the next MLB city

[Buffalo]

The Marlins thread (which discusses cool nickname schemes for a possible move to San Antonio) got me thinking about the viability of major league teams in a number of cities.

As an ex-but always loyal-Buffalonian, it'd be great to think that the Queen City could host a franchise---in fact, if MLB hadn't gone to Miami in the 1990 expansion, it was gonna be Buffalo and Denver.

In fact, Pilot Field was THE first HOK-designed urban baseball stadium that took many of its architectural cues from olde tyme ballparks... Camden Yards, Jacobs Field, new Tiger Stadium, etc... have all followed suit with the retro styling.

That aside, the Bisons, from their first season back downtown at what is now called Dunn Tire Park until ca. 2000-01, led AAA in attendance every year. Memphis took over the spot, and now vies with Sacramento and other points south and west for first place.

Indianapolis, although seemingly a pro sport town, has always done poorly. Maybe that's because the Indians have always sucked, or maybe its just because Indianapolites suck.

Here is the current attendance rankings for AAA. Granted the season is young, but these numbers are indicative of the general trend for full seasons.

Does San Antonio even have a Minor League Baseball team? Round Rock is a sister city to Austin, which is booming and seems a suitable home for a major league squad.

INTL LEAGUE

Team Average attendance

Louisville 10,168

Buffalo 9,384

Durham 8,590

Charlotte 7,482

Columbus 6,900

Toledo 6,134

Pawtucket 5,840

Indianapolis 5,759

Norfolk 5,649

Scranton/WB 5,031

Rochester 4,914

Syracuse 4,438

Richmond 3,892

Ottawa 5,295

PACIFIC COAST (anachronistic name--good thread topic) LEAGUE

Sacramento 11,960

Memphis 10,964

Round Rock 10,461

Albuquerque 8,911

Fresno 7,271

Salt Lake 6,266

New Orleans 6,219

Oklahoma 5,952

Nashville 5,536

Iowa 4,705

Col. Springs 4,430

Tucson 4,212

Las Vegas 3,761

Omaha 3,451

Tacoma 3,148

Portland 3,071

DISCUSS

[winters in buffalo]

Buffalo is a great minor league town but would be a horrible major league town.

There was a Business Journals report that came out a few months ago that looked into cities that were ripe for expansion and those that were overextened. It pointed out that an MLB club requires the most resources out of all the major sports. As it is, Buffalo's spread too thin for the teams it has.

Add to the equation the stagnmant local economy, shrinking population and dwindling tax base (I left, too. Where'd you end up?) and MLB is definitely out of the question for at least the next few decades.

[footballfiji]

I would think a warm weather city would get one over a northern city.

However, everytime you bring up a possible city there are always a ton of cons and not enough pros.

If anything I thing the league will contract and not expand or relocate a team.

[doctorpeligro]

If MLB was smart, they would move a team to the New Jersey Meadowlands. Otherwise, fast-growing Sacramento should be the next market to get a team if one decides to relocate, especially if the Kings leave town. But it won't happen until after the A's finalize a new ballpark in Fremont. Contraction won't happen unless it happens in the next couple of months.

[winters in buffalo]

I would think a warm weather city would get one over a northern city.

In that case, I'll nominate Charlotte.

[lilgump]

i believe san antonio has a AA team called the missions, am i right?

[nmsuaggie]

San Antonio has a AA Texas League team. (The Missions) San Antonio is a large population that can also draw people from the Austin region as well. So it might be perfect for the Marlins to relocate.

[Eye]

If MLB was smart, they would move a team to the New Jersey Meadowlands.  Otherwise, fast-growing Sacramento should be the next market to get a team if one decides to relocate, especially if the Kings leave town.  But it won't happen until after the A's finalize a new ballpark in Fremont.  Contraction won't happen unless it happens in the next couple of months.

Why would MLB do that? The Meadowlands are the last place an MLB team would need to go. It's already way to hard to get there as it is. I've been to the Meadowlands for Devils, Nets, Giants games and concerts. The traffic is horrible and you can't get there by train or anything else so that just leaves you with a car or bus. Like George Steinbrenner would allow a team to go to the Meadowlands anyway. He'd do everything he can to block a team from going to the Meadowlands.

67th post!

[Ron Mexico]

Off topic, but Buffalo is the Queen City now? I thought Cincy and Charlotte both claimed ot be the Queen City. Where does that name come from, anyway? Is there a King City? Why do you want to be Queen City anyway?

And I think San Antonio or Portland will get it. Teams are moving out of the Medowlands as is.

[aerodynamix]

I would think a warm weather city would get one over a northern city.

In that case, I'll nominate Charlotte.

Even though I dearly want the Marlins to stay, I concur. But...I dunno, either Raleigh or Charlotte would do. And make the Bulls the relocated teams' AAA affiliate (sp?).

Although, I wouldn't mind seeing a San Antonio/Austin team. But then again, Austin is a major college town with a highly successful Texas baseball team while San Antonio (actually, both) doesn't necessarily have the facilities. Unless they would use the AlamoDome...

[Mac the Knife]

I would think a warm weather city would get one over a northern city.

In that case, I'll nominate Charlotte.

Actually, WiB, despite their posturing, our area is probably better suited than Charlotte is to have an MLB club, if we ditched the Bulls and the Mudcats for it.

Charlotte has a larger metro population, sure, but an MLB team there would face stiffer competition (from the NFL and NBA teams, plus NASCAR) than Raleigh (from the NHL and to lesser extent college basketball). Local TV revenue would be about the same, as would local radio.

Per-capita income levels are actually higher here if I'm not mistaken, meaning that the team'd be able to fetch a higher ticket price (provided they didn't build some 50,000 seat monstrosity). Raleigh'd also draw at least some fans from Greensboro, Fayetteville, etc., while Charlotte historically hasn't (just ask the Bobcats).

[Mings]

Indianapolis, although seemingly a pro sport town, has always done poorly. Maybe that's because the Indians have always sucked, or maybe its just because Indianapolites suck.

No its because Indianapolis cannot support another Major League team. There is not enough disposable income to go around for 3 major league teams. Besides the Indians are a great way to skip class on a sunny afternoon. So You can shove that part of the argument where the sun don't shine.

Learn to make a case before writing something assinine.

[jkrdevil]

If MLB was smart, they would move a team to the New Jersey Meadowlands.  Otherwise, fast-growing Sacramento should be the next market to get a team if one decides to relocate, especially if the Kings leave town.  But it won't happen until after the A's finalize a new ballpark in Fremont.  Contraction won't happen unless it happens in the next couple of months.

Why would MLB do that? The Meadowlands are the last place an MLB team would need to go. It's already way to hard to get there as it is. I've been to the Meadowlands for Devils, Nets, Giants games and concerts. The traffic is horrible and you can't get there by train or anything else so that just leaves you with a car or bus. Like George Steinbrenner would allow a team to go to the Meadowlands anyway. He'd do everything he can to block a team from going to the Meadowlands.

67th post!

Yea no teams is going to the Meadowlands. First off the Yankees and Mets (Mostly the Yankees, because a large part of their fan base comes from NJ) would fight it.

Second the 2 tenants of the Meadowlands that play multiple games a week dring week nights are moving out. The Devils are building a new arena in nearby Newark and the Nets may go to Brooklyn. Like Ryeamraps said it is nearly impossible to get to during week nights. The only way to get there is by car (or bus from NYC). On weeknights you have to fight rush hour traffic, which in an area with 8-10 million people is quite bad. The meadowlands is fine for a once a week game that is usually on Sunday to where you can make a day of it. However for weeknights it is usually a bitch for people to get home from the city and then go right back up for a game.

I realize why MLB might want a team there as NJ is the second wealthiest state behind Conneticut. However it is a market that they have already tapped and another team wouldn't make sense.

[Ron Mexico]

Weren't they going to put a team in Indy back in the '80's? I thought they played some exhibition games there and realized the HoosierDome sucked for baseball.

[Mings]

Weren't they going to put a team in Indy back in the '80's? I thought they played some exhibition games there and realized the HoosierDome sucked for baseball.

Actually there was gonna be a team, the Arrows. But yeah, the RCA Dome would suck for baseball.

[aerodynamix]

Weren't they going to put a team in Indy back in the '80's?  I thought they played some exhibition games there and realized the HoosierDome sucked for baseball.

Actually there was gonna be a team, the Arrows. But yeah, the RCA Dome would suck for baseball.

Arrows. Now there's a badass name. I like it.

[iconoclast]

Unfortunately, even though Buffalo was on the "short list" for expansion candidates in 1990, they were never seriously considered for a team. In fact, late in the process, when it became clear that small-market cities like Buffalo would always be at a competitive disadvantage, Bob Rich, who was heading the bid for a team, basically took himself out of the race. Miami and Denver got teams, and later Arizona and Tampa.

Sixteen years later, Buffalo is even less attractive as a candidate for a team. Talk in town now is centered on making sure the Bills stay, and it appears that may be an uphill battle.

[Lumbergh]

How about the Mexico City Caballeros

[Ez Street]

it won't happen...but OKC was tying to get the attention of the Marlins.

I'd love to see OKC get an MLB team. That'd be a great roadie.

But OKC is a smaller market than SA. I doubt it will ever be brought up again.

I think the whole having a third team in NY is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. They have two. That is enough.

what about 2 for The Lou' (St. Louis) again? Just kidding.

My guess is they will be in Charlotte or San Antonio.

[RickV]

I would think a warm weather city would get one over a northern city.

In that case, I'll nominate Charlotte.

Even though I dearly want the Marlins to stay, I concur. But...I dunno, either Raleigh or Charlotte would do. And make the Bulls the relocated teams' AAA affiliate (sp?).

Although, I wouldn't mind seeing a San Antonio/Austin team. But then again, Austin is a major college town with a highly successful Texas baseball team while San Antonio (actually, both) doesn't necessarily have the facilities. Unless they would use the AlamoDome...

The county has offered to put up 200 million of a proposed 300 million dollar new ballpark for the Marlins. So no, they wouldn't have to play in the Alamodome, which cannot be configured for baseball in any case.