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Baltimore's demographics are not major league, and its metro population is now declining. And unlike Milwaukee or KC, it has a limited sphere of influence due to DC, Pittsburgh, and Philly. It's also got just one year left on its lease. Moreover, MLB has huge gaps developing in growing markets with zero presence in North Carolina, Nashville, Austin/San Antonio, and Portland.
Nashville has an ownership group, land next to Nissan Field, a good climate for outdoor baseball, excellent demographics, too many tourists to count, and no teams within a 4-5 hour drive.
Chicago teams are more popular in Milwaukee than you think. You still have not provided a good argument for moving the O's.
What should be done is pressure put on owners to perform well & spend $.
Better performance doesn't necessarily equal better attendance...just ask the Rays.
Plus, the Orioles are in the toughest division in all of sports. The best they, or anyone else in the AL East, can do is is cycle on and off rebuild years to have a chance at getting to the World Series.
Baltimore's demographics are not major league, and its metro population is now declining. And unlike Milwaukee or KC, it has a limited sphere of influence due to DC, Pittsburgh, and Philly. It's also got just one year left on its lease. Moreover, MLB has huge gaps developing in growing markets with zero presence in North Carolina, Nashville, Austin/San Antonio, and Portland.
Nashville has an ownership group, land next to Nissan Field, a good climate for outdoor baseball, excellent demographics, too many tourists to count, and no teams within a 4-5 hour drive.
Nashville also has ideal demographics for MLB, is a thriving city vs dying Baltimore, and the spillover affect MLB would have downtown would be incredible. Yes downtown will be in rock solid shape long before a new MLB park is built.
MLB needs to do a better job at vetting potential owners to avoid a situation like we have in Baltimore, where the owner refuses to invest proceeds in the team.
MLB is in too many declining markets like Baltimore and needs a stronger presence in growing ones like Nashville. With the Orioles being sold, and that metro, not just city, losing population now, Nashville would be a much more sensible spot for an MLB team.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheseGoTo11
Baltimore's demographics are not major league, and its metro population is now declining. And unlike Milwaukee or KC, it has a limited sphere of influence due to DC, Pittsburgh, and Philly. It's also got just one year left on its lease. Moreover, MLB has huge gaps developing in growing markets with zero presence in North Carolina, Nashville, Austin/San Antonio, and Portland.
Nashville has an ownership group, land next to Nissan Field, a good climate for outdoor baseball, excellent demographics, too many tourists to count, and no teams within a 4-5 hour drive.
Twice you have claimed Baltimore metro to be declining with no source. According to the census, metro Baltimore growth has slowed, but is not declining. There are still close to a million more people in metro Baltimore than metro Nashville. Is Nashville's growth sustainable? It is not outside the realm of possibility Nashville catches Baltimore in 30 years if things keep up, but that isn't today and what you call "limited sphere of influence" is actually more market for the team to tap into. You could argue that the NY Mets have a "limited sphere of influence" because they function as the Yankees' little brother in a region they're also competing with Philly and Boston, but they're not leaving New York.
Last edited by Toxic Toast; 01-12-2021 at 11:23 AM..
Baltimore's demographics are not major league, and its metro population is now declining. And unlike Milwaukee or KC, it has a limited sphere of influence due to DC, Pittsburgh, and Philly. It's also got just one year left on its lease. Moreover, MLB has huge gaps developing in growing markets with zero presence in North Carolina, Nashville, Austin/San Antonio, and Portland.
Nashville has an ownership group, land next to Nissan Field, a good climate for outdoor baseball, excellent demographics, too many tourists to count, and no teams within a 4-5 hour drive.
I could make a case for Charlotte or Portland, but not Nashville at this time. Regardless of perceived unattractiveness, Baltimore still has a GDP far larger than Nashville, and it’s still growing yearly. At their current growth rates, Nashville has the possibility to eclipse Baltimore sometime around 2035-2040, but it would take continued growth percentage in the double digits for the next decade or two. Charlotte or Portland could eclipse Baltimore in the next few years.
Also, Suntrust/Truist Park (Atlanta Braves park) is 3 hrs 22 mins from downtown Nashville.
don't move the O's. If I wanted to move any team from MLB to Nashville I'd probably move the Rays, given they've not acted on a new stadium and the fanbase hasn't really been good even if the Rays are good which they are. I prefer a few other places to get teams than Nashville though, for a few reasons: market size (pretty small with nothing really around it for a couple hours or so), new AAA park just built (which means that city officials will be wary ponying up to paying for another new stadium), and the fact that 3 of the 5 big leagues already operate in Nashville. Plus we don't know if Nashville's growth will keep up over the next few years. Yes the market would be good for baseball but there are other factors to consider. I'd have Montreal, San Antonio, and Portland in my books. Charlotte is larger than Nashville, but also just built a AAA park recently and would have 4 of the Big 5 with not as good a track record of supporting their teams than Nashville does.
don't move the O's. If I wanted to move any team from MLB to Nashville I'd probably move the Rays, given they've not acted on a new stadium and the fanbase hasn't really been good even if the Rays are good which they are. I prefer a few other places to get teams than Nashville though, for a few reasons: market size (pretty small with nothing really around it for a couple hours or so), new AAA park just built (which means that city officials will be wary ponying up to paying for another new stadium), and the fact that 3 of the 5 big leagues already operate in Nashville. Plus we don't know if Nashville's growth will keep up over the next few years. Yes the market would be good for baseball but there are other factors to consider. I'd have Montreal, San Antonio, and Portland in my books. Charlotte is larger than Nashville, but also just built a AAA park recently and would have 4 of the Big 5 with not as good a track record of supporting their teams than Nashville does.
Trust me when I tell you Charlotte would get an MLB team before Nashville, for political reasons alone. At least for the immediate future.
We'll trade you Dan Snyder for Peter Angelos. At least Angelos is 91.. He can't be around another 30 years.
Baltimore isn't going anywhere. rabid and good fanbase there. Plus, the optics of another team packing up in the middle of the night to leave Baltimore wouldn't be good.
They've had to have near 30 years of crap to drive them away. Much like Redskins fans.
Trust me when I tell you Charlotte would get an MLB team before Nashville, for political reasons alone. At least for the immediate future.
So.. This is interesting.. Would Charlotte support an MLB team?
Of course, they support the Panthers well.. and 'Charlotte' is a large area. They'll draw people from Upstate of SC, Western NC/Eastern TN and even up to Raleigh.
They have a LARGE number of minor league teams around there, tho. You've got the AAA Knights, the A Intimidators (Though I believe there was a name change there recently) And then you have teams in Asheville and Greenville..
But.. the closest team is Atlanta. And if they wound up in the NL, you'd have a natural rivalry with Washington and Atlanta.
And, the Knights were the highest attendance minor league team 4 of the past 5 years. But that's only 8000 some odd fans.
I'm willing to bet that Washington and Atlanta would probably oppose it.. But I do think Charlotte could support a team.
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