Nashville News: https://www.wsmv.com/2024/02/20/report-nashville-among-front-runners-mlb-expansion-is-inevitable/
I'd love to be able to go watch the Reds
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MLB Expansion Rumors
- Thread starter J_Dee
- Start date
Nashville News: https://www.wsmv.com/2024/02/20/report-nashville-among-front-runners-mlb-expansion-is-inevitable/
I'd love to be able to go watch the Reds
Baseball is a rather saturated product as it is. They should probably look at getting riding a few teams.
MLB/Oakland do not even know where in the hell the A's are going to play once their lease is up in 2024 and waiting on the new stadium to be built in Vegas first in 2028. Passan in one article saying Oakland has discussed the possibility of playing in Sacramento and even Salt Lake City between now and '28. Last thing the league needs to do is add more teams while this mess in Oakland continues on.
I don't know how any of these new teams are supposed to build a passionate fan base without decades of tradition teams have built in cities with fan bases nationwide and not expect to face the attendance issues the Athletics, Marlins & Rays are having as well as the Expos 20 years ago. I used to live in Tennessee, 45 miles west of Nashville and if they ever got an MLB team, would not all of a sudden start supporting them and stop being a Reds fan. The south is Braves country and always will be.
You can build a brand-new ballpark, Kansas City is planning a new park but still ranked 3rd lowest in attendance. The Marlins built that new ballpark in 2012, rebranded as the Miami Marlins and even won 2 World Series but still ranked for the 2nd lowest in attendance. If a city as huge as Miami can't draw in any better than that, no guaranteed a team will succeed in Nashville or Las Vegas either.
You can build a brand-new ballpark, Kansas City is planning a new park but still ranked 3rd lowest in attendance. The Marlins built that new ballpark in 2012, rebranded as the Miami Marlins and even won 2 World Series but still ranked for the 2nd lowest in attendance. If a city as huge as Miami can't draw in any better than that, no guaranteed a team will succeed in Nashville or Las Vegas either.
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I’d have to say that if you’re looking for a market to move into, geographically, Nashville makes some sense with their population boom. one could argue Charlotte as well. Neither of them are within a reasonable driving distance of an MLB park. St. Louis, Cindy, Atlanta are the closest to a Major city like Nashville, but all of them are 3-5 hours away.
Yes sweetheart...thats the southwest. Thanks
Kentucky is so backwards when it comes to expansion of anything that would make sense. New businesses are going in across the river instead of lining up on 65 in KY. In Louisville, 3 households put a hold on TopGolf for years.
You're not wrong.
All things the things needed to do that that are what is missing in this state. Backwards economic policies. Protectionist backroom deals.
But also, American pro sports are backwards systems intended to prevent smaller market teams from competing. Oh yay, a minor league team where no players want to actually be on the team. Im excited.
I would think Nashville Montreal Portland Charlotte San Antonio all probable candidates. Baseball has been gaining steam again lately. Thankfully. Its my favorite sport.
I don't see a team relocating to Nashville, Charlotte or Portland being anymore success than the Trail Blazers, Panthers or Titans have been. Could be wrong though. Tennessee is usually decent more often than not, they have had their good seasons but none of them are contenders right now. Would never expect an MLB team to get the same level of interest as an NFL team though. Fans will show up for NFL games but drumming up enough interest for 81 MLB home games is obviously harder.
Then consider teams like the Dodgers deferring multiple stars salaries, payrolls like the Yankees, Phillies, etc. This is why teams like Tampa Bay have to continue to build from within trading their stars. That is a hard model to sustain but TB somehow consistently does it despite ranking near the bottom in attendance every year. Pretty sad if Miami was a postseason team ranking that low in attendance numbers.
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I really dont see any new professional team wanting to enter the Portland market.
I’m hopeful that Cincinnati will get a major league baseball team soon.
Montreal baseball would be cool again to have the Expos back but they should be one of the last places to consider relocating/expanding to. Averaged below 10,000 fans per game in 2004 and had to play home games in San Juan as well.
The Cardinals used to be the team for much of the south and west when there were only 16 teams. They formed a very large branch of radio stations carrying their games. It is still very much a regional team.
Branch Rickey was a very sharp man and started a minor league farm system before anyone else, which helped the Cardinals dominate from the Gas House Gang era through the early Musial days. They used to say, "break up the Yankees", but they actually did break up the Cardinals. The commissioner said the Cardinals had an unfair advantage with their farm system and made them release numerous players to help other teams start their farm system. One was a guy named Pete Resier who Rickey had hired as his personal driver as soon as he was old enough to drive to insure he could sign him when he became of age. Pete went to the Dodgers and appeared on track to be an all time great till he ran into to many concrete walls chasing down fly balls.
I live in Nashville, and I just don't see how this city will support a team. Everyone who lives here either likes the Braves, Reds or Cardinals. I don't see them giving up those allegiances.
And there is not an ideal place to put a stadium.
And there is not an ideal place to put a stadium.
I will be a Braves fan as long as I live even if Nashville has a team. Totally agree.
If you are a fan of the Legends, you should want expansion. Opens the possibility of them reacquiring affiliation and getting back to the good old days of better facilities, promotions, and players.
Lol, Texas is Texas it’s def not the traditional “South”. Even Texas people will tell you exactly that.
Using that logic they should’ve never expanded any teams in any sports though right?
Those allegiances can be broken very quickly. Those fandoms are usually out of convenience. Unless you are from those cities, they will move to the home team. Games on tv now. A playoff push. Merchandise. Your kids become fans.
This is correct. Most people never move to a new market, so they’re always around their favorite team.
When you move, you tend to get caught up in the local team’s hype. It’s not you’re losing interest in your favorite team, it’s just the talk of the town.
Everyone is high-fiving and having fun, going to games, you end up buying a hat, next thing you know the Cubs(for me) are still your favorite team for sure, but having lived in Florida for over 10 years, I pull for the Rays all the time.
At games, I’m standing up clapping and hootin’ at home runs and double plays like it’s a Cubs game.
It’s a lot of fun to be part of the home team doing well.
It’s never the same as growing up with a team. All of us know if you grew up in Kentucky, watching UK and living and dying with them, your fandom is different, more intense than some student’s fandom, that went to UK for four years from Santa Cruz, CA could ever be.
Honestly anymore when you build a stadium you build in luxury suites and that’s what provides a large chunk of income. Nashville is definitely growing and I can see them providing a nice outlet for companies to entertain clientele and top level execs.
I can see it happening for Nashville. And as stated, as the younger population grows, they will support their local team.
I can see it happening for Nashville. And as stated, as the younger population grows, they will support their local team.
Will they though? 4 postseason teams ranked in the bottom 10 in attendance with 3 of them being expansion teams, Arizona, Miami & Tampa Bay. Miami built the new park to make it more convenient for people to get to the games and still struggle getting people to go to their games despite going to the postseason and one of baseball's most successful expansion teams winning 2 World Series championships.
2023 MLB Attendance - Major League Baseball - ESPN
Check out this 2023 report of MLB attendance sortable by both baseball stadium and team.
Well I can’t speak for everywhere but I can for Miami and Tampa, a very high number of people that live there aren’t from there.
I’m sure you know the business better than the analysts the billionaires have hired, probably should’ve hired you I reckon.
Nashville looks right to me. On the point well observed above, there is nothing in south other than the braves. I am originally from west Kentucky and, as a result, a St. Louis fan. But i recognize that Nashville having a team makes sense, even if it eats into St. Louis fan support somewhat. Portland? C'mon. Go to Seattle or San Francisco. San Antonio? Maybe, but Rangers, Houston probably like being the only two in Tejas. Nashville is the right distance from the competing markets to make sense, with a large enough fan base area to have support.
Very cool story! My grandfather was manager of one of those very radio stations in western ky that has been a stl affiliate since well I don't exactly know when lol. He was manager for 35 yrs. That's how I grew up early on in life, listening to cardinal games on his little radio. But he would put it on kmox am radio and have to tune it in and out. He would only switch back to his station when a station break would take place so he could make sure whoever was working the night game shift wasn't sleeping on the job.
Your right kmox used to reach over half the country in the day of radio dominance
I don't see San Antonio as being a market MLB is looking to expand to. With the Rangers & Astros both making the ALCS and Texas winning it all. Houston 3rd highest payroll, Texas 8th so they have the budget to stay relevant. Can't see a new team in that state getting the support with Houston & Texas having the best years in the history of their franchises.
www.spotrac.com
I lived in San Antonio back in 2014 when the Astros & Rangers held a Spring Training game that was played in the Alamodome. I doubt an MLB team is going to make the Alamodome a permanent home especially with the UFL having games there at the same time as the MLB season if that league lasts. San Antonio has the Missions, AA affiliate of the Padres. Their stadium is built right outside of Lackland AFB with neighborhoods all around it. Obviously way too small with a capacity barely above 9,000. A good read on why they aren't an ideal location to expand to for MLB. Appears they already made a push once before to get the Marlins that did not pan out.
To those stuck on Nashville's growing population and a lack of teams in the region as a reason to expand to. Those are certainly factors but it does not necessarily mean the team will get the support that you hope it will. Florida had no baseball teams before the 90s, expanded to the Miami market one of the biggest cities in the nation with the Latino population that loves baseball. MLB expanding to Arizona to give the southwest a team outside of Texas. Miami ranks damn near dead last every year in attendance and the Diamondbacks reaching the World Series were 20th. Arizona's owner even mentioned how relocation is not out of picture for them with their stadium lease expiring soon.
www.cbssports.com
The Rays have stadium issues and the commute to the games are known to be harder for fans to get to. Proposals for a new stadium never go anywhere. If they can't do any better than that, Tampa Bay doesn't deserve the Rays when TB consistently makes the postseason. Maybe relocation rather than expansion is an idea on the table for a city like Nashville in this case with the other markets struggling though there is not a lot of evidence that points to these expansion teams getting a consistent amount of support based on issues the teams that joined in the 90s continue to deal with.
www.tampabay.com
MLB 2024 Payroll Tracker
A real-time look at the salary totals for each MLB team, including positional breakdowns.
I lived in San Antonio back in 2014 when the Astros & Rangers held a Spring Training game that was played in the Alamodome. I doubt an MLB team is going to make the Alamodome a permanent home especially with the UFL having games there at the same time as the MLB season if that league lasts. San Antonio has the Missions, AA affiliate of the Padres. Their stadium is built right outside of Lackland AFB with neighborhoods all around it. Obviously way too small with a capacity barely above 9,000. A good read on why they aren't an ideal location to expand to for MLB. Appears they already made a push once before to get the Marlins that did not pan out.
To those stuck on Nashville's growing population and a lack of teams in the region as a reason to expand to. Those are certainly factors but it does not necessarily mean the team will get the support that you hope it will. Florida had no baseball teams before the 90s, expanded to the Miami market one of the biggest cities in the nation with the Latino population that loves baseball. MLB expanding to Arizona to give the southwest a team outside of Texas. Miami ranks damn near dead last every year in attendance and the Diamondbacks reaching the World Series were 20th. Arizona's owner even mentioned how relocation is not out of picture for them with their stadium lease expiring soon.
Diamondbacks don't rule out moving without public funding for renovations: 'We may run out of time in Phoenix'
The Diamondbacks owner insisted this wasn't a threat
www.cbssports.com
The Rays have stadium issues and the commute to the games are known to be harder for fans to get to. Proposals for a new stadium never go anywhere. If they can't do any better than that, Tampa Bay doesn't deserve the Rays when TB consistently makes the postseason. Maybe relocation rather than expansion is an idea on the table for a city like Nashville in this case with the other markets struggling though there is not a lot of evidence that points to these expansion teams getting a consistent amount of support based on issues the teams that joined in the 90s continue to deal with.
St. Petersburg’s proposed Rays stadium deal is a strikeout for the city | Column
The city is risking way too much money. There is a better way forward.
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False, Rays aren’t going anywhere. New stadium will be complete for the 2028 season.I don't see San Antonio as being a market MLB is looking to expand to. With the Rangers & Astros both making the ALCS and Texas winning it all. Houston 3rd highest payroll, Texas 8th so they have the budget to stay relevant. Can't see a new team in that state getting the support with Houston & Texas having the best years in the history of their franchises.
MLB 2024 Payroll Tracker
A real-time look at the salary totals for each MLB team, including positional breakdowns.
I lived in San Antonio back in 2014 when the Astros & Rangers held a Spring Training game that was played in the Alamodome. I doubt an MLB team is going to make the Alamodome a permanent home especially with the UFL having games there at the same time as the MLB season if that league lasts. San Antonio has the Missions, AA affiliate of the Padres. Their stadium is built right outside of Lackland AFB with neighborhoods all around it. Obviously way too small with a capacity barely above 9,000. A good read on why they aren't an ideal location to expand to for MLB. Appears they already made a push once before to get the Marlins that did not pan out.
To those stuck on Nashville's growing population and a lack of teams in the region as a reason to expand to. Those are certainly factors but it does not necessarily mean the team will get the support that you hope it will. Florida had no baseball teams before the 90s, expanded to the Miami market one of the biggest cities in the nation with the Latino population that loves baseball. MLB expanding to Arizona to give the southwest a team outside of Texas. Miami ranks damn near dead last every year in attendance and the Diamondbacks reaching the World Series were 20th. Arizona's owner even mentioned how relocation is not out of picture for them with their stadium lease expiring soon.
Diamondbacks don't rule out moving without public funding for renovations: 'We may run out of time in Phoenix'
The Diamondbacks owner insisted this wasn't a threat
The Rays have stadium issues and the commute to the games are known to be harder for fans to get to. Proposals for a new stadium never go anywhere. If they can't do any better than that, Tampa Bay doesn't deserve the Rays when TB consistently makes the postseason. Maybe relocation rather than expansion is an idea on the table for a city like Nashville in this case with the other markets struggling though there is not a lot of evidence that points to these expansion teams getting a consistent amount of support based on issues the teams that joined in the 90s continue to deal with.
St. Petersburg’s proposed Rays stadium deal is a strikeout for the city | Column
The city is risking way too much money. There is a better way forward.
Problem with Nashville is it sits smack dab in the middle between stl and atl. Cincy is right up the road. Throw in the cubbies further up the Midwest because their fan base rivals no other in loyalty. Those are 4 of the oldest or tradition rich life long generational fandoms in all of sports. I'm sure they could pull it off for a while because of the newness in the beginning but they aren't pulling from those traditional franchises.
Of course I speak from a place of useless opinions and might be completely wrong.
I really don't know where you go? Vegas scooped up Oakland so expansion is not there just relocation. The NBA just has to put 15 to 20 thousand fans in seats 41 times mostly in big cities, at night, and inside. Much easier sell to attract fans for a night out. Baseball is different beast. Afternoon midweek games trying to equal or double that home game attendance throughout a season is a harder sell.
MLB needs to contract the regular season with all that playoff expansion they've done and continue to try and market their stars better the way the NFL and NBA does.
Of course I speak from a place of useless opinions and might be completely wrong.
I really don't know where you go? Vegas scooped up Oakland so expansion is not there just relocation. The NBA just has to put 15 to 20 thousand fans in seats 41 times mostly in big cities, at night, and inside. Much easier sell to attract fans for a night out. Baseball is different beast. Afternoon midweek games trying to equal or double that home game attendance throughout a season is a harder sell.
MLB needs to contract the regular season with all that playoff expansion they've done and continue to try and market their stars better the way the NFL and NBA does.
I live in Nashville and this place is exploding with people moving in. It's hard to find someone who was born and raised in Nashville anymore - people call them "unicorns" here. A lot of people will support for the first few years due to the novelty. It's another option to drink, entertain clients, etc. A lot of the drawbacks/concerns in this thread are legit though. After 5-10 years, will the support still be there? That would probably be the same for any other city though. Maybe there's enough non-native Nashvillians here that don't come from a major fanbase/aren't already fans of baseball that could draw enough support. Who knows.
Me? I am a diehard Braves fan and that won't change if Nashville gets a team. I will, however, support the Nashville team if it happens. I love baseball and will go to games if there's a local option. I go to several Nashville Sounds (Brewers AAA) games a year and would likely do the same if there's an MLB team placed here. Are there enough people like that here? Who knows. Nashville just got an MLS team about 4-5 years ago and the support is pretty strong still. They're pretty popular as far as I can tell.
Nashville has the organization set up for it already.
Nashville Stars
Me? I am a diehard Braves fan and that won't change if Nashville gets a team. I will, however, support the Nashville team if it happens. I love baseball and will go to games if there's a local option. I go to several Nashville Sounds (Brewers AAA) games a year and would likely do the same if there's an MLB team placed here. Are there enough people like that here? Who knows. Nashville just got an MLS team about 4-5 years ago and the support is pretty strong still. They're pretty popular as far as I can tell.
Nashville has the organization set up for it already.
Nashville Stars
She walked that back, but yeah, she said something along those lines in some podcast or something. Seems like that is not necessarily a done deal?
Oh I'm not sure. I don't stay up on current events that well.
