that owns the team, and the city of Kokomo. The city filed a lawsuit in October alleging that the team failed to properly renew its lease for Municipal Stadium. According to the complaint, the lease required written notice of renewal at least 90 days before its expiration. The city claims no such notice was provided, resulting in a directive for the team to vacate the stadium by Sept. 30, 2024.
The Jackrabbits contend they expressed their intent to renew during a virtual meeting with city officials on May 17, 2024, and believed they had reached a verbal agreement. A letter from the team’s legal counsel, included as an exhibit in the city’s complaint, argued that written notice was not explicitly requested or required at the time. The letter also served as a formal notice to renew the lease.
The Northwoods League joined the lawsuit as an intervenor in November. A league representative stated in mid-November that scheduling for the 2025 season was underway and the uncertainty surrounding the Jackrabbits made their inclusion untenable. The league’s finalized schedule, released last week, confirmed the absence of the Jackrabbits.
Former Jackrabbits General Manager Nathan Martin revealed in a Facebook post Thursday that he was released from his position the previous day. Martin expressed disappointment over the situation, which he said jeopardized Jackrabbits baseball the moment the lawsuit was filed.
The case is now in the hands of Howard County Circuit Court Judge Lynn Murray, who will weigh arguments from both sides in a hearing scheduled for Jan. 30. Both parties are expected to file briefs for summary judgment before the hearing.
The Northwoods League is a Midwest-based summer collegiate wood-bat league featuring players from across the country, many of whom go on to play professional baseball. Players live with host families during the season, fostering close ties with local communities. For now, however, Municipal Stadium will remain empty for the 2025 season, leaving the future of Jackrabbits baseball in limbo.