"Blackmail season has started" - Diamondbacks fans furious as Ken Kendrick says club may have 'run out of time in Phoenix'

Arizona Diamondbacks fans were left furious after owner and Managing General Partner Ken Kendrick said during a press conference on Monday that the team might be running out of time in Arizona. Since taking over the helm in 2004, Kendrick has led the franchise impressively, returning to the World Series for the first time in 22 years.

However, his comments about the possibility of moving the franchise to another city didn't sit well with Arizona fans, who made their feelings clear on social media.

Kendrick is a senior MLB executive who has been a part-owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks since its inception in 1995. He took over as the managing general partner in 2004, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the team since then. Under his leadership, the team has gotten rid of over $350 million in debt and has been competitive on the field as well.

However, Kendrick took the opportunity to express his frustrations on Monday, after failing to secure public funding for the renovation of Chase Field. He went on to say that if they fail to reach an agreement over this issue in the near future, the franchise may be forced to move to another city.

As expected, this did not sit well with fans in Arizona, with several fans also accusing him of using fear tactics:

"Blackmail season has started," wrote one fan on X, formerly Twitter. "This is just noise," added another.

Ken Kendrick confirms Diamondbacks are still searching for a TV partner for 2024 season

While MLB teams around the country are starting Spring Training with their full rosters this week, the Arizona Diamondbacks owner spoke to the press and revealed some updates on the team. After claiming that the franchise may have to move if they fail to secure public funding for stadium renovations, Kendrick also shared an update on the team's television partner: they don't have one.

As of now, they still do not have a television deal for the 2024 season after breaking down their partnership with Diamond Sports Group over the winter, but Kendrick assured fans that they are working on it.