The Braves Entertainment Village: Will You Visit? (Atlanta: legality, safety)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Not paid by the citizens of Atlanta. Its only from hotel/motel taxes.

cq, I'm referring to the high school.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by arjay57

cq, I'm referring to the high school.

Are you suggesting that the city should stop spending money on schools in order to build stadiums for for-profit sports teams?

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I just hope the COA people will get over this bitterness toward Cobb. We're all in this together and the Bravos are still our town's team.

I think there will be many folks, like myself, that are essentially done with the team. Its not so much bitterness, its that the team serves no purpose in my life anymore. I'm not really a baseball fan. I enjoyed the Braves only for the fact that it was the city's team. You cheer for the team not so much because they are the Braves, but because they are your city's team. They play with the city's skyline in the background and it was an experience, in the city.

To me, the stylized A that is a symbol of the Braves was more symbol for the city. Kind of like the New York Yankees logo. Many people use that to represent the city more than the team itself. Well, that is kind of meaningless now. The new stadium is in no way part of the city. A postal address doesn't count, sorry. Even it was on the other side of the river I would still be kind of meaningless because its not an activity that is part of fabric of the city.

My point is this, I think the Braves have completely lost people like me. I think, but cannot prove, that there are a lot of folks just like me. The Braves will easily retain and possibly enhance the loyalty of baseball fans. But for those like myself, we're gone. What's the point?

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

I think there will be many folks, like myself, that are essentially done with the team. Its not so much bitterness, its that the team serves no purpose in my life anymore. I'm not really a baseball fan. I enjoyed the Braves only for the fact that it was the city's team. You cheer for the team not so much because they are the Braves, but because they are your city's team. They play with the city's skyline in the background and it was an experience, in the city.

Well as a huge baseball fan, I feel completely differently. I continue to root for my team, the Red Sox, even though I live in another city. For many fans like me, it's about the game and the team, not where a stadium is located.

What makes absolutely no sense to me is that if the stadium was going to be built just a mile or two away, across the river inside Fulton County and the City of Atlanta, would that make all the difference to you? Is it that for you to care the stadium must be physically inside the city limits?

I guess the difference is one of true fans of a team, and people who are more interested in a symbol. I can tell you that for true Mets and Yankees fans, the Yankees logo is not just a symbol and it does not represent NYC. The Jets and Giants moved to NJ a generation ago, and their fans still are just as committed.

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Well as a huge baseball fan, I feel completely differently. I continue to root for my team, the Red Sox, even though I live in another city. For many fans like me, it's about the game and the team, not where a stadium is located.

What makes absolutely no sense to me is that if the stadium was going to be built just a mile or two away, across the river inside Fulton County and the City of Atlanta, would that make all the difference to you? Is it that for you to care the stadium must be physically inside the city limits?

I guess the difference is one of true fans of a team, and people who are more interested in a symbol. I can tell you that for true Mets and Yankees fans, the Yankees logo is not just a symbol and it does not represent NYC. The Jets and Giants moved to NJ a generation ago, and their fans still are just as committed.

I addressed the idea if it were across the river. It would still be a huge dent in the experience and I would still be unhappy with that move. But at least the A on the hat is still meaningful.

I'm not saying you are wrong. For someone that's a big fan like yourself, this is probably a good move. Its probably a good move for the team as it has the potential to be a better baseball experience.

But people like me, we're not bitter. I just don't have any reason to interested in the team anymore. Its not Atlanta's team anymore, its the region's team. (and yes, I know the team was quite regional before).

[westau]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

I think there will be many folks, like myself, that are essentially done with the team. Its not so much bitterness, its that the team serves no purpose in my life anymore. I'm not really a baseball fan. I enjoyed the Braves only for the fact that it was the city's team. You cheer for the team not so much because they are the Braves, but because they are your city's team. They play with the city's skyline in the background and it was an experience, in the city.

To me, the stylized A that is a symbol of the Braves was more symbol for the city. Kind of like the New York Yankees logo. Many people use that to represent the city more than the team itself. Well, that is kind of meaningless now. The new stadium is in no way part of the city. A postal address doesn't count, sorry. Even it was on the other side of the river I would still be kind of meaningless because its not an activity that is part of fabric of the city.

My point is this, I think the Braves have completely lost people like me. I think, but cannot prove, that there are a lot of folks just like me. The Braves will easily retain and possibly enhance the loyalty of baseball fans. But for those like myself, we're gone. What's the point?

On the opposite side, you have people like me who are big baseball fans but don't live downtown and because of the hassle of trying to get downtown only attend 2-5 games a year and flat out NEVER consider a weeknight game. When they move to Cobb I anticipate attending 3-4 times as many games at least because of how much more convenient it will be for me.

Turner Field never really felt like part of the city though either to me and if it is just the skyline you want the new location is up on a hill and I would be willing to bet portions of the upper deck if they design it well would have a nice view of Buckhead and downtown.

[glovenyc]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Are you suggesting that the city should stop spending money on schools in order to build stadiums for for-profit sports teams?

To be clear, my reference of the new North Atlanta HS was solely due to it's location. I was not making a statement about how money should be spent.

[red92s]

Originally Posted by westau

On the opposite side, you have people like me who are big baseball fans but don't live downtown and because of the hassle of trying to get downtown only attend 2-5 games a year and flat out NEVER consider a weeknight game. When they move to Cobb I anticipate attending 3-4 times as many games at least because of how much more convenient it will be for me.

Yeah we are sort of going to trade off there, which is why as far as attendance goes I doubt they will see a net loss of fannies in seats. For everyone like me who decides at 6 PM to go to a 7:10 game on a Wednesday with my wife, there is someone like yourself for whom that decision might become a practical reality for after the move. It sucks for us, because we've essentially grown up going to games there, gone on dates there, celebrated birthdays there, watched friends get engaged there, and generally just consider it part of the summer routine. But, for every jilted fan the team is leaving behind, there is probably an eager person farther north waiting to take our place.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Well as a huge baseball fan, I feel completely differently. I continue to root for my team, the Red Sox, even though I live in another city. For many fans like me, it's about the game and the team, not where a stadium is located.

What makes absolutely no sense to me is that if the stadium was going to be built just a mile or two away, across the river inside Fulton County and the City of Atlanta, would that make all the difference to you? Is it that for you to care the stadium must be physically inside the city limits?

I guess the difference is one of true fans of a team, and people who are more interested in a symbol. I can tell you that for true Mets and Yankees fans, the Yankees logo is not just a symbol and it does not represent NYC. The Jets and Giants moved to NJ a generation ago, and their fans still are just as committed.

I think the new Cobb location is a better location in some ways. But its more how the Braves and Cobb went about this that have lost my support more than anything. The backroom deal that was decided before anyone was told, including the city who was still trying to negotiate. The whole "Cobb, Home of the Braves" and trying to say they are focused on fans that live in suburbs around Cobb as part of the relocation and not interested in bringing people from the city by rail. It really does make it feel like they are no longer the "Atlanta" Braves but are now the "Cobb Braves" that hope people from Atlanta will come and visit.

I grew up with the Braves. I knew the entire line up during the 90s. Loved going into the city for games at Fulton County Stadium. Was a huge fan. I suppose I still consider myself a Braves fan, but barely now. This is not the only event though, the player strikes were a turn off. The loss of Turner as owner to a Colorado corporation also is a turn-off. Leaving Turner Field which even with its short life had good history with the Olympics plus great brick architecture.

The Braves really have lost most of their identity and character it seems. Then of course they are going to be much harder for those of us in the city (or prefer not to drive) to get to. Evening games after work are no longer really possible like they used to be for me. I am sure I will still get up there at some point to check out the stadium and this "entertainment village", but once they move I will probably go to more Cubs games at Wriggly Field while visiting friends in Chicago than I will Braves games.

Not that this will cause a huge loss for the Braves. They will still have plenty of fans show up. Especially at the start, everyone will want to go to the new stadium. Even if they do suffer low attendance a few years down the line, the Braves already got enough money out of the deal. Plus they will probably win some die-hard Cobb fans to make up their new fan base.

[cqholt]

I'm just glad I didn't WASTE money buying Braves gear for games.