A's may need a new home - Philly maybe? (1 Viewer)

[SaintsInDome2006]

To be serious though the A's and Raiders both will have to do something if Oakland can't/won't fix their stadium situation.

The A's have been in Philly, KC and Oak. They can move again.

I like the Portland idea or any other city where you will not be dealing with football. I know they lover their Blazers and soccer.

 

[George Jefferson Airplane]

If the population of the Philadelphia metro area were split in half, each half would be the 18th largest metro area in the country.

Philadelphia more has 25% more people than SF/OAK.

So I think that it is possible, but it's hard to see it as the most advantageous when Charlotte and Portland are 23 and 24 in metro size and they would be the only team there.

#1 New York, NY 15,340,000 #2 Los Angeles, CA 10,609,200 #3 Chicago, IL 7,612,100 #4 San Francisco, CA 6,012,000 #5 Dallas, TX 4,576,700 #6 Philadelphia, PA 4,291,700

Philadelphia has 400k more TVs than SF/OAK/SJ, that's the only thing that counts in 2014.

He said people, not TVs. But thanks for playing.

And he was right. So now you've been wrong twice, wanna try for a third strike ace?

SF market bigger. Note the numbers there chief.

Is there a reason that you are saying that the numbers in that link are not accurate?

He's arguing with himself at this point. Stockton, California is about the same distance from SF as Baltimore is to Philadelphia. Philadelphia's TV market is quite a bit bigger than the Bay Areas, again, that's all that reallly matters.

 

[Rayderr]

They should take a cue from the NFL and look at putting a team in London.

Personally, I think Puerto Rico would be good location.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Louisiana could use a baseball team.

The City of NO drives me crazy. Build a nice ballpark down by the river towards where they are expanding the convention center and gentrifying. NO's industries are sports and tourism, take it seriously and build a real ballpark. Instead Jeff Parish builds a POS stadium and the Z's languish there.

Still in NO or anywhere in the South baseball and bball are always second fiddle to football.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

They should take a cue from the NFL and look at putting a team in London.

Personally, I think Puerto Rico would be good location.

Excellent idea.

Los Atleticos.

 

[gump]

MLB would want to add TVs, not split existing TVs.

 

[El Floppo]

Portland would be a great fit as it keeps the A's in the west and would open up a tremendous rivalry with the dooooche canoes in Seattle. Portland has clamored for a team for years and while I was once upon a time a pie-eyed dreamer who thought it would happen one day, I'm pretty skeptical.

1) I don't know where in the hell you'd put a stadium. The Blazers and Timbers play in the heart of downtown with light rail service stopping by both stadiums several times a day. The stadiums are compact and blend in well with the surrounding downtown area. Not sure where a baseball stadium would fit. There are some options on the table, but each of them has plenty of drawbacks.

2) I honestly don't see the city of Portland supporting a team for 81 games. I mean...there will absolutely be some diehards who go to every game and I'd definitely be in for season tickets with a group, but Portland isn't a huge city and there's a lot of dorky people who couldn't tell you the difference between an outfielder and an infielder. The Blazers are a big draw, but that team is part of the fabric of the city. Likewise, the Ducks are always sold out, but that's a handful of games and winning draws in all sorts of folks. Asking this city to back a transplanted team for 81 games might be tough, unless, of course, the As are still the best team in baseball.

Hope it happens. Would be a better fit than Charlotte for the key reason I cited above about keeping the As in the west. But getting this city to agree on a stadium will be the major hurdle.

you forgot that the Timbers have sold out- I think- every game they've had.

 

[bentley]

Lol @ "existing fan base"

 

[George Jefferson Airplane]

MLB would want to add TVs, not split existing TVs.

Probably true but they put teams in Florida adn no one watches. Why not go after Brooklyn and try to add market share based on the huge transient population of New York, and where people love baseball? I think Charlotte seems like a possible landing spot also, but I don't see many other great options for the A's. San Jose would probably be ideal, but I have no idea of the backstory to all this. I know they were looking in Fremont but that fell through.

 

[sporthenry]

For the longest time, a lot of Philly baseball fans thought the wrong team left the city and that the Phillies should have bolted. A's were almost always more popular.

But Oakland Phillies doesn't make a ton of sense.

 

[gump]

MLB would want to add TVs, not split existing TVs.

Probably true but they put teams in Florida adn no one watches. Why not go after Brooklyn and try to add market share based on the huge transient population of New York, and where people love baseball? I think Charlotte seems like a possible landing spot also, but I don't see many other great options for the A's. San Jose would probably be ideal, but I have no idea of the backstory to all this. I know they were looking in Fremont but that fell through.

The Rays don't draw, but TV ratings are around 10th...as high as 5th in 2010.

 

[Insein]

For the longest time, a lot of Philly baseball fans thought the wrong team left the city and that the Phillies should have bolted. A's were almost always more popular.

My grandpa was born in 1917 and he was a huge Philadelphia A's fan back in the day. He said Phillies were a distant second back in the 30's and 40's. I bought him a blue Philadelphia A's hat for his 90th birthday and he had a happy smile.

 

[Dickie Dunn]

There is a grassroots push, led by Warren Cromartie, to bring baseball back to Montreal. A stadium, such as it is, already exists until such time that something new can be built.

They already lost a team once? So what ... D.C. lost its team twice before.

A competent ownership and management group that properly invested in the team/franchise would be well-received, IMHO.

 

[General Malaise]

Portland would be a great fit as it keeps the A's in the west and would open up a tremendous rivalry with the dooooche canoes in Seattle. Portland has clamored for a team for years and while I was once upon a time a pie-eyed dreamer who thought it would happen one day, I'm pretty skeptical.

1) I don't know where in the hell you'd put a stadium. The Blazers and Timbers play in the heart of downtown with light rail service stopping by both stadiums several times a day. The stadiums are compact and blend in well with the surrounding downtown area. Not sure where a baseball stadium would fit. There are some options on the table, but each of them has plenty of drawbacks.

2) I honestly don't see the city of Portland supporting a team for 81 games. I mean...there will absolutely be some diehards who go to every game and I'd definitely be in for season tickets with a group, but Portland isn't a huge city and there's a lot of dorky people who couldn't tell you the difference between an outfielder and an infielder. The Blazers are a big draw, but that team is part of the fabric of the city. Likewise, the Ducks are always sold out, but that's a handful of games and winning draws in all sorts of folks. Asking this city to back a transplanted team for 81 games might be tough, unless, of course, the As are still the best team in baseball.

Hope it happens. Would be a better fit than Charlotte for the key reason I cited above about keeping the As in the west. But getting this city to agree on a stadium will be the major hurdle.

you forgot that the Timbers have sold out- I think- every game they've had.

Very true. Timber's games are always sold out and tickets are a very hot item. It's a lot of fun going to the games. Very easy to get there, tons of bars all around the area, great crowd, gorgeous views from the stadium, backs up against the historic MAC.

Just wonder if hipster soccer Portland fanbase will translate well to boring old baseball. I'd go, but I celebrate the entire sporting catalog*

*not arena football. that's garbage

 

[General Malaise]

TV issue is a good one, Gump. Seattle and MLB would probably not want a team in Portland since the Portland area is part of the Mariners audience. That said, Portland citizens would kill for team that could beat up on big brother Seattle. Timbers fans hate Sounders fans and vice versa. Duck fans hate Husky fans, but Washington is a dumpster fire of a team, so who cares what they think about Oregon. Blazer fans hate Sonic fans, oh wait....

 

[Koya]

The issue with Market Size comparisons is the fact that the east coast is so much more dense. Just south of philly and you are in Orioles country, and then a shade further south have the Nats. Just north you have the Mets AND the yanks.

Out west you have SD, then LA.... then not Santa Barbara or Santa Cruz, you go up to the Bay Area. Your next big stop going north is freakin' Portland. Much wider range for a fan base as opposed to the Northeast where you go a little north or south and it's someone else's territory.

 

[Eephus]

The issue with Market Size comparisons is the fact that the east coast is so much more dense. Just south of philly and you are in Orioles country, and then a shade further south have the Nats. Just north you have the Mets AND the yanks.

Out west you have SD, then LA.... then not Santa Barbara or Santa Cruz, you go up to the Bay Area. Your next big stop going north is freakin' Portland. Much wider range for a fan base as opposed to the Northeast where you go a little north or south and it's someone else's territory.

This is crucial for expanding the reach of regional sports networks. Local TV contracts are currently the engine that's driving the financial growth of the game.

 

[Thunderlips]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

 

[Thunderlips]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

ETA: They're so fair weather (it's a bit of chicken or egg with WIP as is WIP setting precedence or reacting to the fans wishes) they stopped talking baseball on the station in the late 90's early 2000's.....even 2001-2006 when they were decent...they didn't want to talk about them.

 

[TheIronSheik]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

I respectfully disagree.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

ETA: They're so fair weather (it's a bit of chicken or egg with WIP as is WIP setting precedence or reacting to the fans wishes) they stopped talking baseball on the station in the late 90's early 2000's.....even 2001-2006 when they were decent...they didn't want to talk about them.

No doubt about this part. I remember in those days the topics from whenever the Flyers' season ended, the topics were basically "When does training camp open" or "the all-ugly team".

 

[Insein]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

ETA: They're so fair weather (it's a bit of chicken or egg with WIP as is WIP setting precedence or reacting to the fans wishes) they stopped talking baseball on the station in the late 90's early 2000's.....even 2001-2006 when they were decent...they didn't want to talk about them.

No doubt about this part. I remember in those days the topics from whenever the Flyers' season ended, the topics were basically "When does training camp open" or "the all-ugly team".

That is why there is now a second station in town kicking their ###.

 

[Amused to Death]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

I respectfully disagree.

Newsflash, the Mets attendance is down more than 14,500 per game since their WS season in 2000. Winning teams draw more fans everywhere. No one wants to pay a ton of money to see crap on the field.

 

[General Malaise]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

I respectfully disagree.

Newsflash, the Mets attendance is down more than 14,500 per game since their WS season in 2000. Winning teams draw more fans everywhere. No one wants to pay a ton of money to see crap on the field.

Except the Cubs, right?

 

[Insein]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

I respectfully disagree.

Newsflash, the Mets attendance is down more than 14,500 per game since their WS season in 2000. Winning teams draw more fans everywhere. No one wants to pay a ton of money to see crap on the field.

Especially with so many other entertainment options available.

 

[Koya]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

I respectfully disagree.

Newsflash, the Mets attendance is down more than 14,500 per game since their WS season in 2000. Winning teams draw more fans everywhere. No one wants to pay a ton of money to see crap on the field.

For the mets, its more than just losing. It's an ownership that does not invest in winning and has a long history of that. Obviously more people show up to a winner (see the Yanks attendance the last couple of years), but when you have a fan base that is semi-boycotting (such as me), it hurts even more.

 

[Thunderlips]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

I respectfully disagree.

Newsflash, the Mets attendance is down more than 14,500 per game since their WS season in 2000. Winning teams draw more fans everywhere. No one wants to pay a ton of money to see crap on the field.

There's a bit of difference between "not wanting to pay a ton to see crap" and what the average Philly fan does; particularly to the Sixers and Phillies. Flyers fans are more or less tried and true. The Eagles (like the NFL) is an institution that rolls over everything else.

 

[Fennis]

Philly fans are one of the worst in the country.

 

[Amused to Death]

Philly fans are one of the worst in the country.

Why do you have ##### up the thread? Cheap shot.

 

[George Jefferson Airplane]

Philly fans are one of the worst in the country.

Which one?

 

[Tchula]

The A's should change their name to the Redskins

 

[Fennis]

Philly fans are one of the worst in the country.

Which one?

not him

 

[Don Quixote]

They should take a cue from the NFL and look at putting a team in London.

What about Auckland?

 

[fred_1_15301]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

I respectfully disagree.

In my opinion, just about every fanbase can be considered "fair weathered". Fans will typically show up when the team is good and attendance will drop when the team is bad. The only sport where it's not as prevalent is football. In football, many teams will sell out all of their games regardless of how good or bad they are. In a few years, we'll be talking about how great a basketball town Philly is when currently nobody gives a #### about the team. Philly is a great sports town but certainly has their share of fair weather fans.

 

[TheIronSheik]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

I respectfully disagree.

In my opinion, just about every fanbase can be considered "fair weathered". Fans will typically show up when the team is good and attendance will drop when the team is bad. The only sport where it's not as prevalent is football. In football, many teams will sell out all of their games regardless of how good or bad they are. In a few years, we'll be talking about how great a basketball town Philly is when currently nobody gives a #### about the team. Philly is a great sports town but certainly has their share of fair weather fans.

I can't say for basketball because I'm not an NBA fan, but I don't know of anyone who was a Phillies fan that no longer is now. Are they going to a bunch of games? Probably not. Will they talk bad about the ownership or team? Probably. But that's because they love their team. I lived in Houston and I don't think Astros fans were the same. I lived in Cincinnati and I would say they were more like Phillies fans.

I'm not saying there are no fair weather fans in Philly. I'm just saying I wouldn't classify Phillies fans as fair weather fans by any sense of the term.

 

[Insein]

Not going to games does not equal fair weather. Not caring at all if they're losing (meaning not even being angry) can be fair weather.

 

[No. 16]

Let me keep my A's people. When they were crap you didn't want them, but now that we are the best and most entertaining team in baseball you want to steal them away?

F U and F Selig. Let the A's move to San Jose already. It's bull that the A's gave up territorial rights to San Jose to keep the Giants in SF, but the commish and the Giants won't return the favor now that the tables are turned.

 

[General Malaise]

Nobody here really thinks Phily will have two MLB teams, right?

 

[TheIronSheik]

Not going to games does not equal fair weather. Not caring at all if they're losing (meaning not even being angry) can be fair weather.

Exactly.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Nobody here really thinks Phily will have two MLB teams, right?

I don't.

 

[ffldrew]

We'll take the A's here in Denver - players and owners - then they can send the Monforts out to pasture wherever they can find a home.

 

[General Malaise]

Let me keep my A's people. When they were crap you didn't want them, but now that we are the best and most entertaining team in baseball you want to steal them away?

F U and F Selig. Let the A's move to San Jose already. It's bull that the A's gave up territorial rights to San Jose to keep the Giants in SF, but the commish and the Giants won't return the favor now that the tables are turned.

I wanted them in the 90's when their most heralded player was Ben Grieve.

You want to keep them? Find them a respectable place to play. Playing in a ghetto stadium that sucks like a hooker with a thirst is not a way to keep your team for the long haul.

 

[General Malaise]

Nobody here really thinks Phily will have two MLB teams, right?

I don't.

Oh. Was getting confused.

 

[George Jefferson Airplane]

Let me keep my A's people. When they were crap you didn't want them, but now that we are the best and most entertaining team in baseball you want to steal them away?

F U and F Selig. Let the A's move to San Jose already. It's bull that the A's gave up territorial rights to San Jose to keep the Giants in SF, but the commish and the Giants won't return the favor now that the tables are turned.

I wanted them in the 90's when their most heralded player was Ben Grieve.

You want to keep them? Find them a respectable place to play. Playing in a ghetto stadium that sucks like a hooker with a thirst is not a way to keep your team for the long haul.

 

[drummer]

East OAK is a war zone. It's prolly safer in Philly.

 

[Eephus]

Give Lew Wolff exclusive rights to develop the surrounding area and he'll consider it.

 

[Thunderlips]

The Phillies fans themselves don't even go to games anymore, which is a direct indictment of being fair-weather baseball fans. I don't like the idea of having another team in the area. Every one of the fair weather fans (e.g., the empty seats in CBP every night) would "be fans" of whoever is better. We're having a hard enough time fielding fans for one team's games, another I can't see ending well.

I don't think they're fair weather fans. There's a crappy product on the field. People don't support that. But I guarantee you everyone in Philly is still a die hard Phillies fan.

They're fair weather. There's a very hardcore, small Phillies fan base.....and then there's people who jump on when they're good. People forget that the attendance numbers at Citizen's Bank BallPark dropped in the years after the opening....Anecdotally, there were plenty of times we could get 10+ tickets to Opening Day. We ended up getting Season Tickets in 07 and by 09/10 they were throwing partial season ticket holders in the Opening Day lotteries. Even in 07 and 08 they were offering extra tickets to ALL of the playoff games to ticket holders.

I respectfully disagree.

In my opinion, just about every fanbase can be considered "fair weathered". Fans will typically show up when the team is good and attendance will drop when the team is bad. The only sport where it's not as prevalent is football. In football, many teams will sell out all of their games regardless of how good or bad they are. In a few years, we'll be talking about how great a basketball town Philly is when currently nobody gives a #### about the team. Philly is a great sports town but certainly has their share of fair weather fans.

I can't say for basketball because I'm not an NBA fan, but I don't know of anyone who was a Phillies fan that no longer is now. Are they going to a bunch of games? Probably not. Will they talk bad about the ownership or team? Probably. But that's because they love their team. I lived in Houston and I don't think Astros fans were the same. I lived in Cincinnati and I would say they were more like Phillies fans.

I'm not saying there are no fair weather fans in Philly. I'm just saying I wouldn't classify Phillies fans as fair weather fans by any sense of the term.

Fair weather doesn't just mean you just throw the team away when they're down and move onto something.......it also means you sit on the back-burner and don't pay attention to it when they're doing poorly or even rebuilding. To that, my Facebook page went from the past 6 years of everyone and their mother commenting nightly on Utley being clutch and Hamels painting the corners to how much they like Big Smo and the ramification of Barry leaving Storage Wars.

I'm not saying that there's a team that has some magical fan base out there that's knocking down the door to get in the stadium during a last place season.....(contrary to what Red Sox fans might say)......but "soft" and moderate fandom for the Phillies in the Delaware Valley has dropped thru the floor in about 6 months.

And I blame on WIP as I think they drive the sports narrative in the region. They went from not talking about baseball , to dopes like Gargano saying "Philly is REALLY a baseball town at heart" to them not blaming the fans for not going to the games.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

There is a grassroots push, led by Warren Cromartie, to bring baseball back to Montreal. A stadium, such as it is, already exists until such time that something new can be built.

They already lost a team once? So what ... D.C. lost its team twice before.

A competent ownership and management group that properly invested in the team/franchise would be well-received, IMHO.

I've been to the Big O. It is completely unusable. Montreal is an awesome city, but you'd have to build a new stadium first in a great location before doing anything else.

It was a shame about the strike season with Pedro, they were rolling.

 

[dgreen]

If the population of the Philadelphia metro area were split in half, each half would be the 18th largest metro area in the country.

Philadelphia more has 25% more people than SF/OAK.

So I think that it is possible, but it's hard to see it as the most advantageous when Charlotte and Portland are 23 and 24 in metro size and they would be the only team there.

#1 New York, NY 15,340,000 #2 Los Angeles, CA 10,609,200 #3 Chicago, IL 7,612,100 #4 San Francisco, CA 6,012,000 #5 Dallas, TX 4,576,700 #6 Philadelphia, PA 4,291,700

Philadelphia has 400k more TVs than SF/OAK/SJ, that's the only thing that counts in 2014.

He said people, not TVs. But thanks for playing.

And he was right. So now you've been wrong twice, wanna try for a third strike ace?

SF market bigger. Note the numbers there chief.

His number was MSA and yours was CSA. In other words, his number excludes San Jose and yours includes San Jose.

 

[Dickie Dunn]

There is a grassroots push, led by Warren Cromartie, to bring baseball back to Montreal. A stadium, such as it is, already exists until such time that something new can be built.

They already lost a team once? So what ... D.C. lost its team twice before.

A competent ownership and management group that properly invested in the team/franchise would be well-received, IMHO.

I've been to the Big O. It is completely unusable. Montreal is an awesome city, but you'd have to build a new stadium first in a great location before doing anything else.

It was a shame about the strike season with Pedro, they were rolling.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I went to the "Big Uh Oh" at least one series a summer for years back in the '90s. Nothing worse than having a gorgeous Montreal afternoon or evening and being stuck indoors in that concrete hellhole. That's the last thing Montrealers want to do when the weather gets nice ... which is why the Jazz Fest, Comedy Fest and anything else that takes place downtown during the summer always brings them out in droves.

But if you're looking for a place to put a team (whether the A's or the Rays or whatever) temporarily while a new stadium is built, Montreal at least has that above any of the other options out there. And the Canadian dollar is in much better shape relative to the U.S. than it was a decade ago.

Of all the crap that went on with the franchise, the Expos still would be there if they could have closed the deal for Labatt Park in that area of downtown. Unfortunately, that land is gone now.

And don't remind me about 1994. I posted about it in the Gwynn thread ... everyone talks about the Expos that season, and rightfully so. But there were tremendous things going on all around baseball that season.