Marlins-Miami Reach Deal on Ballpark

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Link.

 

The Marlins, Miami-Dade County, the city of Miami and Major League Baseball reached agreement late Friday to finance a $515 million ballpark at the site of the Orange Bowl, according to a source.

 

The Marlins hope to break ground by year's end with the stadium opening by April 2011, when the team would be renamed the Miami Marlins.

[moorecg]

With the talent they've got...and a new stadium, in Miami...that team might actually be good.

[cbbryan]

With the talent they've got...and a new stadium, in Miami...that team might actually be good.

 

 

While securing a new stadium is great news for the Marlins they still have to fill seats. It's still debatable that people will support this club on a daily basis and fill the stadium.

 

Obviously, if the revenues from the stadium allows them to keep the young talent they have that will help, but I have my doubts about whether or not Miami will come out for the Marlins.

[BigbadB]

Give them a venue with a retractable roof to keep that awful humidity out and it might generate a decent enough increase in the turn out.

[Sammy Sofa]

With the talent they've got...and a new stadium, in Miami...that team might actually be good.

 

 

While securing a new stadium is great news for the Marlins they still have to fill seats. It's still debatable that people will support this club on a daily basis and fill the stadium.

 

Obviously, if the revenues from the stadium allows them to keep the young talent they have that will help, but I have my doubts about whether or not Miami will come out for the Marlins.

 

If it's gonna have a dome, I can see them getting a lot more people to come out based on that alone. The brutal sun/humdiy/heat with the threat of sudden rain seemingly all the time is pretty big part of keeping people away from a three hour baseball game.

[cbbryan]

With the talent they've got...and a new stadium, in Miami...that team might actually be good.

 

 

While securing a new stadium is great news for the Marlins they still have to fill seats. It's still debatable that people will support this club on a daily basis and fill the stadium.

 

Obviously, if the revenues from the stadium allows them to keep the young talent they have that will help, but I have my doubts about whether or not Miami will come out for the Marlins.

 

If it's gonna have a dome, I can see them getting a lot more people to come out based on that alone. The brutal sun/humdiy/heat with the threat of sudden rain seemingly all the time is pretty big part of keeping people away from a three hour baseball game.

 

I can certainly see that as being a problem. One would think it would have a roof of some sort. Even if it's retractable.

 

Does anyone know how long it will take before the plans for the park will be out?

[erik316wttn]

With the talent they've got...and a new stadium, in Miami...that team might actually be good.

 

 

While securing a new stadium is great news for the Marlins they still have to fill seats. It's still debatable that people will support this club on a daily basis and fill the stadium.

 

Obviously, if the revenues from the stadium allows them to keep the young talent they have that will help, but I have my doubts about whether or not Miami will come out for the Marlins.

 

Exactly.

 

They've already won two championships and they still didn't sell out most of their games. Miami just isn't a baseball market.

 

Perhaps a little up the road in Orlando?

[cbbryan]

With the talent they've got...and a new stadium, in Miami...that team might actually be good.

 

 

While securing a new stadium is great news for the Marlins they still have to fill seats. It's still debatable that people will support this club on a daily basis and fill the stadium.

 

Obviously, if the revenues from the stadium allows them to keep the young talent they have that will help, but I have my doubts about whether or not Miami will come out for the Marlins.

 

Exactly.

 

They've already won two championships and they still didn't sell out most of their games. Miami just isn't a baseball market.

 

Perhaps a little up the road in Orlando?

 

At this point, it's going to be Miami. They won't be moving when they have a new stadium. I have my doubts that they can fill the stadium, but I hope they can. It's only good for baseball to have all teams making money.

[UMFan83]

This is excellent. I don't think people understand how hard it is to build a fan base in the sort of conditions the Marlins have had to endure. The ballpark is out of the way for most Miami residents, they've played in a crappy football ball park with horrible sightlines, under oppressive conditions (rain, heat, humidity, etc) and mostly bad baseball with a cheap owner.

 

I'm not saying I completely absolve the fans. Obviously even after all those factors, you'd expect a market as large as Miami to draw at least 20,000 a game, and they don't. But I think they deserve a chance to prove their fan base can be built.

[Soul]

It's pretty clear they have terrible fans. Whether they can turn that around, who knows?

[Sammy Sofa]

This is excellent. I don't think people understand how hard it is to build a fan base in the sort of conditions the Marlins have had to endure. The ballpark is out of the way for most Miami residents, they've played in a crappy football ball park with horrible sightlines, under oppressive conditions (rain, heat, humidity, etc) and mostly bad baseball with a cheap owner.

 

I'm not saying I completely absolve the fans. Obviously even after all those factors, you'd expect a market as large as Miami to draw at least 20,000 a game, and they don't. But I think they deserve a chance to prove their fan base can be built.

 

Exactly. I think a brand new stadium in Miami is going to drastically increase the fans attending. The current stadium seems designed to drive away as many people as possible.

[apete6]

The stadium idea itself sounds nice with the retractable roof and whatnot. Never having been to Miami, however, I don't know much about the location.

 

Whenever the OB was shown on football games, it seems as if its in the middle of nowhere. Is this true? If so, is it convenient only to Miami or will the Ft. Lauderdale area people be able to get there as well. Also, will there be anything to do around the stadium or is it going to be "destination only"?

[TruffleShuffle]

This is excellent. I don't think people understand how hard it is to build a fan base in the sort of conditions the Marlins have had to endure. The ballpark is out of the way for most Miami residents, they've played in a crappy football ball park with horrible sightlines, under oppressive conditions (rain, heat, humidity, etc) and mostly bad baseball with a cheap owner.

 

I'm not saying I completely absolve the fans. Obviously even after all those factors, you'd expect a market as large as Miami to draw at least 20,000 a game, and they don't. But I think they deserve a chance to prove their fan base can be built.

 

Exactly. I think a brand new stadium in Miami is going to drastically increase the fans attending. The current stadium seems designed to drive away as many people as possible.

 

you'd be surprised. people in south florida are terrible sports fans. there are a lot of transplants, and the whole scene down there is a lot more focused on fashion and nightlife than it is professional athletics. regardless of how good the product is, i doubt that they'll draw really well.

[UMFan83]

This is excellent. I don't think people understand how hard it is to build a fan base in the sort of conditions the Marlins have had to endure. The ballpark is out of the way for most Miami residents, they've played in a crappy football ball park with horrible sightlines, under oppressive conditions (rain, heat, humidity, etc) and mostly bad baseball with a cheap owner.

 

I'm not saying I completely absolve the fans. Obviously even after all those factors, you'd expect a market as large as Miami to draw at least 20,000 a game, and they don't. But I think they deserve a chance to prove their fan base can be built.

 

Exactly. I think a brand new stadium in Miami is going to drastically increase the fans attending. The current stadium seems designed to drive away as many people as possible.

 

you'd be surprised. people in south florida are terrible sports fans. there are a lot of transplants, and the whole scene down there is a lot more focused on fashion and nightlife than it is professional athletics. regardless of how good the product is, i doubt that they'll draw really well.

 

I agree South Florida fans are not the best and very fairweathered, but drawing under 5,000 in games is below even them as long as its reasonably accessable to the actual city center. For instance, the Florida Panthers have never averaged less than 13,000 fans per game, in a sport that is much less popular than baseball.

[Soul]

This is excellent. I don't think people understand how hard it is to build a fan base in the sort of conditions the Marlins have had to endure. The ballpark is out of the way for most Miami residents, they've played in a crappy football ball park with horrible sightlines, under oppressive conditions (rain, heat, humidity, etc) and mostly bad baseball with a cheap owner.

 

I'm not saying I completely absolve the fans. Obviously even after all those factors, you'd expect a market as large as Miami to draw at least 20,000 a game, and they don't. But I think they deserve a chance to prove their fan base can be built.

 

Exactly. I think a brand new stadium in Miami is going to drastically increase the fans attending. The current stadium seems designed to drive away as many people as possible.

 

you'd be surprised. people in south florida are terrible sports fans. there are a lot of transplants, and the whole scene down there is a lot more focused on fashion and nightlife than it is professional athletics. regardless of how good the product is, i doubt that they'll draw really well.

 

I agree South Florida fans are not the best and very fairweathered, but drawing under 5,000 in games is below even them as long as its reasonably accessable to the actual city center. For instance, the Florida Panthers have never averaged less than 13,000 fans per game, in a sport that is much less popular than baseball.

 

Well -- hopefully it improves then. For years it seemed their only recourse was going to be to try to move the team. But that's really tough too; people underestimate the cost & effort to uproot a franchise to another city. So it's good they came to an agreement. Miami is too big a city to not have baseball.

[CubinNY]

With the talent they've got...and a new stadium, in Miami...that team might actually be good.

 

 

While securing a new stadium is great news for the Marlins they still have to fill seats. It's still debatable that people will support this club on a daily basis and fill the stadium.

 

Obviously, if the revenues from the stadium allows them to keep the young talent they have that will help, but I have my doubts about whether or not Miami will come out for the Marlins.

This is especially true as no one wanted to go to the Orange bowl to watch a game for fear of what might happen to them as they walked to their car. I hope this stadium will bring with it a revitalization of that part of Miami, but knowing the level of corruption in Miami, I highly doubt it.

[Derwood]

STEP 1: Extort city for millions

STEP 2: Have great surge in attendance year one

STEP 3: Continue to field lousy team

STEP 4: See attendance shrink to pre-stadium levels

STEP 5: PROFIT!

 

[c] Pittsburgh Pirates

[seanimal]

To fault the people of S. Florida for not being avid baseball-goers at this stage of the game seems a bit ahistorical to me. We don't know whether or not Miami will ever be a good baseball town, but playing in an old crappy football stadium and dismantling the team every time it became good probably weren't two of the best ways to find out.

[Clem Fandango]

Florida has never been one to have enduring support for their pro sports teams through thick and thin (except for maybe the Dolphins). It's a fairweather state, and while the attendance will go up when they get the new stadium, if they aren't any good, eventually no one will go. That's how it's been for the past 20 years for most of the pro sports teams in Florida, and likely how it will always be. Most people just don't care unless they win. And in the Marlins case, a lot of the times they don't even care if they are winning...

 

2003 Attendance Figures

 

TEAM  	 GAMES  	 TOTAL  	 AVERAGE  	 % CAPACITY  	 2002  	 2002 AV.  	 2003 VS. 2002
NY Yankees 	81 	3,465,600 	42,785 	78 	3,465,807 	43,323 	-1.24%
Seattle 	81 	3,268,509 	40,351 	85 	3,539,938 	43,703 	-7.67%
San Francisco 	81 	3,264,898 	40,307 	97 	3,253,203 	40,163 	0.36%
Los Angeles 	81 	3,138,626 	38,748 	69 	3,131,255 	38,657 	0.24%
Anaheim 	81 	3,061,094 	37,791 	84 	2,305,467 	28,463 	32.77%
Chicago Cubs 	80 	2,962,630 	37,032 	94 	2,694,946 	33,271 	11.30%
St. Louis 	81 	2,910,386 	35,930 	71 	3,011,766 	37,182 	-3.37%
Arizona 	81 	2,805,542 	34,636 	71 	3,198,975 	39,494 	-12.30%
Boston 	81 	2,724,165 	33,631 	100 	2,650,859 	32,727 	2.76%
Atlanta 	79 	2,401,084 	30,393 	61 	2,568,144 	32,102 	-5.32%
Baltimore 	81 	2,454,523 	30,302 	63 	2,655,559 	32,785 	-7.57%
Houston 	81 	2,454,241 	30,299 	74 	2,512,357 	31,017 	-2.31%
Cincinnati 	81 	2,355,259 	29,077 	69 	1,855,775 	22,911 	26.91%
Philadelphia 	78 	2,259,948 	28,973 	47 	1,618,467 	20,231 	43.21%
Colorado 	81 	2,334,085 	28,815 	57 	2,740,614 	33,835 	-14.84%
NY Mets 	76 	2,140,599 	28,165 	49 	2,804,838 	34,628 	-18.66%
Oakland 	81 	2,216,596 	27,365 	63 	2,169,816 	26,788 	2.15%
Texas 	81 	2,094,394 	25,856 	53 	2,352,397 	29,042 	-10.97%
San Diego 	81 	2,030,084 	25,062 	39 	2,221,230 	27,423 	-8.61%
Minnesota 	81 	1,946,011 	24,024 	49 	1,924,345 	23,757 	1.12%
Chicago White Sox 	81 	1,939,524 	23,944 	54 	1,675,591 	20,686 	15.75%
Kansas City 	78 	1,779,895 	22,819 	56 	1,323,036 	16,334 	39.70%
Toronto 	81 	1,799,458 	22,215 	44 	1,638,170 	20,224 	9.84%
Cleveland 	81 	1,730,002 	21,358 	49 	2,621,940 	32,370 	-34.02%
Milwaukee 	81 	1,700,354 	20,992 	50 	1,969,153 	24,311 	-13.65%
Pittsburgh 	78 	1,636,751 	20,983 	55 	1,784,970 	22,312 	-5.96%
Detroit 	80 	1,368,245 	17,103 	43 	1,503,353 	18,792 	-8.99%
Florida 	80 	1,303,215 	16,290 	45 	813,127 	10,039 	62.27% <--------- 3rd to last
Tampa Bay 	81 	1,058,695 	13,070 	29 	1,065,742 	13,157 	-0.66%
Montreal 	81 	1,025,639 	12,662 	32 	812,536 	10,031 	26.23%

 

Your 2003 World Champion Florida Marlins! How bout those fans!

[Friendly Confines]

They also had a 62% increase over 2002.

[Soul]

.....and couldn't sell out their own stadium for the NLCS. It had to be filled out by Cub fans.

[Derwood]

.....and couldn't sell out their own stadium for the NLCS. It had to be filled out by Cub fans.

 

same can be said for the NLDS vs. the Braves, and they Braves have fans all over the south

[Clem Fandango]

.....and couldn't sell out their own stadium for the NLCS. It had to be filled out by Cub fans.

 

same can be said for the NLDS vs. the Braves, and they Braves have fans all over the south

 

Ironically most of them live in Florida

[SouthSideRyan]

This is terrible news. Jeff Loria is scum.

[seanimal]

This is terrible news. Jeff Loria is scum.

 

It's good news if he eventually sells the team. So, it's good news.