The Nationals - could MLB be regretting it?

[Exile on Waveland]

I think Indy and Louisville would both be rather poor options.

[kujay]

I think Indy and Louisville would both be rather poor options.

 

Portland?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

and yes, it's still lame to call them Natspos

[mjohnson71]

cough Indy cough

 

I don't think Indianapolis is big enough to support 3 major sports teams. Nice town: but it's already a Cubs haven.

[str8carter]

Apete6 mentioned Vegas as a bad alternative, but I must dissagree...per capita it's the richest city in the world. They could field a team of monkeys and pack a stadium built 30 miles, say, out of the city.

 

They don't want a team there because of the gambling?!! The N.J. teams seem OK. There is legal gambling everywhere now...get a clue baseball!

 

Las Vegas is getting its ass kicked economically.

 

Also, there is no baseball team in NJ (although one could prosper if built along the waterfront in Hudson county, the most densely populated county in the country), they are in NY. And the hangup is sports betting. There isn't any sports betting in NJ. There is in Vegas.

There is plenty of sportsbetting in N.J. like anywhere else...bookies and the internet...Vegas is getting its ass kicked like every other city. Why would a dome be needed? That dry heat thing is no myth.

[jersey cubs fan]

Apete6 mentioned Vegas as a bad alternative, but I must dissagree...per capita it's the richest city in the world. They could field a team of monkeys and pack a stadium built 30 miles, say, out of the city.

 

They don't want a team there because of the gambling?!! The N.J. teams seem OK. There is legal gambling everywhere now...get a clue baseball!

 

Las Vegas is getting its ass kicked economically.

 

Also, there is no baseball team in NJ (although one could prosper if built along the waterfront in Hudson county, the most densely populated county in the country), they are in NY. And the hangup is sports betting. There isn't any sports betting in NJ. There is in Vegas.

There is plenty of sportsbetting in N.J. like anywhere else...bookies and the internet...Vegas is getting its ass kicked like every other city. Why would a dome be needed? That dry heat thing is no myth.

 

The point about illegal sports betting doesn't really matter. It doesn't compare to legalized sports betting. And again, there is no team in Jersey. Vegas is getting its assed kick far and away worse than just about any other city in the country. It's the biggest loser so far. Dry heat isn't a myth, but it's still oppressive. You couldn't have a non-dome stadium in Phoenix, and you couldn't have one in Vegas.

[str8carter]

Apete6 mentioned Vegas as a bad alternative, but I must dissagree...per capita it's the richest city in the world. They could field a team of monkeys and pack a stadium built 30 miles, say, out of the city.

 

They don't want a team there because of the gambling?!! The N.J. teams seem OK. There is legal gambling everywhere now...get a clue baseball!

 

Las Vegas is getting its ass kicked economically.

 

Also, there is no baseball team in NJ (although one could prosper if built along the waterfront in Hudson county, the most densely populated county in the country), they are in NY. And the hangup is sports betting. There isn't any sports betting in NJ. There is in Vegas.

There is plenty of sportsbetting in N.J. like anywhere else...bookies and the internet...Vegas is getting its ass kicked like every other city. Why would a dome be needed? That dry heat thing is no myth.

 

The point about illegal sports betting doesn't really matter. It doesn't compare to legalized sports betting. And again, there is no team in Jersey. Vegas is getting its assed kick far and away worse than just about any other city in the country. It's the biggest loser so far. Dry heat isn't a myth, but it's still oppressive. You couldn't have a non-dome stadium in Phoenix, and you couldn't have one in Vegas.

I never said there was Baseball in N.J.... 2 teams mean Nets and Giants. And do you think L.A.s AAA team there has a dome?

[jersey cubs fan]

Apete6 mentioned Vegas as a bad alternative, but I must dissagree...per capita it's the richest city in the world. They could field a team of monkeys and pack a stadium built 30 miles, say, out of the city.

 

They don't want a team there because of the gambling?!! The N.J. teams seem OK. There is legal gambling everywhere now...get a clue baseball!

 

Las Vegas is getting its ass kicked economically.

 

Also, there is no baseball team in NJ (although one could prosper if built along the waterfront in Hudson county, the most densely populated county in the country), they are in NY. And the hangup is sports betting. There isn't any sports betting in NJ. There is in Vegas.

There is plenty of sportsbetting in N.J. like anywhere else...bookies and the internet...Vegas is getting its ass kicked like every other city. Why would a dome be needed? That dry heat thing is no myth.

 

The point about illegal sports betting doesn't really matter. It doesn't compare to legalized sports betting. And again, there is no team in Jersey. Vegas is getting its assed kick far and away worse than just about any other city in the country. It's the biggest loser so far. Dry heat isn't a myth, but it's still oppressive. You couldn't have a non-dome stadium in Phoenix, and you couldn't have one in Vegas.

I never said there was Baseball in N.J.... 2 teams mean Nets and Giants. And do you think L.A.s AAA team there has a dome?

 

You said "The N.J. teams seem OK."

[UK1679666180]

Washington will probably be fine, they finally have a good GM with Rizzo and will very soon have the most hyped player waiting in the wings and a decent core. They're still a couple years away from possibily becoming a contender and once that happens, you'll see whether or not it can support a market. Trying to gauge whether or not the area will support a team while it is constantly losing isn't a fair test.

[Mark_R]

Really random question, but I am going to DC to see the Cubs play in July. On the Nats' site, it lists the option to enter codes in for discounted tickets, but thus far, my search has yielded nothing.

 

If anybody has any Insight I would greatly appreciate it!

[SouthSideRyan]

Washington will probably be fine, they finally have a good GM with Rizzo and will very soon have the most hyped player waiting in the wings and a decent core. They're still a couple years away from possibily becoming a contender and once that happens, you'll see whether or not it can support a market. Trying to gauge whether or not the area will support a team while it is constantly losing isn't a fair test.

 

They attendance was 11th in the NL in their first season. It's a fair criticism when a team can't draw [expletive] in their first season in a city.

[UK1679666180]

No it's not as they were one of the worst teams in MLB the year before going into a FB stadium, MLB rushed the Expos into Washington and it's a completely different situation between that and a typical expansion team. The Expos were an unwanted orphan, completely botched by MLB between Montreal and Puerto Rico the year before.

 

When they win, they'll start to draw.

[TruffleShuffle]

washington/baltimore/northern va is the fourth largest metro area in the country; they can easily support two teams.

[SouthSideRyan]

No it's not as they were one of the worst teams in MLB the year before going into a FB stadium, MLB rushed the Expos into Washington and it's a completely different situation between that and a typical expansion team. The Expos were an unwanted orphan, completely botched by MLB between Montreal and Puerto Rico the year before.

 

When they win, they'll start to draw.

 

What are you basing this on? It's a metro area about the size of Oakland/San Fran. Oakland won throughout the early 00s and couldn't draw. And they had 30 years of established fanbase. The Nationals are trying to build a fanbase as a 2nd banana in a non-huge market full of transplants.

[UK1679666180]

I'm basing it on the DC metro area of 4+ mil. (not including Balt.) & a new stadium. If they cont'd to play in RFK and cont'd to lose I would have not doubts as to whether or not they'd draw b/c they wouldn't. I'm saying with that park, that area, and a winning club, that they would draw as much as winning franchises. Some people get tunnel vision as far as trying to compare every team to the Cubs, most fans aren't as dumb as Cubs to where they'd go sell out a park to watch a crappy team. It would take time, but I could see them supporting that team and eventually build some sort of baseball foundation.

[SouthSideRyan]

I know Oakland's stadium is ass, but they've also got a winning tradition and a good team. Maybe there's a disconnect between what we're thinking for drawing. Barring a perennial contender(which what 3 teams can consider themselves?) I don't see the Nats pulling more than 2.5M per even in their best years.

 

It's a terribly located mediocre park in a city full of transplants, and if they aren't transplants, they've already had a franchise within an hour of them for the past 55 years.

[UK1679666180]

2.5 mil. would be perfect for them, which they could likely do in their good years, the majority of the team w/winning records would love to have that. That's 30K a game. Baltimore even with the tradition and outstanding stadium isn't a threat nor a roadblock for Washington given the direction of their franchise.

[kjfoster 1553]

Dear MLB,

 

This thread has got my way too excited at just the notion of having a Major League team in town. Please send someone our way. I'll take any team in baseball.

 

Thanks,

 

Me.

[jersey cubs fan]

and if they aren't transplants, they've already had a franchise within an hour of them for the past 55 years.

 

So what? Philly is within an hour of much of Northern New Jersey, but there aren't many Philly fans up there. An hour away is very far for an everyday sport like baseball.

 

The power and money flowing into and out of Washington right now is unprecedented. The city has a never ending supply of its biggest industry, and they will be able to easily support a franchise, if they have some success.

[laurens]

Dear MLB,

 

This thread has got my way too excited at just the notion of having a Major League team in town. Please send someone our way. I'll take any team in baseball.

 

Thanks,

 

Me.

 

I was going to respond with "Do you really want the Marlins in Indy?", but then I remembered the Marlins can hardly be called an ML team.

[SouthSideRyan]

and if they aren't transplants, they've already had a franchise within an hour of them for the past 55 years.

 

So what? Philly is within an hour of much of Northern New Jersey, but there aren't many Philly fans up there.

 

Probably because the Yankees have existed for the last 109 years.

[jersey cubs fan]

and if they aren't transplants, they've already had a franchise within an hour of them for the past 55 years.

 

So what? Philly is within an hour of much of Northern New Jersey, but there aren't many Philly fans up there.

 

Probably because the Yankees have existed for the last 109 years.

 

The point is, having a team an hour away is hardly a roadblock to running a successful baseball team, especially along the northeastern corridor. There are millions of people and gaggles of money to be spent there. If they can compete, there's no reason why that franchise can't survive, and thrive. Baltimore may have had a hold on those folks in their 50's and 60's, but I don't see how the younger generation would be unable to adopt the Nationals over the Orioles.

[hardcorecubfan]

The only reason something "had to be done" in Montreal is because Selig and Loria willfully killed Montreal baseball.

 

I wish the Expos were still around. I loved driving up to Montreal for a weekend of gambling, drinking, strip clubs, and a cheap ticket to a sparsely attended major league baseball game.

 

just wanted to say that strip clubs in Canada effing rule.

 

where my bachelor party was held , Windsor

[adamb0719]

Dear MLB,

 

This thread has got my way too excited at just the notion of having a Major League team in town. Please send someone our way. I'll take any team in baseball.

 

Thanks,

 

Me.

 

 

We have a hard enough time paying for the Colts and Pacers. As much as I would love to have a MLB team here, I don't see how it could work.

[Three Finger]

I think Indy and Louisville would both be rather poor options.

 

Portland?

 

Completely agree... Portland needs a baseball team.