New stadium yes or no? (Scranton, York: home, option to buy, live in)

[W-B proud]

As a Luzerne County resident, i just can't see the justification in financing this dying entity especially in a neighboring county. I wouldn't support it in my own county.

[Mr Yuk]

No, I don't think there should be a new stadium. There is nothing wrong with the stadium we have, its only 21 years old for crying out loud! And look at the attendance, its obvious nobody cares about this team, building a new stadium would be a total waste. If the Yankees don't like it, they can leave. I wish they would, and then maybe we could get a AA team in here...better baseball, and we wouldn't have to bow down and kiss the ring of the "almighty" NY Yankees.

The attendance is showing what a divisive team the Yankees are. Non NY Yankees fans will not support this team, beacause non-Yankees fans HATE the Yankees. And even though there are a lot of NY Yankees fans here, a lot of Yankees fans are "pseudo" fans who don't really follow baseball all that much and just like to say they're a Yankees fan because its trendy...they're not the type of "fan" that will go up to the ballpark to watch a game frequently. Another problem is the stuffy, corporate atmosphere up there since the Yankees took over. Minor league baseball is supposed to be fun...with a lot of giveaways and wacky promotions...but this place has the ambience of a funeral home since they took over. And the prices are very expensive for the minors.

[Riverside4ever]

I dont live in that county nor am I a big sports fan to start with . But I think in this economy its NOT NEEDED . Plus from what I see on the news only 1/4 or less of the seats are filled with people .. Plus I bet the Yankee's Pull out anyway ..

[W-B proud]

Originally Posted by go phillies

No, I don't think there should be a new stadium. There is nothing wrong with the stadium we have, its only 21 years old for crying out loud! And look at the attendance, its obvious nobody cares about this team, building a new stadium would be a total waste. If the Yankees don't like it, they can leave. I wish they would, and then maybe we could get a AA team in here...better baseball, and we wouldn't have to bow down and kiss the ring of the "almighty" NY Yankees.

The attendance is showing what a divisive team the Yankees are. Non NY Yankees fans will not support this team, beacause non-Yankees fans HATE the Yankees. And even though there are a lot of NY Yankees fans here, a lot of Yankees fans are "pseudo" fans who don't really follow baseball all that much and just like to say they're a Yankees fan because its trendy...they're not the type of "fan" that will go up to the ballpark to watch a game frequently. Another problem is the stuffy, corporate atmosphere up there since the Yankees took over. Minor league baseball is supposed to be fun...with a lot of giveaways and wacky promotions...but this place has the ambience of a funeral home since they took over. And the prices are very expensive for the minors.

i am not the biggest baseball fan by any strech, but I agree with your comments about the Yankee's. I think a team like the Red Baron's were more "our" team with our own name derived form former Scranton and W-B farm teams, where the Yankee's seem more like a disconnected New York team that belongs to New York, and like you said, alot of people flat out hate the Yankee's. I do not see why they cannot finance a new stadium being that they are the wealthiest sports francise to ever occupy panet earth. If they truely are "here to stay" like they claim, then they should be more then capable of easily building a new stadium. It's pocket change to the New York Yankee's

[Riverside4ever]

Originally Posted by W-B proud

i am not the biggest baseball fan by any strech, but I agree with your comments about the Yankee's. I think a team like the Red Baron's were more "our" team with our own name derived form former Scranton and W-B farm teams, where the Yankee's seem more like a disconnected New York team that belongs to New York, and like you said, alot of people flat out hate the Yankee's. I do not see why they cannot finance a new stadium being that they are the wealthiest sports francise to ever occupy panet earth. If they truely are "here to stay" like they claim, then they should be more then capable of easily building a new stadium. It's pocket change to the New York Yankee's

Well said , And I agree 100% ..

[theatergypsy]

Listening to the comments by the Yankees' representative, much of what was said seemed to be a thinly-veiled threat, skirting the "commitment" to stay IF the stadium was to the team's standards.
Kind of like "We're here for the long haul as long as the facility is state-of-the-art, but if you don't put ticket-holders in those seats, we're leaving anyway". (That's my take on it)

Guess we're being blackmailed into building a new stadium and making all 81 traffic exit at Montage Mountain and funneling the cars into the stadium parking lot where armed guards will force folks to the ticket windows where they will purchase inflated-price tickets and shuffle to the seats where we will be at the mercy of inflated-price concessionaires.

When all of the money in the area is exhausted, the Yankees will leave, taking the franchise with them. Remember, you heard it here first.

[DaCoach]

What is being lost here is the fact that Lackawanna\Luzerne Counties - through the Stadium Authority OWN the "AAA" franchise. The agreement negotiated by Bob Cardaro "allowed" Mandalay to manage the local team. The real issue is the Option Clause that allows Mandalay to buy the franchise. The Buy out Clause appears to be way out of line as to the value of the franchise. So it makes sense for Mandalay to purchase the team. If that clause can be nullified the authority would own the Franchise.

If the Stadium Authority controlled the Franchise there would be no threat of a team moving out. It would just have to be replaced by another "AAA" franchise. When the Yankees originally moved in I believe that any of 4 teams would have HAD to fill the void left by the Phillies moving to Lehigh Valley. The Yankees, Mets, Nationals and possibly the Orioles.

The Mets were forced to relocate their "AAA" team to New Orleans. If you were the Yankees or Mets where would you prefer your "AAA" team be located? Scranton or New Orleans?

My belief is that the Yankees would have jumped to play here - without the possible selling out of the franchise.

There would be no need to build a new stadium because the Authority would control a "AAA" franchise - whether it was the Yankees or another Major league affiliated team.

Or am I wrong?

[theatergypsy]

Originally Posted by DaCoach

What is being lost here is the fact that Lackawanna\Luzerne Counties - through the Stadium Authority OWN the "AAA" franchise. The agreement negotiated by Bob Cardaro "allowed" Mandalay to manage the local team. The real issue is the Option Clause that allows Mandalay to buy the franchise. The Buy out Clause appears to be way out of line as to the value of the franchise. So it makes sense for Mandalay to purchase the team. If that clause can be nullified the authority would own the Franchise.

If the Stadium Authority controlled the Franchise there would be no threat of a team moving out. It would just have to be replaced by another "AAA" franchise. When the Yankees originally moved in I believe that any of 4 teams would have HAD to fill the void left by the Phillies moving to Lehigh Valley. The Yankees, Mets, Nationals and possibly the Orioles.

The Mets were forced to relocate their "AAA" team to New Orleans. If you were the Yankees or Mets where would you prefer your "AAA" team be located? Scranton or New Orleans?

My belief is that the Yankees would have jumped to play here - without the possible selling out of the franchise.

There would be no need to build a new stadium because the Authority would control a "AAA" franchise - whether it was the Yankees or another Major league affiliated team.

Or am I wrong?

I don't think the fact of the current ownership of the franchise is lost. The Yankees are here. And if they get their way, they will stay, (but the unspoken understanding is that they will buy the franchise) and when the fans fail to come, off the Yankees will go, franchise in hand, to find another city to have their way with.

You don't seriously think that Bob Cordaro made this deal to bring the Yankees here without offering something sweet and juicy in return? They are, after all, THE Yankees and used to getting what they want.

Aside: Where was the Luzerne County representation when Cordaro was kissing Yankee tookus?

The locker rooms were refurbished to suit the Yankee management, but the water problems on the field, which hadn't happened before, gave them something else to whine about.

Time Lu/Lac stopped kowtowing to any and every entity that wants to come in here and demand. As bad as things are now, there isn't that much to lose if those in charge stood up and said, "Enough. We didn't have a pot before, so how can you make it worse?" And where is Fast Eddie getting 20 mil. to build a new stadium, when the state budget is already disaster?

[DaCoach]

If the Buy Out isn't a factor, my point is:

A) If the counties own the Franchise they can go out and sell it, if they please, for FAIR market value which is reported to be MUCH more than the 13-14 million that they would get if the option is exercised.

or

B) Tell the Yankees to go pound sand - someone else will HAVE to take their place.

That Option to buy is the sticking point.

[Mr Yuk]

As a side note, this is NEPA, so maybe the title of the poll should read: New stadium, hayna er no?