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I think Charlotte rushed in getting a stadium built downtown for the Knights. They should have listened to Reese or at the very least tried to build on a site where the AAA stadium could be expanded to a major league ballpark. What a waste of taxpayer money if they abandon the new BB&T Ballpark.
No. Totally disagree. Absolutely disagree. The knights stadium has been super transformational for the city.
I've never once thought this city was a good fit for the MLB. Between the Panthers PSL holders, the Hornets season ticket holders, and other sporting and even non-sporting entertainment dollars, an MLB team is pushing it really thin. 80 some home games a year, most of them in the dead of summer too. Maybe in another 15-20 years I'll change my mind, but right now I think major-league wise Charlotte is a perfect 2-sport town. Nothing wrong with that at all.
Montreal is probably going to get a re-brand of the Expos again at some point so that's probably expansion team 1. Expansion team 2 may very well be somewhere "off the grid" so to speak like Mexico City, even though that's probably a disaster waiting to happen.
Cities that will get an expansion or relocated franchise before Charlotte:
Montreal
Portland
Las Vegas
Charlotte was "the other woman" when cities were negotiating for new stadiums in the 1990s. We "almost" got the Minnesota Twins and the Montreal Expos.
MLB has to deal with the Rays and Florida situation before any expansion occurs. Tampa and Miami can hardly manage a to get a quorum for a baseball game. One of those teams should end up relocating.
If one of those teams ends up in Montreal there may have to be a realignment because MLB will want Toronto and Montreal to play in the same division.
Oakland is the only west coast team playing in a lousy stadium, so if their deal doesn't come through expect either Portland or follow the Raiders to Vegas.
Cities that will get an expansion or relocated franchise before Charlotte:
Montreal
Portland
Las Vegas
Charlotte was "the other woman" when cities were negotiating for new stadiums in the 1990s. We "almost" got the Minnesota Twins and the Montreal Expos.
MLB has to deal with the Rays and Florida situation before any expansion occurs. Tampa and Miami can hardly manage a to get a quorum for a baseball game. One of those teams should end up relocating.
If one of those teams ends up in Montreal there may have to be a realignment because MLB will want Toronto and Montreal to play in the same division.
Oakland is the only west coast team playing in a lousy stadium, so if their deal doesn't come through expect either Portland or follow the Raiders to Vegas.
Agree that the Florida franchises are problematic from an attendance standpoint. I think that Tampa is going to be building a new stadium, and Miami has one in the last few years, though it hasn’t helped attendance. Can’t really blame their fans with the way that team has just been gutted a couple of times.
The expansion thing has been on here a number of times, and I just don’t see Charlotte being able to draw well enough over an 80 game home slate. Maybe if in the AL east with Boston and the Yankees on the schedule a lot, but that’s about it. But of course, just about all of baseball is in a pretty big attendance decline now (and I get it, speaking as a huge baseball fan. But that’s a different topic)
What will probably happen is that if the Panthers get a new domed stadium outside of uptown, they'll tear Bank of America Stadium down and build a major league ballpark in its place. I guess BB&T Ballpark could be converted to a concert amphitheater rather than tearing down a brand new stadium. This is all assuming that Charlotte lands and expansion team.
What will probably happen is that if the Panthers get a new domed stadium outside of uptown, they'll tear Bank of America Stadium down and build a major league ballpark in its place. I guess BB&T Ballpark could be converted to a concert amphitheater rather than tearing down a brand new stadium. This is all assuming that Charlotte lands and expansion team.
What will probably happen is that if the Panthers get a new domed stadium outside of uptown, they'll tear Bank of America Stadium down and build a major league ballpark in its place. I guess BB&T Ballpark could be converted to a concert amphitheater rather than tearing down a brand new stadium. This is all assuming that Charlotte lands and expansion team.
The Panthers are going to move their training facilities & team offices from Uptown within the next 2-5 years which opens up at least 7 acres of land not to mention the 17 acre Gateway station tract. The Knights ,Panthers & Gateway station tracts combined cover close to 60 acres that are owned by the city,county or state.
Cities that will get an expansion or relocated franchise before Charlotte:
Montreal
Portland
Las Vegas
Charlotte was "the other woman" when cities were negotiating for new stadiums in the 1990s. We "almost" got the Minnesota Twins and the Montreal Expos.
MLB has to deal with the Rays and Florida situation before any expansion occurs. Tampa and Miami can hardly manage a to get a quorum for a baseball game. One of those teams should end up relocating.
If one of those teams ends up in Montreal there may have to be a realignment because MLB will want Toronto and Montreal to play in the same division.
Oakland is the only west coast team playing in a lousy stadium, so if their deal doesn't come through expect either Portland or follow the Raiders to Vegas.
Not to nit-pick but that was actually Kernersville that was interested in the Twins. I don't think they were ever seriously going to move there but that's where they were going to play. Thankfully that one got nixed, no way that would have worked long-term.
Your point still stands though, I can remember after the Expos moved to DC there were rumblings that the Marlins were looking to move and yep, Charlotte was one of the rumored cities. Then they got their stadium. The Rays were supposedly interested in moving here around that same time and 10 years later they are still playing in St. Petersburg.
Charlotte and NC is simply a "dangling carrot" for teams needing a new stadium.
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