Bud Selig: Montreal 'excellent' choice for return

[Nasty_Magician]

I think MOST fans are bandwagon, at least to a certain extent. And I think ultimately that is healthy. If the org does not put a good product on the field, the fans SHOULD protest in some manner. At the same time, if an org constantly puts a good product on the field, it is easier for the casual fan to be mistaken for a die-hard fan. They are never tested.

The Mets can attest to this. If the Mets are even halfway decent they'll be top 10 easy, likely top 5. But when ownership for years has said they weren't spending and the product on the field has been essentially AAAA ball, it's not worth it for fans to invest their time and money on the team. You're paying for entertainment, so if it's not entertaining what are you paying for?

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Question though, why will Montreal succeed this time around? What has changed since the last time they were there, which really was not too long ago?

 

[HammerDown]

Portland is a bigger media market than Nashville (22nd to 29th), and Montreal is a larger city + metro than the two of those markets combined. Like I said, Nashville has 2 major sports franchises (although I'm doubtless that a Nashville MLB team would perform better by every metric than the Preds do) while Portland is the largest media market with only a single major sports team.

Everybody has driven any point there is to drive about Montreal home already, so I'll focus on Portland. This article is dated (pre-Expos demise), but the points it makes about Portland as a viable market are still very relevant: Though not perfect, Portland a viable city for baseball - MLB - ESPN

Some facts from that piece:

-Portland is the largest metropolitan area -- No. 22 in the U.S., and with more people than Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City -- without a major-league baseball team.

-Portland is the largest metropolitan area with just one major professional sports team (the Trail Blazers).

-Portland's per capita income ranks higher than 12 existing MLB markets.

-Portland is the seventh-fastest-growing metropolitan area in the country.

-In 2001, the TV ratings for the Mariners in Portland were higher than the TV ratings in 19 cities that have their own teams.

-In 2002, Portland's TV ratings for the World Series ranked seventh in the country. The ratings in Portland for Game 7 doubled the ratings in the Washington, D.C. market.

It's been 11 years, but I doubt many of those facts have changed (except maybe for the Mariners stat, because the M's have been hot garbage for the entire intervening time).

Obviously, like the writer states, these facts don't guarantee anything but they sure do paint a picture of a place that might be a more successful destination for a MLB franchise than others. Of course, given the current divisional geography I think the A's might be more suited for Portland, but who knows WTF is going on with them.

No doubt the guys with $millions on the line can look at demographics and all other factors big or small to make a good decision. I'd think that other than logistics (Nashville is very centrally located), two other major benefits Nashville has over Portland is weather and it's a major tourist destination.

I just want that team moved out of Tampa.

 

[Center Ice]

Funny, Selig is one of the reasons Montreal doesn't have a team, the other is Loria.

The real straw here is that ownership never built a down town stadium. Without that, attendance dropped like a rock. The Alouettes proved that you can sell out your stadium easily downtown. If Montreal ever gets a team again, it dies with no proper stadium venue.

 

[HammerDown]

I think MOST fans are bandwagon, at least to a certain extent. And I think ultimately that is healthy. If the org does not put a good product on the field, the fans SHOULD protest in some manner. At the same time, if an org constantly puts a good product on the field, it is easier for the casual fan to be mistaken for a die-hard fan. They are never tested.

The Rays give tickets away at the grocery store checkout during the regular season but when they make the playoffs, here come the "fans" with their foam fingers. It's sickening.

 

[Rex Racer]

Funny, Selig is one of the reasons Montreal doesn't have a team, the other is Loria.

The real straw here is that ownership never built a down town stadium. Without that, attendance dropped like a rock. The Alouettes proved that you can sell out your stadium easily downtown. If Montreal ever gets a team again, it dies with no proper stadium venue.

There's more than a few reasons why the Expos were moved and while Selig is on the list he is not alone.

The Expos decision to play in the Olympic stadium was not well thought out. I attended a game there a in the late 90's and baseball was not meant to be played in a cavernous dome like that. We paid $2 for bleacher seats and needed field glasses to see..................................the center fielder! A real baseball stadium might have helped.

They exchange rate for the Canadian dollar was pretty bad back them and combined with some pretty onerous taxes on high earners it was a huge factor in keeping home grown talent or luring free agents.

We all know it gets pretty nippy up dare in Canadia and some fellas don't care for that either.

I wish the Expos could make a comeback, but I don't see how it happens.

 

[Rex Racer]

The Rays give tickets away at the grocery store checkout during the regular season but when they make the playoffs, here come the "fans" with their foam fingers. It's sickening.

They couldn't even sell out that toilet they play in when they reached the World Series?????

I'm with you, get them out of there ASAP

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Question though, why will Montreal succeed this time around? What has changed since the last time they were there, which really was not too long ago?

Media companies desperate for content who can own the team/build a stadium/funnel big $$$ in TV rights, improved Canadian dollar, AL East setting would set up a rivalry with the Jays, changing fortunes for the city of Montreal in general in terms of population growth, no Jeffrey Loria....

Nobody is saying it'll be a baseball paradise but build a 38,000 seat stadium there and you'll fill it up on most summer weekends and the TV ratings will be decent enough. Also, anything to piss of Rogers/Sportsnet.

 

[HammerDown]

I've heard Charlotte as a dark horse in the race. I've been to Charlotte and it's a lot like going to Bourbon Street in Memphis. You get down there, look around and say "This is it?"

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

No doubt the guys with $millions on the line can look at demographics and all other factors big or small to make a good decision. I'd think that other than logistics (Nashville is very centrally located), two other major benefits Nashville has over Portland is weather and it's a major tourist destination.

I just want that team moved out of Tampa.

They wouldn't need a retractable roof in Nashville while Portland definitely would. That's gotta be a consideration.

The tourism destination thought is probably moot, though. Look at Miami...

 

[calsnowskier]

The Rays give tickets away at the grocery store checkout during the regular season but when they make the playoffs, here come the "fans" with their foam fingers. It's sickening.

That introduces a problem that is very unique to the two Florida teams, and to a lessor extent, the Padres...

Tampa, Miami and San Diego are destination cities. When people move there, they bring their fandom with them, so they are still Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Giants, (etc) fans. Also, there is a shit-ton of other things to do in these areas, so if you don't have the base of "die-hard" fans, you just aren't going to draw to the daily games.

I think the Rays are destined to move SOMEWHERE, and the Marlins will stick around, but will basically always flounder because of these factors (pun fully intended).

 

[HammerDown]

That introduces a problem that is very unique to the two Florida teams, and to a lessor extent, the Padres...

Tampa, Miami and San Diego are destination cities. When people move there, they bring their fandom with them, so they are still Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Giants, (etc) fans. Also, there is a shit-ton of other things to do in these areas, so if you don't have the base of "die-hard" fans, you just aren't going to draw to the daily games.

I think the Rays are destined to move SOMEWHERE, and the Marlins will stick around, but will basically always flounder because of these factors (pun fully intended).

Holy shit, my seats were out in the left field stands right by the Pads bullpen and for some reason every time the Cubs or Mets came to town it was a sea of blue.

Remind me to tell you about the time we drank a beer or 117 and had a game-long interaction with Alfonso Soriano.

 

[HammerDown]

They wouldn't need a retractable roof in Nashville while Portland definitely would. That's gotta be a consideration.

The tourism destination thought is probably moot, though. Look at Miami...

I don't think so. The Preds draw a TON of fans (especially Blackhawks) from other cities because they can make a 3-4 day vacation out of it and get better weather than they have at home.

If they built a baseball stadium down by Bridgestone, 2nd Ave, the Country Music HOF, the honky-tonks, etc. and made tickets affordable, they'd get a nice draw. Who goes to Portland for vacation?

Also, Nashville is a major convention destination, up there with San Diego, Vegas, Orlando, NYC.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

The way the Expos were handled was atrocious. MLB allowed Omar Minaya to gut that team. It was simply sad. I can't stand Selig. Especially for the ownership that he allowed in San Diego. Hey Bud if they can't afford the team it means don't let them buy it.

 

[HammerDown]

The way the Expos were handled was atrocious. MLB allowed Omar Minaya to gut that team. It was simply sad. I can't stand Selig. Especially for the ownership that he allowed in San Diego. Hey Bud if they can't afford the team it means don't let them buy it.

Bolts, get your ass over to the Padres board and talk to me.

 

[Rex Racer]

That introduces a problem that is very unique to the two Florida teams, and to a lessor extent, the Padres...

Tampa, Miami and San Diego are destination cities. When people move there, they bring their fandom with them, so they are still Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Giants, (etc) fans. Also, there is a shit-ton of other things to do in these areas, so if you don't have the base of "die-hard" fans, you just aren't going to draw to the daily games.

I think the Rays are destined to move SOMEWHERE, and the Marlins will stick around, but will basically always flounder because of these factors (pun fully intended).

Similar thing happened (might still be happening) to the Nationals. Washington is a transient town, no one is really from there. I went to what I believe was their 3rd game (vs. Mets) in the brand spanking new stadium down in D.C. and the place was 1/2 filled with Orioles fans and the other half were Mets fans.

At least they built a nice park though and I hope they do well

 

[Center Ice]

There's more than a few reasons why the Expos were moved and while Selig is on the list he is not alone.

The Expos decision to play in the Olympic stadium was not well thought out. I attended a game there a in the late 90's and baseball was not meant to be played in a cavernous dome like that. We paid $2 for bleacher seats and needed field glasses to see..................................the center fielder! A real baseball stadium might have helped.

They exchange rate for the Canadian dollar was pretty bad back them and combined with some pretty onerous taxes on high earners it was a huge factor in keeping home grown talent or luring free agents.

We all know it gets pretty nippy up dare in Canadia and some fellas don't care for that either.

I wish the Expos could make a comeback, but I don't see how it happens.

No question the Big Owe was the kiss of death. Nobody wanted to go there, myself included. They would have packed a downtown park with people who would make a day or evening out of it. Pretty sad end for them.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Similar thing happened (might still be happening) to the Nationals. Washington is a transient town, no one is really from there. I went to what I believe was their 3rd game (vs. Mets) in the brand spanking new stadium down in D.C. and the place was 1/2 filled with Orioles fans and the other half were Mets fans.

At least they built a nice park though and I hope they do well

The Phillies fans take the place over (or at least did when the Phils were good).

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I don't think so. The Preds draw a TON of fans (especially Blackhawks) from other cities because they can make a 3-4 day vacation out of it and get better weather than they have at home.

If they built a baseball stadium down by Bridgestone, 2nd Ave, the Country Music HOF, the honky-tonks, etc. and made tickets affordable, they'd get a nice draw. Who goes to Portland for vacation?

Also, Nashville is a major convention destination, up there with San Diego, Vegas, Orlando, NYC.

They might draw fans from some of the closer-by cities when their teams are in town, and that's a good thing. But their attendance has never exceeded 20th in the league, and in the past 7 seasons, 4 of which they made the playoffs, they have averaged under 16,000 fans a game. Given that they have the fifth-lowest average ticket prices in the NHL, those numbers aren't very encouraging.

Of course, like I said, I think baseball would be instantly more popular in a market like Nashville than hockey ever could be. Still put it behind Montreal for sure and possibly Portland in terms of relocation prospects, though.

 

[anotheridiot]

The NHL is exploring the possibility of adding a team in Las Vegas. So maybe look there too.

Part of Montreals problem was that terrible concrete their players needed to perform on and nobody wanting to go ruin their knees for life.