Charlotte is a less viable option than Raleigh even given it's already over saturated in pro sports for it's income/population.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3931425

IMO, this seals the Oakland A's will eventually be leaving Northern California... There is just no fanbase and no city wants them.

What legitimate cities could they move to?

Las Vegas, Tidewater area, Portland...

2/25/2009 4:21:34 PM

Bad time for any team to be on the move...especially the A's.

And not Las Vegas. Selig would rather have a pineapple shoved up his ass than deal with that shitstorm.

2/25/2009 4:24:34 PM

St. Louis

2/25/2009 4:29:03 PM

Vegas is the only market that could support a baseball team

Selig, the douchebag that he is, will never let that happen, though

--

CSAs in the top 25 without a team:

Orlando (17) 2,693,552
Sacramento (19) 2,397,691
Charlotte (20) 2,277,074
Indianapolis (23) 2,014,267
Columbus (24) 1,982,252
Las Vegas (25) 1,880,449

[Edited on February 25, 2009 at 4:40 PM. Reason : ]

2/25/2009 4:30:36 PM

hahaha, the video worked!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlTvSUCCqPo

[Edited on February 25, 2009 at 4:47 PM. Reason : at least the "not moving to fremont" part.]

2/25/2009 4:46:30 PM

there's a reason why Vegas doesn't have a pro sports franchise

2/25/2009 4:48:47 PM

move em to sacramento

or at least keep them out west

as much as i would love pro baseball in NC, its not a viable option

2/25/2009 5:02:27 PM

I thought they were already building a stadium in Freemont

And as much as I'd like it to happen, I know Charlotte couldn't support an MLB team for the next 10 years at least

Sure we might sell out a weekend series vs the Yanks

but we'll be lucky to get 10,000 for a Tuesday nighter vs KC

2/25/2009 5:24:13 PM

as a long time A's fan and NC native, I would love to see them come here.

Word on all the A's boards is San Jose will get them (they wont leave the West Coast at least for AL West reasons)

2/25/2009 6:42:13 PM

Good waste of $24M.. If they were anywhere in NC I would probably go see a dozen or so games a year, no matter how bad the A's suck.

2/25/2009 9:42:48 PM

Quote :

"Las Vegas, Tidewater area, Portland..."

NO WAY the seven cities (tidewater) get a pro team. last time MLB was there they took one ride around the 64 and laughed their asses right back to the home office.

scratch nofuck off the list

2/25/2009 9:44:20 PM

Quote :

"no matter how bad the A's suck."

If Billy Beane move wish the team (I assume he would), then we would have one of the legendary GMs in all of baseball here. We wouldnt suck forever at least with a GM like that. If we were able to give him more $$$ to work with somehow.... wow.

2/25/2009 9:59:12 PM

Quote :

"If Billy Beane move wish the team"

ESL

2/25/2009 10:06:24 PM

Raleigh would work for an MLB team. That's about the only professional sports team, aside from hockey (already have) and soccer that would.

College football in the fall, college basketball & hockey in the winter, and MLB in the spring/summer/fall.

2/25/2009 10:10:08 PM

Quote :

"Raleigh would work for an MLB team"

The DBAP sits, what, 10,000?

There's no way the Triangle could fill a stadium five times that size for 81 games every year.

2/25/2009 10:13:46 PM

i dont think any city in north carolina could successfully support an MLB team

maybe in 10-20 years, but not now

2/25/2009 10:13:59 PM

How long has it been since the Triad pushed for a baseball team? 15 years or so? I remember seeing billboards for the referendum all over Winston and Greensboro.

2/25/2009 10:15:26 PM

no chance in hell

NC fans are fairweather as hell. look at Hurricanes attendance now that they're not good

imagine trying to support an 81 game home schedule if the team wasn't winning. monumental failrure

2/25/2009 10:16:15 PM

Say hello to your 2011 Raleigh Athletics!

2/25/2009 10:18:11 PM

the triangle would not support a baseball team.

mostly because we know how shitty of a sport baseball is.

2/25/2009 10:24:35 PM

Oh, come on

Two of your people are in camp with the Pirates

2/25/2009 10:26:32 PM

ZING!

2/25/2009 10:27:42 PM

if the recession continues I could see contraction happening in the next 3-4 years

2/25/2009 10:30:01 PM

What evidence do all of you have that say NC could not have a baseball team?

I think Charlotte could do it. That city is growing and is going to keep getting bigger.

2/25/2009 10:59:37 PM

The Bobcats are 23rd in attendance this year, averaging just over 14,000 per game

That doesn't bode well for a sport with twice as many home games and a stadium that could seat twice as many as the Bobcats' arena

2/25/2009 11:05:40 PM

The Bobcats also are one of the worst run organizations in sports and haven't hinted at trying to win until this year.

2/25/2009 11:08:41 PM

I agree that Charlotte could not support an MLB team...BUT I do think one would be more popular than the Bobcats are.

2/25/2009 11:09:43 PM

i wonder when the day will end when cities stop being held hostage by teams to build them a stadium b/c of the myth that sports teams bring in soooo much revenue

2/25/2009 11:48:54 PM

Quote :

"The Bobcats are 23rd in attendance this year, averaging just over 14,000 per game That doesn't bode well for a sport with twice as many home games and a stadium that could seat twice as many as the Bobcats' arena"

The Hornets either lead or were among the leaders in attendance for something like 10 years before Shinn fucked it up for Charlotte

2/26/2009 12:57:56 AM

Quote :

"the triangle would not support a baseball team. mostly because we know how shitty of a sport baseball is."

heh, agreed.

2/26/2009 2:23:03 AM

http://www.athleticsnation.com/2009/2/25/772219/greener-grass-looking-at-p

2/28/2009 10:25:39 AM

^^^ bingo, was just about to post the same thing. they averaged over 23,000 and in some years over 24,000 for 10 years.

the bobcats simply dont have the same fan base the hornets had. a lot of it has to do with the whole team moving and then getting another team right after and funding for the new arena and mgmt..a whole slew of factors. heck I grew up a huge hornets fan and I havent been interested in the bobcat's success since they came.

Quote :

"After leading the NBA in attendance for eight consecutive seasons (1988-1996),"

[Edited on February 28, 2009 at 10:44 AM. Reason : ]

2/28/2009 10:42:43 AM

in the shitter.

2/28/2009 11:37:07 AM