Baseball in Charlotte, which will happen?

[A2]

I completely agree on baseball being regional. I know many people that go to atleast 1 Atlanta Braves game a season. We would draw from the Triad's CSA and possibly some of Columbia's CSA.

One great case in point is the regional draw that the Panthers have.

Think about it....Whenever you are in other North/South Carolina towns and cities, how many times do you see a panther flag adorning a buisness??

Or even better yet, how many Panther T's and caps do you notice?

For me it is quite easy to see that the Panthers are definately the pride of not just Charlotte, but rather the entire region. Charlotte just houses the team it does not selfishly claim them for its own.

Even the MLB team that is in Florida is just that. They are the Florida Marlins, not the Miami Marlins.

All I am saying is that MLB would definately have support, but it would not come exclusively from CLT, but rather from the entire region. I can't tell you how nice it wold be to have another team that could represent the Carolinas.

If Atlanta Braves is all we can cling to well then that just sucks.

Between the both North and South Carolina we boast a population of around 13 million. That number should swell well past 15,000,000 beyond the 2010 Census Figures.

If that can't support an MLB team than I don't know what will.

FWIW, I think that most in the Triad and even the Upstate would consider the team thier own. Not just and exclusive jewel to Charlotte. This is a good thing people !

Just my 1/50 of a dollar.....

A2

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

According to the latest MSA stats Charlotte would be ahead of Cin, K.C., and Milwaukee. No one knows for sure if we could support a MLB team here. How big was Atlanta, Houston, Pitt., etc. when they all got their teams? They haven't had much trouble supporting MLB over the years.

I think the real issue here is not the population of the smaller markets, but the fact that baseball has no revenue sharing among the owners, or a salary cap like the NFL(I think they will in the next ten years). Who wants to go see a sorry team that's only going to win 65 games because they can't keep up financially with the N.Y.'s and L.A.'s?

Those cities got teams in the 60's when Baseball was the no 1 sport. Now it is the no. 3 in TV.

Teams in smaller markets can still win the series. But, the current Marlin management team is very very frugal.

[monsoon]

Indeed. Major league baseball's biggest problem these days is that, through its own arrogance, has ignored the realities of 21st America. As I mentioned above, it finds itself locked into markets that are shrinking and losing people, it's juiced up, money grubbing, womanizing players are no longer considered proper role models by parents, and the amounts of money being thrown around are considered obscene by many.

And like many institutions focused mainly in the Northeast and the larger cities, they seem to have missed the point that 100M people live in the South now and most of these people could care less about the sport. (and more headed here every hour) The fact the Triad voted down a tax increase years ago to pay for the Minnesota twins to come there is a testimated to that.

Baseball used to be called as American as Apple Pie and Fried Chicken. Somehow they have missed out that pie and chicken are served up in great quantities in places like Charlotte now, and that moniker now belongs to NASCAR. MLB doesn't stand a chance against that now but I assume their arrogance still blinds them to this situation, but their failing business model will eventually open eyes. If the Marlins don't try to come to Charlotte, I predict others will.

[stateman99]

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/14257166.htm

Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere, but looks like McCrory feels the same way I do about this.

[Creasy336]

I don't believe the Marlins will move here. Their are too many people against it here including Mayor Pat McCrory. Personally I think its a good idea considering these opportunities don't come often and Charlotte is growing extremly fast. San Antonio only has one pro sports team and showed the NFL and the Saints alot of love when they were in town. San Antonio craves to have another sports team and I feel they will get it.

[reverbandwhiskey]

I think the city should push forward with the Third Ward plan for the Knights.

P.S. Their opening day is a week from Friday! Anyone going?

[revitalize]

you may have noticed the Knights new marketing campaign on billboards around town... definitely caught my eye, I had to check out their website to see what it was all about. Bring "Homer" home for opening day!

I think the city should embrace the Knights, get a stadium built in 3rd ward, and build another great downtown experience that can be had in Charlotte.

[RaleighHeelsfan]

I would never drive from Raleigh to Charlotte to see the Knights. However, I would have season tickets for MLB in Charlotte.

You people under estimate how many people would drive there to watch the games. You would have people from the Triangle, Triad, Charlotte metro and Columbia all going to the games. You guys could easily support a team.

Only a fool would not at least go for it.

[Creasy336]

I would never drive from Raleigh to Charlotte to see the Knights. However, I would have season tickets for MLB in Charlotte.

You people under estimate how many people would drive there to watch the games. You would have people from the Triangle, Triad, Charlotte metro and Columbia all going to the games. You guys could easily support a team.

Only a fool would not at least go for it.

I completely agree with you on regional support

[Mobuchu]

P.S. Their opening day is a week from Friday! Anyone going?

Nah, its too far away

MLB would be great if we could support it, but it appears we dont have a serious plan. Mr Reese is certainly making his voice heard, but I doubt he could pull it off.

[Subway Scoundrel]

These articles come and go but I agree with the poster before who mentioned San Antonio. Looks like they are getting a serious look. I also agree with the comment on needing an owner in Charlotte with "deep pockets."

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sport...ll/14257548.htm

[swh1972]

One concern I have about the Marlins is why is the owner looking to leave Miami, and whether is this an indication as to how he would deal with Charlotte if he didn't get his way down the road? The last thing we want to do is bend over backward to get a team here and have them leave a few years later to go to another city.

[RaleighHeelsfan]

I'll give u another reason why Charlotte should go for this....hard

The Marlins are established...they are winners.

This organization knows how to put a winning team on the field every year. It's much easier to attract fans or turn people into fans when the team is already good.

What if it was the D-rays trying to come here?

If Charlotte passes on the Marlins the next team will probably be expansion...which means many years before ever winning. I bet u Charlotte would have trouble then with attendance...Even if it's 10 to 15 years from now.

A good team to start off with will build a good fan base. So when bad years do come along the fans will continue to come to the ball park. Which means lesser chance of failure.

I'm a Cubs fan....I know

Think about it!

[atlrvr]

Nah....I'd want an expansion.....like swh mentioned...look how the Marlins are threatening Miami....we've shown in Charlotte that we'd tell a team to take a hike....I'm not really interested in getting that kind of ownership here.

On the flip side, I don't see the league EVER getting expanded....its tough to do the math to make 34 teams work, and I'm not sure the league is strong enough, or has any interest in getting as large as 36 teams.

[monsoon]

It's hard to imagine that MLB will continue to ignore the Carolinas sicne it is one of the fastest growing areas in the entire country and has close to 15M people. If they are in the business to make money, they are going to have to change because their fan base is moving away from their traditional locations.

[Subway Scoundrel]

Nah....I'd want an expansion.....like swh mentioned...look how the Marlins are threatening Miami....we've shown in Charlotte that we'd tell a team to take a hike....I'm not really interested in getting that kind of ownership here.

On the flip side, I don't see the league EVER getting expanded....its tough to do the math to make 34 teams work, and I'm not sure the league is strong enough, or has any interest in getting as large as 36 teams.

Maybe, but teams only come around so very little and mid-size to smaller markets rarely get to be so choosy about ownership. I guess I don't buy the argument that "MLB needs Charlotte more than Charlotte needs the MLB".

Charlotte does not need MLB, but Charlotte is being used as a Pawn in this soap opera to get Miami to pony up for a new stadium with places like San Antonio are waiting with arms opened if that falters. McCrory knows Charlotte needs to stabilize what they have and not to get drawn into loosing battle that never stands a chance.

The Marlins are practicing Business Negotiations 101.

[RiverwoodCLT]

Charlote is in no postion to build a stadium or anything else. With the Charlotte Bobcat Arena, Knights uptown stadiun, NHOF and the arts projects, I don't see where Charlotte can invest in anothe big project like MLB stadium, unless it is built with private funds.

All I see is developers with their hand out to the city wanting money.

I know it takes public money to do some project, but their is an end to the pot of money.

[browngeo]

I just got this email below from a gal at charlottecentercity.org....things hopefully will still move forward with the Knights in uptown. I would love to have MLB but it's not happening until all of these condo towers are completed. People are still fuming about the Bobcat arena and you think a MLB park will come here ? I say take a shot at MLB but don't impede progress on the third ward park !!

Friends...yesterday, we received a formal endorsement from the Charlotte Regional Sports Commission's Board of Directors for the land swap proposal to bring AAA Baseball Uptown, move West park closer to Tryon and jumpstart the Second Ward Vision Plan.

Thanks to the Sports Commission Board and staff...they are excellent partners.

Just wanted to keep you all in the loop.

[mademan305]

Charlote is in no postion to build a stadium or anything else. With the Charlotte Bobcat Arena, Knights uptown stadiun, NHOF and the arts projects, I don't see where Charlotte can invest in anothe big project like MLB stadium, unless it is built with private funds.

All I see is developers with their hand out to the city wanting money.

I know it takes public money to do some project, but their is an end to the pot of money.

Well, for one, the Knights stadium obviously would not be built if we get a major league park and to my

understanding Jerry Reese has been saying from the beginning that the major league park would

be privately funded. Also, there are plenty of people who think that Charlotte is in a position to build

plenty.

[mademan305]

I think that the major league park is the best way to go even though it is a long shot. A lot of people aren't interested in baseball at all and very much less a minor league team. The only thing positive for me with the Knights coming uptown is that there will be another nice structure there. However, I can definitely see myself getting excited about a major league team and going to games even though I'm not a baseball fan. The difference is night and day IMO. There is no way I'm getting excited about minor league baseball.

The way I see it is that it would take about 2 years to get a major league staduim and get a team into Charlotte anyway (possibly the Marlins). During that time Charlotte and the surrounding areas are quickly growing. I think that by the time a team is in theatre, Charlotte would be ready to support a major league team or shortly thereafter.

However, a lot of people feel that Charlotte is already way past having a minor league team. If Charlotte is past having a minor league team now, think about having a minor league team in Charlotte in five years when the population is possibly 900,000 or better, not to mention the population in the surrounding areas.

I think we should go back to the original plan for the park and start thinking about Major League Baseball. We probably won't get the Marlins but we should set our sites on another team or possibly we can get an expansion team. And of course the league will expand, you mean to tell me that MLB can't work out a schedule if two new teams are added? It's just a matter of time until the league expands.

[49er]

i think an expandable stadium is a sane option. I love aaa baseball, but if/when in 10 years we are an mlb target, building to minor league specs will have been a huge waste of money.

[atlrvr]

i think an expandable stadium is a sane option. I love aaa baseball, but if/when in 10 years we are an mlb target, building to minor league specs will have been a huge waste of money.

Yes...but it will have been the Knights waste of money.....what they need to do is to negotiate a 99-year option to buy the land at 2006 market value. That way they can sell the land in the future for very close to what it cost to build the stadium.

[49er]

its the Knights waste, absolutely true. But for the city, it will be demolishing a new structure that will only have begun to contribute to the fabric of the city with a sense of permanence. In that frame of thought its no more important to the City than a new Wal Mart on a 20 year life cycle

[atlrvr]

Well then I would just assume the knights stay in Fort Mill. The site in 3rd Ward is not big enough to be expanded, and its an under-utilization of the space. I'm not sure that putting this thing in 2nd Ward will be a catalyst....besides, the Knights have whined about needing to be on the west side of Uptown.

Maybe in 10-15 years, there will be sites west of 77 that make sense.

[monsoon]

its the Knights waste, absolutely true. But for the city, it will be demolishing a new structure that will only have begun to contribute to the fabric of the city with a sense of permanence. In that frame of thought its no more important to the City than a new Wal Mart on a 20 year life cycle

In fact one of those new Urban Walmarts that was just announced would do more for the center city than a seldom used baseball diamond ever would. Maybe they should put one of those there instead.