ONEONTA, N.Y. (WKTV) - The new owners of the Oneonta Tiger's announced they won't be playing in the city this Summer.

Owners said that financially, it didn't make sense to keep the team in the city of Oneonta. So, the Tigers will be packing up their balls and bats and moving to Norwich, CT.

Tigers General Manager Andy Webber said the team will honor their lease agreement with the city and that all season ticket holders who have paid for the upcoming year will be refunded.

"This is certainly an emotional time for those of us that are baseball fans," said Oneonta Mayor Dick Miller.

Miller said he and plenty of others will miss the crack of the bat come Spring time. After nearly half-a-century of local ownership, the Tigers were sold last year with the intent to keep the team in Oneonta for the next two years.

Miller said the team's move doesn't come as a surprise. Baseball was popular in the city, but not popular enough.

Miller said Tigers games only averaged about 800 people in attendance each night, and he doesn't anticipate an economic impact because of the Tigers' move. However, he wants to continue 44 years of baseball tradition in Oneonta.

Miller said he's looking to possibly bring an independent or collegiate baseball team to play in Oneonta this Summer.