[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

This. Politics and money. The best shot that Hartford has at keeping a pro team is the NHL. NBA is also possible. Forget the NFL and MLB. Not going to happen.

Hartford at number 28 is a larger TV market than Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Buffalo, San Antonio, Kansas City, Nashville, Columbus, Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Raleigh and Oklahoma City. The only possible reason for the lack of pro sports in Hartford is the aforementioned reasons.

As someone noted later, Baltimore was actually considered part of a much larger consolidated market with Washington, DC but both MLB and the NFL seem to believe combined they can be a 2 team market.

Las Vegas only exploded in population in the last 20 years so only recently did pro sports even consider going there and even then they were hesitant due to the prevalence of gambling there.

Buffalo only still has an NFL team because the NFL is hesitant to have a team in Toronto so as to not compete with the CFL and Buffalo is as close geographically as you can get to Toronto and still be in a reasonably sized US market, they even tried for a few years to have a couple of their home games in Toronto. They have an NHL team because they along with Minnesota Twin Cities and Boston are probably the most hockey-crazed (on a per capita basis) major US cities. And even then they almost lost their team.....(and Minnesota did lose their team for awhile a couple of decades ago when their first team moved to Dallas of all places)

I do think being 100 miles from 2 much larger markets hurts its chances though. Though Salt Lake City is the biggest market for hundreds of miles and even then it only has the NBA and MLS.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by KEVIN_224

Meanwhile, this New Britain native wonders how much time is left on the clock for the Bees? They just started their 4th season in the Atlantic League. The home opener is this Friday at 6:35 PM. I hate to say it, but they don't draw very well for most games.

I suspect very little. They were battling Fish for last in attendance and putting up a great fight several years running.

[JP Nutmegger]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Red Sox don’t hold territorial rights over any western or central County in CT, really. Both FF and NH counties favor New York sports. Hartford is 50/50.

I'm strictly speaking as far as television coverage. Sox games on NESN are available in every county except Fairfield County. This includes Litchfield and New Haven Counties. The Yankees and Mets games on YES and SNY are available statewide, even in Windham County, where Sox fans outnumber them 50-1.

[MMS02760]

Do people think the Yardgoats attendance will be hurt a bit once Worcester has the AAA Red Sox affiliate two years from now? I am not sure what number of fans come from MA to games in Hartford. I would however think most of them will soon be more inclined to the top farm club of the Boston Red Sox in Worcester. Would think many in the NE corner of CT might also gravitate more to Worcester given their Red Sox loyalties.

[KEVIN_224]

Probably not. Norwich was closer to New Britain in their AA-level days and made no difference to the Rock Cats. Worcester is still a good hour away from Hartford.

[ryanthegoldengod]

Originally Posted by MMS02760

Do people think the Yardgoats attendance will be hurt a bit once Worcester has the AAA Red Sox affiliate two years from now? I am not sure what number of fans come from MA to games in Hartford. I would however think most of them will soon be more inclined to the top farm club of the Boston Red Sox in Worcester. Would think many in the NE corner of CT might also gravitate more to Worcester given their Red Sox loyalties.

Doubt that will have much if any impact. I think the vast majority of Yard Goats fans are in greater Hartford.
Minor league baseball is an easy, convenient, affordable night out. I don't think people travel far for it.

[wetnewspaper]

Originally Posted by JP Nutmegger

One small detail: the Red Sox do not hold territorial rights over Fairfield County (but should) because it is technically part of the NYC television market.

Waterbury also had several minor league teams that have moved.

And remember this pipe dream when the Nats (then the Expos) were considering moving to Wallingford?

Wowzers! Never heard of the expos rumor. . . here it is

https://www.nhregister.com/news/arti...t-11664801.php

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by wetnewspaper

Wowzers! Never heard of the expos rumor. . . here it is

https://www.nhregister.com/news/arti...t-11664801.php

I don't think this was ever really serious. There is no way the Boston and New York teams would have allowed it. I think it was an opportunity that was thought of but again it would never have been allowed. That is why there was not more press coverage of it. Jay

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by wetnewspaper

Wowzers! Never heard of the expos rumor. . . here it is

https://www.nhregister.com/news/arti...t-11664801.php

Reminds me of the late 90's when the Twins threatened to move to the Triad in North Carolina and be renamed the Triplets, if they didn't get a new ballpark!

TRIAD NEVER STOOD CHANCE OF BECOMING HOME TO THE TWINS

[MMS02760]

Originally Posted by KEVIN_224

Probably not. Norwich was closer to New Britain in their AA-level days and made no difference to the Rock Cats. Worcester is still a good hour away from Hartford.

I don't expect that the Worcester team will any real effect on the immediate Hartford area residents. My thinking is that it would more likely affect those that come to Hartford games from just over the MA border (Springfield and Southbridge/Sturbridge) and the NW CT region around Putnam. I would think these people are not a significant percent of Yardgoats patrons but they do account for some of the attendance.