Vegas Marlins?

[winters in buffalo]

San Juan barely turned out enough people to work for the Expos when it was obviously being looked at for a site. Forget it.

Vegas has the casino money behind it, but there are too many options. The only reason to put the team there is for the inevitable every few years implosion of the old stadium.

After that, where? Portland, Charlotte, Buffalo?

The only thing that makes sense is a third team in the New York-New Jersey area. The population would support it and "New Jersey's team" would have a built-in large fan base. It would also have the advantage of cutting into the large amount of TV money the Yanks and Mets get, leveling the playing field

Which is why, of course, it won't happen.

Heh, Buffalo, that's funny...

That literally has a snowball's chance in hell of happening...

Although it would be ironic, considering that when Buffalo lost out on its bid for an MLB team, it ended up being awarded to the Marlins.

Personally, I want to see them land in Charlotte.

[gbasalmon]

San Juan barely turned out enough people to work for the Expos when it was obviously being looked at for a site. Forget it.

Vegas has the casino money behind it, but there are too many options. The only reason to put the team there is for the inevitable every few years implosion of the old stadium.

After that, where? Portland, Charlotte, Buffalo?

The only thing that makes sense is a third team in the New York-New Jersey area. The population would support it and "New Jersey's team" would have a built-in large fan base. It would also have the advantage of cutting into the large amount of TV money the Yanks and Mets get, leveling the playing field

Which is why, of course, it won't happen.

Heh, Buffalo, that's funny...

That literally has a snowball's chance in hell of happening...

Although it would be ironic, considering that when Buffalo lost out on its bid for an MLB team, it ended up being awarded to the Marlins.

Personally, I want to see them land in Charlotte.

Well, either Charlotte or Buffalo would have the added advantage of not altering the divisional alignment, which moving to Vegas would completely screw up. Also, Buffalo has a stadium which could be altered to house a MLB team, if the city and county could scrounge up enough money to do it, which is an iffy proposition at best.

[The_Admiral]

Everyone loves Harbor Park, I'm sure they could expand it to major league capacity.

[Bouj]

For such a booming metropolis, Las Vegas doesn't "feel" very big. It's not that big (spread out) as compared to LA, Houston, Atlanta, or even San Antonio. I do like the idea of a MLB in Vegas, though. It'll probably have to be a retractable roof (like Phoenix).

The "Scorpions" name is currently being used by Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League (red & black, a GREAT color combo and look for the team) and Yuma in the Golden Baseball League (red & teal, not so good). The University of Texas at Brownsville is also the Scorpions (not quite burnt orange & white). Of those three, only Scottsdale's logo and colors look good, so I think there'd be some real room to work with if anyone chose "Scorpions".

[BlueSky]

I really liked the short-lived CFL team's name: Las Vegas Posse.

Also, Aces could work if they used it in the pilot context. Nellis AFB, home to the USAF's "Red Flag" (similar to the Navy's Top Gun) and the Thunderbirds, is right there near the city.

[ltravisjr]

Having visited family over there, the most appropriate name is probably the "Las Vegas Roadcones" but outside of that they could go with the "Nevada Dusters", the "Vegas Roasters", or simply the "Las Vegas Lights".

LT

[Gothamite]

Vegas is a great destination, and a great escape. But that's it. Despite the population boom, Las Vegas still derives an overwhelming amount of its revenue from the tourist trade. Most people go there, stay a few days, and leave. The transplants will bring their loyalties with them. As most of the revenue comes from entertainment and hospitality, most of those jobs are shift work jobs (bartender, dealers, waitresses, entertainers, dancers, etc.), which means your in-town population base won't be able to attend every game. So who's going to buy up those expensive season ticket packages? Casinos may be able to comp a high roller with some club seats - but I can go to an MLB game whenever I like, as I live 10 miles from Citizens Bank Park. Most people live a reasonable distance from their nearest MLB team, and I wouldn't want to waste a day in Vegas at a bad baseball game (Pirates @ Vegas? ) when I could be gambling, partying and otherwise enjoying Vegas for the reasons I go there.

For a comparison, check the Orlando Magic. Another resort town where people go as a destination. The Magic have been among the bottom 4 teams in NBA attendance the last 4 full seasons. They're next to last this year. Just because people flock somewhere as a destination doesn't mean it's suitable for major league sports. Think about it.

That's an excellent analysis.

MLB in Vegas would be an outright disaster. Fortunately, it just won't happen.

[ASTROS75]

I still like the Las Vegas Whores.

funny.

W - H- O - R - E - S

Whores! Whores! Whores!

or something...

Let's go HO'S!!! Let's go HO'S!!!

[BlueSky]

I still like the Las Vegas Whores.

funny.

W - H- O - R - E - S

Whores! Whores! Whores!

or something...

Let's go HO'S!!! Let's go HO'S!!!

So an injured player would be a hoedown?

[powersurge]

I still like the Las Vegas Whores.

funny.

W - H- O - R - E - S

Whores! Whores! Whores!

or something...

Let's go HO'S!!! Let's go HO'S!!!

So an injured player would be a hoedown?

no, he would just be a SLUT in a RUT....

wow, that was real dumb, huh?

[BallWonk]

MLB in Vegas would be an outright disaster. Fortunately, it just won't happen.

Is there an emoticon for "double take"? As in, Wha-?

Precisely because MLB in Vegas would be so likely to fail is exactly why it just might happen. Give the people who run baseball the choice between a sensible business decision and a risky probable disaster and they'll choose the disaster every time. Perhaps people in Washington are just more familiar with the capricious stupidity of the people who run MLB than people elsewhere. These are the men who put a team in Tampa instead of Washington ten years ago, and who then signed a 30-year lease for the Devil Rays in a park nobody loves or very much attends, but now they won't guarantee one year's rent in DC, where the city is trying to build a half-billion-dollar gem for the 11th best attended team in baseball. If baseball can find a way to screw up the Marlins even worse, it will find it, and the likelihood of any particular outcome is in direct proportion to the harm it would do the franchise, the sport in general, and fan interest in any and all involved cities. Ergo, the worse of a disaster Las Vegas would be, the more likely the Marlins are to wind up there.

[mrfab]

HedleyLamarr, you GENIUS! The rest of you? Not so much . . .

A year ago I wrote to Rob Meich, the Las Vegas Sun's reporter covering the Las Vegas attempt to land the Expos. SUCH a name dropper am I! I told him I liked "Aces" for the gambling reference. He ran with it & wrote "Imagine it's Opening Day and YOUR Las Vegas Aces take the field . . ." articles. Fun & kind of flattering; we goofed the team colors should be playing card red & black, with poker table felt green & Nevada silver as accent colors. A good point made on this thread is "Aces" would have Nellis AFB reference, which didn't occur to me.

Las Vegas WILL get a pro sports team, maybe in this decade. I'll be on the home team dugout side rooting for MY Las Vegas Aces. C'mon you horndogs, Las Vegas showgirls as foul line ball girls?!?!? Bringing the umps new balls?!?!?

(your salacious inference here).

[AceHawk447]

Hey, wasn't Mr. Loria one of the guys who helped drag the Expos further under and pretty much set the table for that team's move? All the recent developments with the Marlins reminded me of Loria's stint running the Expos. Did he take his "game" south? Was it his plan to eventually do this in Fla.?

[bTW, if MLB decides to expand to 32 (to say that's a big if would be an even bigger understatement!), the league had better make this thing right and add a new Montreal Expos team.]

Oh, and as for names for a possible Vegas team, I like the following:

Aces

Blackjacks

Diablos

Scorpions

Silverados

Silver Sox

Kudos to whomever suggested those...keep this thing up!

[447]

[Gothamite]

Las Vegas WILL get a pro sports team, maybe in this decade.

No offense, but I just don't see that happening, for a couple reasons.

1) I think the gambling image will be hard for most leagues to overcome.

2) The population isn't stable enough. Sure, Vegas is an emerging market, but we've seen that emerging markets are frequently terrible places to put teams - too many established loyalties among the potential fanbase.

3) Do you really see the city and state ponying up $400M+ for a new facility? I don't.

I just see too many obstacles. That's not to say that I wouldn't want to see it - I have nothing against Vegas - but it seems like a very long shot. And don't count on long shots - the house always wins.

[BJ Sands]

Las Vegas WILL get a pro sports team, maybe in this decade.

No offense, but I just don't see that happening, for a couple reasons.

3) Do you really see the city and state ponying up $400M+ for a new facility? I don't.

If they get a team, I think it probably would be an NBA team first. Since they have the Thomas & Mack Center, the 400 mil. wouldn't be an issue.

Check out the arena website. It's definitely, um, multimedia.

Thomas And Mack Center

[Your Name Here]

BJ Sands forgets that Los Angeles is a desert and Utah forbids music.

[FiddySicks]

BJ Sands forgets that Los Angeles is a desert and Utah forbids music.

But you also forget that Los Angeles has more people in the surrounding area than almost any other place in the USA, but you got it on that Utah thing. I dont quite get that. Im guessing there must be a lot of people in that area. Either that or a lot of Mormons who were promised a spot on the Space Ship if they bought Jazz season tickets.

[BJ Sands]

BJ Sands forgets that Los Angeles is a desert and Utah forbids music.

Can I get some clarification on that?

Damn, I'm gonna have to waste my 50th post on responding to this garbage.

[Lightningfan]

Las Vegas WILL get a pro sports team, maybe in this decade.

No offense, but I just don't see that happening, for a couple reasons.

1) I think the gambling image will be hard for most leagues to overcome.

2) The population isn't stable enough. Sure, Vegas is an emerging market, but we've seen that emerging markets are frequently terrible places to put teams - too many established loyalties among the potential fanbase.

3) Do you really see the city and state ponying up $400M+ for a new facility? I don't.

I just see too many obstacles. That's not to say that I wouldn't want to see it - I have nothing against Vegas - but it seems like a very long shot. And don't count on long shots - the house always wins.

So if Vegas gets a MLB team it should be the "Las Vegas Longshots" Logo with a ball flying long and deep.

[rams80]

Personally I like the name "Las Vegas Aces"

Besides, it'll go great with the NBA's "Las Vegas Kings"