MLB Stadium Saga: Oakland/Tampa Bay/Southside

[BBTV]

32 minutes ago, gosioux76 said:

That's an interesting point, but as @GDAWG noted, that apparently didn't deter Knight from making continued attempts at acquiring the Trail Blazers. That bid was made in partnership with Dodgers co-owner Alan Smolinsky, so maybe the addition of a partner was enough not to trigger any conflict? 

 

I really don't know the rules.  Josh Harris' company is the majority owner of the Sixers (and Devils, and Commanders) and Rubin was just a minority partner who's make contribution was being the dopey middle-aged white guy that threw lavish parties on yachts with rappers and sports stars, but apparently he still had to sell.  Or maybe it was a choice?  Not sure.

 

 

 

 

[GDAWG]

1 hour ago, BBTV said:

 

I really don't know the rules.  Josh Harris' company is the majority owner of the Sixers (and Devils, and Commanders) and Rubin was just a minority partner who's make contribution was being the dopey middle-aged white guy that threw lavish parties on yachts with rappers and sports stars, but apparently he still had to sell.  Or maybe it was a choice?  Not sure.

 

 

 

 

 

I think it's because Rubin owns a Gambling sports book.  

[throwuascenario]

On 10/5/2023 at 12:39 PM, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

Las Vegas is a terrible idea, either for a relocated team or an expansion team.  The unavoidable reality is that that city will not be there in its current form in a few decades. 

 

The same issues that doom Las Vegas in the long term apply to Salt Lake City, as well as, to varying extents, to the entire Southwest.  Major League Baseball should stay away from that region.

 

Can you please explain what you mean by this?

[GDAWG]

3 minutes ago, throwuascenario said:

 

Can you please explain what you mean by this?

 

Global Warming, I think.  

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

2 minutes ago, GDAWG said:

5 minutes ago, throwuascenario said:

Can you please explain what you mean by this?

 

Global Warming, I think.  

 

Yes, the soaring temperatures constitute one factor.  And then there's the diminshing water supply, which is occurring at the same time as a population surge.  Things are going to get very messy in that region.

[Kramerica Industries]

There are already too many MLB teams in media markets that marquee players either a) will never be interested in playing in, and/or b) are markets whose owners won't support making such big investments into the team. Either or both of these things hinder those teams abilities to ever compete for winning the World Series, which of course is the #1 goal of any team.

 

MLB, and other sports for that matter, gain very little from any further expansion at this point. How many MLB teams are there as is whose basic function seems to be nothing more than "to exist" right now?  We don't need to add more to that list.

[throwuascenario]

12 minutes ago, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

 

Yes, the soaring temperatures constitute one factor.  And then there's the diminshing water supply, which is occurring at the same time as a population surge.  Things are going to get very messy in that region.

 

Ok then.

[Walk-Off]

• If the Rays' upcoming ballpark and related development existed in a complete vacuum, both geographically and historically, the overall proposal would be a wonderful idea.  Also, I am glad that Stuart Sternberg has revealed that he and the Rays organization will pay for the majority of the costs of the whole project.  Unfortunately for Sternberg and the Rays, putting the entire development in its proper geographic and historical contexts causes me to be dismayed with the whole plan and to regard the plan as being specifically rife with not only greed (as Sternberg and the Rays will still extract hundreds of millions of dollars from taxpayers across St. Petersburg and Pinellas County and will get a cut of the revenue from the redevelopment of so many acres of land throughout the neighborhood where the Trop stands now and where the Rays' new ballpark is to be located), but also laziness and cowardice (as Sternberg seemed to be unwilling to put much of an effort into making this kind of deal happen in Tampa and/or Hillsborough County, let alone commit enough of his own and/or the Rays organization's money to make the project feasible on Tampa's side of the bay).
• The only realistic way that I could see the MLBPA accepting contraction is if, in return, every remaining MLB team starts eighteen (18) players in every game, with every batter being a designated hitter and every pinch runner being a designated runner.  The pitcher would only pitch and field, each of the other fielders would only field, each batter would only bat and run the bases, and all that a pinch runner would be allowed to do after he finishes his initial baserunning stint is take his predecessor's place as a DH.
• Even if the MLBPA can be swayed to accept contraction in MLB and its affiliated minor leagues, various politicians are likely to oppose contraction enough to introduce bills that would punish MLB for putting whole franchises out of business.  Such measures, should they become law, could do as little as abolish baseball's antitrust exemption or do as much as break up MLB teams' farm systems and subject every professional baseball league operating in a given country to a European-soccer-style pyramid of leagues with mandatory promotion and relegation of teams across leagues at different levels.
• Any debate over which MLB teams to cull via contraction is likely to run into discrepancies between teams with strong ticket sales but locations that are unattractive to free agent players and teams in the opposite situation.  For instance, while the Twins and the Pirates might have easier jobs of finding buyers for tickets than do the Rays or the Marlins, the typical free agent might be far more eager to experience the kind of lifestyle that is possible in Florida than to deal with a presumably less glamorous life in the Rust Belt.

[Red Comet]

It's not just the unions MLB would have to worry about either. Let's say a powerful senator from Florida, Rick Scott probably, were to have an issue with MLB taking away a couple of teams from his state. Do you really think a guy like that wouldn't hit the "Revoke Anti-Trust" button the moment it came up? Or any other way of getting back at MLB for reasons that would violate forum rules if I elaborated? 

Edited October 6, 2023 by Red Comet

[Fowler]

Retiring A's relief pitcher Trevor May had this to say about John Fisher on his way out:

 

Quote

"Sell the team, dude. ... Sell it, man,'' he said. "Let someone who actually, like, takes pride in the things they own, own something. There's actually people who give a s--- about the game. Let them do it. Take mommy and daddy's money somewhere else, dork."

 

Quote

"If you're going to be a greedy f---, own it," May said. "There's nothing weaker than being afraid of cameras. ... Do what you're going to do, bro. Whatever, you're a billionaire, they exist, you guys have all this power -- you shouldn't have any because you haven't earned any of it, but anyway, whatever."

 

[FiddySicks]

I would love to see more players come out against owners. Hell, we should all be more hostile to billionaires just in general. 

[McCall]

In case this was never covered, this past summer, The Athletic did a player's poll on potential expansion cities they'd like to play in. Nashville was the overwhelming winner. Las Vegas was left off as this was done after the A's announced their intentions to relocate, but Oakland was on it and garnered no votes, less than Salt Lake City, Vancouver and San Juan, PR.

[GDAWG]

5 hours ago, McCall said:

In case this was never covered, this past summer, The Athletic did a player's poll on potential expansion cities they'd like to play in. Nashville was the overwhelming winner. Las Vegas was left off as this was done after the A's announced their intentions to relocate, but Oakland was on it and garnered no votes, less than Salt Lake City, Vancouver and San Juan, PR.

 

Nashville isn't surprising to say the least.  It's the best option of all of the expansion cities although I do not know how they are going to have the funds left over for a new MLB Ballpark, the new Titans stadium and any potential renovations made to Bridgestone Arena.

[Fowler]

If Charlotte had a strong ownership group with a rock solid ballpark plan, they would be a shoe in. 

[kolob]

5 hours ago, GDAWG said:

 

Nashville isn't surprising to say the least.  It's the best option of all of the expansion cities although I do not know how they are going to have the funds left over for a new MLB Ballpark, the new Titans stadium and any potential renovations made to Bridgestone Arena.

 

Almost feels like a Minnesota 2.0 stadium situation. 

[kolob]

16 minutes ago, Fowler said:

If Charlotte had a strong ownership group with a rock solid ballpark plan, they would be a shoe in. 

 

I don't know anymore?  Raleigh seems like a better option. But, outside of that, I'd still rank Nashville ahead of Charlotte if they're only taking one east coast team.

[Ferdinand Cesarano]

10 hours ago, Fowler said:

If Charlotte had a strong ownership group with a rock solid ballpark plan, they would be a shoe in. 

 

Sorry, a language comment.

 

It's "shoo-in", an expression that comes from horse racing.

 

OK, carry on.

[B-Rich]

1 hour ago, Ferdinand Cesarano said:

 

Sorry, a language comment.

 

It's"shoo-in", an expression that comes from horse racing.

 

OK, carry on.

[Dilbert]

At a St Petersburg council meeting, the Rays gave a presentation on the new stadium development project. Apparently part of the agreement is the Rays play one game, wearing "St Petersburg Rays" jerseys (pending MLB approval).  To me this just screams the whole "Anaheim" schtick, that city forced the Angels to do, where the city didnt want to be little brother to Los Angeles so the team compromised with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim bs. St Pete doesnt want to play little brother to Tampa. I mean, theres a reason why its called Tampa Bay and not St Petersburg Bay. Not to mention the 4+1 rule for jerseys now. Would the St Petersburg jersey be considered a special jersey like the Boston Patriots Day jersey or the Jays Canada Day jersey?

 

 

 

[GDAWG]

5 hours ago, kimball said:

 

I don't know anymore?  Raleigh seems like a better option. But, outside of that, I'd still rank Nashville ahead of Charlotte if they're only taking one east coast team.

 

Raleigh's bid got bolstered when Carolina Hurricanes Owner Tom Dundon expressed interest.