Comments on: Must-click link: ranking the possible relocation and expansion markets

By: Jeremy T

Jeremy T — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 17:48:46 +0000

Which, if I cared about MLS or soccer at all, would irritate me to no end. If the energy drink didn’t exist, it might actually be a decent name, but selling your team’s naming rights seems like just about the most desperate, money-grubbing move a so-called “professional” sports team could make. Can you imagine what would happen if a baseball team tried to pull that crap?

By: makeham98

makeham98 — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:51:17 +0000

No market will be successful without a huge tv deal. See Kansas City. Tampa. Then add even worse markets like Memphis. Portland. Charlotte.

MLB expansion would go as well as NHL expansion. You might find a group of suckers to buy in only to have them fail miserably within ten years.

You might be able to relocate an NL team to north Jersey.

By: blacksables

blacksables — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:57:28 +0000

Havana and Monterrey

By: bh0673

bh0673 — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:33:13 +0000

NJ without question could support a major league team even though the Mets, Yankees would balk but there are so many people who are afraid to travel in New York City by car and won’t ride subways to get to either stadium ( Bronx or Queens) except on the occasional bus trip or find the distance to Philadelphia too far that it would have zero impact on either the Met fan base or the Yankee fan base or Philly fan base.The New York city area supports 3 hockey teams, two basketball and football teams as well as the Mets and Yankees without any problem. I think if anything it could help the Yankees, Phillys and Mets by introducing baseball on the major league level to so many people who have never attended a game past the single A level.

By: raysfan1

raysfan1 — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 03:47:36 +0000

Contraction ain’t happening; it would cost MLB billions in value and lost revenue, plus they’d have the headache of negotiating some sort of settlement with the MLBPA over the loss of 40 MLB players per franchise contracted.

Every time this topic comes up, I state that the NY area is the only non-Tampa/Orlando area option that would not leave them a small market team, and the teams there would not allow it. The Rays’ best bet is to stay in FL.

By: raysfan1

raysfan1 — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 03:31:00 +0000

Memphis = solidly Cards territory
Buffalo = pissing match from Toronto and the NY teams

By: sincitybonobo

sincitybonobo — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 03:16:05 +0000

Clark County, Nevada, covering a vast land area, reached the two million mark in population a couple of years ago. This includes the nearby suburbs of Henderson and North Las Vegas. A unique hurdle to Vegas- other than the public financing of a domed stadium- is the large percentage of the working population that works nights.

Vegas attracts nearly 40 million visitors per year. But, there is no shortage of competition for the entertainment dollar and it is unclear how enthusiastic or welcome gaming companies would be in terms of advertising, etc.

If it were to work, MLB would likely insist that Nevada sportsbooks voluntarily refuse to book action on the local team. By the end of the decade, the population will only grow and the distance away from the nearest MLB stadium is a definite plus.

Looking at the stats, I was surprised how good Sacramento’s numbers looked. It’s been perhaps the best AAA market for the past decade or more and may provide the A’s a better option than Oakland. Charlotte looks solid, as well.

Quick trivia question- The US town in the lower 48 states furthest away from any MLB stadium is located in what state? Answer: Google Brian Schweitzer

By: nothanksimdriving123

nothanksimdriving123 — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 03:05:16 +0000

Not to forget Milwaukee and Seattle.

By: simon94022

simon94022 — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 02:44:28 +0000

If history is any guide, teams from Boston, Philadelphia, New York and St. Louis will once again uproot. It will be interesting to see where they land.

Good thing that kind of history isn’t much of a guide.

By: schmedley69

schmedley69 — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 02:05:14 +0000

Very interesting. If history is any indicator, the Washington franchise will once again uproot and move to another city. It will be interesting to see where they land.

By: yahmule

yahmule — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:43:25 +0000

Buffalo deserved a franchise the last time MLB expanded.

By: yahmule

yahmule — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:42:18 +0000

Expansion is the great satan.

By: losangelesfan

losangelesfan — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 23:14:25 +0000

That’s a damn fine idea and a damn fine name.

By: klink6224

klink6224 — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 23:01:01 +0000

Waterfront Park in Trenton is a wonderful stadium Great for minor league games and championship high school games but even for 1 season of MLB games would be a joke. I know the writer wasnt really offering that as a legit scenario but I can’t imagine. Homers to left field would literally kill people hitting cars as they drive by

By: Jackson Scofield

Jackson Scofield — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 22:29:09 +0000

Someone should tell them that the MetroStars are now called the New York Red Bulls.

By: mrwillie

mrwillie — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 22:03:43 +0000

NC had our chance back in 98 when there was a vote for building a stadium to lure the Twins to the area. Needless to say it didn’t happen, and I doubt anyone will try again in the foreseeable future.

Would have been great to have a team 10 mins from my house, but they surely would have never been competitive, monetarily, in this market. I’ll just make do with our two minor league clubs….beer is cheaper there anyways.

By: yahmule

yahmule — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 21:56:27 +0000

A dome would be necessary, but it wouldn’t matter very much. MLB wouldn’t draw flies in this front running town. I’ve lived here 21 years, but will thankfully be moving to Colorado before I have to endure a 22nd Las Vegas summer.

By: kkolchak

kkolchak — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 21:53:16 +0000

Expansion ought to be off the table anyway. Thirty teams is plenty given the relative dearth of of MLB quality talent. As for relocation, it would just be another city ripping off its own taxpayers to give a billionaire owner a huge undeserved payday.

All in all, the status quo doesn’t look so bad.

By: indaburg

indaburg — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 21:52:22 +0000

Yeah, Orlando/Kissimmee is a possibility. The Rays played a series there back in 2008 at the spring training home of the Braves and if I remember correctly, they drew well while sweeping the Jays. That was before the Rays were recognized as good. For selfish reasons, I would prefer the Channelside area of Tampa (next door to where the Lightning play), but as long as the team exists, I’ll root for them. I don’t want to hear any foolish contraction talk.

By: Jackson Scofield

Jackson Scofield — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 21:40:26 +0000

They made a mistake as they listed two major league teams for Montreal, Canadiens and Alouettes but forgot Impact

By: stairwayto7

stairwayto7 — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 21:28:48 +0000

Move Tampa and Marlins out of Florida and add 2 expansion teasm and be liek the NFL. Eight 4 team divisions. Put teams in Charolette, SanAntonio, OKC and Portland/Northern Cali.

By: APBA Guy

APBA Guy — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 21:09:26 +0000

I’m surprised he didn’t look at Orlando for relocation. Though the real location would probably be Kissimmee, somewhere that could draw the tourist, Tampa, and Orlando baseball fans.

By: pmcenroe

pmcenroe — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:59:16 +0000

I can’t believe this never occured to me and I know its a MAJOR pipe dream but how cool would it be to have a new team called the New Jersey Knickbockers and they play at a brand new Elysian Field.

By: dwrek5

dwrek5 — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:50:58 +0000

With the NFL and NBA trying to go global, it would be nice to see MLB shove it their a$$ with a team in Puerto Rico or Mexico.

By: indaburg

indaburg — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:36:55 +0000

When I look at Brown’s list of cities and their pros and cons, I wonder how Tampa Bay ever got a baseball team.

By: cur68

cur68 — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:28:27 +0000

He lists Montreal. Home of my beloved Expos. I wish he’d considered Vancouver instead. THe Vancouver Mighty Beavers. It has a certain ring to it, eh?

By: losangelesfan

losangelesfan — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:18:21 +0000

They’d have to have a dome in Vegas. Kinda like Phoenix.

By: Max Power

Max Power — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:17:55 +0000

When I was in college my roommate’s dad worked for the State Department. I told him they ought to work with MLB to guarantee Cuba two major league teams a year after their first free and fair national election. He said it was a good idea and then promptly did nothing at all with it. And that’s how we lost Cuba in the mid-1990s.

By: nothanksimdriving123

nothanksimdriving123 — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:16:43 +0000

As someone alluded to after the earlier post, forget any day games during the summer. You would have to wait until evening when it “cools off” to 110 F. The F stands for both Fahrenheit and Forget it. Has anyone thought about putting an MLB team in Montreal? It would be great! What? Really? Oh.

By: losangelesfan

losangelesfan — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:12:55 +0000

Memphis Blues or how ’bout Buffalo Wings?