2026 Season Will be the Rochester Honkers Last at Mayo Field

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The 2026 season will be the final one for the Rochester Honkers at Mayo Field. 

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The field opened in 1951 and hosts adult amateur, high school, summer youth and legion baseball games, along with the Honkers.

A letter sent by the Northwoods League team to the City of Rochester Parks and Recreation Department in late March informed the city that the team was exercising its option to opt out of its lease at Mayo Field at the conclusion of the upcoming season. 

Honkers Opt Out of Mayo Field Lease

The letter sent to the city says the continued aging and deterioration of the historic field’s structures, “have reached a point that is no longer sustainable for our operations,” despite “ongoing efforts and creative approaches.” 

The letter also states, “increasing costs required to maintain the structural components, combined with their ongoing decline, have made it impractical for us to continue in the current setting.” 

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Honkers owners praised the city’s park staff for maintaining an "exceptional" playing surface.

A statement issued by the city says the “cost of renovating the stadium has limited the feasibility of significant reinvestment by either the City or private partners.” 

Honkers Plan to Stay in Rochester

The Honkers ownership group wrote in the letter they will retain their rights to the Rochester market. “Our intention is not to remove Honkers baseball from this community,”Honkers ownership wrote.

Honkers Co-owner Chris Goodell tells KROC news that the team has engaged with the city on finding a new home for the team and says they’re hopeful “that our ongoing conversations with the City of Rochester continue down a positive path and we're able to identify a new home that has a future in Rochester.” 

City Statement Discusses Future of Mayo Field

The City of Rochester has placed Mayo Field on its Disposition List, which means the space has been deemed as no longer needed for public use. 

Adjacent to Mayo Field is the city’s Parks and Recreation Department’s maintenance facility. Construction of an updated facility that will house the Parks and Forestry and Public Works departments is underway. 

The city plans to lead a “community-driven small-area planning process to determine how this area might best serve Rochester in the future,” once those departments move into the new facility, the city’s statement says. 

So far no future site has been announced. City officials say Mayo Field will continue to operate as it has in the past for the foreseeable future. 

The Honkers final home opener at Mayo Field is scheduled for May 27 at 6:30 p.m.