[delgadobb]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Thanks. I appreciate that.

I have a feeling Selig added Vegas to the mix to get Washington D.C. to make with the public funding for the stadium. I don't think there was ever really a chance for us. But that's just my gut feeling.

+1.

I believe the quote Orca mentioned was real, as I remember something similar at the time. Sadly, though, Las Vegas only seemed to be a stalking horse to help move the Washington negotiations along. (When I sold large software systems, that was always a big fear - wasting a lot of time with a customer only to be plan 'B' to justify the purchase.)

While Selig *has* done some good for the game (said begrudgingly), personally I don't care for him. Years ago during a 60 minutes segment, they had one of the best descriptions of Selig I've ever heard. "When you ask a spirit of baseball question, he gives you a business answer. When you ask a business question, he gives you a spirit of baseball answer." He's shifty, has personal agendas & has done some things detrimental to the game. As the owners' lackey, he's helped make them profitable while crying poverty when necessary to get stadium money (how the Marlins hoodwinked Miami into putting up that much money I'll never know). However, some of those efforts have been to the long-term detriment & marketability of baseball.

Case in point: The amateur (Rule 4) draft. For all the pontification about 'equitable distribution of talent', the draft is about controlling finances, plain & simple. I'm shocked the players agreed to what's basically a slotting system with limited free-agent compensation in the new CBA; it's probably because the draft doesn't affect dollars in their pocket today. The long-term effect is that baseball will lose more & more talent to other sports & there's already been a gradual migration in that direction thanks to a slotting system being mandated by cheap owners like Jerry Reinsdorf of the White Sox (who, coincidentally, have the worst farm system in baseball).

The draft is the best source of affordable talent, albeit with risks involved. If Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper hit the open market like Yu Darvish did coming over from Japan, who knows how much they would've gotten? My guess is Strasburg would've gotten over $50 million instead of a multi-year deal for $15 million. Bryce Harper might have been the most hyped position prospect in history & certainly would've eclipsed his deal by many orders of magnitude as a free agent.

Uh, that kinda turned into a rant. Let's just say I'll be happy when Selig goes.

[Willy702]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Thanks. I appreciate that.

I have a feeling Selig added Vegas to the mix to get Washington D.C. to make with the public funding for the stadium. I don't think there was ever really a chance for us. But that's just my gut feeling.

When it was clear there was no public money coming in LV he started to use San Antonio as the other suitor. Sacramento wanted in on the bidding too, but could not get the A's to agree to drop territorial claims. To say a city is a potential relocation spot is a lot of bluster until you get the money and the government on board publicly with meaningful actions taken.

With the silly money being given to baseball teams for TV contracts I no longer say MLB in the right facility is not viable in LV. The Padres are in line for about $20-25 million a year and they have a terrible TV market boxed in by the LA and Phoenix market. The potential LV market could be the same size and generate a third of the budget needs of a mid-market team alone before a single ticket is sold. It may be tough to keep the stands full but that is a problem for every other team too.

[cdaq]

Originally Posted by delgadobb

BTW, as an aside, do others realize that Las Vegas is considered part of the home market for the D-Backs, Padres, Angels, Dodgers, A's AND Giants for media purposes? I'm trying to throw money at MLB.tv so I can watch games online using my phone or tablet, but on any given day I can be blacked out of 40% of the games in MLB. THAT's a bigger issue to me than whether or not we have a major league team.

Ok this is a big problem. I'm a huge Dodger fan and an extra innings subscriber. Are you saying that Dodger games are blacked out in Vegas?

[cdaq]

And FWIW, Isotopes park in Albuquerque is beautiful. I'm sure it was a no brainer for Dodger execs to move the AAA club back there. Ironically, the reason they left Albuquerque for Vegas in the first place was because they wanted the stadium renovated.

[cdaq]

Oh, and The Pit > T&M At least I'll get to see my Lobos play once per year when they play @ UNLV plus the games in the MWC tournament.

[Gatsby1925]

Originally Posted by cdaq

Ok this is a big problem. I'm a huge Dodger fan and an extra innings subscriber. Are you saying that Dodger games are blacked out in Vegas?

Yes they are. They are shown on FSN Primeticket, but some Dodgers games are broadcast locally in L.A. on KCAL. When that happens, we are completely blacked out.

[cdaq]

Originally Posted by gatsby1925

yes they are. They are shown on fsn primeticket, but some dodgers games are broadcast locally in l.a. On kcal. When that happens, we are completely blacked out.

#%%#$^$%&@@#$!!! #%$#*#@%@#!!!

[orca17]

With the silly money being given to baseball teams for TV contracts I no longer say MLB in the right facility is not viable in LV. The Padres are in line for about $20-25 million a year and they have a terrible TV market boxed in by the LA and Phoenix market. The potential LV market could be the same size and generate a third of the budget needs of a mid-market team alone before a single ticket is sold. It may be tough to keep the stands full but that is a problem for every other team too.

If an MLB team came here, they also wouldn't have the "fan drain" that comes when other pro sports begin their seasons, as they would be the only game in town.

Sadly, though, Las Vegas only seemed to be a stalking horse to help move the Washington negotiations along.

This happens a lot. I grew up in Jacksonville, FL, and for years there was a push to get an NFL team. Several teams used the threat of moving to Jacksonville to get new stadiums built in their current markets. As a local fan it was frustrating to see teams who appeared to be serious back out in the end because their current cities caved in and built new venues. When Jacksonville was awarded an expansion franchise in 1995, it was reported that it happened in part because the city had been a "friend" to the league - that is, the city was being rewarded for helping out other team owners by giving them leverage to get new stadiums built.

In the case of Washington and the Expos, DC had another advantage. RFK Stadium, former home of the Washington Senators, was already built and it had sufficient seating for MLB and could serve the purpose until the new park was built. I can't imagine what could have been done to Cashman Field to make it serviceable even for a short time.

As far as MLB Extra Innings - I remember hearing a Q&A with Bud Selig several years ago and he was asked about the extensive (and in my mind, excessive) blackouts in MLBEI. He specifically said that it was to "protect the broadcast rights of the regional Fox affilates."

[Joke Insurance]

For MLB, I'd call the team....Las Vegas Blackjacks. What would you call them?

For NHL, I'd call the team....Las Vegas Aces. What would you call them?

For NBA, I'd call the team....Las Vegas Diamonds. What would you call them?

[Kaywildawn]

Let's face it LV isn't ready for a team. Apart from all the reasonable responses that have already been brought up consider the actual people there. Although Las Vegas may have millions of people living there currently however many moved there or there parents have moved there. Hardly anyone is genuninely from Las Vegas so the dedicated support wouldn't be there like someone who was born in Boston and their entire family is from Boston would be dedicated to the Red Sox. I've spent almost my entire life in Las Vegas and even if they did have a major league baseball I don't think they would be my favorite because my mom and her entire family are from Ohio so I'm a dedicated Indians fan. The fan base just wouldnt be there.