OT: so, baseball coming back again? (All things Fat Cats)

[Inkling]

I heard something about Bingo was moving to Ottawa, with another team moving into Bingo. Doesn't really make any sense to me, why doesn't the other team just move to Ottawa? lol

The rumour is that the team would be replaced with a lower level team (single A), with the double A team going to Ottawa.

The Citizen mentions that Erie might be the candidate. Erie and Bingo have the lowest attendance in the Eastern League. Bingo just renewed their affiliation with the Mets, so it doesn't look like them. It could be announced as early as next month according to the Citizen article, but that means a lame-duck season in wherever it currently plays (but might provide a good roadtrip opportunity for Ottawa ball fans).

 

[Canadian91]

The rumour is that the team would be replaced with a lower level team (single A), with the double A team going to Ottawa.

The Citizen mentions that Erie might be the candidate. Erie and Bingo have the lowest attendance in the Eastern League. Bingo just renewed their affiliation with the Mets, so it doesn't look like them. It could be announced as early as next month according to the Citizen article, but that means a lame-duck season in wherever it currently plays (but might provide a good roadtrip opportunity for Ottawa ball fans).

All this seems bizzare. Why would they be talking about relocating teams if there isn't even an owner yet?

 

[McManked]

I thought there was an owner...

 

[Canadian91]

I thought there was an owner...

Until they've announced it, I'm not believing it. They can say that they have one all they want.. doesn't really mean much until the identity is revealed and there's an official announcement.

 

[FuriousSenator]

Exciting times for the Ottawa sports scene these days. Let's pray some loser group like Friends of Lansdowne doesn't try to block this too....

 

[FuriousSenator]

Great news everyone.

I have it on good authority that Ottawa will be getting the Jays' AA franchise in Binghampton to start play in 2014!

Also, plans for the redeveloped stadium include a brand new video scoreboard, as well as a video board overlooking the highway which will display advertisements and team news.

 

[Ski]

Great news everyone.

I have it on good authority that Ottawa will be getting the Jays' AA franchise in Binghampton to start play in 2014!

 

[McManked]

Great news everyone.

I have it on good authority that Ottawa will be getting the Jays' AA franchise in Binghampton to start play in 2014!

Also, plans for the redeveloped stadium include a brand new video scoreboard, as well as a video board overlooking the highway which will display advertisements and team news.

I'm assuming you mean New Hampshire, in which case I have to ask who your source is, considering they just signed (I believe) a 3 year deal through 2015 to stay in New Hampshire.

EDIT: Maybe it was 2014...

Ski, calm down, it's just a mistake.

That said, I applaud you for being the best freaking defender of their team that you could possibly have.

 

[FuriousSenator]

Sorry my mistake I meant New Hampshire! I had the bing sens on the mind when I was typing.

Can't mention the source right now as it is all under wraps. Stay tuned.

 

[McManked]

Sorry my mistake I meant New Hampshire! I had the bing sens on the mind when I was typing.

Can't mention the source right now as it is all under wraps. Stay tuned.

But you're saying that the team will somehow be the Blue Jays affiliate even though the teams supposed to come into effect one year before the affiliation with the Fisher Cats expire?

 

[Canadian91]

Great news everyone.

I have it on good authority that Ottawa will be getting the Jays' AA franchise in Binghampton to start play in 2014!

Also, plans for the redeveloped stadium include a brand new video scoreboard, as well as a video board overlooking the highway which will display advertisements and team news.

I've also heard from a source that another team (NOT the Jays) will be coming in and that it'll be announced in the coming weeks. So you really can't believe anything you hear right now until it's official.

 

[BonkTastic]

Well, MY source says we are going to field a team full of robots, who will play against teams of humans and cyborgs. If the robots win, they eat the other team; if the human/cyborg team win, they get to dismantle the robots and rebuild them as cars, cell phones, and erotic massage instruments.


I guess we'll just have to wait and find out whose "sources" are right...

 

[McManked]

I have a guy who works with the city that has confirmed with me that hot dogs will be available at the concessions. No word yet on peanuts or cracker jacks.

 

[Canadian91]

See, that's how you should approach people saying they have sources. I do, but even I don't know if they'll be right.

 

[mianjo]

Fat Cats kicked out of Ottawa Stadium. Fat Cats likely finished.

http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/09/18/fat-cats-booted-out-of-ottawa-stadium

 

[DrEasy]

Fat Cats kicked out of Ottawa Stadium. Fat Cats likely finished.

http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/09/18/fat-cats-booted-out-of-ottawa-stadium

Victims of their own relative success? They showed that baseball in Ottawa can work, and now we're aiming to have a AA team.

 

[SENSfreak_03]

That's kinda bush, if the Riders here can play games around renovations at Mosaic, I think independent league ball can make it work too.

 

[BonkTastic]

IMO, the Fat Cats should feel lucky they got to play in a AAA-quality complex. The only reason the team existed in the first place is because we happen to have a beautiful yet unused field to play on for so long, that the rent was dirt cheap and there was no other baseball competition.

It's like, if I go out of town for a year, and let a friend stay in my house while I'm gone, it doesn't mean he gets to continue living there once I get back.

There are lots of ballparks in Ottawa. I'd love to see the city invest into putting in 2000-3000 seats around an existing rec field, like maybe one of the Brewer Park fields, or the ones at the RA center. Having a 2nd ballpark with a 2-3k capacity would really give baseball in this city a boost, and would allow the Fat Cats to stay if they wanted (though, with AA ball coming to town, I can't see any scenario in which they can successfully survive, whether they have a place to play or not).

 

[Inkling]

There are lots of ballparks in Ottawa. I'd love to see the city invest into putting in 2000-3000 seats around an existing rec field, like maybe one of the Brewer Park fields, or the ones at the RA center. Having a 2nd ballpark with a 2-3k capacity would really give baseball in this city a boost, and would allow the Fat Cats to stay if they wanted (though, with AA ball coming to town, I can't see any scenario in which they can successfully survive, whether they have a place to play or not).

Yes, I don't understand why this wouldn't be possible. Most IBL teams play to crowds in the hundreds, the Fat Cats were an anomaly. I'm not sure why temporary seating couldn't be possible at some other diamond around the city. It kind of saps the momentum of baseball when you're going an entire season without anything before the alleged 'AA' team gets here in 2014.

 

[SENSfreak_03]

Would the idea of of AA seem more possible without the Fat Cats huge success though? I think they are owed something, at Ottawa Stadium or somewhere else.

More sports in town the better.

 

[chrewilson]

Yes, I don't understand why this wouldn't be possible. Most IBL teams play to crowds in the hundreds, the Fat Cats were an anomaly. I'm not sure why temporary seating couldn't be possible at some other diamond around the city. It kind of saps the momentum of baseball when you're going an entire season without anything before the alleged 'AA' team gets here in 2014.

The thing with the Fat Cats is, they needed to make that much more money than other teams because they had to pay for teams coming in accommodations and partial meals. If they had the same attendance as other teams in the league they would not be around.

 

[McManked]

Would the idea of of AA seem more possible without the Fat Cats huge success though? I think they are owed something, at Ottawa Stadium or somewhere else.

More sports in town the better.

While I DO think they do deserve a lot of praise, in this business you're not going to get a beautiful package. Something new has come along, a better product, and if the ownership can keep prices relatively low, I (along with many other people) would much rather spend their night watching potential MLB players than 29 year olds who spend their days working in an office.

 

[chrewilson]

IMO, the Fat Cats should feel lucky they got to play in a AAA-quality complex. The only reason the team existed in the first place is because we happen to have a beautiful yet unused field to play on for so long, that the rent was dirt cheap and there was no other baseball competition.

It's like, if I go out of town for a year, and let a friend stay in my house while I'm gone, it doesn't mean he gets to continue living there once I get back.

There are lots of ballparks in Ottawa. I'd love to see the city invest into putting in 2000-3000 seats around an existing rec field, like maybe one of the Brewer Park fields, or the ones at the RA center. Having a 2nd ballpark with a 2-3k capacity would really give baseball in this city a boost, and would allow the Fat Cats to stay if they wanted (though, with AA ball coming to town, I can't see any scenario in which they can successfully survive, whether they have a place to play or not).

This would work, only if it gets filled. If they only get 500-1000 people to each game, it may not be enough financially to support the team. I don't see the city doing it though.

 

[Inkling]

The thing with the Fat Cats is, they needed to make that much more money than other teams because they had to pay for teams coming in accommodations and partial meals. If they had the same attendance as other teams in the league they would not be around.

Too bad the IBL couldn't have also attracted teams from Kingston, Cornwall, Belleville etc. so it wouldn't just be Southern Ontario teams and Ottawa, all alone in the eastern 'hinterlands'.

 

[Canadian91]

I'd love to see the city invest into putting in 2000-3000 seats around an existing rec field, like maybe one of the Brewer Park fields, or the ones at the RA center. Having a 2nd ballpark with a 2-3k capacity would really give baseball in this city a boost, and would allow the Fat Cats to stay if they wanted (though, with AA ball coming to town, I can't see any scenario in which they can successfully survive, whether they have a place to play or not).

I'd love to see this happen. Problem is that the Fat Cats won't do it, because it apparently won't work. If they start to run themselves like an IBL team, they'd definitely be able to survive.

Another problem is that the city wants nothing to do with the Fat Cats. They've dumped them in the trash.