the next MLB city

[The Green Meanie]

Montreal (No... It's just not going to happen)

It shouldn't have to have happened.

[Krona]

also take note that the two sports programs in the state that A) are being run well and the fans care about - Oregon and Oregon State's respective football programs - sell out every game, and that's at ~58k and ~44k seats respectively. If Oregon sports fans can be motivated to drive an hour or an hour and a half to go see a football game for a team they care about, those same sports fans would gladly pay to see baseball in Portland.

[end Portlander rant]

Just my point. I'll go to one or two portland games a year, but thats the maximum for a triple A team. I'd make weekend trips from eugene for an entire series if there was an MLB team. it would be the states team and i think folks would drive five hours to catch some games. the biggest hurdle would be weekday games.

[mlbfan77]

.

I would like Durham to get one, I closer to Durham than charoltte

[VitaminD]

Charlotte (But their Minor League ballpark, which is expandable like Buffalo's I think, is in SOUTH CAROLINA!)

Yeah, the stadium's in South Carolina. Does that matter? Charlotte sits squarely on the border between NC and SC, and their teams draw fans from both states. Just like Philadelphia sits on the border of PA and NJ, and a huge chunk of the Philadelphia fan base resides east of the Delaware River, all the way to the Shore. The Kansas City teams draw from Kansas and Missouri; the St. Louis teams draw from Illinois and even Kentucky, and so on. New York's metro area includes 3 states - NY, NJ and Connecticut. I fail to grasp how the Charlotte team's stadium location precludes the city from being a viable MLB site.

[GeorgesL]

MONTREAL

You want a centre that has enough baseball heritage, and population for a team it is in Montreal. Give them a smaller outdoor stadium and they can work well, look at what the Alouettes have done since moving to McGill.

Couldn't agree with you more!

[Sean84106]

I was just looking over the media market rankings to see which metropolitan areas don't have MLB teams. Nielsen Media Markets--Click Here. Not counting the Florida markets, the highest populated media market with no MLB team is Sacramento at 19, followed by Portland (23), Indy (25), and Charlotte (27). In my quick glance over the rankings, the lowest ranked market with an MLB team is Cincinnati (34). While there are a lot more variables to a good baseball market than populations (see, e.g., all of the large Florida markets), it's interesting to look who's on the list of potential expansion sites and how they rank in media market size.

Also, why is Portland considered such a good baseball town? Looking at the attendence of their AAA team, it wouldn't seem a better option than Sacramento. In fact, didn't the predecessor to the current Portland Beavers move to Salt Lake City to become the Buzz/Stingers/Bees?

While I'm on the topic: Salt Lake City might not be too bad of an option, though with the Jazz, BYU, the U of U, and now RSL all vying for the sports fans' buck, it's probably not too realistic at this point. But I must say that Franklin Covey Field--with it's blue skies and view of the mountains--is a great place to spend a lazy summer afternoon.

Salt Lake wouldn't work for the MLB. It's too big of a sport for a town our size to support. As much as I'd love it, I just don't see it happening. That said, the NHL and even NFL would be a more viable option for the Salt Lake market. The NHL mostly because SLC has always been a hockey town (or was one before the Jazz moved here in '79). The NFL might work because the demographics are changing and football has quickly eclipsed basketball as the state's most popular sport. Oh and they only play once a week.

That said, an NFL team might cut into the attendance of both BYU and Utah football games, so I'm not so sure about that one. Realistically, the NHL is probably Salt Lake's best opinion at expanding their pro-sports market beyond the NBA, MLS and AFL.

[The_Admiral]

Even though the prospect of an interlocking S-L-C cap is nice, I don't think the valley can support baseball. Any team they'd get in any sport would always be subordinate to the Jazz. The Rockies are either the C or D team in town, and the Marlins are unquestionably a distant fourth. When considering new baseball towns, Selig should take a cue from Stern and try to foster some one-sport towns.

[buzzcut]

Even though the prospect of an interlocking S-L-C cap is nice, I don't think the valley can support baseball. Any team they'd get in any sport would always be subordinate to the Jazz. The Rockies are either the C or D team in town, and the Marlins are unquestionably a distant fourth. When considering new baseball towns, Selig should take a cue from Stern and try to foster some one-sport towns.

Uh, sorry TCR but you are wrong about the Jazz being superior to a proposed NFL team, as such team would be FIRST SECOND THIRD and FOURTH

choice in sporting prefence in any city in this country not named Boston, New York, St. Paul or Durham.

Back to the topic of this thread, the answer is obvious. SQUADOOSH. There, I've said it, it's over, call the fight off, graveyard this thread before it spiralls out of control.

[The_Admiral]

Uh, sorry TCR but you are wrong about the Jazz being superior to a proposed NFL team, as such team would be FIRST SECOND THIRD and FOURTH

choice in sporting prefence in any city in this country not named Boston, New York, St. Paul or Durham.

Baseball is king in St. Louis and Chicago, and Detroit is Hockeytown. I don't think it's necessarily a given that the NFL team is always #1 in town. Often it is, but not always. And I do feel that the Jazz will always be #1 to Utahns, even if the Jaguars moved into town. Yeah, they'd draw, but the Jazz put Salt Lake City on the major league map, and they'll always be the main team for SLC.

[fiasco!]

Charlotte would and could work, not only is there the surrounding Charlotte area to draw fans from, but the Greenville/Spartanburg/Anderson area in South Carolina (with about 500,000 people) and the booming auto industry (BMW and Michelin's American headquarters, ICAR (international center for automotive research - 250 acre site) that keeps the area growing. I, for one, would be willing to drive the hour or so to go to several games a year, as opposed to the 2.5 hour trek to Turner Field.

The Carolinas are a hotbed for baseball fans, with the UNC, NC State, Wake Forest, Clemson, USC, College of Charleston and Winthrop all in the top 30 and receiving steady attendance. I have no reason to believe that Major League Baseball wouldn't thrive in Charlotte.

[The_Admiral]

I'd have to think the Braves would object to a Charlotte team, since they basically colonized the whole region, whether they had the right to or not. I guess it would be easier for people in the Carolinas to get to games in Charlotte, but the Braves have represented the Southeast for years. If you've been supporting the Atlanta Braves all these years, why would you give up allegiance to the highest quality baseball organization in America for a Jeff Loria-owned bunch of rookies? Hard sell.

[fiasco!]

unfortunately, the braves don't have a right to formally object to a team in a city 3-4 hours from them. that didn't work too well for baltimore, it wouldn't work for atlanta.

[leopard88]

unfortunately, the braves don't have a right to formally object to a team in a city 3-4 hours from them.  that didn't work too well for baltimore, it wouldn't work for atlanta.

MLB did have to cut a deal with the Orioles to avoid a lawsuit, but there was no guarantee the Orioles would have won. On the other hand, I don't think Atlanta has any reasonable basis to try to block a move to Charlotte. They get their one vote just like everyone else and that would be it.

[Mac the Knife]

Charlotte (But their Minor League ballpark, which is expandable like Buffalo's I think, is in SOUTH CAROLINA!)

Yeah, the stadium's in South Carolina. Does that matter? Charlotte sits squarely on the border between NC and SC, and their teams draw fans from both states. Just like Philadelphia sits on the border of PA and NJ, and a huge chunk of the Philadelphia fan base resides east of the Delaware River, all the way to the Shore. The Kansas City teams draw from Kansas and Missouri; the St. Louis teams draw from Illinois and even Kentucky, and so on. New York's metro area includes 3 states - NY, NJ and Connecticut. I fail to grasp how the Charlotte team's stadium location precludes the city from being a viable MLB site.

It doesn't if you can do without Charlotte's extensive corporate and banking communities.

[Mac the Knife]

The Carolinas are a hotbed for baseball fans, with the UNC, NC State, Wake Forest, Clemson, USC, College of Charleston and Winthrop all in the top 30 and receiving steady attendance. I have no reason to believe that Major League Baseball wouldn't thrive in Charlotte.

Let me give you two:

(1) The local economy here is still lagging from the recession, and the Panthers (and to lesser extent the Bobcats) are chewing up the area's sports entertainment dollar. The Charlotte Knights are an after-thought there, and even an MLB team would be the red-headed step-child compared to these two.

(2) They won't draw regularly from outside the area - something that would be critical. Many of the places you list as hotbeds are well outside the Charlotte area. Every time I've heard Charlotte touted by so-called experts, they invariably spew some garbage about how the team will draw from other areas throughout the state (Greensboro, Raleigh, etc.) I won't use the Panthers as an example because its a once-a-week trip and therefore not as direct a comparison - but ask the Charlotte Bobcats how many season tickets they sold to folks in Winston-Salem, Greensboro or Raleigh. If the answer is more than a couple dozen, I'd be floored.

It's a 4 HOUR DRIVE from Raleigh to Charlotte. Atlanta's about the same distance for us, and we don't go to Braves games regularly either. Raleighians generally can't stomach Charlotteans (pronounced "Charlatains"). Think the rest of NC is going to support their redneck cousin in another pro sports venture? Think again.

[BBTV]

When it comes to a city being able to "support" a team, fan attendance is really not a big part of the equation (at least not as big as some would have you believe.)

An NFL team with competent management in nearly any market would probably draw big at the gates. However, even if every game in SLC was sold out for 20 years, they'd still be one of the "have nots," because they cannot draw even a small percentage of the local revenue that most of the other teams get. We're talking about tv (local coverage, not national as that is split evenly), radio, stadium advertising, naming rights, local tie-in deals, etc.

[NoHoJoe]

My picks fo rthe nest MLB cities:

1. Montreal. Yes, Montreal!!! Just think of the crime wave that would have happened if the NHL lockout had continued. Just wait until the GNATS ownership deal is finalized.

2. Buffalo- If the REAL Queen City gets a MLB team, they will have to get the OK from the Blue Jays.

3. New Orleans- They deserve a MLB team.

4. Charlotte- The Charlotte THUNDER, named for the thunderous noise of the NASCAR races.

If the next two expansion teams are in the NL, then the Brewers will have to return to the American League Central.

[rams80]

3. New Orleans- They deserve a MLB team.

For the last time....Nobody lives there now, and those that do can't afford major league baseball tickets. There is also ZERO money available for a major league caliber baseball stadium.

[Fred T. Jane]

3. New Orleans- They deserve a MLB team.

For the last time....Nobody lives there now, and those that do can't afford major league baseball tickets. There is also ZERO money available for a major league caliber baseball stadium.

I completely agree. Even B.K. (Before Katrina), I wouldn't support putting a team in New Orleans. Let's put it this way. If the state wouldn't pay up for a new stadium/refurbishment for the Superdome, why the heck would the state do it for an MLB team? Don't even ask if the city would do it. They have never done anything for themselves, and merely threw their political weight in Baton Rouge to get benefits for themselves.

Though I would begin making rumblings for Baton Rouge to get something with an MSA of nearly 1 million now, but in Baton Rouge, there's LSU, and everything else is just background noise.

[fiasco!]

mad mac, i specifically mentioned the GSA area because we are within an hour to 80 minutes from charlotte. i didn't mention raleigh because i know that 4 hours is a ridiculous amount to drive for a ballgame.

i honestly do believe that the population of the Upstate, along with the greater Charlotte area could support an MLB franchise.