MLB Stadium Saga: Oakland/Tampa Bay/Southside

[dfwabel]

I've always heard that Buffalo was talked about for expansion back in the 80's and our AAA ballpark is supposed to be expandable, but just no. We might be able to fill a stadium maybe, but I don't think the corporate money is there in any fashion. I'd wager that we're one of the worst markets for big corporate headquarters. We're almost always the #3 US market for Stanley Cup Finals behind the two teams that are actually in it, and I think we do well in NFL Playoff ratings after the Bills pack it in. I don't think we even register on the baseball ratings and I rarely hear anyone talk baseball around here; if so, only the big, big stories.

The Atlantic Cities wrote a great story on the MLB and Buffalo last July.

As both Coca-Cola Park, along with the Colorado Springs stadium opened in 1988, they are now tied for being the fifth oldest park(s) in AAA baseball.

That's kinda scary; I didn't realize parks had sprung up like that for minor league teams. While looking at stadium ages, I discovered that Buffalo's is also the biggest stadium in AAA with a lead over the next ballpark of almost 20%. That was a really cool article for a Buffalonian like me who only knew whispers of that whole deal. It's a good place to watch a game. My only complaint is that the outfield looks out onto a tangled mess of highway, on- and off-ramps, and ugly property... if the stadium were rotated 180 degrees, it would look out right into the heart of the city.

Looking towards the outfield:

And compare that to the view behind home plate:

As much as I like Buffalo and Coca-Cola Field, I think that there are 2 issues that I can possibly see with the MLB coming there. There are some luxury boxes, but I don't think that there are as many as there are in most MLB stadiums, which doesn't cause a problem for me, but might for whoever is making the decision to move a team there. Also, I'm not sure what the attendance is like most games, but the 2 that I've been to have been about 1/3 of the stadiums capacity (which could not be a problem because 1-It's minor league ball in a large stadium 2-The games were played at 1:00 on a weekday).

Note: I didn't mention capacity because they can clearly expand by putting more seats in right field.

Son,

The facility opened in 1998, seven/eight years before you were were born. Leave everything else out, like suites, AGAIN it is still the 5th oldest AAA park standing. It would have to be replaced.

[The_Admiral]

Don't call him Son. YOU AIN'T HIS DAD.

[Gothamite]

Wait the royals had a chance to move to the NL and DECLINED? What the hell were they thinking??

Admiral's idea makes as much sense as anything. Ironically, I think the Twins would next have been offered the chance if the Brewers somehow declined.

I wonder if the Royals were still feeling their big rivalry with the Yankees at that point.

[Cosmic]

Wait the royals had a chance to move to the NL and DECLINED? What the hell were they thinking??

Admiral's idea makes as much sense as anything. Ironically, I think the Twins would next have been offered the chance if the Brewers somehow declined.

I wonder if the Royals were still feeling their big rivalry with the Yankees at that point.

Now this is reminding me of how the Bills turned down Baltimore's spot in the AFC North because they wanted to keep the rivalry with the Dolphins. Only problem was it was a Kelly/Marino rivalry, not a Bills/Dolphins rivalry. And look at that great rivalry today.

[ninersdd]

Wait the royals had a chance to move to the NL and DECLINED? What the hell were they thinking??

Admiral's idea makes as much sense as anything. Ironically, I think the Twins would next have been offered the chance if the Brewers somehow declined.

I wonder if the Royals were still feeling their big rivalry with the Yankees at that point.

Now this is reminding me of how the Bills turned down Baltimore's spot in the AFC North because they wanted to keep the rivalry with the Dolphins. Only problem was it was a Kelly/Marino rivalry, not a Bills/Dolphins rivalry. And look at that great rivalry today.

Whoa, I never knew that about maybe the Bills moving divisions. Of course it would make more sense geographically, and the Ravens-Steelers rivalry hadn't boiled to the point it is now.

[HedleyLamarr]

But don't forget the 3 hours it takes to get from Tampa to St. Pete.

Or so the "you can't trust the attendance numbers, it's a great baseball market!" people would have us believe.

They really should reverse the Rays and Buccaneers stadium locations, if that were such a simple solution. The Rays would do so much better with a stadium just outside downtown Tampa, while the Buccaneers wouldn't really have a drop-off in attendance if their stadium were in St. Petersburg.

[illwauk]

Wait the royals had a chance to move to the NL and DECLINED? What the hell were they thinking??

Admiral's idea makes as much sense as anything. Ironically, I think the Twins would next have been offered the chance if the Brewers somehow declined.

I wonder if the Royals were still feeling their big rivalry with the Yankees at that point.

Even though I was excited to see the Brewers in the NL at first, I really feel like they belong in the AL (which was even founded in Milwaukee).

Too bad we can't just swap the Brewers and Astros and make things right again.

[B-Rich]

Link: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/11/scott-boras-rays-move-new-jersey-tampa-bay-yankees/

Not that anyone cares what a superstar agent thinks, but - hey... Agents, I guess, are the utmost standard bearers for fully "free markets".

Discuss.

[illwauk]

Yes, let's move a team that's struggling to draw fans an wedge them into a part of the country that's already served by 3 other teams.....

[RyanB06]

MLB ought to administer Boras a drug test.

Because he's clearly on something.

[cappital92]

While the lease for the Tropicana Dome is as ironclad as a stadium lease could get, there was a study done I believe a decade that said Northern New Jersey could feasibly have it's own MLB team. I think there was a group talking about buying the Expos and moving them to NJ maybe. The Wilpons and Steinbrenners would never allow it (nor should they), but it wouldn't be the most insane relocation in the history of pro sports.

[DustDevil61]

I'd have the Rays move to Portland, Montreal, Sacramento, San Antonio, or Salt Lake before I'd move them to New Jersey.

[The Six]

No. Move the Rays to the Marlins' stadium. Move the Marlins to Saskatoon. Or Portland.

[NJTank]

Put them in Newark and I will need to change teams

[mattb6]

Seems pointless to move from Tampa to Jersey. Jersey probably won't draw as many fans 5 years after the franchise moves if they stay in Tampa. Too many Yankee and Met fans their.

[Eye]

Put them in Newark and I will need to change teams

Why? Sports teams don't represent or "rep" an area, they just happen to play there. Most players don't "rep" an area either, and mos likely couldn't give a :censored: who they play for, and rightfully just want to be paid, so why change teams?

[Needschat]

I often thought that, if MLB were to take over the team, they would have them play 40 home games at CitiField, 41 at Yankee Stadium, and have "Brooklyn" emblazoned on the jersey

[bosrs1]

Link: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/11/scott-boras-rays-move-new-jersey-tampa-bay-yankees/

Not that anyone cares what a superstar agent thinks, but - hey... Agents, I guess, are the utmost standard bearers for fully "free markets".

Discuss.

Good thing that baseball's executives don't think much of Scott Boras.

Funny thing is too his justification is that they're last in attendance. What he doesn't mention is that they're aveaging nearly 19,000 a game. Yet he makes it sound like they're the Expos who were averaging 7,500 at one point in the early 2000's. Fact is someone is ALWAYS going to be last, that's the nature of a list. Doesn't mean it's justification to move. Particularly when a decade ago 5 other teams had attendances lower than what the Rays had this year.

[Gothamite]

"Somebody has to be last"?

Wow. That is, unfortunately, about the most coherent rationalization of the Rays' pathetic attendance I've ever read. Which means it's long past time to move this team.

[charger77]

Put them in Newark and I will need to change teams

Why? Sports teams don't represent or "rep" an area, they just happen to play there. Most players don't "rep" an area either, and mos likely couldn't give a who they play for, and rightfully just want to be paid, so why change teams?

God forbid the guy cheers for a home town team.