Marlins stadium dead in the water - what now?

[Mik 0]

But how can you still like the team after they move? Most people I know stop caring for a team once it's not a part of their city anymore. Like the Phoenix Coyotes, Indianapolis Colts, etc.

I don't live in Florida. I've never lived within less than two hours of a major league city. That city was Philadelphia (I lived where Al lives now) and I just NEVER liked the Phillies. The only times I've seen the Marlins live have been in the Vet and Citizen's Bank Park.

 

Now that I'm in NC, I can go see Yorman Bazardo, Jeremy Hermida, and the rest of the future Marlins play at Carolina, so this is the closest I've been.

 

They can move anywhere in the US and I'd still be a fan.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

But how can you still like the team after they move? Most people I know stop caring for a team once it's not a part of their city anymore. Like the Phoenix Coyotes, Indianapolis Colts, etc.

I don't live in Florida. I've never lived within less than two hours of a major league city. That city was Philadelphia (I lived where Al lives now) and I just NEVER liked the Phillies. The only times I've seen the Marlins live have been in the Vet and Citizen's Bank Park.

 

Now that I'm in NC, I can go see Yorman Bazardo, Jeremy Hermida, and the rest of the future Marlins play at Carolina, so this is the closest I've been.

 

They can move anywhere in the US and I'd still be a fan.

Where exactly did you live? I'm well outside of Philly in Northeast PA.

[CanadianChris 0]

I still wonder about the viability of any pro franchise in Las Vegas.  There's no built-in fanbase -- it's a tourist town.

Totally incorrect. Las Vegas is one of the fastestr-growing cities in the country, it's far from "just a tourist town". There IS more to Vegas outside of the Strip, I hope y'all know...

It's still not THAT big. It has somewhere around the 50th-largest TV market in the US. Plus, income of families (presumably the desired demographic) is well below the national median.

[The Czech Republic 0]

It'll have to be a retractable-roof park, and what happens if the citizens don't feel like funding a brand-new state-of-the-art ballpark? And in the three or so years it will take to construct it, you'll have everybody sweating their asses off at a AAA park. It's just not worth it to do Las Vegas, for so many reasons.

[CanadianChris 0]

Deleted.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

They should move the club to Montreal.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

It'll have to be a retractable-roof park, and what happens if the citizens don't feel like funding a brand-new state-of-the-art ballpark? And in the three or so years it will take to construct it, you'll have everybody sweating their asses off at a AAA park. It's just not worth it to do Las Vegas, for so many reasons.

Here's a novel idea. Build this stadium in Las Vegas while the Marlins run out their deal in Miami, then they would have a home ready when they move.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

It'll have to be a retractable-roof park, and what happens if the citizens don't feel like funding a brand-new state-of-the-art ballpark? And in the three or so years it will take to construct it, you'll have everybody sweating their asses off at a AAA park. It's just not worth it to do Las Vegas, for so many reasons.

Here's a novel idea. Build this stadium in Las Vegas while the Marlins run out their deal in Miami, then they would have a home ready when they move.

The problem is that then the Marlins are a lame duck team in Miami for three years. That would be gastly in terms of attendance.

[Mik 0]

Al, I know where you live. I lived very, very close.

 

I went to Pittston Area for high school and live 10 minutes from Lackawanna County Stadium. In fact, whenever I'm home I catch a movie at the Cinemark directly above the stadium.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

It'll have to be a retractable-roof park, and what happens if the citizens don't feel like funding a brand-new state-of-the-art ballpark? And in the three or so years it will take to construct it, you'll have everybody sweating their asses off at a AAA park. It's just not worth it to do Las Vegas, for so many reasons.

Here's a novel idea. Build this stadium in Las Vegas while the Marlins run out their deal in Miami, then they would have a home ready when they move.

The problem is that then the Marlins are a lame duck team in Miami for three years. That would be gastly in terms of attendance.

They're not winning fans over with this situation. And I can't imagine the fans not knowing the team is threatening to relocate. Might as well eat the losses til the new stadium.

[The Czech Republic 0]

That's a smorgasbord of losses to eat.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Al, I know where you live. I lived very, very close.

 

I went to Pittston Area for high school and live 10 minutes from Lackawanna County Stadium. In fact, whenever I'm home I catch a movie at the Cinemark directly above the stadium.

I am sort of familiar with these areas, I go to East Stroudsburg University. How close are you to there?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Al, I know where you live. I lived very, very close.

 

I went to Pittston Area for high school and live 10 minutes from Lackawanna County Stadium. In fact, whenever I'm home I catch a movie at the Cinemark directly above the stadium.

I am sort of familiar with these areas, I go to East Stroudsburg University. How close are you to there?

Pittston would be a few miles away from Wilkes-Barre, about an hour's drive from East Strousdburg University. Myself, I live close to Mt. Pocono, around 20 miles away.

[Guest Vitamin X]

It'll have to be a retractable-roof park, and what happens if the citizens don't feel like funding a brand-new state-of-the-art ballpark? And in the three or so years it will take to construct it, you'll have everybody sweating their asses off at a AAA park. It's just not worth it to do Las Vegas, for so many reasons.

Here's a novel idea. Build this stadium in Las Vegas while the Marlins run out their deal in Miami, then they would have a home ready when they move.

The problem is that then the Marlins are a lame duck team in Miami for three years. That would be gastly in terms of attendance.

They're not winning fans over with this situation. And I can't imagine the fans not knowing the team is threatening to relocate. Might as well eat the losses til the new stadium.

What's really sad is I know a good majority of Marlins fans (the ones that actually do exist and stick with the team) are hispanics who don't really like being forced to drive all the way to North Miami (which is like 95% black and pretty dangerous) and I thought the Little Havana property would have been great. I'm a veeeeeery casual baseball fan as most of you know, I wouldn't mind seeing them if they played there rather than risk life and limb (or at least car and wallet) up where they play now (although I wouldn't mind going to a good Dolphins game)..

 

Although I still have no clue how they'd squeeze it in there. It's a VEEEEERY small property, and from my experiences at major league baseball games (most at Dodger Stadium, a couple in Anaheim/Ana-slime) it would cause a hell of an infrastructure dilemma with the traffic anytime baseball is in season. Over a city roughly the size of San Fernando Valley, it's overcrowded enough as it is, and the Orange Bowl happens to be right at or near the very center of the city. I'd imagine this has to be something they're considering a problem as well.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

The Marlins should have had a new stadium deal in place before they were ever allowed to be an expansion team like the Rockies.

 

If any team needs to be moved out of Florida, its the D-Rays. Maybe they could move the D-Rays to Las Vegas and move the Marlins to Tampa Bay..so they could at least play in a domed stadium, even though Tropicana Field is horrible..

 

They could still be the Florida Marlins in Tampa Bay..and no one is going to miss the D-Rays in Tampa if they get the better Marlins.

[The Czech Republic 0]

I heard that despite the lease the Rays have that goes to 203x or so, baseball wants them outta there by 2010.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Oh, for those fighting about where the Pirates should head off to -- the NL East/Central, does it really matter? They'll lose anywhere they go...

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Oh, for those fighting about where the Pirates should head off to -- the NL East/Central, does it really matter? They'll lose anywhere they go...

It matters because I'd much rather face Tike Redman and Mark Redman than face A.J. Burnett and Carlos Delgado.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Fear Jason Bay...

[nogoodnick 0]

The state of Florida doesn't deserve to have the Marlins if they cant get support even after winning two World Series. Other cities would love to have an MLB team and would support one better.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The state of Florida doesn't deserve to have the Marlins if they cant get support even after winning two World Series. Other cities would love to have an MLB team and would support one better.

The problem is that the Marlins destroyed their own fanbase. After winning the World Series in 1997, the team was dismantled, as Moises Alou, Robb Nen, Devon White, Jeff Conine, Kevin Brown, Al Leiter, Dennis Cook and Kurt Abbott were all traded over the offseason. The only good players the Marlins received in return were Derrek Lee and A.J. Burnett. Neither player made a significant impact for three years.

 

The firesale continued in May, as the Marlins traded Bobby Bonilla, Charles Johnson AND Gary Sheffield for Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile. Don't get too excited about Piazza. He was shipped out a week later for Preston Wilson in Ed Yarnell (in fairness, a future Yarnell trade would net the Marlins Mike Lowell). Todd Zeile was traded at the deadline for two minor leaguers.

 

The result was a team that lost 108 games. The franchise has never recovered from that firesale. In 2002, they BARELY outdrew the helpless Montreal Expos (and it took a mysterous bulk buy of tickets on the last day to do it). Truthfully, the franchise may need to move, as the fans do not seem to want to buy into the Marlins again.