Baseball in Charlotte, which will happen?

[dubone]

They just put an urban Walmart two miles from uptown last summer. A Target is going just outside uptown in Midtown. So, having Walmart, Target, plus baseball will be even better.

[krazeeboi]

The traffic going towards the Charlotte Knights stadium in Fort Mill this evening (well, last evening at this point) was thick. I think they set a record for highest attendance for a season opener. Many of the people WBTV interviewed said they preferred for the stadium to stay in Fort Mill rather than relocate to Uptown.

[A2]

The traffic going towards the Charlotte Knights stadium in Fort Mill this evening (well, last evening at this point) was thick. I think they set a record for highest attendance for a season opener. Many of the people WBTV interviewed said they preferred for the stadium to stay in Fort Mill rather than relocate to Uptown.

WBTV has a segment on the Knights this evening. It was all about the potential Uptown move. It seemed as though there were only positives mentioned from the perspective of the reporter. I am a bit shocked that most would like to see it stay in FM. But for a family entertainment FM seems to fit right in.

A2

[UrbanCharlotte]

I think if the Knights move to uptown then it will attract more people from parts of East, West, and North Meck, rather than people south of Fort Mill. Personally I think these people want it to stay so it will be more conveniant for them to go to games, whereas a commute to downtown would be hard to do on a regular basis. However moving the stadium to uptown would appeal to the people who weren't able to go down to Fort Mill regularly, which is more dense and thus produce more capacity crowds.

[dubone]

A few of the people I was with yesterday, (we were out on the lake), had made plans to go, but they decided against it because it was too far. They would have gone if it were uptown.

From North Meck, it is quicker to get to teams in Hickory or Kannapolis than Fort Mill. And certainly from the northern counties in the region (Lincoln, Iredell, Cabarrus), it is even more of a difference. Granted, those other teams aren't AAA, but often going to minor league baseball is primarily to hang out with friends or family in the atmosphere of a game.

If the people in South Meck, Union, and York counties would prefer it to stay, then they should make a huge show of support for it down there throughout the season. Otherwise, they Knights have no choice but to leave, and uptown has the highest chance for success.

[monsoon]

That's interesting as any lake access is further away from Charlotte than the Knights stadium which is located right off the interstate just across the line. I am not convinced that putting a stadium downtown would do much for their attendence. They certainly have not been drawing in sellouts for the Bobcats and many people are avoiding going downtown alltogether since that venue opened. That's because parking costs have doubled since the opening and people just don't want to pay it. Some of the restaurants there have been complaining of sharp dropoffs in traffic.

In any case, the Knights broke an attendence record last night which proves they don't need to be in downtown CLT to attract people. The Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord Mills, NorthLake, and of course all attractions at the lakes prove that too.

[hueion39]

I am not convinced that putting a stadium downtown would do much for their attendence. They certainly have not been drawing in sellouts for the Bobcats and many people are avoiding going downtown alltogether since that venue opened.

I have yet to go to a Knights game. But if they were downtown, I would go to 20 games easy. The relatively inexpensive cost, compared to the NBA, is a huge factor in minor league attendance.

[eastsider]

Really, every report that I have seen shows positive effects of the arena for business uptown as far as restaurants and even increased bookings in hotels. Also about the parking, I have yet to pay more than $5 for any event at the arena, which is the exact same ammount it cost at the coliseum and Cricket Arena.

[monsoon]

I am not talking about parking for arena events. Its the fact that everybody else has to pay higher parking to go to anything else downtown. $5 is a lot when it used to be free.

[Mobuchu]

I have yet to pay anything for parking uptown... If you know what decks to go to, there are plenty of restaurants that will valdate your parking if you just go to the front desk. Other than meters, I haven't paid for parking in the last year and a half.

I'm sure some people are avoiding going to the arena because its uptown, but 3x that many are going Because its uptown. Its very obvious if you actually go downtown what a difference the arena makes. Especially on weekday nights, the amount of people "out and about" after an event doesn't compare to a regular weekday.

[Durhamite]

"They certainly have not been drawing in sellouts for the Bobcats and many people are avoiding going downtown alltogether since that venue opened"

Now, that's funny, you can't be serious! Sounds more like an excuse than sound reasoning (same people harping on how it's so "dangerous" in uptown). I think average attendance for the Bobcats games have been strong considering their record. If you can't pay $5.00 or $10.00 to park for an event, you don't need to be there ....nothing like a big bad arena to scare people away from downtown.

Is it really quicker to Fort Mill from Lake Norman than to downtown (don't you have pass downtown of I-77 coming from Lake Norman), or is it Lake Wylie that you're referring to?

[graydog]

That's interesting as any lake access is further away from Charlotte than the Knights stadium which is located right off the interstate just across the line. I am not convinced that putting a stadium downtown would do much for their attendence. They certainly have not been drawing in sellouts for the Bobcats and many people are avoiding going downtown alltogether since that venue opened. That's because parking costs have doubled since the opening and people just don't want to pay it. Some of the restaurants there have been complaining of sharp dropoffs in traffic.

In any case, the Knights broke an attendence record last night which proves they don't need to be in downtown CLT to attract people. The Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord Mills, NorthLake, and of course all attractions at the lakes prove that too.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised within 12-24 months and after the move to Uptown by the Knights.

As for last night, it was an abnormal attendance and I wouldnt expect it much. It was a Friday night, the weather was beautiful, there had been a ton of publicity surronding the team and they did a big promotion about their mascot. While they had a very good size crowd, they didn't sellout.

Bottomline is they are not in the population center and they would be in Uptown. If they were, they'd have more than 65,000 people within a few minutes, not counting visitors. Throw in the high population in the ring neighborhoods and easier access for folks not in south meck and the numbers say Uptown is the best bet.

The Bobcats face a number of hurdles: high ticket prices, the Hornets legacy, expansion team quality and the NBA image.

In both cases parking doesn't have to be an issue for many with easy access by mass transit. Fort Mill doesn't have that option. There is no doubt Uptown can/will support both the Knights and the Bobcats. I don't have any emotion in this, I've just seen it happen elsewhere and when I look at the numbers, it's obvious.

I'm in Uptown everyday and most weekends. I don't just hang out in my cube. I'm out and about. I see the people coming in for the events. Many are confused, lost, not happy with parking. Most are having a great time. People will learn to navigate the system and costs. Some will park free outside the city and grab a bus to avoid the parking costs. As the Bobcats lower prices, improve their markeitng and prove their talent and community commitment, they will draw more people. Look what happened with the hockey team this season and you can see the future for baseball and basketball.

Graydog

[krazeeboi]

I think if the Knights move to uptown then it will attract more people from parts of East, West, and North Meck, rather than people south of Fort Mill.

Actually, traffic was gridlocked on I-77 south; I-77 north was only a trickle in comparison.

[reverbandwhiskey]

"Actually, traffic was gridlocked on I-77 south; I-77 north was only a trickle in comparison."

That had more to do with traffic flows than numbers of people coming from a certain direction. The people coming from the South were able to make a right turn onto the main access road, filling the intersection before the light would change.

The system of roads going to that stadium is a disaster. What's the point of building a stadium in the middle of nowhere if you don't bother to build effective roads to move traffic?

That was a pain, and makes me want to avoid any future events at that stadium.

[monsoon]

My guess is that most of the traffic on the highway was people leaving town for the Easter weekend holiday.

[krazeeboi]

I'm sure a good deal of it was, but the stadium's exit was really backed up.

Point taken about traffic flow, but I still think it's obvious that the majority of the attendees were (are) from Mecklenburg. Fort Mill and Rock Hill cannot sustain the team by themselves.

[reverbandwhiskey]

I'm sure a good deal of it was, but the stadium's exit was really backed up.

Point taken about traffic flow, but I still think it's obvious that the majority of the attendees were (are) from Mecklenburg. Fort Mill and Rock Hill cannot sustain the team by themselves.

Oh, I completely agree that the majority of people at the game are from Meck. County I just cannot get over how poorly the traffic systems are for the stadium area. No wonder the team is losing money. They are being run by morons. You think they'd want to get people into the stadium as quickly as possible to ensure maximum concession sales

[Norm2]

OK QUESTION, and ive bene wodering this for a long time now. WHY THE HELL DID THE KNIGHTS MOVE TO ROCK HILL!? I know their stadium burned down here in Charlotte, but couldnt have they just rebuilt it, instead of moving into the middle of farm country over a decade ago?

[dubone]

George Shinn.

[redjeep77]

^exactly

glad we got rid of him. The best thing this city has ever done. I feel for New orleans though, i don't they realize the slime bag that they have gotten.

[dubone]

Don't you mean Oklahoma City?

^exactly

glad we got rid of him. The best thing this city has ever done. I feel for New orleans though, i don't they realize the slime bag that they have gotten.

[redjeep77]

true.....shinn's offers may look good on paper, but in the long run he shows his true ugly self. OK and NO.....GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN. Just say NO to shinn!!

[krazeeboi]

OK QUESTION, and ive bene wodering this for a long time now. WHY THE HELL DID THE KNIGHTS MOVE TO ROCK HILL!? I know their stadium burned down here in Charlotte, but couldnt have they just rebuilt it, instead of moving into the middle of farm country over a decade ago?

And it's not in Rock Hill, it's in Fort Mill.

[The_sandlapper]

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.

I don't know I grew up in the Columbia CSA and it is "Braves" crazy. Another hurdle CLT would have to get over for the support of Columbia would be the whole high and mighty "stigma" the area seems to have towards South Carolinians outside the CLT metro. In the beginning the Panthers were considered Carolina's team, hell there was even a press conference to determine if the name would be the "Carolina Panthers", or the "Carolinas Panthers" to prevent confusion that it is a two state team (there is a reason why the panther is shaped like the combined states of South and North Carolina. The owner (Richardson) who is fm SC (Spartanburg) went with the name "Carolina", I guess figuring that most people would be able to tell that the name is inclusive of both states. However the spin today is that most people tend to think of the Panthers as only a Charlotte area team. So in return that has isolated alot of support from SC except maybe for the upstate but they have a large Braves following as well since the G-Braves were located there. Anyway I think If the idea is too make MLB baseball successful and recieve support from SC, in CLT and the Carolina's it gonna have to be promoted as a regional multi-state team, because as long as it's referred to as a Charlotte based team then I wouldn't count on seeing alot of Sandlapper faces at the ballgames especially since College baseball is so successful in the state of SC as well (USC, Clemson, Coll of Chas., Winthrop, Coastal Car.). It's kinda like saying, "you are not good enough to date my daughter, but you can shop at my store, I'll take your money and then you need to leave before I call the cops".

[UrbanCharlotte]

If we could get something like this in uptown i'd be all for baseball. I doubt it'll happen though. I rather wait for a better opportunity to build another stadium in uptown than a small, AAA Baseball stadium that'll be useless in a few years since uptown space is so valuable. I was hoping for a Southend site for the Knights.