Article: Expansion Could Alter MLB's Landscape

[Mr. Brooks]

mostly myth. The weather here is nicer than MN, until about now. Post season would be a potential issue, but no more so than Denver.

 

though, I'd bet they would build a retractable roof, yes.

 

Also, politically, I don't see how this government puts money into a stadium with all the other stuff going on here.....so unless Phil Knight decides he cares about Portland....

A quick Google search shows you to be correct.

Portland gets most of their rain in the winter.

They actually get far less rain during baseball season than Minneapolis does.

 

From April through September, Minneapolis gets an average of about 20.8" of rain, while Portland gets 9.9".

[Mike Sixel]

 

A quick Google search shows you to be correct.
Portland gets most of their rain in the winter.
They actually get far less rain during baseball season than Minneapolis does.

From April through September, Minneapolis gets an average of about 20.8" of rain, while Portland gets 9.9".

 over 100 days in a row w/o rain this summer.....which was kinda bad, actually.

[The Wise One]

 

Dropping 6 games, but also adding 2 teams results in a net gain, not loss.

It is not a net gain for the individual teams. 6 less games of broadcast revenue. 3 less games for revenue from full season ticket holders, 3 less suite rentals. The 10 teams that sell well will have less fans. National broadcast rights will be less for each team. There will be a short term bump up in merchandise royalties

Edited October 21, 2017 by The Wise One

[Mr. Brooks]

It is not a net gain for the individual teams. 6 less games of broadcast revenue. 3 less games for revenue from full season ticket holders, 3 less suite rentals. The 10 teams that sell well will have less fans. National broadcast rights will be less for each team. There will be a short term bump up in merchandise royalties

Doesn't each teams cut of the expansion fees cover much of that?

[The Wise One]

 

Doesn't each teams cut of the expansion fees cover much of that?

Took a vacation. The expansion fee is likely to depend on how many players and what kind of talent they get to select. If they get a pretty good shot at having players the pricetag might be 1.2  billion each franchise as that is what Miami sold for.  . This is baseball. Angelos bought the Orioles for 173 m   The expansion fee 5 years later was 135m    I would think about 750m for a franchise.  2 teams net the rest 50m a franchise less whatever the commissioner takes out for baseball.  Between  revenue per year decreasing from the broadcast pool and inflation of wages for competition  for even the mediocre players, which in turn drives up arb costs the expansion fees should cover it for a few years. Being short sighted is not how owners became billionaires. 

[The Wise One]

 

A quick Google search shows you to be correct.
Portland gets most of their rain in the winter.
They actually get far less rain during baseball season than Minneapolis does.

From April through September, Minneapolis gets an average of about 20.8" of rain, while Portland gets 9.9".

Playoffs are in October

[Vanimal46]

The off-season is here, and expansion talk is in the air...

 

https://deadspin.com/mlb-expansion-is-probably-inevitable-but-where-and-whe-1830100867

 

The usual cities are being named as potential spots for new teams... Portland, Montreal, Charlotte.

 

San Antonio was mentioned in the article and said combined with Austin they would have a major network. I can tell you this, very few, if any from Austin would make the drive. Traffic on 35 is an absolute nightmare.

[Mike Sixel]

I can't see how Portland works either.....just not enough big companies here to buy boxes. Not close.

 

Some people in the suburbs are too afraid of the city to even drive in it, let alone go there as a destination.....

 

Montreal makes the most sense, imo. Add Vancouver, and suddenly you get a national Canada tv deal?

 

The article, imo, really points out the issue, and that's splitting the money up, and why I wouldn't vote yes if I was a current owner....

[cmoss84]

 

How's the baseball temperature in Portland Mike?

Portland bumping Colorado for the eighth slot in the west looks to be screwing all the realignment attempts. Sorry to stereotype, but are all those young hipsters really into baseball?

 

 

No chance, imo, there are enough businesses here to buy suites, nor do I think the tv market is big enough. Seattle would be bummed for sure, to lose this market, they would want to be compensated.

 

I think Vancouver, BC is actually a good idea. LOTS of money there, LOTS.

 

However, a report came out yesterday that there is a Portland money group working on this.....

 

The stadium would be tough. No one in the city likes going west to the burbs, no one in the far out burbs likes the hippy dippy city. Traffic is awful to the one suburb spot you could do (Hillsboro), and even worse in the city. Supposedly there is a site in the city. It will either be Amazon HQ2 (hahahahaha) or a baseball stadium (hahaha), or condos/apartments/park space.

 

Frankly, this city will have to ban cars in the center part of the city at some point....

So you're saying the Portland Weedpatch or Portland Cannabis baseball teams will never exist? All of the distributors can buy the suites...a lot of happy people at those games. 

[laloesch]

 

Won't lie...dissapointed Nashville is not being considered. The South does need another team. I WILL NOT root for Atlanta. Cincy is too far north. St. Louis is not really a "Southern" city. Houston and Dallas are Texas. Then there are the Florida teams (give me a break).

Here's an idea...ad the additional two teams as mentioned, but also move the Rays to Nashville! Done!

 

Agreed.  Can't believe they aren't considering Nashville and Charlotte, two of the fastest growing cities in America.  

[Squirrel]

I can't see how Portland works either.....just not enough big companies here to buy boxes. Not close.

 

Some people in the suburbs are too afraid of the city to even drive in it, let alone go there as a destination.....

 

Montreal makes the most sense, imo. Add Vancouver, and suddenly you get a national Canada tv deal?

 

The article, imo, really points out the issue, and that's splitting the money up, and why I wouldn't vote yes if I was a current owner....

I like the idea of adding two Canadian cities. Wonder what the Blue Jays would think of that?

[Squirrel]

Agreed.  Can't believe they aren't considering Nashville and Charlotte, two of the fastest growing cities in America.

 

I think the Carolinas are pretty entrenched as Braves territory. There are also a LOT of minor league teams in and around that area, including the Charlotte Knights, the AAA team for the White Sox.

[jkcarew]

Don't know why you'd do away with the leagues. Doesn't solve anything...other than the DH question, and the DH discrepancy hasn't proven to be a huge issue over time. IMO, you should not only retain the two leagues, but do away with the inter-league play. In 2020, we don't need Mike Trout to play in our home ballpark in order to 'see' him play.

 

I do like the idea of reducing the schedule when you add the two teams. Also, IMO, with the improved access to global talent, MLB could withstand expansion without a huge drop-off in quality of play. Whatever quality of play issues currently existing are the result of how the game is approached/played...not a thin global talent pool.

[Thrylos]

 

I can't see how Portland works either.....just not enough big companies here to buy boxes. Not close.

 

It was twice proven that it cannot support a AAA team, as the Twins' AAA affiliate moved to SLC from there in 1993 and the Padres' affiliate to Tuscon in 2010.

That said, the biggest issue was local support for a stadium.  This seem to have changed a lot and the community seems eager to make a big investment.   On the other hand, if I had to bet, I'd bet relocation vs expansion.  Portland A's or Rays might make much sense, with the team not going to Portland going to Canada.

[Mike Sixel]

I'm not sure the "community" is behind this......there are certainly people here that are.

 

And, 1993 is ancient history for this town. It couldn't be more different. Heck, 2010 is. Portland is one of the fastest growing cities around, and had the 2nd most cranes in use in the US earlier this year....so, nothing is "proven", imo.

[Vanimal46]

The landscape is changing across the US. Austin has doubled in size in the last 10 years. Same with Charlotte...

 

I do agree with thrylos' other point that they need to figure out relocation first over expansion. The 2 Florida teams have no fan base and no player willing to sign there. Oakland has been playing in a dump for far too long.

[Mike Sixel]

"There won't be a baseball stadium at the Portland Schools headquarters site after all. The Portland Diamond Project has pulled its offer after learning that another community coalition has a plan for an affordable housing project there, and they didn't want to get in the way."

 

from a short news blurb this am....

[nicksaviking]

 

"There won't be a baseball stadium at the Portland Schools headquarters site after all. The Portland Diamond Project has pulled its offer after learning that another community coalition has a plan for an affordable housing project there, and they didn't want to get in the way."

 

from a short news blurb this am....

 

I mean, choosing an affordable housing project over a publicly funded baseball stadium? Yeah, Portland isn't ready for the soulless endeavor of being a MLB/NFL market. Aren't they aware that affordable housing is supposed to be razed to build a fancy new ballpark?

 

Kudos Portland.

[laloesch]

 

I think the Carolinas are pretty entrenched as Braves territory. There are also a LOT of minor league teams in and around that area, including the Charlotte Knights, the AAA team for the White Sox.

 

I disagree. I've lived in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area for over five years and this is not Braves Territory by any stretch of the imagination, even less so in Raleigh which is a couple hours north and east of here.

 

In fact they don't even show Braves games here on Cable TV. Most Charlotte-tans are in fact transplants from NY City, New Jersey and the rest of New England so it's a very Yankee-esq City and could care less about Brave's baseball.

 

The City has grown leaps and bounds over the last 30 years due to the influx of financial firms and banks from the Big Apple. If estimates are correct in 20 years we'll be as big as Atlanta is now. We are one of the fastest growing cities in the country outside of Texas and the city is itching for professional baseball. 

 

[Mike Sixel]

 

I mean, choosing an affordable housing project over a publicly funded baseball stadium? Yeah, Portland isn't ready for the soulless endeavor of being a MLB/NFL market. Aren't they aware that affordable housing is supposed to be razed to build a fancy new ballpark?

 

Kudos Portland.

 

Let's hope we stay this way somehow.....

[Thrylos]

 

I disagree. I've lived in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area for over five years and this is not Braves Territory by any stretch of the imagination, even less so in Raleigh which is a couple hours north and east of here.

 

In fact they don't even show Braves games here on Cable TV. Most Charlotte-tans are in fact transplants from NY City, New Jersey and the rest of New England so it's a very Yankee-esq City and could care less about Brave's baseball.

 

The City has grown leaps and bounds over the last 30 years due to the influx of financial firms and banks from the Big Apple. If estimates are correct in 20 years we'll be as big as Atlanta is now. We are one of the fastest growing cities in the country outside of Texas and the city is itching for professional baseball. 

 

Indeed.  Not to mention that it is becoming a fairly large AA international hub.

 

Isn't that where Pohlad wanted to move the Twins in the late 90s?

[Nine of twelve]

 

Indeed.  Not to mention that it is becoming a fairly large AA international hub.

 

Isn't that where Pohlad wanted to move the Twins in the late 90s?

Pohlad didn't want to move the Twins anywhere. Winston-Salem/Greensboro/High Point was the location where he tried to fake people into thinking he was moving to but that was just a ruse to try to spur stadium construction.

[Doomtints]

Note the BA article quoted is from a year ago.

 

I think commingling the AL/NL would be pretty strange. I would also worry that the proposed regional division alignments would hurt revenue for some small teams.

[Doomtints]

 

Pohlad didn't want to move the Twins anywhere. Winston-Salem/Greensboro/High Point was the location where he tried to fake people into thinking he was moving to but that was just a ruse to try to spur stadium construction.

 

It was serious enough to where building a new stadium in NC was put on the ballot.

 

Even if you doubt the team would move, contraction was a real possibility. It was stupid, yes, but it was possible.

Edited November 10, 2018 by Doomtints

[laloesch]

Also would add that Rob Manfred has specifically mentioned several cities for expansion back in July.

 

“that I think are not only interested in having baseball, but are viable in terms of baseball”

 

“Portland, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Nashville in the United States, certainly Montreal, maybe Vancouver, in Canada. We think there’s places in Mexico we could go over the long haul.”

 

 

 

https://deadspin.com/rob-manfred-says-he-wants-mlb-expansion-lists-six-pote-1827712616

[Jacksson]

What about 16 2 team divisions? Only division winners get to the playoffs, so playoff revenues increase with 16 teams in the playoffs.

[Mike Sixel]

 

What about 16 2 team divisions? Only division winners get to the playoffs, so playoff revenues increase with 16 teams in the playoffs.

 

I know this was meant to be funny, but I'd 100% back a plan where all 30 teams made a new type of post season......

[ashbury]

I know this was meant to be funny, but I'd 100% back a plan where all 30 teams made a new type of post season......

And instead of 7-game series, make each series a month long, starting in May; five series should crown a champion. Because the regular season would have about as much meaning as Spring Training, under this plan.

 

Part of what I like about baseball is that you need one kind of team for the rigors of the long season, and then another kind of team for the intensity of short series. This proposal would homogenize things down more than I'd want. You would gear up your roster for the short series style, and not worry about whether it let you do well in the regular season. You might muddle along with a lot of bullpen games, for example.

[Jacksson]

And playing outdoor baseball in Minnesota during April, you need players comfortable in: stocking caps, thermal underwear, snow boots, winter parkas or snowmobile suits and the pair of gloves are to keep frostbite from the fingers, in addition to the one glove to catch the ball. (Native, Winter Hating Minnesotan)

[Mike Sixel]

 

And instead of 7-game series, make each series a month long, starting in May; five series should crown a champion. Because the regular season would have about as much meaning as Spring Training, under this plan.

 

Part of what I like about baseball is that you need one kind of team for the rigors of the long season, and then another kind of team for the intensity of short series. This proposal would homogenize things down more than I'd want. You would gear up your roster for the short series style, and not worry about whether it let you do well in the regular season. You might muddle along with a lot of bullpen games, for example.

 

Of course, you have no idea what my plan is, but you've already judged it!