The Wilmington Sharks are a baseball team in the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The Sharks play their home games at Buck Hardee Field at Legion Stadium in Wilmington, North Carolina. Buck Hardee Field is more commonly referred to as "The Shark Tank." The Sharks are a pioneer member of the Coastal Plain League, and they have been part of the league since its inception in 1997. On Tuesday, March 2, 2017, National Sports Service acquired the team from the Smith Family Baseball Wilmington, LLC which had been the owners since 2014. The 2017 season was the Sharks’ 20th season in Wilmington. The Sharks finished the 2019 season with a 20-31 record after finishing the 2018 season with a 17-34 record. They finished in third place in the East Division one spot higher than 2018 when they finished in last place. This marks the 10th time in team history they didn't make the playoffs, this is the second straight season they did not make the playoffs. The Sharks averaged 1,105 fans at home in 2019 which included two sellout crowds, they improved from the 2018 season when they averaged 1,001 fans at home, they averaged 1,118 fans in 2017. Tyler Jackson finished his second season as the head coach of the Sharks and has an overall record of 37-65 and has not made the playoffs. The 2020 season will be the Sharks 23rd season in Wilmington. On September 16th, 2019 the Sharks announced that Russ Burroughs will be the new manager replacing Tyler Jackson who went 37-65 in two seasons, the Sharks did not make the playoffs in either season. The 2020 season will go back to the two-division format with the Sharks in the East Division. Joining the Sharks in the East are the Tri-City Chili Peppers, Florence RedWolves, Holly Spring Salamanders, Morehead City Marlins, Peninsula Pilots and the Wilson Tobs. The West Division will be Asheboro Copperheads, Forest City Owls, Gastonia Grizzlies, High Point-Thomasville HiToms, Lexington County Blowfish, Macon Bacon, Martinsville Mustangs and Savannah Bananas. Due to COVID-19, the Coastal Plain League announced that the season will start on July 1st. The Fayetteville Swampdogs and the Florence RedWolves will not be playing in the 2020 season.
