The Liga Mexicana de Beisbol announced that a new franchise in Durango would replace the Generales de Durango for the 2024 season, after the Generales were “provisionally suspended” due to the owner’s legal troubles.
The new franchise will be owned by Emilio Hank Talancón, the owner of the Calisports League and a longtime sponsor of the LMB and Mexican sports.
“I have witnessed the exponential growth of the Mexican Baseball League in recent years, its relevance and positioning in the Mexican sports and entertainment industry,” Hank said in a statement on the LMB website. “We hope to support the development of the LMB through the Calisports League, in the same way.”
A logo and name for the new franchise will be announced in the next few weeks.
The first game for the team will be on the road against the Saraperos de Saltillo on Friday, April 12. Their first home game, at Francisco Villa Stadium, will be on Tuesday, April 16, against the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos.
The previous LMB team, the Generales de Durango, were provisionally suspended by the league last month. Several other businesses owned by Carlos Lazo, the Generales’ owner, are being investigated by Mexican authorities for business fraud.
Lazo also owns Grupo Xoy and Yox Holdings, two organizations that have been accused of fraud by Mexican prosecutors in the state of Jalisco. According to a report by the Mexican website Proceso, Yox Holdings defaulted on payments to investors starting in December 2023, and owes nearly MX$130 million – approximately $7.5 million – in damages as of Jan. 18.