Big Shock: D.C. a bad baseball town

[mojmann]

From today's WaPo:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041402655.html

And this take from the Washington City Paper:

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/04/15/this-just-in-dc-not-a-baseball-town/

Mark my words: One of the biggest mistakes in MLB history was moving the Expos to D.C. And over the next decade, we'll see it play out.

[NewMarketSean]

Move 'em back to Montreal!

[lovetoaster]

I just don't get some league's logic sometimes. Move a basketball team back to Charlotte, move a baseball team back to Washington. And guess what...attendance sucks just like it did before, but only in sparkling new venues.

[wickedwitch]

Mark my words: One of the biggest mistakes in MLB history was moving the Expos to D.C.

Because things were better in Montreal?

[mojmann]

Because things were better in Montreal?

There were other options.

[GeorgiaBird]

Big shock: In both Baltimore and in Washington, it is tough to get people to go out and watch a losing team. Especially in April when it is cold and school is in session.

And before you say "but they should be drawing for the new park like Baltimore did!" I think a lot of time has gone by between when OPACY and this one opened, and a lot of parks have been opened. The novelty of a new park in and of itself is not a draw anymore, especially in a joint-market where people have already experienced a new park.

The most likely outcome is that both Baltimore and Washington will thrive if they can put a competitive product on the field. If that is the biggest mistake in MLB history, MLB is in for a pretty good century!

[mojmann]

Big shock: In both Baltimore and in Washington, it is tough to get people to go out and watch a losing team. Especially in April when it is cold and school is in session.

And before you say "but they should be drawing for the new park like Baltimore did!" I think a lot of time has gone by between when OPACY and this one opened, and a lot of parks have been opened. The novelty of a new park in and of itself is not a draw anymore, especially in a joint-market where people have already experienced a new park.

The most likely outcome is that both Baltimore and Washington will thrive if they can put a competitive product on the field. If that is the biggest mistake in MLB history, MLB is in for a pretty good century!

GeorgiaBird, make sure you have some chamomile tea and turn in early tonight, because your brain needs the rest.

Not to rehash an old argument, but it made no sense to put another team in an existing team's marketing area when other options were clearly on the table. It's a no-brainer.

What are you, a member of the evil media or something?

[GeorgiaBird]

I have a 14 month old. How do you expect me to get sleep?

Moj you are correct it makes no sense to rehash old arguments, especially ones concerning how crummy the Portland market was and how Charlotte was not willing to build a stadium or how Las Vegas would lead to the end of the world because it would be near gambling. Or arguments about how every team that has moved or been created has gone into a team's existing market.

I will say again that it is likely both teams will make it just fine, and the harping about attendance has more to do with Baltimore's inferiority complex than the franchise's long-term prospects. So again if this is the one of the biggest mistakes in MLB history... Members of the media are supposed to be above resorting to hyperbole.

[blueberryale77]

GeorgiaBird, make sure you have some chamomile tea and turn in early tonight, because your brain needs the rest.

Not to rehash an old argument, but it made no sense to put another team in an existing team's marketing area when other options were clearly on the table. It's a no-brainer.

What are you, a member of the evil media or something?

There's more than enough population in and around Baltimore and Washington to support two teams. The region as a whole has several times the population of some major league cities. The problem is that, as you said, DC simply is not a good baseball town. Everybody there who has enough money to attend major sporting events is from somewhere else so if they like the sport they're already going to have a team.

[ledzepp8]

Because things were better in Montreal?

So because things weren't good in Montreal either it justifies moving them to a town that had already lost two teams from lack of support?

[byrdz]

I don't think they have much to complain about, just a bunch of whining. There home attendance is better than the Orioles that are at 27th. Just above the lowly teams Tampa Bay, Florida and Pittsburgh.

Also, the Orioles are second to last overall, ekk!

Source

[lovetoaster]

and how Charlotte was not willing to build a stadium

The funny thing is that now Charlotte seems like they would be willing to build a stadium. Do I think is the smartest thing? No, because I doubt whether the town could sustain it.

But at the time that the Expos were moving, it did not matter what the other markets could offer. That team was heading to D.C.

[byrdz]

There's more than enough population in and around Baltimore and Washington to support two teams. The region as a whole has several times the population of some major league cities. The problem is that, as you said, DC simply is not a good baseball town. Everybody there who has enough money to attend major sporting events is from somewhere else so if they like the sport they're already going to have a team.

It's the same in LA with the NFL. There's just too many other things to do here and college football (USC, UCLA) keeps people happy enough.

[lovetoaster]

IAlso, the Orioles are second to last overall, ekk!

Source

It will get better....the Yankees are coming to town soon.

[BaltimoreTerp]

From today's WaPo:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041402655.html

You have no idea how much I was praying for that to be a Boswell column...