OT: MLB commish - Las Vegas being considered for expansion team

[LadyStanley]

MLB commissioner says Las Vegas being considered for an expansion team

Wow. Could be major league season stop/game for all top leagues.


Have to think that any MLB arena would need to be indoors due to summer temps.

Click to read more...

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Rumors of MLB being interested in Vegas have been around for quite a while, so I can't say that I'm surprised (other than in the fact that they'd be the third team to get there after the NHL and NFL if MLB hurried up, so that's turning an untapped market into a probable over-saturated market).

That being said, it's really all about the ballpark. Consider it the field of dreams, if a market builds it or finances it, MLB will come. If Vegas built an MLB park, they'd be the top dog for an expansion team, but the same would be said for Vancouver or Montreal or Nashville or Albuquerque or Charlotte or Portland or OKC or a bunch of other cities.

 

[Burke the Legend]

Rumors of MLB being interested in Vegas have been around for quite a while, so I can't say that I'm surprised (other than in the fact that they'd be the third team to get there after the NHL and NFL if MLB hurried up, so that's turning an untapped market into a probable over-saturated market).

That being said, it's really all about the ballpark. Consider it the field of dreams, if a market builds it or finances it, MLB will come. If Vegas built an MLB park, they'd be the top dog for an expansion team, but the same would be said for Vancouver or Montreal or Nashville or Albuquerque or Charlotte or Portland or OKC or a bunch of other cities.

Manfred has repeatedly stated they do not expect any prospective MLB city to build a ballpark before they're awarded a team.

 

[StreetHawk]

Manfred has repeatedly stated they do not expect any prospective MLB city to build a ballpark before they're awarded a team.

No kidding. A baseball stadium is pretty specific. At least the sprint center in KC and videotron in QC can host other events despite not having a major sports tenant.

Ditto the Alamo dome in SA to a lesser extent.

 

[beenhereandthere]

A positive no go until a climate control stadium is actually built. A temporary stadium would be a disaster there, since, the summer weather is too brutal.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Vegas is in the process of building Las Vegas Ballpark in Summerlin to replace the 35-year old Cashman Field. At present the new park is set to open in 2019, but I've no idea if it could be expanded into being an MLB-ready park (and doubtful it could be converted into a climate controlled park).

One other aspect to consider in MLB is that if MLB expands by just a single team, Minor League Baseball would have to expand by at least 4 or likely 5 new teams (similarly two teams would require an MiLB expansion of 8-10 teams) and that's not counting finding a new market for any extant MiLB teams that get displaced. If, for instance, Vegas becomes an expansion team, a market would have to be found for the Vegas 51s to relocate to AND a market would need to be found for Vegas's full season affiliates.

 

[KevFu]

One other aspect to consider in MLB is that if MLB expands by just a single team, Minor League Baseball would have to expand by at least 4 or likely 5 new teams (similarly two teams would require an MiLB expansion of 8-10 teams) and that's not counting finding a new market for any extant MiLB teams that get displaced. If, for instance, Vegas becomes an expansion team, a market would have to be found for the Vegas 51s to relocate to AND a market would need to be found for Vegas's full season affiliates.

I get what you're saying RE minors. But wanted to point out that baseball can't expand by just one, like the NHL, NBA and NFL can. They HAVE to expand by two teams at a time.

The motive behind Manfred's pro-expansion agenda is ease of scheduling. It's difficult to match up the right teams to play the one interleague series always going on in MLB, because there's 15 teams in each league. With 32 teams, it's so much easier.

He didn't just mention Vegas: "Portland, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Nashville in the United States, certainly Montreal, maybe Vancouver, in Canada."


The Montreal Expos are in a situation similar to Quebec. MLB is more than willing to welcome them with open arms... but they need a partner. It’s an open secret Montreal is team #31.


Nashville is interesting. They’d be the ideal choice from a “how do we align this thing? standpoint, because they can slot in based on what everyone wants very easily into either league’s Central, East or South.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

I get what you're saying RE minors. But wanted to point out that baseball can't expand by just one, like the NHL, NBA and NFL can. They HAVE to expand by two teams at a time.

The motive behind Manfred's pro-expansion agenda is ease of scheduling. It's difficult to match up the right teams to play the one interleague series always going on in MLB, because there's 15 teams in each league. With 32 teams, it's so much easier.

He didn't just mention Vegas: "Portland, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Nashville in the United States, certainly Montreal, maybe Vancouver, in Canada."


The Montreal Expos are in a situation similar to Quebec. MLB is more than willing to welcome them with open arms... but they need a partner. It’s an open secret Montreal is team #31.


Nashville is interesting. They’d be the ideal choice from a “how do we align this thing? standpoint, because they can slot in based on what everyone wants very easily into either league’s Central, East or South.

Oh, I know, Kev, but just pointing out that even a 1-team expansion would require, in truth, more than that as baseball's minor league system is deeper than the NHL's. As for the rest of Manfred's list:

Portland - Needs a park, currently in the design phase of one. Lost their Triple-A team in 2010 when their park was converted to being a soccer-only facility. Market is currently served by the Short Season-A Hillsboro Hops. Since they're not a full season team they could relocate somewhere else in teh Northwest League's footprint (WA, OR, ID, BC) or simply go dark.

Las Vegas - As mentioned earlier - building a new stadium

Charlotte - Would need a new park as the 4-year old BB&T Ballpark is too small to be an MLB facility (10,200 seats) and can't be converted into one. Home of the Triple-A Charlotte Knights - Knights would have to relocate to another city in the International League's footprint

Nashville - I'm not sure if the 3-year old First Tennessee Park can be converted or not. Home of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds- Sounds would have to relocate to another city in the Pacific Coast League's footprint

Montreal, I'm sure has been well discussed - they'd need a new park but there'd be no MiLB ramifications other than an expansion

Vancouver - Needs a park. Formerly a Triple-A market but they lost the Triple-A Canadians to Sacramento, CA. Currently home of the Short Season-A Vancouver Canadians. Since they're not a full season team, they could relocate somewhere else in the Northwest League footprint (WA, OR, ID, BC) or simply go dark.

 

[StreetHawk]

Oh, I know, Kev, but just pointing out that even a 1-team expansion would require, in truth, more than that as baseball's minor league system is deeper than the NHL's. As for the rest of Manfred's list:

Portland - Needs a park, currently in the design phase of one. Lost their Triple-A team in 2010 when their park was converted to being a soccer-only facility. Market is currently served by the Short Season-A Hillsboro Hops. Since they're not a full season team they could relocate somewhere else in teh Northwest League's footprint (WA, OR, ID, BC) or simply go dark.

Las Vegas - As mentioned earlier - building a new stadium

Charlotte - Would need a new park as the 4-year old BB&T Ballpark is too small to be an MLB facility (10,200 seats) and can't be converted into one. Home of the Triple-A Charlotte Knights - Knights would have to relocate to another city in the International League's footprint

Nashville - I'm not sure if the 3-year old First Tennessee Park can be converted or not. Home of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds- Sounds would have to relocate to another city in the Pacific Coast League's footprint

Montreal, I'm sure has been well discussed - they'd need a new park but there'd be no MiLB ramifications other than an expansion

Vancouver - Needs a park. Formerly a Triple-A market but they lost the Triple-A Canadians to Sacramento, CA. Currently home of the Short Season-A Vancouver Canadians. Since they're not a full season team, they could relocate somewhere else in the Northwest League footprint (WA, OR, ID, BC) or simply go dark.

As a vancouverite I don’t see where they could build a stadium. It has to be convenient for people to get to 81 times a year. And there is really no real estate near where Rogers arena and bc place stadium are to house a baseball field. Even the rest of Vancouver around the downtown is very limited plus the price for land is outrageous now. A chevron gas station sold over a year ago for like $70 million. A baseball stadium is how many times the size of a gas station? It will be in excess of a billion dollars to buy land them build a stadium. And that’s before buying a team.

 

[LadyStanley]

Maybe they'll build a new island/pier for Vancouver?

 

[nickp91]

So if the MLB maybe expanding to Portland, can we also do Las Vegas cause the golden knights said that they are now a sports city and they have a great fan base

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Oh, I know, Kev, but just pointing out that even a 1-team expansion would require, in truth, more than that as baseball's minor league system is deeper than the NHL's. As for the rest of Manfred's list:

Portland - Needs a park, currently in the design phase of one. Lost their Triple-A team in 2010 when their park was converted to being a soccer-only facility. Market is currently served by the Short Season-A Hillsboro Hops. Since they're not a full season team they could relocate somewhere else in teh Northwest League's footprint (WA, OR, ID, BC) or simply go dark.

Las Vegas - As mentioned earlier - building a new stadium

Charlotte - Would need a new park as the 4-year old BB&T Ballpark is too small to be an MLB facility (10,200 seats) and can't be converted into one. Home of the Triple-A Charlotte Knights - Knights would have to relocate to another city in the International League's footprint

Nashville - I'm not sure if the 3-year old First Tennessee Park can be converted or not. Home of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds- Sounds would have to relocate to another city in the Pacific Coast League's footprint

Montreal, I'm sure has been well discussed - they'd need a new park but there'd be no MiLB ramifications other than an expansion

Vancouver - Needs a park. Formerly a Triple-A market but they lost the Triple-A Canadians to Sacramento, CA. Currently home of the Short Season-A Vancouver Canadians. Since they're not a full season team, they could relocate somewhere else in the Northwest League footprint (WA, OR, ID, BC) or simply go dark.

NASHVILLE also has the Predators, Titans, and Tennessee to go against, not to mention Nashville SC is set to begin in MLS in the next few years

 

[Cacciaguida]

perhaps if Nashville isn't a viable spot for MLB, perhaps Memphis could hostthe MLB team and Nashville could be their AAA team?

 

[crobro]

As a vancouverite I don’t see where they could build a stadium. It has to be convenient for people to get to 81 times a year. And there is really no real estate near where Rogers arena and bc place stadium are to house a baseball field. Even the rest of Vancouver around the downtown is very limited plus the price for land is outrageous now. A chevron gas station sold over a year ago for like $70 million. A baseball stadium is how many times the size of a gas station? It will be in excess of a billion dollars to buy land them build a stadium. And that’s before buying a team.

Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot still owns the land proposed for a whitecaps stadium next to the Seabus station

It’s very similar to Seattle and San Francisco’s locations for Major league Ballparks

I can’t think of. A better location available in Vancouver

 

[HisIceness]

Should MLB even consider expanding in the first place? Seems like the league has more than enough teams as it is.

And I've said it before but let me say it again. No way no how to an MLB team in Charlotte. Think the two Florida teams are struggling? Charlotte would be worse.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

perhaps if Nashville isn't a viable spot for MLB, perhaps Memphis could hostthe MLB team and Nashville could be their AAA team?

Memphis is smaller and much less affluent. If Nashville isn't going to work, neither is Memphis.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

How about Austin, Texas? It’s a vibrant, young city with no sports teams of its own. Think Spurs are about 80 miles away but that’s the closest.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

perhaps if Nashville isn't a viable spot for MLB, perhaps Memphis could hostthe MLB team and Nashville could be their AAA team?

How about Austin, Texas? It’s a vibrant, young city with no sports teams of its own. Think Spurs are about 80 miles away but that’s the closest.

Both Memphis and Austin already host Triple-A teams, so you'd run into the issue of having to further find new markets for Triple-A to make up for the loss of either of those two markets. I'm also not sure if AutoZone Park and the Dell Diamond could be expanded so each market might need a new park.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Both Memphis and Austin already host Triple-A teams, so you'd run into the issue of having to further find new markets for Triple-A to make up for the loss of either of those two markets. I'm also not sure if AutoZone Park and the Dell Diamond could be expanded so each market might need a new park.

The fact of the matter is the only city in America without an MLB team that can, stadium wise, host one right away is Omaha.

Anywhere else you will have to build a new stadium.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

The fact of the matter is the only city in America without an MLB team that can, stadium wise, host one right away is Omaha.

Anywhere else you will have to build a new stadium.

And the problem in Omaha is, again, you'd have to find a new Triple-A market as the Storm Chasers would have to move elsewhere (assuming that Warner Field is close enough to TD Ameritrade Park to violate the perimeter rule) AND the MLB team would have to deal with a 16-18 day long away swing during the College World Series. The length of that away trip was one of the reasons the Royals/Storm Chasers chose to go their own and go out to Sarpy County when a successor to Rosenblatt was being planned out rather than go to TD Ameritrade as well.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

And the problem in Omaha is, again, you'd have to find a new Triple-A market as the Storm Chasers would have to move elsewhere (assuming that Warner Field is close enough to TD Ameritrade Park to violate the perimeter rule) AND the MLB team would have to deal with a 16-18 day long away swing during the College World Series. The length of that away trip was one of the reasons the Royals/Storm Chasers chose to go their own and go out to Sarpy County when a successor to Rosenblatt was being planned out rather than go to TD Ameritrade as well.

Who cares about finding a new Triple A market?

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Who cares about finding a new Triple A market?

Uh...baseball on the whole? You can't have an MLB team without a Triple-A affiliate. Unlike hockey, baseball is locked into each MLB team having full farm systems - each MLB team has 1 Triple-A team, 1 Double-A team, 1 Advanced-A team, and 1 Low-A team as well as a team at either (or both) the Short Season-A and/or Advanced Rookie levels.

If MLB moves into Omaha, the Storm Chasers would have to find somewhere else to go for KC to have a Triple-A affiliate AND the new Omaha MLB team would have to find a Triple-A market as well.

 

[SkalbaniasGhost]

The fact of the matter is the only city in America without an MLB team that can, stadium wise, host one right away is Omaha.

Anywhere else you will have to build a new stadium.

Market has played host to MLB exhibition games for several years now.
Is it perfect? No
Functional for temporary use? Yes

They were unable to host for 2018 because of the NCAA Final Four.
Manfred was in town that weekend to meet with local officials.
MLB team in San Antonio? Commissioner would like to see it

They have group ready.They are figuring out location and financing for stadium.
This plays a key part in leveraging both Arizona and Oakland.
You will have your answers by next August.MLB will not wait any longer
for both Oakland and Tampa.They want that expansion money.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Market has played host to MLB exhibition games for several years now.
Is it perfect? No
Functional for temporary use? Yes

They were unable to host for 2018 because of the NCAA Final Four.
Manfred was in town that weekend to meet with local officials.
MLB team in San Antonio? Commissioner would like to see it

They have group ready.They are figuring out location and financing for stadium.
This plays a key part in leveraging both Arizona and Oakland.
You will have your answers by next August.MLB will not wait any longer
for both Oakland and Tampa.They want that expansion money.

Ok...but they still have to build a baseball stadium.

 

[KevFu]

None of them have a stadium, and that's not a "big deal." No one NEEDS an MLB sized stadium until they get an MLB team.

A number of minor league cities have built stadiums that are "half MLB stadiums," where there's not much beyond the OF fence and they could conceivably erect something out there to reach MLB average level in a hurry, while they build an actual MLB stadium.

Should MLB even consider expanding in the first place? Seems like the league has more than enough teams as it is.

And I've said it before but let me say it again. No way no how to an MLB team in Charlotte. Think the two Florida teams are struggling? Charlotte would be worse.

MLB "needs" to expand because 30 teams and 15 in each league is just silly, bad and unnecessarily complicated.

Most fans would agree that the talent level hit the point of "Not enough to go around" with the 1998 expansion.

But baseball didn't decide to go to 30 because it was good business... Tampa was irate after getting jerked around THREE TIMES and stuck with an empty MLB stadium they just built. So their Congressmen declared war on MLB's anti-trust exemption. MLB gave them an expansion team to shut them up, and Arizona's owner said "Sure, I'll buy an expansion team but ONLY IF we're in the National League."

All kinds of silly problems can be traced to the Tampa situation as the root cause. MLB wants Montreal back, wants a configuration that's easy to schedule, and so they need a 32nd.