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The Pointless Realignment Outpost


Lee.

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Last one, this time AA teams. I'm not going into single A.

 

I haven't spent nearly as much time on this one, so probably a lot more room for improvement here than with the AAA teams. As you'll see its a mix of AA, A and Independent teams.

 

Still open to suggestions on both.

 

In terms of a real world application, I don't expect any MLB teams to adopt any of my suggestions, nor should they in some cases. But if anyone is just looking for a guide as far as whether or not its actually worth the team to see a minor league team if you happen to be nearby, I don't think the 72 teams I have listed is a bad place to start.

 

I've been to about as many minor league parks as I've been to major league parks. At their best I think a Minor League can be just as enjoyable if nor more enjoyable than a Major League game for a fraction of the cost. But I've also been to an Adirondack Lumberjacks game and how that team managed to last eight years, I'll never know. When I went the ballpark had been taken over by white trash drunks, or at least the few ones that were sober enough to actually make it inside the stadium. I would say at least 10% of the fans were there simply because it was a better watering hole than their dive bar.

 

I don't think your going to find much if anything negative about any of the teams I've listed, in fact I encourage people to look up the teams if you're not familiar with them. That's not to say there's not other teams out there who are worthwhile seeing. The Ogden Raptors are one of those teams for starters. In terms of bang for your buck with pro sports, I don't think anything beats going to a Minor League baseball game in a quality setting.

 

Team MLB Affiliate
Altoona Curve Pittsburgh Pirates
Arkansas Travelers Texas Rangers
Brooklyn Cyclones Brooklyn Dodgers
Charleston RiverDogs Miami Marlins
Corpus Christi Hooks California Angels
Dayton Dragons Cincinnati Reds
Frederick Keys Washington Nationals
Greensboro Grasshoppers Baltimore Orioles
Greenville Drive Atlanta Braves
Harrisburg Senators Milwaukee Brewers
Kane County Cougars Chicago Cubs
Kansas City T-Bones Kansas City Royals
Lakewood BlueClaws New York Giants
Lancaster Barnstormers Toronto Blue Jays
Lexington Legends St. Louis Browns
Long Island Ducks New York Mets
Midland RockHounds Arizona Diamondbacks
New Hampshire Fisher Cats Boston Red Sox
Northwest Arkansas Naturals Oakland Athletics
Pensacola Blue Wahoos Tampa Bay Rays
Portland Sea Dogs Boston Braves
San Antonio Missions San Diego Padres
Somerset Patriots New York Yankees
South Bend Tigers Detroit Tigers
Spokane Indians Los Angeles Dodgers
Springfield Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals
St. Paul Saints Minnesota Twins
Sugar Land Skeeters Houston Astros
Tennessee Smokies Chicago White Sox
Trenton Thunder Philadelphia Athletics
Tri-City ValleyCats Montreal Expos
Tulsa Drillers Colorado Rockies
Vancouver Canadians Seattle Mariners
Wilmington Blue Rocks Philadelphia Phillies
Winnipeg Goldeyes San Francisco Giants
Winston-Salem Dash Cleveland Indians
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Curious why no Reading Phillies?  I guess Wilmington is closer, but despite being it's own separate city, I think sports fans there just hop on I-95 and go to Phillies games.  It's a bit more of a challenge for people in the Reading area.  It's a good minor-league affiliate because it's just far enough outside of the major league zone to have it's own strong-loyal fanbase, but close enough to where the people are fans of the ML team and have a vested interest in the players they get to see locally (as opposed to being a Phillies fan but rooting for Rockies prospects playing in your town.)

"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."

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3 hours ago, BringBackTheVet said:

Curious why no Reading Phillies?  I guess Wilmington is closer, but despite being it's own separate city, I think sports fans there just hop on I-95 and go to Phillies games.  It's a bit more of a challenge for people in the Reading area.  It's a good minor-league affiliate because it's just far enough outside of the major league zone to have it's own strong-loyal fanbase, but close enough to where the people are fans of the ML team and have a vested interest in the players they get to see locally (as opposed to being a Phillies fan but rooting for Rockies prospects playing in your town.)

 

I moved Reading up to AAA and gave them to the Mets and are now know as the Amazin' Mets keeping with the Fightin' Phils theme in a way. All the AAA teams are on the previous page. Not something I see happening tomorrow, but again something that I think potentially could down the road. Wilmington just seemed like the natural next best option. They do pretty well for a single A team (slightly over 4K in attendance per game which is right in line with the AA average) and that's with the Royals as their affiliate. You can commute from Philly to Wilmington and while I will agree that it wouldn't be as good as Reading, I could think of teams in worse shape.

 

I'm actually probably going to a game later this year in Reading myself and I'm really excited for it. I've been up to Lehigh Valley which I thought was great and I've heard Reading is supposed to be even better. The Phillies have a very nice thing going on with their AAA and AA affiliates which is why I wouldn't necessarily recommend making these changes in reality. I'd much rather have Leigh Valley and Reading over Richmond and Wilmington.

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My take on MLB:

NL EAST

NY Mets

Phillies

Pirates

Nationals

Reds

Braves

TB Rays

Marlins

NL WEST

Cubs

Brewers

STL Cardinals

Rockies

DBacks

LA Dodgers

SF Giants

Mariners

AL EAST

Red Sox

NY Yankees

Orioles

Blue Jays

Cleveland Spiders

Tigers

White Sox

Twins

AL WEST

Royals

Rangers

Astros

Vegas expansion

SD Padres

LA Angels

Portland Athletics

Vancouver expansion

 

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Vancouver and Vegas? Unless I'm missing something crucial in the media, they're both a ways down on the MLB's list. Montreal and Mexico City are the ones the League keeps mentioning. Portlandis also a stronger candidate, with no triple or double-A team. San Antonio/Austin would probably be higher, too. Charlotte's new stadium for the Knights would be a deterrent, but I would still place them right below Vegas and above Vancouver. Indianapolis, Birmingham and New Orleans are all in that same level, as well.

Thunder Bay Lynx - International Hockey Association (2 seasons, 2017-18, 2019-20, 2018 Xtreme Cup Champions)Houston Armadillos - Major League Hockey (2 seasons, 2016-18) | Minnesota Muskies - North American Basketball Association (1 season, 2017-2018) | Louisville Thoroughbreds - United League of Baseball (1 season, 2017, 2017 United Cup Champions) | Las Vegas Thunderbirds - International Basketball League (1 season, 2016-17, 2017 Champions) 

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PROTIP:  The more games you have for a Vegas team, the greater the likelihood of financial catastrophe.  Restaurant, convention center, and hotel workers don't exactly make enough money to afford to regularly attend games, and there is too small of a corporate middle management presence.  Also, tourists have better things to do than attend sporting events.

  • Like 1
On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said:
You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now.
On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said:
Today, we are all otaku.

"The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert

POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010

The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy)

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Based on the feedback I've gotten so far I added in a 75 mile territory rule and updated the AAA affiliates to be as follows:


Haven't added it in yet for AA, but again open to any and all feedback on both.

 

Team MLB Affiliate
Akron RubberDucks Cleveland Indians
Albuquerque Isotopes Kansas City Royals
Birmingham Barons Atlanta Braves
Buffalo Bisons Toronto Blue Jays
Charlotte Knights Washington Nationals
Colorado Springs Sky Sox Colorado Rockies
Columbus Clippers Pittsburgh Pirates
Durham Bulls Baltimore Orioles
El Paso Chihuahuas Arizona Diamondbacks
Fort Wayne TinCaps Chicago Cubs
Fresno Grizzlies Los Angeles Dodgers
Frisco RoughRiders Texas Rangers
Indianapolis Indians Chicago White Sox
Iowa Cubs Minnesota Twins
Jacksonville Suns Miami Marlins
Lansing Lugnuts Boston Braves
Las Vegas 51s San Diego Padres
Lehigh Valley IronPigs New York Yankees
Louisville Bats Cincinnati Reds
Nashville Sounds New York Giants
New Orleans Zephyrs Tampa Bay Rays
Norfolk Tides Brooklyn Dodgers
Oklahoma City Dodgers St. Louis Browns
Omaha Storm Chasers St. Louis Cardinals
Pawtucket Red Sox Boston Red Sox
Reading Fightin Phils Philadelphia Phillies
Reno Aces Oakland Athletics
Richmond Flying Squirrels New York Mets
Rochester Red Wings Montreal Expos
Round Rock Express Houston Astros
Sacramento River Cats San Francisco Giants
Salt Lake Bees California Angels
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Philadelphia Athletics
Tacoma Rainiers Seattle Mariners
Toledo Mud Hens Detroit Tigers
West Michigan Whitecaps

Milwaukee Brewers

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3 hours ago, rams80 said:

PROTIP:  The more games you have for a Vegas team, the greater the likelihood of financial catastrophe.  Restaurant, convention center, and hotel workers don't exactly make enough money to afford to regularly attend games, and there is too small of a corporate middle management presence.  Also, tourists have better things to do than attend sporting events.

Honestly, people act like the only jobs in Vegas are on the strip. Have you ever spent any time in Vegas? I have, and there's a whole lot more to it than just the casino business. In and around the city you have construction, schools (including UNLV), hospitals, etc. Also, a rapidly growing retirement age populace.

 

Also, not everyone in the gaming business makes minimum wage. Harrah's and MGM are Fortune 500 companies, and their middle-management populace isn't as disproportionate as you might think. (Retail chains and state government are actually more unbalanced)

 

When I, and most of my friends, travel, the first thing we look at is who is playing while we're there, to see if we want to catch a game.

 

Vegas is absolutely a risk, but a lot of people were critical of Boston in the 20's and especially LA in the 60's. Foley has done more than pretty much any other potential owner has before to show he's serious and has weighed the risks. I say give them a shot.

 

Worst case scenario, you have another market for the next bargaining with NBC, and a more traditional market gets a team in 5 to 10 years.

 

Best case, though, is half a million plus new hockey fans and a unique vacation opportunity for other fans.

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Thunder Bay Lynx - International Hockey Association (2 seasons, 2017-18, 2019-20, 2018 Xtreme Cup Champions)Houston Armadillos - Major League Hockey (2 seasons, 2016-18) | Minnesota Muskies - North American Basketball Association (1 season, 2017-2018) | Louisville Thoroughbreds - United League of Baseball (1 season, 2017, 2017 United Cup Champions) | Las Vegas Thunderbirds - International Basketball League (1 season, 2016-17, 2017 Champions) 

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3 hours ago, rams80 said:

PROTIP:  The more games you have for a Vegas team, the greater the likelihood of financial catastrophe.  Restaurant, convention center, and hotel workers don't exactly make enough money to afford to regularly attend games, and there is too small of a corporate middle management presence.  Also, tourists have better things to do than attend sporting events.

 

I'm not sure.  It would be interesting if a reputable marketing company did a comprehensive, unbiased analysis on the subject.  It seems like the NFL is extremely strategic and calculated when it comes to stuff like this.  I think the first few years would definitely have a filled stadium, as locals would want to see a game, as well as tourists who get up before 2PM to hit the pool and then the strip by 8, especially since the stadium will most certainly be domed and air conditioned.  There may also be a positive trade off when it comes to TV deals.  Who knows what kind of revenue it would generate, especially if out-of-towners are in their hotel rooms, channel surfing at 11AM.  They probably would tune into the local sports team.  The revenue generated from TV may outweigh the revenue generated at the gates.

 

I think its going to be incredibly interesting when its all said and done.  I think the NBA is just waiting for the NFL to make a move.  I think the NBA wants to see if professional sports can thrive in Las Vegas.  If returns are positive, I would give it 3 years max until we would see an NBA team in Sin City.

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14 minutes ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

Honestly, people act like the only jobs in Vegas are on the strip. Have you ever spent any time in Vegas? I have, and there's a whole lot more to it than just the casino business. In and around the city you have construction, schools (including UNLV), hospitals, etc. Also, a rapidly growing retirement age populace.

 

Also, not everyone in the gaming business makes minimum wage. Harrah's and MGM are Fortune 500 companies, and their middle-management populace isn't as disproportionate as you might think. (Retail chains and state government are actually more unbalanced)

 

When I, and most of my friends, travel, the first thing we look at is who is playing while we're there, to see if we want to catch a game.

 

Vegas is absolutely a risk, but a lot of people were critical of Boston in the 20's and especially LA in the 60's. Foley has done more than pretty much any other potential owner has before to show he's serious and has weighed the risks. I say give them a shot.

 

Worst case scenario, you have another market for the next bargaining with NBC, and a more traditional market gets a team in 5 to 10 years.

 

Best case, though, is half a million plus new hockey fans and a unique vacation opportunity for other fans.

 

Construction:  Nevada is a right to work state.  That doesn't bode well for wages, benefits, and disposable income in blue collar professions.

Schools:  I am a faculty member of a higher education institution and LOL I don't have the kind of disposable income necessary to purchase even a 7 game package for a major league franchise.   It gets worse from there.

Hospitals:  You may be able to afford the tickets, but you can be expected to work nights depending on what it is you do.  That is suboptimal for buying tickets to sporting events.  Assuming you are even interested, which might be a big assumption.

Retirement Age Population:  AFTER 2008?! 

 

The money ain't there dude.  At least for anything more gate-reliant than an NFL franchise.

 

 

Quote

 

Also, not everyone in the gaming business makes minimum wage. Harrah's and MGM are Fortune 500 companies, and their middle-management populace isn't as disproportionate as you might think. (Retail chains and state government are actually more unbalanced)

 

So....they are going to not be working when their businesses are at their daily peak for foot traffic.  Alrighty then.  Maybe such screwed up business sense is why Vegas was hit the hardest of any metro area in 2008.

 

Quote

 

When I, and most of my friends, travel, the first thing we look at is who is playing while we're there, to see if we want to catch a game.

 

Other people are not like you and your friends.  In fact, most people are not like you and your friends.  You are not "normal," stop assuming that you are.  (A mantra that should be repeated, ironically, by everyone)

 

Quote

 

Vegas is absolutely a risk, but a lot of people were critical of Boston in the 20's

 

Well duh, international expansion is dicey for a (then) regional Canadian sports league.  Granted this is kind of an apples and...hell....alien space bats comparison to the present day.  Especially since the US expansion was coming regardless.

 

Quote

and especially LA in the 60's.

 

The kill shot they got in on the Western Hockey League drove the bus there.  Much like MLB and the Pacific Coast League in the 1950s if that move had not happened, that league might have ended up as a major league.

 

Quote

Foley has done more than pretty much any other potential owner has before to show he's serious and has weighed the risks. I say give them a shot.

 

This is not a sports league with a strong history of due diligence towards prospective owners or from the owners.  I am extremely skeptical that he has truly calculated all of the financial losses (or is banking on being a second Phoenix with regards to league subsidies).  Also Quebec's done more than Vegas to establish their seriousness.

 

Quote

 

Worst case scenario, you have another market for the next bargaining with NBC,

 

Yeah man, NBC loves having Phoenix and Miami.  We watch them all the time!

 

Quote

 

and a more traditional market gets a team in 5 to 10 years.

 

No it won't.  Let's stop playing pretend here.

 

Quote

 

Best case, though, is half a million plus new hockey fans and a unique vacation opportunity for other fans.

 

You have a business and/or marketing degree don't you.  That's about the only way you could make that statement with a straight face.  Because that's not the best case.  That's a full-on acid dropped pipe dream.

  • Like 1
On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said:
You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now.
On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said:
Today, we are all otaku.

"The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert

POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010

The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy)

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27 minutes ago, CLEstones said:

 

I'm not sure.  It would be interesting if a reputable marketing company did a comprehensive, unbiased analysis on the subject.  It seems like the NFL is extremely strategic and calculated when it comes to stuff like this.  I think the first few years would definitely have a filled stadium, as locals would want to see a game, as well as tourists who get up before 2PM to hit the pool and then the strip by 8, especially since the stadium will most certainly be domed and air conditioned.  There may also be a positive trade off when it comes to TV deals.  Who knows what kind of revenue it would generate, especially if out-of-towners are in their hotel rooms, channel surfing at 11AM.  They probably would tune into the local sports team.  The revenue generated from TV may outweigh the revenue generated at the gates.

 

I think its going to be incredibly interesting when its all said and done.  I think the NBA is just waiting for the NFL to make a move.  I think the NBA wants to see if professional sports can thrive in Las Vegas.  If returns are positive, I would give it 3 years max until we would see an NBA team in Sin City.

 

There's a reason why the NFL can make Green Bay work and yet it's the height of madness for any other major league to try.  NFL games are, and have been for years, "events" that visitors from the region/country will attend, with a scarcity rate that makes the model attainable.  That is not applicable for the NBA, NHL, MLB, or MLS.

On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said:
You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now.
On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said:
Today, we are all otaku.

"The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert

POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010

The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy)

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My minor was in business.

 

Regarding disposable income being unlikely, the Las Vegas metro area wouldn't be seeing the kind of growth is has if income disparity was so horrible. The thing about the middle class is that, by and large, they find ways to make it happen, if it is important to them. We aren't talking Boston of Toronto ticket prices. When I lived in Nashville, I could go to a game for almost half of what the same seats would cost me in Minnesota. 

 

Also, I work in the healthcare industry, in an office-hours job. Now, it varies, based on size and programs, but at least 60% of your hospital staff will be keeping office hours or a fixed shift schedule. Typically only wards see the crazy schedule.

 

Sure, retirement isn't what it used to be, but a significant number of people are still planning ahead and are retiring somewhat comfortably. It's like blue collars, if it's important to them, they'll find a way.

 

Regarding tourists, I never said I was "normal," I was refuting your absolute statement that tourist don't go to sporting events. People who do are out there, how much of the whole they comprise? *shrugs*

 

My point with Boston and LA is that hockey was a niche sport during thise times. Non-hockey cities can't become hockey cities unless given a chance.

 

How has Quebecor done more to prove themselves? I've followed the Vegas process closely, since I have a friend who wants me to move out there and help him build his business. Foley initiated this expansion process, asked the NHL to do ticket presales (which he vastly exceeded their benchmark), brought in industry personnel to advise, and conducted two separate contracted surveys of the Vegas metro area before approaching the league. I'm not discrediting Quebecor's bid (it's solid, aside from Loonie strength and conference balance), but to say they've done more than the Vegas bid is a bold claim.

 

Yes, the league has been embarassingly bad at investigating potential owners, but everything I'm seeing indicates that they learned that particular lesson (I mean, it only took about a half dozen times, right?)

 

The NBC deal isn't done based solely on the strength of the individual markets, they look more at how many people are watching hockey and the market size of the teams as a potential of viewership. Yes, they will absolutely give at least 2/3rds of the airtime to O6 and first expansion teams, but an extra tv set in Vegas tuning in sweetens the deal pretty much the same as an extra one in NYC. An expanded US footprint makes the TV rights more attractive to networks, especially with hockey viewership on the rise. NBC rights also make most teams more money than they lose in profit sharing, that's why the NHL has been so adamant to not lose the Phoenix market.

 

The NHL is primarily selling them the potential to air games to hockey fans, which ones they show is a different matter.

 

Am I being a little optimistic about Vegas? Possibly, and my defense of the Vegas bid is, by no means, airtight. The owners stand to make a good deal of money, however, and Foley seems to be a solid potential owner.

 

The lay of the land to the fans sometimes is very different than the business approach.

Thunder Bay Lynx - International Hockey Association (2 seasons, 2017-18, 2019-20, 2018 Xtreme Cup Champions)Houston Armadillos - Major League Hockey (2 seasons, 2016-18) | Minnesota Muskies - North American Basketball Association (1 season, 2017-2018) | Louisville Thoroughbreds - United League of Baseball (1 season, 2017, 2017 United Cup Champions) | Las Vegas Thunderbirds - International Basketball League (1 season, 2016-17, 2017 Champions) 

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3 hours ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

My minor was in business.

 

Regarding disposable income being unlikely, the Las Vegas metro area wouldn't be seeing the kind of growth is has if income disparity was so horrible. The thing about the middle class is that, by and large, they find ways to make it happen, if it is important to them. We aren't talking Boston of Toronto ticket prices. When I lived in Nashville, I could go to a game for almost half of what the same seats would cost me in Minnesota. 

 

1.  While Clark County is still growing, it has slowed to but a tiny fraction of its rate in the 90s and early 2000s.  I don't have census numbers, but I suspect that this state of affairs, which has existed since the 2010 census, probably dates back to 2008.

2.  Of course if you charge less for tickets, there is a good chance that your overall revenue will go down.

 

3 hours ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

 

Also, I work in the healthcare industry, in an office-hours job. Now, it varies, based on size and programs, but at least 60% of your hospital staff will be keeping office hours or a fixed shift schedule. Typically only wards see the crazy schedule.

 

Good for you.  How much of that 60% is going to plan on attending a sporting event?

 

3 hours ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

 

Sure, retirement isn't what it used to be, but a significant number of people are still planning ahead and are retiring somewhat comfortably. It's like blue collars, if it's important to them, they'll find a way.

 

When you live on a fixed income, shelter and food are more important than going to sporting events.  As well as the memory of what happened to your savings in 2008.  You may see some old folks at sporting events, but not many.

 

3 hours ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

 

Regarding tourists, I never said I was "normal," I was refuting your absolute statement that tourist don't go to sporting events. People who do are out there, how much of the whole they comprise? *shrugs*

 

The argument for Vegas swings heavily on tourists.  That's the point.

 

3 hours ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

 

My point with Boston and LA is that hockey was a niche sport during thise times. Non-hockey cities can't become hockey cities unless given a chance.

 

And when you have multiple struggling franchises already, many in non-hockey cities, maybe you should work on fixing those rather than taking on another likely struggling market as part of a cheap one time cash grab.

 

3 hours ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

 

How has Quebecor done more to prove themselves? I've followed the Vegas process closely, since I have a friend who wants me to move out there and help him build his business. Foley initiated this expansion process, asked the NHL to do ticket presales (which he vastly exceeded their benchmark), brought in industry personnel to advise, and conducted two separate contracted surveys of the Vegas metro area before approaching the league. I'm not discrediting Quebecor's bid (it's solid, aside from Loonie strength and conference balance), but to say they've done more than the Vegas bid is a bold claim.

 

They already operate a brand new state of the art arena.  And bring a host of media outlets to the party.  They've also made it clear that they will respond positively to any demands made by the league, no matter how unreasonable or insane (Pacific Division alignment?  Sure, why not).  Foley has plans to build the infrastructure, but they are plans.  Also he still needs to get that lease at T-Mobile Arena.

 

3 hours ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

 

Yes, the league has been embarassingly bad at investigating potential owners, but everything I'm seeing indicates that they learned that particular lesson (I mean, it only took about a half dozen times, right?)

 

They keep finding broke charlatans for Phoenix, so I'd be less convinced about that.

 

3 hours ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

 

The NBC deal isn't done based solely on the strength of the individual markets, they look more at how many people are watching hockey and the market size of the teams as a potential of viewership. Yes, they will absolutely give at least 2/3rds of the airtime to O6 and first expansion teams, but an extra tv set in Vegas tuning in sweetens the deal pretty much the same as an extra one in NYC. An expanded US footprint makes the TV rights more attractive to networks, especially with hockey viewership on the rise. NBC rights also make most teams more money than they lose in profit sharing, that's why the NHL has been so adamant to not lose the Phoenix market.

 

Phoenix is more valuable because it depresses league revenues and by extension the salary cap, but sure, tell yourself otherwise.  The bursting TV bubble makes chasing markets seem less wise as time goes on anyway.

 

3 hours ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

The NHL is primarily selling them the potential to air games to hockey fans, which ones they show is a different matter.

 

At some point even the heroin addicts tire of not getting to see their preferred team.

 

3 hours ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

 

Am I being a little optimistic about Vegas? Possibly, and my defense of the Vegas bid is, by no means, airtight. The owners stand to make a good deal of money, however, and Foley seems to be a solid potential owner.

 

And that's what really matters.  Not the health of the league or the cities that have the misfortune to host these teams.  American businessmen suck.

 

3 hours ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

 

The lay of the land to the fans sometimes is very different than the business approach.

 

AND BUSINESSMEN SHOULD BE TRUSTED UNCONDITIONALLY!!! THEY TOTALLY HAVEN'T RUN THE ECONOMY INTO THE GROUND IN THE LAST DECADE WITH THEIR LACK OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND LONG TERM PLANNING!!!

  • Like 1
On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said:
You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now.
On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said:
Today, we are all otaku.

"The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert

POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010

The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy)

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7 hours ago, pmoehrin said:

Based on the feedback I've gotten so far I added in a 75 mile territory rule and updated the AAA affiliates to be as follows:


Haven't added it in yet for AA, but again open to any and all feedback on both.

 

Team MLB Affiliate
Akron RubberDucks Cleveland Indians
Albuquerque Isotopes Kansas City Royals
Birmingham Barons Atlanta Braves
Buffalo Bisons Toronto Blue Jays
Charlotte Knights Washington Nationals
Colorado Springs Sky Sox Colorado Rockies
Columbus Clippers Pittsburgh Pirates
Durham Bulls Baltimore Orioles
El Paso Chihuahuas Arizona Diamondbacks
Fort Wayne TinCaps Chicago Cubs
Fresno Grizzlies Los Angeles Dodgers
Frisco RoughRiders Texas Rangers
Indianapolis Indians Chicago White Sox
Iowa Twins Minnesota Twins
Jacksonville Suns Miami Marlins
Lansing Lugnuts Boston Braves
Las Vegas 51s San Diego Padres
Lehigh Valley IronPigs New York Yankees
Louisville Bats Cincinnati Reds
Nashville Sounds New York Giants
New Orleans Zephyrs Tampa Bay Rays
Norfolk Tides Brooklyn Dodgers
Oklahoma City Browns St. Louis Browns
Omaha Storm Chasers St. Louis Cardinals
Pawtucket Red Sox Boston Red Sox
Reading Fightin Phils Philadelphia Phillies
Reno Aces Oakland Athletics
Richmond Flying Squirrels New York Mets
Rochester Red Wings Montreal Expos
Round Rock Express Houston Astros
Sacramento River Cats San Francisco Giants
Salt Lake Bees California Angels
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Philadelphia Athletics
Tacoma Rainiers Seattle Mariners
Toledo Mud Hens Detroit Tigers
West Michigan Whitecaps

Milwaukee Brewers

Fixed it for ya

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8 hours ago, JH42XCC said:

Fixed it for ya

 

Yeah that's just an entry error on my end. It's supposed to be Twins and RedHawks. Just forgot to switch it over on the spreadsheet.

 

If that's all anyone has though, than I think good as far as AAA is concerned.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Now that we know what teams are in for the AHL, time to realign the league to get a better fit.

 

Eastern Conference

Northeast Division

-Albany

-Binghamton

-Bridgeport

-Hartford

-Providence

-St. John's

-Springfield

-Syracuse

 

Atlantic Division

-Charlotte

-Hershey

-Lehigh Valley

-Rochester

-Toronto

-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

-Utica

 

Western Conference

Central Division

-Chicago

-Grand Rapids

-Lake Erie

-Iowa

-Manitoba

-Milwaukee

-Rockford
 

Pacific Division

-Bakersfield

-Ontario

-San Antonio

-San Diego

-San Jose

-Stockton

-Texas

-Tucson

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Dateline: December 1, 2002

 

A California Football Fanatic who's exicted to watch the Syndicated Showstopper American Dance Championships from Santa Barbara which wil air this January 4th on KKFX before I Change the Channel to an ABC Affiliate for NFL Football, Is Really Excited for NFL Football

By Bringing Pro Football to Santa Barbara, However He won the SuperLotto Plus Jackpot before that so he's planning to use a Number of Cities that aired the Showstopper TV Show to start run a football team as a Rival League to the NFL by Drafting Dancers who were on the Showstopper Stage in hopes that they will be playing Pro Gridiron, as he created as a Rival League to the NFL as the Xtreme Football League gets resurrected after a year of being unplayed.

 

The Original 16 Teams are: Atlantic City Rollers, Birmingham Vulcans* (formerly Thunderbolts), Charleston (SC) Palmettos, Chicago Blitz* (formerly Enforcers), Dallas Lone Starlets, Jackson Magnolias, Knoxville Mountaineers, Las Vegas Outlaws*, Los Angeles Xtreme* , Minneapolis Marines, New York Hitmen*, Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks, Roanoke Wildcats, San Francisco Demons*, Sioux City Cropdusters and the Wausau Knights

 

By 2006 The XFL got expanded and Showstopper pulled the American Dance Championships TV Show due to rise of FOX's So You Think You Can Dance which led to the Resurrection of USFL Team Names with more and more female players joining the game as Non-Showstopper Talent increases from other Dance Competitions as well as the LFL, In 2009 Pro Football expanded to Latin American as the Harrisburg Capitals to Mexico City and became the Aztecs and the San Juan Gigantors joined in as an expansion team.

 

The Alignment as of 2016:

 

Atlantic-Midwest (10): Chicago Blitz, Hartford Hellcats, The Madness of Madison, New York Hitmen, Omaha Interstaters, Quad Cities Powerhouse, Rapid City Silver Kings, Sioux City Cropdusters, Wausau Knights, Wichita Bombers
Pacific Coast (10): Boise Steelheads, Fresno Raisin Fighters, Honolulu Hawaiians, Lake Havasu Ramblers, Medford Craters, Salt Lake City Pioneers (moved from Minneapolis, MN in 2009), San Jose Demons, Spokane Wolfpack (moved from Albany, NY in 2009), Tri-Cities Granny Smiths, Tucson Sidewinders
Southeast (10): Birmingham Vulcans, Charleston Palmettos, Greenville Spinners, Jackson Magnolias, Knoxvlle Mountaineers, Orlando Blazers, Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks, Roanoke Wildcats, San Juan Gigantors, Tallahassee Dazzlers
Southwest (10): Abilene Warriors, Austin Armadillos, Corpus Christi Gulfcats, Dallas Starlets, Las Vegas Outlaws, Mexico City Aztecs, Oklahoma City Drillers, (moved from Atlantic City, NJ in 2010), San Antonio Wranglers, Shreveport Pirates, West Texas Twisters

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  • 2 weeks later...

On Earth-66, the AFL and NFL merge, but both leagues remain separate under the Major League Football umbrella and compete for the Super Bowl. In the wake, there are FOUR viable leagues...

 

NFL

Capitol: Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Natives (formerly Redskins)

Century: Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers

Central: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings

Coastal: Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Phoenix Cardinals

 

AFL

Atlantic: New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Gladiators, New York Jets

Southern: Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Nashville Kats, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Midwest: Denver Broncos, Houston Oilers, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints

Pacific: Oakland Raiders, Portland Lumberjacks, San Diego Chargers, Seattle Seahawks

 

CFL

Eastern: Hamilton Tiger Cats, Montreal Alouettes, Ottawa Renegades, Quebec Souvrains, Toronto Argonauts

Western: BC Lions, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Eskimos, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

 

WLAF

Europe: Amsterdam Admirals, Barcelona Dragons, Frankfurt Galaxy, London Monarchs, Rhein Fire

Atlantic: NY/NJ Knights, Norfolk Neptunes, Orlando Thunder, Ohio Glory, Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
Central: Birmingham Stallions, Memphis Showboats, Mexico City Aztecs, Oklahoma Outlaws, San Antonio Riders

Pacific: Las Vegas Cobras, Los Angeles Express, New Mexico Roadrunners, Sacramento Surge, Utah Pioneers

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Mr. neo_prankster here's what you did to make all 4 Pro Football Leagues into 1 Entity as Major League Football

 

NFL & AFL had 16 Teams Each
CFL had 10 Teams
WLAF had 20 Teams

Total: 62 Teams

 

At Least you could had added 2 more Teams from Canada to make it to 64, maybe you can do the same as the MLB (if it merges with the PCL & CL) for more teams.

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