Baseball in Charlotte, which will happen?

[monsoon]

Think about the traffic nightmare of trying to get 40,000+ people into uptown Charlotte at 6PM.....

I think the roads can handle it, but there is no where to park unless they build some garages to go with it.

[dubone]

Parking is another great aspect of the Third Ward minor league baseball plan, the parking is already available for the games, as it is a different season than basketball and football. Also, they are assuming that a decent percentage will be uptown workers that walk. The market studies seem to support that, and that is why the minor league team is willing to build their own new stadium.

The major league team won't likely see 60000 attendance per game if it comes. That is the problem, most studies show that Charlotte couldn't support the team in our current economic and population state.

[RugbyPike#11]

Why do we need a retractable roof stadium? Our football stadium isn't covered and its used only in winter.

The retractable roof makes the venue more versatile. I think Reese's reasoning was that a retractable roof stadium makes the venue available for a variety of uses such as conventions.

And by being able to compete with the big boys, I mean financially, and then subsequently being able to compete on the field. Charlotte would be the smallest market team in MLB. When was the last time you heard any noise from the Brewers?

[cinco]

If Jerry Reese really has private developers willing to fund a retractable roof stadium, I wish he would consider building a soccer stadium for an MLS team. Soccer obviously isn't as popular as baseball, but I'd much rather see Charlotte host a winning MLS team, as well as international soccer (or rugby!) matches than host a small market baseball team that can never compete with the likes of the Yankees or Red Sox.

now, we're talking. i would LOVE to see MLS soccer here. i have said this before, but alot of people just don't think you could get the numbers in charlotte. i tend to disagree considering how many kids in the area play soccer, not too mention the hispanic community here is a good size. i know that americans don't embrace soccer as much as the rest of the world. i have heard people say that there isn't enough scoring or that there isn't enough action. i don't get that at all.

[Creasy336]

The retractable roof makes the venue more versatile. I think Reese's reasoning was that a retractable roof stadium makes the venue available for a variety of uses such as conventions.

And by being able to compete with the big boys, I mean financially, and then subsequently being able to compete on the field. Charlotte would be the smallest market team in MLB. When was the last time you heard any noise from the Brewers?

The retractable roof would be also make it a candidate in the future for something such as an MLB all-star game. Rain wouldn't be much of a factor to hinder attendence also. Does anyone know the average attendence of baseball games in the MLB?

[stateman99]

The retractable roof would be also make it a candidate in the future for something such as an MLB all-star game. Rain wouldn't be much of a factor to hinder attendence also. Does anyone know the average attendence of baseball games in the MLB?

Every city gets the all-star game anyway. It's not like the superbowl in football.

[SmellyCat]

Every city gets the all-star game anyway. It's not like the superbowl in football.

Usually, but not always. A new stadium will generally guarantee you the AS game. But some cities haven't had it in a long time. New York (either team) hasn't hosted one in almost 30 years, while during the same time period, some cities have hosted 2 or even 3 (San Diego and Chicago).

[stateman99]

Usually, but not always. A new stadium will generally guarantee you the AS game. But some cities haven't had it in a long time. New York (either team) hasn't hosted one in almost 30 years, while during the same time period, some cities have hosted 2 or even 3 (San Diego and Chicago).

I believe that is due to new stadiums being built there. Also New York as the World Series there almost every year.

[stateman99]

I believe that is due to new stadiums being built there. Also New York as the World Series there almost every year.

I'm at work so hard to type but to expand on what i was saying, every team is suppose to get the game every 30 or so years (depends on number of teams). The problem is that when a new team or stadium comes in to play, (which is happening a lot due to the push for more club seating and what not), other teams that aren't scheduled to get a game for a few more years get pushed back so these new stadiums can get used. Pittsburgh is an example they have the game this year and had it in 1994 only because they got a new stadium. They won't be scheduled for the next all-star game for over 30 years. Assuming they still have a team. That is how teams like New York get pushed back.

[Charlotteman]

60,000 fans per game, every game, isn't likely for very many MLB teams. If Charlotte could draw 25,000 per game, it would probably work financially. And don't forget the massive income from having the games televised all through the Carolinas!

Would 60,000 people converging on Uptown for a baseball game be a bad thing, if it did come to fruition? I thought we all wanted lots of people Uptown:)

[mediamongrel]

a lot of them might already be there. Hopefully they can draw a lot of the people that work uptown to the games.

I don't know if a lot of people in uptown will just suddenly become baseball fans just because it's there. As I said before the AAA stadium isn't filled up now, they should stop trying to use sports to fix the problems of the city. Football is successful here, why do they always have to tinker with a city that enjoys it's football and try to bring sport after sport. The NBA will never be as successful as people hoped it would be. Neither are the Checkers. Neither will baseball. Now if they promoted more college events, there's an idea. There were more people at the college bowl game played in Charlotte than at some of the Panthers games. Doesn't that ring a bell with anyone that people here like college sports more than pro?

[Charlotteman]

Comparing Triple A attendence and MLB attendance is like comparing apples and oranges. AAA doesn't create a baseball culture.

In Tacoma, Washington home of the AAA Rainiers, attendence is 5000 if they're lucky. But in the same region, the Seattle Mariners attract 25,000+ per game. Same region. People just don't get that excited over AAA.

Time for Charlotte to stop thinking small.

[reverbandwhiskey]

"Time for Charlotte to stop thinking small."

I have no problem with Major League Baseball in Charlotte, but don't want a single dime of public money spent on bringing it here.

[Pantherhead]

The retractable roof makes the venue more versatile. I think Reese's reasoning was that a retractable roof stadium makes the venue available for a variety of uses such as conventions.

And by being able to compete with the big boys, I mean financially, and then subsequently being able to compete on the field. Charlotte would be the smallest market team in MLB. When was the last time you heard any noise from the Brewers?

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?

[krazeeboi]

According to this report, Charlotte's market doesn't yet have the capacity to support an MLB franchise.

[monsoon]

Actually I think it is the other way around. MLB is in trouble as its base is shrinking, and it knows that its future, if it is to have one, is going to be in places like Charlotte. Remember its the Marlins who are leaving Miami because that metro, all 5 million of them, will not support the franchise there anymore.

MLB needs Charlotte more than Charlotte needs MLB.

[Pantherhead]

According to this report, Charlotte's market doesn't yet have the capacity to support an MLB franchise.

Yeah, we know that those reports and polls are NEVER wrong.

[krazeeboi]

Just sharing info, that's all. It's not 100% comprehensive, but it serves its purpose.

[UrbanCharlotte]

Hmm. I wouldn't mind MLB. I'd probably go to the games even if we were horrible just for the experience, just as I think most people do for the Bobcats. The stadium sounds pretty awesome. If we landed MLB we'd be one of few cities with MLB, NBA, NFL franchises.

I wouldn't mind MLS. I think we could support that better.

[Durhamite]

Although I don't think Charlotte is ready for a MLB (due to the lack of profit sharing), that study seems flawed. I wonder why they didn't take into account the cost of living index from region to region.

I mean why did Houston receive a score of 55 in relations to supporting a hockey team. Houston and Atlanta are virtually the same size in terms of metro population (and cheaper to live in Houston). I don't think they would have a problem supporting an NHL team.

[rooster8]

I read an article (maybe on Slate.com) recently about how different baseball would be if it were played more like the NFL with a 16 game schedule. There would only one game a week, attendance would be much higher, and the teams would (theoretically) play hard all nine innings knowing that one game could make or break a season.

I think if baseball had this format, it would be easier for teams to make a go of it in cities the size of Charlotte. Otherwise, I think that the days of 45,000 people showing up to see a baseball game in all but the largest markets are over.

[A2]

According to this report, Charlotte's market doesn't yet have the capacity to support an MLB franchise.

Something is VERY fishy on this report. I am be-foozeled how Birmingham, AL was listed at 100% for EVERY Major Leauge team except MLB. I was born and raised in B'ham and I can attest to many franchise failures from the Stallions on. This is a city of Under 300K and a Metro at right around 1M. How can some cities listed that have had failures with franchises in the past be at 100% when other cities (ie Charlotte with twice the Pop.) be underrated?

What is really odd is that cities like Denver who have the same city pop as CLT and only a slightly higher CSA than Charlotte have all of the Major's....

Look at others samller cities like Sarosota, FL...Knoxville,TN, or Madison, Wisconssin who also rank quite high. C'mon. You are kidding right??

Rochester and Syracuse are also listed and they are cities on a population decline. I don't get this report.

Plus it is funny to see how Greensboro shoots to 100's in every major leugue stat except MLB.

The fact that the Triad with its extremely close proximity to the CLT metro should actually bolster the number. for our region, but since the metros are looked at seperately it splits the support.

Think about how many Braves fans there are in the South. I can't tell you how many games I went to when I live in B'ham,AL and I ,A2, supported an out of state team. Huh, Imagine that...

Why???

Because they were the closest regional MLB team out there. Call is regional southern Pride.

MLB does carry a regional following. If you lumped the Triad and CLT in the same market we cold EASILY support it all.

The best part is that the Triad and CLT are about an hour's drive from one another. CLT's CSA of well north of 2.3M and the Triad's CSA of over 1.2M easily make the two a combo market that could support a MLB team.

There are people living in the suburbs of ATL that are driving further in distance to attend a Braves game than perhaps a future Baseball fan who might want to attend a MLB game that combined the loyalty of CLT/Triad region. Think about it as a large region supporting the team with a pop of somewhere around 3.5-4M and I think you get the total picture.

(sorry for the sprawl joke ATL. You know had to plug it in somewhere. )

A2

[rockhilljames]

It's popular (and easy) to dismiss MLB in Charlotte by saying "the market can't support it."

Actually, when you look at several small to mid-market teams (Cincy, Cleveland, KC, and Pittsburg) Charlotte compares favorably with regards to demographics and corporate money. With the NFL, the NBA, NASCAR, and the Wachovia Open already calling the city home, corporate dollars would not be as forthcoming as they are for other sports. Population and interest-wise Charlotte would support a team much like other cities, large crowds on weekends and low to medium sized crowds during the week.

What Charlotte would need for a MLB team to thrive in the market is an ownership group with very deep pockets. This would allow the team to have the type of payroll necessary to compete. Regardless of what any study says, a winning team is really what's required to survive in small markets. If the Charlotte team could compete right away, and have a roster that features high name recognition, I see no reason that a Charlotte franchise couldn't be as successful as Cleveland's or Cincinnatti's.

That doesn't mean I'm all for going out and getting one, just that the people that dismiss it out of hand are a bit short-sighted.

A2, quit posting at the same time as me and stuff.

[A2]

It's popular (and easy) to dismiss MLB in Charlotte by saying "the market can't support it."

Actually, when you look at several small to mid-market teams (Cincy, Cleveland, KC, and Pittsburg) Charlotte compares favorably with regards to demographics and corporate money. With the NFL, the NBA, NASCAR, and the Wachovia Open already calling the city home, corporate dollars would not be as forthcoming as they are for other sports. Population and interest-wise Charlotte would support a team much like other cities, large crowds on weekends and low to medium sized crowds during the week.

What Charlotte would need for a MLB team to thrive in the market is an ownership group with very deep pockets. This would allow the team to have the type of payroll necessary to compete. Regardless of what any study says, a winning team is really what's required to survive in small markets. If the Charlotte team could compete right away, and have a roster that features high name recognition, I see no reason that a Charlotte franchise couldn't be as successful as Cleveland's or Cincinnatti's.

That doesn't mean I'm all for going out and getting one, just that the people that dismiss it out of hand are a bit short-sighted.

A2, quit posting at the same time as me and stuff.

oops my bad RHJ. My fingers just could not hold back.

However, that was a great post RHJ ! I agree with it all.

I think in the end it is kind of like metro was saying earlier it isn't CLT that needs MLB, but rather MLB that needs CLT.

In other words....

SHOW ME THE MONEY AND I WILL SHOW YOU A TEAM !

The reports and feasbility studies don't mean squat when Benjamin comes a knockin'

[Creasy336]

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.