I'm for baseball to take place in Tampa and Miami.
But just basically 40 games a piece in each place.
Or maybe not Tampa Bay - St. Petersburg at all.
We could leave Tampa out altogether. Allow 20 games in Jacksonville OR Orlando, which are 150 plus miles apart. Let them fight for the new "resort" 35k seat stadium on the east coast. Combat dismal attendance figures.
Jacksonville to Miami is probably a better way to wrap your arms around the state's embrace.
It's a 350 mile stretch. Not 200 miles from the west gulf bay to Jacksonville's dock
Although necessary because of a Tampa brand being introduced in-state, I think the Miami moniker was folly. And full-time baseball in Tampa is proving to be a mistake anyway. Maybe except for when the Yankees or Mets would be in town so the transplants and snowbirds can have a good time on the Gulf. Miami's gate is nothing to brag about either.
Make the Florida Marlins brand stronger. Rays? I don't care. Florida Whatevers.
Given the state's lineage in the Grapefruit League it is probably the best inaugural shot at a travel team (regional team) representing a bigger area in Major League Baseball.
Once proven successful, then the Angels could go back to their surname and co-locate in Sacramento or even Oakland if the A's leave their bay (and bring West Coast Athletics love to Portland and Las Vegas). The Rangers in San Antonio also and more baseball love given to more of America. In basketball wouldn't you want the Golden State Warriors to spend time in San Diego if you were San Diego? Couldn't the West Coast Clippers split time with Seattle? See where I'm going with this?
But weak attendance in major league Florida could be improved and the gate more of an actual event in a market with many open air choices. At least air out of the dome from time to time.
Spread the love out to more of the state:
thebaseballhaven.mlblogs.com/2014/05/29/is-it-time-for-expansion-in-mlb-major-league-baseball-expansion/
See more expansion, co-location and relocation talk for football, baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer on my blog (starting in Feb 2014, see table of contents/archive): Major League/Pro Expansion <CLICK> http://prosportsexpansion.blogspot.com/
And please feel free to contribute your two cents with mine.
No comments:
Post a Comment