CHATHAM — Fret not, Cape League fans. It appears the Chatham A’s will remain as the Chatham A’s and Harwich Mariners will remain as the Harwich Mariners. 

The Cape League is on the brink of reaching an agreement with Major League Baseball regarding the sale of merchandise for the six CCBL teams that share the nickname of an MLB franchise. 

The local teams sharing those nicknames – the Bourne Braves, Hyannis Mets, Orleans Cardinals, Y-D Red Sox and A’s and Mariners – were told they must purchase all future uniforms and souvenir merchandise from MLB-licensed vendors.

If any one of the six teams refuses to sign the agreement, they will be forced to change their name, and Major League Baseball will withhold its annual $100,000 grant, roughly 25 percent of the operating budget for the volunteer-run Cape League.

Major League Baseball brought the issue to the table earlier this year and imposed a March 7 deadline for the six targeted Cape League teams to sign a deal, but due to time constraints, existing inventory and previously purchased merchandise, the deadline was pushed back. 

In its initial proposal, MLB also requested an 11 percent royalty on sales of existing inventory from the six teams, but MLB will withdraw that request if a deal is reached, saving the Cape League “roughly $27,000” according to Cape League Commissioner Paul Galop. 

As of Tuesday, fives of the six teams have signed the agreement – among them Chatham and Harwich. 

Although the agreement is annual and teams can opt out of it each year, by signing now they’re, “going forward effective immediately with the agreement,” explained Galop.

That Major League Baseball demanded Cape League teams buy their merchandise from MLB-approved licensees this year strikes many as capricious considering Chatham has been known as the A’s since 1971 and Harwich has been known as the Mariners since the late 1960s. Nevertheless, MLB’s demand stands. 

“This is a business decision and MLB, which is trying to protect its trademarks and vendors, believes they have the right to enforce this and they probably do,” Galop said. “We could test this in court, and you never know what a judge and jury are going to decide. But if we did that and won, I’d feel like we’d be winning the battle and losing the war, because we want to maintain our good relationship with Major League Baseball.”

Loss of the $100,000 grant wouldn’t be enough to shut down the non-profit Cape League, supported by grants and local sponsors, Galop said. “But no one wants to tarnish our 40-year relationship with Major League Baseball and its scoring bureau over an issue like this, which at the end of the day is really much ado about nothing.”

Certain Cape League teams might disagree. 

With the exception of hats they get from Twins Enterprises, an approved MLB supplier, the Mariners buy the bulk of their merchandise from Austin’s in West Yarmouth and Advance Embroidery in Hyannis. The A’s use those same merchants, in addition to Embassy Products in Cambridge as their primary suppliers. 

“We’ve had a good relationship with the businesses we use,” Chatham A’s President Peter Troy said. “They’ve offered us good pricing, prompt service and just-in-time delivery. If you make the playoffs, for instance, you’ve only got one day to create a special shirt.”

Chatham has yet to decide whether it’ll remain under the MLB agreement and buy only through MLB properties or opt out and remain loyal to their current suppliers. Troy said the Chatham Athletic Association has until the fall (Nov. 1) to decide what to do, and although he couldn’t say which way the team is leaning, finances might dictate the outcome of this David vs. Goliath dispute. 

“As the president and as a director of the A’s, I have a fiduciary responsibility to take care of the Chatham Athletic Association,” Troy said. “It would be hard for us to stand up against a very well-financed entity and spend a lot of money on attorneys about an issue that could go on for years.”

Harwich Mariners President Mary Henderson said she wasn’t at liberty to say what the team will do in the future, but submitted, “We’re going to do what’s best for the league and everyone else.” 

The idea that Chatham could get around MLB’s demand by changing their name from “Chatham Athletics” to the more ambiguous “Chatham A’s,” which could stand for any number of things, was also shot down.

“It doesn’t matter what the A’s stands for,” said Galop. “The ‘A’ and apostrophe ‘S’ is trademarked by Major League Baseball and so is the font they use.”

Major League Baseball has cracked down on other amateur leagues across the country that are using their names and logos, telling one team in the New England College Baseball League and a couple of others in the Great Lakes League they must buy exclusively from MLB properties or change their name. All of those teams changed their names, according to Galop. 

MLB has taken the same action against youth teams. They recently told a Little League team in suburban Chicago that was using an MLB nickname that they must purchase their apparel through MLB suppliers or face legal consequences. With no leg to stand on, the team in Tinsley Park, Ill., changed its name to the Bulldogs. 

There’s few similarities between the Cape League and Little League, but in a battle against big baseball, they’re basically in the same boat.

“If Major League Baseball is going to flex its muscle, there’s nothing we can do,” Chatham coach John Schiffner said. “They have billions of dollars and we can’t fight them. It just seems awful petty on their part. Do they really need the money the teams in the Cape League are making? Major league baseball’s merchandise is grossly overpriced. They don’t need our money, and haven’t they looked at what the Cape League has done for them? They should leave us alone.”

In the event the A’s and Mariners do change their name, both coaches agreed there’s no risk losing the number of elite recruits the team attracts each year. 

“I don’t think it would be a problem because the college coaches still know Chatham, with or without the A’s attached to it,” Schiffner said. “The town’s name is most important, that’s what they recognize. They know it’s one of the best places to play – it’s Chatham.” 

Added Mariners Field Manager Steve Englert, “When you say you’re calling from Harwich, coaches and players all know who you are.”