71 replies to this topic

[bobliocatt]

MIAMI -- The Florida Marlins will look into relocation as early as the 2008 season, after years of unsuccessful attempts to secure a baseball-only stadium in downtown Miami.

Marlins president David Samson said Tuesday the team has received permission from Major League Baseball to investigate its options in other cities. Samson added owner Jeffrey Loria's primary intention is to keep the team in South Florida.

"There will be no deal in the city of Miami," Samson said.

The Marlins' lease with Dolphins Stadium is in effect until 2007. The team has a series of one-year options that could keep it there through the 2010 season. Samson said the team will not extend its current lease at Dolphins Stadium under any circumstances.

"We simply must play in a baseball-only facility," Samson said.

Samson would not get into specifics of any trades, but said there would be an immediate "significant market correction" to the team's payroll.  

http://sports.espn.g...tory?id=2233531

[depechecureguyorl]

^ This is CRAZY!!! Miami officials shouldn't cave in to a greedy sports owner and should continue to stand their ground! Where do these owners think Florida cities get their money to build these posh stadiums? The CITIZENS. And half the time, the citizens whose tax dollars were used can't even afford the stupid tickets to a game!

[up+down=midtown]

yup we don't want a stadium and we don't want it in downtown either....


take your rich asses out of our poor city and take that garbage team with you!

[sunshine]

Come to Orlando!!

[bobliocatt]

I just listened to their team president's interview on 790am.  This sounds bad.  This looks like the beginning of the end of professional baseball in South Florida.

[Florida]

depechecureguyorl, on Nov 22 2005, 03:54 PM, said:

^ This is CRAZY!!! Miami officials shouldn't cave in to a greedy sports owner and should continue to stand their ground! Where do these owners think Florida cities get their money to build these posh stadiums? The CITIZENS. And half the time, the citizens whose tax dollars were used can't even afford the stupid tickets to a game!

PREACH IT!

[Brickell]

Bye bye.
The sad part is the city ponied up a ton of money, but it wasn't enough for them.  Loria put up zero of his own money.  It's a sad situation and I'll be sorry to see them go, but I'm not about to go giving them my money to stay.   I personally think they'll stay.  Vegas might be flashy, but it's a small market, and Portland isn't much better.  If the do leave, baseball will be back.  I guarantee it.  South Florida is simply too big of a market to ignore.  Maybe that's what we need, a fresh start with the Brewers, Royals, Mariners or A's.

[poonther]

This is sad news since I went to the very first home game of the Marlins and many more.  Even though Las Vegas is a smaller market, I would not under estimate them, they have lots of money backing them up and they are hungry for a professional team to validate them as "major metro area."

I too think that if pro baseball leaves South Florida, that some team will come back soon, but on the other hand I am still shocked and surprised that the nation's second largest metro area and second largest television market is still without a pro football team after having two of them in the area for years.  Know that city I'm talking about?

[depechecureguyorl]

^ Last time I checked also, LA wasn't LOSING any corporate HQ's or Big Business due to their lack of an NFL team...so, contrary to what many Floridians think (Jax forumers mostly)...professional sports doesn't really make or break a city. It's simply just another entertainment option. If a city has plenty to do without sports; i.e. Miami & LA, then take the crappy team to Vegas. And, for the love of God, PLEASE keep the Marlins OUT of Orlando!!!

[sunshine]

Disney has the money to build a stadium for them and keep them in their Wide World Of Sport. Then they can change the name to Orlando Mickey.

[Dale]

Here's hoping that Marlins fans will stay away from games, over the next two seasons, in unprecedented numbers.

Will they have the resolve to do so ? Probably not.

[KendallKid]

I like the Marlins and I wanted them to get a new stadium. Ill be sad to see them go. Orlando wont get a baseball team ever because the MLB states you cannot have 2 teams within 120 miles of each other. Except for very few cases NY Chicago SF for example. Additionally i dont blame local government or Jeffrey Loria I do belie0ve he ponied up a bunch of money and was goign to cover cost overrunns. I blame the state.

[poonther]

Now for the record, I like the Marlins, I've been to many Marlins' games, I went to the very first Marlins home game and I use to live for many years in South Florida.  That said, why do you blame the State of Florida if the Marlins move?  Why should the other 11 to 12 million of us in Florida fund baseball in South Florida?

[Dale]

poonther, on Nov 24 2005, 09:21 PM, said:

Now for the record, I like the Marlins, I've been to many Marlins' games, I went to the very first Marlins home game and I use to live for many years in South Florida.  That said, why do you blame the State of Florida if the Marlins move?  Why should the other 11 to 12 million of us in Florida fund baseball in South Florida?

Good point.

[Brickell]

I don't think the blame can really rest with anybody but the owners and the fans.  Loria knew what he was getting himself into when he bought the team or at least he should have.   Fan support for this team has been lukewarm at best since the 97 world series.  A new stadium would have brought in tons of new fans, I really do believe that.  Just the same I'd rather see that 60 million the city and county were offering go to improve transit options instead of going to a millionaire art dealer.

[Aporkalypse]

You have to think that finishing 28th of 30 teams and having historically marginal attendance in the past will deter teams from moving to Miami in the future.  If a team does come in, I would bet they would try to find a more central South Florida location near Ft Lauderdale so the fans from PBC and Broward can get there more easily.  Broward may be willing to cough up the money then but I think right now this is a dead horse.

There is nothing that says the team couldn't move to Orlando, there isn't a 120 mile rule per se.  However, with the struggling Devil Rays so close I don't really see it.  Washington getting a team so close to the Orioles recently kind of debunks that.  In addition, Loria still wouldn't get the state tax subsidy the Florida leg turned him down for twice in Miami.

[I-275westcoastflorida]

This isnt suprising but let em move they arent that good of a team and baseball is boring anyways

[gjoseph]

Come 2 Tampa! We have Yankees stadium and a great love for Baseball here and an awesome nightlife!

[Aporkalypse]

gjoseph, on Nov 29 2005, 04:10 PM, said:

Come 2 Tampa! We have Yankees stadium and a great love for Baseball here and an awesome nightlife!

Ever heard of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays?  Go support them before Florida loses another franchise.

[RestedTraveler]

Aporkalypse, on Nov 28 2005, 04:20 PM, said:

There is nothing that says the team couldn't move to Orlando, there isn't a 120 mile rule per se.  However, with the struggling Devil Rays so close I don't really see it.  Washington getting a team so close to the Orioles recently kind of debunks that.  In addition, Loria still wouldn't get the state tax subsidy the Florida leg turned him down for twice in Miami.

Plus:  the Marlins are a National League Team and the Devil Rays are an American League Team.  These are two entirely different markets.  If the Marlins moved to O-Town, I think it would be a win for the State of Florida and the Marlins.  The problem is:  Does O-Town want them?