Next Round of MLB Expansion Thread - Nashville, Portland, Salt Lake, Charlotte, Montreal, Orlando all on radar

[UndertheHalo]

22 minutes ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

Lol, so you’ve settled on the idea that the best place for expansion is where ever the tax payers are willing to get conned out of the most money to build a stadium?

My favorite line of his, describing apparently disastrous policy making is to the effect of “the democratic leadership cares more about social programs than building sports stadiums” 

for sure man this place with rampant in open view homelessness and mental illness is more interested in social programs in lieu of emptying the public coffers on a baseball stadium. They’ve got crazy priorities

[AngelsLakersFan]

2 minutes ago, UndertheHalo said:

My favorite line of his, describing apparently disastrous policy making is to the effect of “the democratic leadership cares more about social programs than building sports stadiums” 

for sure man this place with rampant in open view homelessness and mental illness is more interested in social programs in lieu of emptying the public coffers on a baseball stadium. They’ve got crazy priorities

Lol I didn’t even want to touch that one. That’s a radioactive hot take and I’m passing it by in favor of the more nuanced brand of brain damage.

[UndertheHalo]

Bring this freak back.  You dorks are talking about Nashville and SLC when you can simply bring him back. 

[John Taylor]

Nashville and SLC, with Montreal as a close 3rd.

The Florida MLB teams can't draw for shit already, putting a team in Orlando would be another folly, it's not even that far from Tampa.

I think people underestimate the population/media market of the SLC metro area (30th largest market in the US and larger than 4 current MLB markets, and only slightly less than Nashville and Baltimore).

SLC would have the second highest elevation (4226 ft) in MLB behind Coors Field (5183)

Nashville would give @Chuckster70 a chance to see the Angels more often, lol

[eaterfan]

16 hours ago, James said:

Considering a team exists in Denver, I dont think elevation will be much of a factor in this decision.

Yeah, and the team in Denver has problems because of it. Baseball there is so different there than everywhere else and it hurts the players who play there. Teams going have trouble adjusting and the Rockies have trouble leaving. It's hard to attract free agent talent without overpaying immensely. The Angels try to skip AAA for their top prospects, especially pitchers. That should tell you all you need to know about Salt Lake City.

Will MLB expand there if it makes them the most money (highest stadium/development subsidies, and highest expansion fee)? Absolutely. Will it be the worst possible place to expand from a baseball standpoint? Outside of Mexico City, it definitely is. 

[eaterfan]

People should try to do some research before making assumptions based on a media bubble. Here's a link to the FBI crime stats:

https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/ucr/publications

I beg you to please review these before posting about how crime ridden Portland is compared to safe places like Nashville. 

Nashville Metro has 570.5 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. Nashville has 2,449.5 property crimes per 100,000 residents. Portland has 302.6 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. Portland has a 2,746.9 property crimes per 100,000 residents. So you have an 88.5% higher chance of being a victim of a violent crime in Nashville and a 12.1% chance of being the victim of a property crime in Portland. 

Granted, the most recent data is from 2019.

If you prefer something more recent here's US News - 2020

https://realestate.usnews.com/places/oregon/portland/crime

https://realestate.usnews.com/places/tennessee/nashville/crime

Don't worry Conservatives. You can still rip on Dems! The mayor of Nashville is a Democrat. But safety isn't why a team should go to Nashville (really over any place on this list.) 

[Deek]

....uh - didn't Montreal already fail...

[Deek]

Salt Lake and Nashville make the most sense to me:

 

Opposite ends of the US

Strong economics to support

Seemingly solid fanbase

[eaterfan]

I'm not sure any of these places are good for expansion. I don't even think Vegas is a good place.

1. Nashville - population of metro area is 1.9 million. It's pretty small. 81 home games is a lot. Fun city to visit. This is probably high on my list

2. Portland - population of metro area is 3.3 million. That's decent sized, roughly OC population. They do support the Blazers and Timbers well. Fun city to visit. This is high on my list, too.

3. Charlotte - population fo metro area is 2.6 million. Panthers get medium support, but are supported well when they are good. Never been. Probably first on my list

4. SLC - 1.2 million metro population. It's tiny. It's at high altitude. Last on my list. 

5. Orlando - Who cares about metro. They have two teams that can't draw there already. It's hot AF so it has to be a dome. 

6. Montreal - 4.1 million metro population. Too cold early and lat in year so would need dome. Another Canadian team increases any international issues that already exist, couldn't support the last team. Granted, Loria sucks so maybe a better owner could succeed. Would be best option if they did succeed. 

Of these, I think Portland and either Charlotte/Montreal make the most sense, due to market size and potential support. I don't know that I was longing for more teams, but whatever. I'd probably go with a third team in New York before many of these options.

[mmc]

9 hours ago, UndertheHalo said:

Bring this freak back.  You dorks are talking about Nashville and SLC when you can simply bring him back. 

Even if the MLB returns to Montreal, good luck getting the Canadiens to give him up

[Make Angels Great Again]

Hell, just go nuts and make the Maine Lobsters and the Hawaii Waves.

[eaterfan]

44 minutes ago, Deek said:

Salt Lake and Nashville make the most sense to me:

 

Opposite ends of the US

Strong economics to support

Seemingly solid fanbase

Honest question. What makes you think the economics of Salt Lake City are better than Portland? SLC has a much smaller metro area population (1.2 vs 3.3, practically 1/3 the size, Portland metro is about the same as all of Utah), and the metro population has a much lower median household income ($65k v. $78k). A large portion of the SLC fanbase won't use what are two of the three biggest sponsors (and probably all three) of alcohol, caffeinated soda, and gambling. They won't consume two of those three high profit items in the stadium. What data were you looking at that led you to the conclusion that SLC had stronger economics than Portland as far as how it could support a team?

Do you really just mean that the owners will get big subsidies for the stadium and development projects so that's why you want to see a team there?

I know you didn't bring up the baseball aspects. But that will be a lot more trouble than Portland, too. 

[Second Base]

10 hours ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

Lol, so you’ve settled on the idea that the best place for expansion is where ever the tax payers are willing to get conned out of the most money to build a stadium?

That's the crude reality. Baseball teams need a stadium. Certain areas are averse to raising the necessary funds, in which case, no baseball team. That's the way it goes. 

[Dtwncbad]

Portland is drenched in dirty, defiant, anti-capitalist, insatiable, entitled, angry people.  Do we really think they are going to fill a ballpark with people paying mlb retail ticket prices?

That’s a bad bet.

And good luck getting them to spend $14 on Nachos.

First they would protest the price.  How are they expected to afford piercing cleaning solution AND Nachos?

Then it would be the anti-cheese and chicken demonstration. Meat is murder.

And of course there would be the hunger strike demanding the name be changed from Nacho to NachX.

[eaterfan]

10 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Portland is drenched in dirty, defiant, anti-capitalist, insatiable, entitled, angry people.  Do we really think they are going to fill a ballpark with people paying mlb retail ticket prices?

That’s a bad bet.

And good luck getting them to spend $14 on Nachos.

First they would protest the price.  How are they expected to afford piercing cleaning solution AND Nachos?

Then it would be the anti-cheese and chicken demonstration. Meat is murder.

And of course there would be the hunger strike demanding the name be changed from Nacho to NachX.

Nachx is cultural appropriation of TexMex culture no matter what's on them.

[Taylor]

1 hour ago, eaterfan said:

People should try to do some research before making assumptions based on a media bubble. Here's a link to the FBI crime stats:

https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/ucr/publications

I beg you to please review these before posting about how crime ridden Portland is compared to safe places like Nashville. 

Nashville Metro has 570.5 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. Nashville has 2,449.5 property crimes per 100,000 residents. Portland has 302.6 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. Portland has a 2,746.9 property crimes per 100,000 residents. So you have an 88.5% higher chance of being a victim of a violent crime in Nashville and a 12.1% chance of being the victim of a property crime in Portland. 

Granted, the most recent data is from 2019.

If you prefer something more recent here's US News - 2020

https://realestate.usnews.com/places/oregon/portland/crime

https://realestate.usnews.com/places/tennessee/nashville/crime

Don't worry Conservatives. You can still rip on Dems! The mayor of Nashville is a Democrat. But safety isn't why a team should go to Nashville (really over any place on this list.) 

Gun deaths and violent crimes per Capita are higher in red states. It's not a political statement, but a fact. And that's even with Chicago and Detroit being in blue states.

[Taylor]

1 hour ago, Make Angels Great Again said:

Hell, just go nuts and make the Maine Lobsters and the Hawaii Waves.

The Guam Ghouls has a nice ring to it.

[Anthony Tendon]

16 hours ago, HeavenlyHalos said:

It's interesting to read the perceptions of Portland in this. I never lived there when I was in Oregon but my brother did. He was in a nice part of town (SW) so perhaps that is clouding my judgment but I think it's a nice city. Great food and beer. Good sports city as well although baseball is a different animal with the number of home games and size of stadiums so not sure if it would work or not. Certainly has better odds of success compared to Orlando though.

 

It was nice 15 yrs ago, now it's a lefty cesspit.

[Taylor]

30 minutes ago, Anthony Tendon said:

 

It was nice 15 yrs ago, now it's a lefty cesspit.

What does Victor's mom have to do with this?

[Anthony Tendon]

13 hours ago, UndertheHalo said:

Bring this freak back.  You dorks are talking about Nashville and SLC when you can simply bring him back. 

 

Guess people forget all the empty seats for years on end at Expos games. Sure, lets bring byke the Canadian A's, that will go swimmingly. 

[Lazorko Saves]

3 hours ago, Taylor said:

Gun deaths and violent crimes per Capita are higher in red states. It's not a political statement, but a fact.

Ah yes, the old "D-run rural Illinois is safer than R-run north St. Louis" thing.  It's a junior high school debate team point scoring tactic that John Stewart taught all the progs to think actually persuades anyone.

County-level and urban-area level data exists, but gets proactively ignored.

[Tank]

if they choose montreal for a new team, i hope they'll be able to use the expos name, logo, and colors.

anyone know if that would be possible? or do the nationals hold rights to all of that?

[Taylor]

2 hours ago, Lazorko Saves said:

Ah yes, the old "D-run rural Illinois is safer than R-run north St. Louis" thing.  It's a junior high school debate team point scoring tactic that John Stewart taught all the progs to think actually persuades anyone.

County-level and urban-area level data exists, but gets proactively ignored.

You might require a couple more semesters at the School of Hard Knocks.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

On 5/4/2023 at 12:06 PM, James said:

I think it is fair to say another team in Florida would be incredibly dense all things considered. 

Given the Rays' stadium issues and attendance issues in both cities but especially Miami, yes.

[Inside Pitch]

3 minutes ago, Vegas Halo Fan said:

Given the Rays' stadium issues and attendance issues in both cities but especially Miami, yes.

The location of the park in MIAMI is awful -- the entire area has been dealing with a sort of city driven gentrification, which is whatever but the reality is that the main road to get there from I95 (Think Katella and St College) is essentially a two lane road and it's been under construction for a solid 10 years.  On any given day Flagler is a one lane road in either direction.   Both of the biggest North/South roads close to the stadium are full time two lane roads and the street running East West directly north of the Stadium is one lane both ways and a parking lane -- meanwhile all the roads on all the other sides are strictly residential roads where if a school buss pulls up people have to try to move out it's way to let it pass.

They seriously couldn't have picked a worse location.