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Captain59

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I read an article in the NY Times about the Mets AAA affiliate being replaced in Norfolk, Va and having to move to New Orleans for the next two seasons. This relocation is not the ideal situation for the Mets because of the distance from the main club, the fact that N.O. plays in the Pacific Coast League, and other factors concerning the areas reputation. N.O. was chosen because they have the facilities. I wonder if Hartford could put something together in terms of a ballpark to get them up here after the contract expires? I think this would be a great chance to get high level minor league baseball belonging to a team with regional ties. Any thoughts?
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Well, I can tell you one thing. All of the non Red Sox or Yankees fans would love to see an MLB team. Then if by some chance of fate we beat the Yankees or Sox in the World Series, that would be the most glorious day in CT sports history....
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But, I could also see them saying CT is a hopeless market because everyone is a Yankee or Red Sox fan (one of the reasons MLB would never, ever work in Hartford). Then again, maybe MLB teams aren't interested in gaining fans for their frinchise in minor league markets. Maybe they just want our support for that team (and our money). I mean, I don't think too many regulars at Rock Cats games become avid Twins fans...It seems to work great for the Red Sox in Pawtucket, though.
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As a Sox fan my whole life, I can honestly say that I would support a Hartford MLB team in a heartbeat. It is hard to give up loyalties, but I live in Hartford, not Boston.

Remember two years ago a gentlemen from MA, wanted to purchase the Montreal Expos when they were for sale and move them to Connecticut. He wanted to call them the Connecticut Colonials and he wanted to build a stadium in Wallingford to draw from Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven. He was ignored by state officials and MLB, and the Rock Cats indicated that they would oppose his efforts.

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  • 1 year later...

If I were mayor of Hartford I would be whispering into the ears of the Rockcats owners. I would tell them that when ever they are ready to move and go AAA, Hartford will make it happen. and I would put the new Stadium Downtown. throw money at them etc. it would be the best possible investment ever in terms of dollars vs returns. 350,000 plus fans a year for something like 30 million. Way better than an Arena (And I support an arena)

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Hopefully it's not as bad as in Norwich, where it's in the back corner of an industrial park and the city's borders itself. The area around Dodd Stadium looks like it's probably in Sprague, not Norwich. It's set back away from Route 2, I-395, and the main road connecting the two (West Town St.)

I don't think N.B. or Norwich could have a AAA team with their current stadium sizes, aren't they a bit small for that level?

A great downtown Hartford ballpark would do wonders, but I wouldn't want to take the team away from N.B. if they wanted it. At least it's still something in the greater Hartford area.

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NB does quite well actually. the stadium is just right for AA, so all is well. the team also does quite well for AA. if they were AAA I think they might do even better and well If th

http://www.ballparkdigest.com/features/att...erall_2007.html

has stats on 263 teams

NB is ranked #50 over all

Norwich 129

NB ranks in the middle of the Eastern League

Pacific Coast League: 7,420,095

1. Sacramento River Cats710,235

2. Round Rock Express662,595

3. Memphis Redbirds633,129

4. Iowa Cubs576,310

5. Albuquerque Isotopes563,686

6. Oklahoma RedHawks529,690

7. Fresno Grizzlies520,093

8. Salt Lake Bees466,123

9. Nashville Sounds411,959

10. Portland Beavers388,963

11. New Orleans Zephyrs368,210

12. Las Vegas 51s371,676

13. Tacoma Rainiers345,538

14. Omaha Royals326,627

15. Colorado Springs Sky Sox274,408

16. Tucson Sidewinders270,853

International League: 6,721,465

1. Louisville Bats653,915

2. Pawtucket Red Sox611,379

3. Toledo Mud Hens590,159

4. Indianapolis Indians586,785

5. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees580,908

6. Buffalo Bisons572,635

7. Durham Bulls520,952

8. Columbus Clippers507,155

9. Rochester Red Wings473,288

10. Norfolk Tides464,034

11. Syracuse Chiefs380,152

12. Richmond Braves342,090

13. Charlotte Knights311,119

14. Ottawa Lynx126,894

Eastern League: 3,887,359

1. Reading Phillies466,385

2. Portland Sea Dogs421,368

3. Trenton Thunder412,312

4. New Hampshire Fisher Cats371,710

5. Altoona Curve356,339

6. Akron Aeros355,376

7. New Britain Rock Cats 341,816

8. Bowie Baysox287,098

9. Binghamton Mets230,078

10. Harrisburg Senators229,241

11. Erie SeaWolves220,401

12. Connecticut Defenders195,235

The rock cats are doing even better this year. I would say that if they were in downtown Hartford, with a slightly larger stadium this is a team that could do as well as Providence does. I would imagine that some people from Springfield would come down to hartford for a AAA game, but I doubt many come to NB for AA.

And yes, the current owners are part of my imaginary plan. They do a good job of keeping things entertaining. In a recent article I read, they are quoted as saying that they have no controll of the action on the field. That is handled by the Twins. so instead they make sure that every home game has a promotion that provides entertainment value.

I just quickly snagged these from Google Earth. at "5072Ft altitude"

and pasted the rock cats stadium into downtown. sure the stadium would be a little bigger, but not all that much bigger.

DT.jpg

This one is so you can see that there is nothing around the stadium in NB

rockcats.jpg

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The NB Rock Cats are a perfect example of CT putting the piece ahead of the whole. Getting AAA in Hartford instead of AA in NB would be bad only for NB/Berlin, but better for the area as a whole. When sports are concerned, bigger is always better. Having a higher level sports team is ALWAYS infinitely better than a lower level team, all things being equal. Better talent, higher pay, more people go, more money spent, blah blah blah. This State kills me sometimes....

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  • 1 month later...

Another great year for NB

the fact that this team is concidering expanding the stadium is wonderful. I really think that if a serious developer like Northland put in a reply to the RFP on thost lots north of I-84 including a AAA Stadium, they could easy win the bid, and easily get some TIF as well as state grants or what not. Of course the team ownership group would have to be involved in some kind of partnership to continue what they do now.

http://www.courant.com/sports/baseball/min...,0,950001.story

A crowd of 6,058 watched them beat Binghamton 3-1 Monday in the season finale at New Britain Stadium, raising the total to 365,758.

The Rock Cats, the Double A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, finished fifth in the Eastern League in attendance, behind Reading, Portland, Trenton and New Hampshire. Reading has drawn the most fans in the league five of the past six seasons. The Phillies' total attendance this year was 436,789.

With crowds pushing capacity this season

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