Between the Marlins and Rays, Major League Baseball has a serious Florida problem

Melrose Munch

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Mar 18, 2007
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Weird how the only team that can draw consistently in the Florida market is a team playing a sport that in theory has no business being in the Florida area. (Lightning) Probably helps their barn is smack dab in the middle of downtown Tampa.

the MLB had a golden chance with the Marlins when that Cuban dude came forward as a interested buyer. Loved by the Cuban community in the area, had a passion for baseball and most importantly, had a metric ****ton of money to the point he could have easily bought the team and then actually pumped money into it to make the Marlins relevant.

Instead, they picked a bunch of schmucks who offered a slightly higher bid (despite needing a small army to assemble the needed cash) because of "muh Jeter figurehead."

Not to say Jeter's at fault for anything with the Stanton deal or anything, this is all on the MLB.
I think the 90's flooding of expansion teams was a mistake. People talk about hockey in Florida, but the Dolphins had blackouts, and so did the Bucs and Jags. The heat drew pretty bad until Wade was drafted.
 
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Howboutthempanthers

Thread killer.
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Sep 11, 2012
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I think the 90's flooding of expansion teams was a mistake. People talk about hockey in Florida, but the Dolphins had blackouts, and so did the Bucs and Jags. The heat drew pretty bad until Wade was drafted.
Well, that's not a coincidence. He and Riley and Arison also brought a lot of winning with them. Thus is the answer for this thread on why the Marlins struggle, and the Panthers. That Heat success could have been the Marlins or the Panthers if they had once had a good owner like Arison. Simple.
 

KevFu

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May 22, 2009
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Phoenix from Rochester via New Orleans
1994, the year every Expos fan likes to tell us is the one that killed the franchise because they were World Series contenders and the strike cancelled the season, 19th of 28 teams in attendance.

The Expos were going to have 29 of the final 48 games at home when the strike hit. They had played more road games than anyone in baseball before the strike.

June 27 to strike: 34,207 average attendance.
So all those people who said "Ok, this team is for real" bought tickets for the stretch run... and the season got canceled.
 
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Fenway

HF Bookie and Bruins Historian
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We are coming to a head on this. Eventually people will stop going and TV ratings will drop, what then? @Fenway @KevFu.


Rays TV generates decent ratings but getting people to go to the park is problematic. One big issue in St Pete is the population close to the stadium is very low compared to most markets.
 

Blitzkrug

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Dan LeBetard just made Manfred look like a damn fool in regards to the Marlins.

Manfred plainly stated that he allowed the sale of a $1.1 BILLION DOLLAR FRANCHISE and was completely unaware of what the new ownership's plan was for its payroll and players. Gives further credence to the the fact they sold to the Sherman group just because Jeter was involved.

Good job, MLB.
 
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Melrose Munch

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Mar 18, 2007
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The owners will still be making a buttload of money.
Since we both know attendance doesn't matter, the Rays moving to Montreal should not be a big deal then.
Rays TV generates decent ratings but getting people to go to the park is problematic. One big issue in St Pete is the population close to the stadium is very low compared to most markets.
So do they expect to get a new stadium deal when they make moves like this?
 

Voight

#winning
Feb 8, 2012
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It's the Giants fault the Rays even exist.

Everything wrong with baseball is the Giants fault.

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Dan LeBetard just made Manfred look like a damn fool in regards to the Marlins.

Manfred plainly stated that he allowed the sale of a $1.1 BILLION DOLLAR FRANCHISE and was completely unaware of what the new ownership's plan was for its payroll and players. Gives further credence to the the fact they sold to the Sherman group just because Jeter was involved.

Good job, MLB.

Came here to post this :laugh:
 
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Blitzkrug

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I agree. I feel like Montreal's name only comes up as often as it does because of the lack of thinking on people calling for teams to move.

Montreal comes to mind because they're a former major league city, so people just assume it would work over somewhere else. Even i have to admit i can't think of a city to put the Rays (for example) if they were to move besides Montreal.
 
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Melrose Munch

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Mar 18, 2007
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I don't give a **** either way.
Fair enough.

i really think people need to move on from montreal.

I agree. I feel like Montreal's name only comes up as often as it does because of the lack of thinking on people calling for teams to move.

Montreal comes to mind because they're a former major league city, so people just assume it would work over somewhere else. Even i have to admit i can't think of a city to put the Rays (for example) if they were to move besides Montreal.
it's a whole bunch of incomplete "remember when"s

rick monday broke your heart and the mlb owners ripped it out of your body. we know. the moment is long gone.
It's the league office's fault, they keep mentioning them.

I do think a new Tampa ballpark would solve a lot of issues, but 850 million is too much...
 

Bjorn Le

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May 17, 2010
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Rays TV generates decent ratings but getting people to go to the park is problematic. One big issue in St Pete is the population close to the stadium is very low compared to most markets.

Their territory is also not small. The value of their TV contract/advertising costs would matter more but the first still has its flaws and the second is obviously not public.

I agree. I feel like Montreal's name only comes up as often as it does because of the lack of thinking on people calling for teams to move.

Montreal comes to mind because they're a former major league city, so people just assume it would work over somewhere else. Even i have to admit i can't think of a city to put the Rays (for example) if they were to move besides Montreal.

Montreal keeps coming up because Manfred publicallly views it as an expansion target and there is almost certainly an ownership group in the city working towards getting a team. It’s legitimate, it’s not just non-salient reasons.
 

SSF

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Oct 5, 2017
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except that was a lie, each potential ownership group had to present to owners their plan for payroll. Marlins plan as submitted in their purchase plan was to have payroll at $85M.
 

Del Preston

Registered User
Mar 8, 2013
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Dan LeBetard just made Manfred look like a damn fool in regards to the Marlins.

Manfred plainly stated that he allowed the sale of a $1.1 BILLION DOLLAR FRANCHISE and was completely unaware of what the new ownership's plan was for its payroll and players. Gives further credence to the the fact they sold to the Sherman group just because Jeter was involved.

Good job, MLB.
Full segment:

 
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Blackhawkswincup

RIP Fugu
Jun 24, 2007
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Manfred makes me miss Bud Selig

What an ass and props to LeBatard for going after him and showing just how disgusting the MLB actions with regard to Marlins situation have been
 
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Blitzkrug

Registered User
Sep 17, 2013
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Winnipeg
God damn, LeBetard didn't waste anytime jumping down his throat.

A bit unprofessional, but given the guy's love for the Miami area i can't say i really blame him. Especially when Manfred didn't exactly act professional either.
 
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