Expansion/Realignment

[VaBird1]

22 minutes ago, Todd-O said:

I actually think we are headed to a future of teams that split time between towns.  You think it's any mistake that the Rays are being discussed as a split team?

Games are unaffordable... but the burden would lessened while demand would be heightened if a team split home games between two cities.  It might be the only way for a team like Baltimore to survive going forward.

Like the Orioles could could half their games in Baltimore and half in DC?

[spiritof66]

48 minutes ago, Todd-O said:

I actually think we are headed to a future of teams that split time between towns.  You think it's any mistake that the Rays are being discussed as a split team?

Games are unaffordable... but the burden would lessened while demand would be heightened if a team split home games between two cities.  It might be the only way for a team like Baltimore to survive going forward.

It's pretty clear to me that splitting Rays games between Tampa and Montreal has been brought up not because anyone has any intention of implementing that arrangement, but as yet another effort to put some pressure on the cities and counties involved in the Tampa stadium impasse.

I can't imagine the proposal would help the Rays' bottom line much, if at all. You might sell more tickets -- though you might sell fewer, depending on fans' receptiveness -- but you would have to double up on a lot of expenses. A sharing by two nearby cities, like Baltimore and Washington or San Francisco and Oakland, might work, but I don't see it in any other circumstance. 

I think it's more likely that teams with bad attendance will play a few home games in cities seeking to be awarded franchise franchises.

[DrungoHazewood]

2 hours ago, spiritof66 said:

Well, that's thinking outside the box, all right.

Why would you impose this on the NYYs and RS but not on the Dodgers?

Spite.

[DrungoHazewood]

1 hour ago, Todd-O said:

I actually think we are headed to a future of teams that split time between towns.  You think it's any mistake that the Rays are being discussed as a split team?

Games are unaffordable... but the burden would lessened while demand would be heightened if a team split home games between two cities.  It might be the only way for a team like Baltimore to survive going forward.

What are the advantages of a split city team?  What burden would be lessened?  You'd have two $500M or $1B stadiums to support with half the revenues.  How would this be any cheaper?  Sure season tickets would be half as expensive, but for half the number of games.   You could just buy a 40-game plan instead.

And baseball is cheaper than football, basketball, or hockey.  Maybe even cheaper than soccer in the US.  You can go to an O's game for like $15.  Can you find an NFL, NBA, NHL, or MLS ticket for twice that?

The only advantages I see to splitting cities is leverage.  Teams and leagues can leverage concessions out of cities once they've proven that there is a viable relocation candidate.  Just like they did in the 1980s when Tampa's stadium was built - it was a ready made extortion device.  Build me a new Comiskey or a new Candlestick Park or I'm moving to that wonderful new dome in Tampa.