Does Anyone feel VA is ready for their own Pro Team (Virginia Beach: how much, home)

[Love2LiveNCities]

okay here is my thing. they say we have the skins. Which are located in MD, they said we have the ravens, again MD, they say we have Hockey, thats DC, they say we have Basketball, again DC and nationals ALMOST made it to dulles, but no, DC...Even our two Northern VA airports are Washington. Dont you think VA, one of the more populated outstanding states at the start of a huge metropolis should have our own...Something?

VA beach has close to half a million, and richmond around 200,000. In my Opinion Richmond is by far the best spot in VA and for a new team to start. Seriously right in the middle of everything. and drawing a crowd out of DC. we could attract west, Northern NC people, VA beach and Williamsburg, Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Prince William.

What are your takes
1. Do we need a team and if so what kind
2. Where would YOU locate them

[tvpirate05]

Richmond or Norfolk. I think Northern VA is a little too close to DC and Baltimore. It should be at least a 2 or 3 hour drive to the next market.

A lot of people say that Norfolk can't support the team due to a) the military population, and b) apathy toward the minor league teams. I actually disagree, mainly because no one really knows what to support with the minors. It's fun to go to a Tides or Admirals (baseball and hockey, respectively) game, but I doubt most people here could name 3-5 players without looking at the roster.

We had a Nationals/Orioles game here recently, and the stadium was filled to capacity. Granted Harbor Park only holds 11,000 or so, still, I think folks could support an MLB team, maybe even NBA. Norfolk just needs a larger venue, preferably outside the city. Traffic's hectic enough as is. At least they are getting light rail in about two years.

[The Dissenter]

VA Beach wouldn't be bad for NBA, MLB, or MAYBE NFL. the whole metro area is 1.7 mill folks. I really think there will be a pro team in Virginia in my lifetime. fyi i'm only 19.

[jballa]

I've read in the VA Pilot (i think) back when Hampton Roads was fighting for the Blue Jays/Nationals that the area is the largest metropolitan area in the country without a professional team. I'm sure wherever it was would get ample support here, and also probably in Richmond but I wouldn't be fighting my way up 64 to see them from VA Beach.

The stadiums are usually municipal and with the financial issues already at bay, maybe they should address transportation problem before making it worse by adding all that traffic to either area.

[PaperTrail]

I moved from the Va Beach area recently, and I'm not sure how much support there would be for a pro team there. Sports doesn't seem to be that big of a priority there, though I will say that I'm surprised the Norfolk mall has a store dedicated entirely to Redskins gear. If a place like that can survive, then maybe there is a following that is looking to break free....but I'm not holding my breath.

And I agree with jballa: I likely wouldn't have fought through I-64 traffic to see a pro event in Richmond. Too much hassle on a regular day let alone when there would be 80,000 people headed to the same place.

It seems that so many of my friends and co-workers (both in the Beach area and in the Roanoke area, where I am now) are so much more drawn to college sports than to pro. I felt the thing from people when I lived in Indiana.

Instead of investing in pro teams, I'd like to see the state pour more money into college teams. ODU's upcoming venture into the gridiron is a great example of money well spent. Let's do more of that.

[Moth]

What are your takes

Actually, I honestly do not understand why you are so eager for a sports team. Sports team provide little economic benefit and can sap resources with overtime for police and medical personnel. They do not create much in the way of jobs unless hawking peanuts is something to strive for. And to lure them, you basically pay their way to come there.

I remember when that group wanted the Nationals near Dulles. Honestly, I cannot fathom the insanity of that desire. Plunking a stadium down in the middle of an already congested traffic nightmare? For what? So some team can play baseball in the middle of a bunch of tract housing developments? Not exactly Ebbetts Field now, is it? Nissan Pavillion shuts down 66 every time there is a concert.

Have the Redskins helped PG County Maryland by moving there for 8 games a year? I doubt the people in the surrounding communities think so unless they like counting the thousands of cars that descend there during game day.

The Nats locating where there were already existing Metro lines and roads was the most prudent decision. Make them your team and be thankfull they don't play next to your house.

[lammius]

The Hampton Roads area has made a few serious attempts to lure pro sports. In 1997 they tried to lure the Hartford Whalers NHL franchise to Norfolk and call them the Hampton Roads Rhinos (horrible idea, I know), who ended up relocating to Raleigh. In 2004(?) they pursued the Montreal Expos, who ended up relocating to DC. The Hampton Roads area was, for a long time, the largest metro in the country without professional sports, though now Las Vegas holds that title.

I think any professional sports franchise (apart from NFL maybe) must be in the center of a major population/fan/listening and viewing audience base. Fact of the matter is, when you have to fill up a 45,000 seat baseball stadium for 82 home games a season, your fans need to be nearby. So I don't really see Hampton Roads and Richmond "sharing" a market to lure a team. For example, a Richmond team can't rely on Virginia Beach to supply fans to attend a 7:00 PM Tuesday evening hockey game, given HRBT traffic and all other problems. A team would locate in one or the other based on the merits of either area.

Moth's point also has some merit. The benefits associated with professional sports are debatable.

[ibeg4sushi]

Hampton Roads, now that's an idea. Personally the though of going to Richmond for anyone makes me feel a little dread. I don't know what it is about that place, but I really don't like it. It feels dark and seedy. I'm not the only one who feels that way. Hampton Roads on the other hand does have a more sporty feel to it with all the boats around. I can see it there. But being so close to the coast, wouldn't that make for odd weather.

And that's a good point. The answer to the original question lies with what kind of team do you want? Their needs will differ. NFL will need to practice in "private" in the Summer, and be able to attract many in the Winter for home games. Tennis, Hockey, and anything else will have different needs.

We went to go see the Redskins vs the Giants on Dec 30th last year and we had THE best time EVER. Parking, driving, etc is always going to be an "issue" with national sports - of course! - but that's part of the excitement. To me it's like DisneyWorld. It all depends on how you look at it. You could also see it like Moth does. Oooh, brrrrrr! *shiver*

Finally, I'd like to see the central or west of this great state get a little action. Charlottesville? Take over Lynchburg? That could be a great team motto, to "lynch"! Better than the Terps with "Fear the Turtle"?!?! *rolling eyes* Easy to overlook though, because they have rockin' teams.

How about Blacksburg, down there by Virginia Tech? They've got lots more space out there than we do up north, and I think the people down there would really love it! But I cannot speak for everyone, can I?

Anyhow, that's my beans.

[tenken627]

Any team in the Northern Virginia area would be called "Washington", much like how the Redskins will never be the Maryland Redskins. If the Nationals did end up playing in Dulles or Arlington, they still would be the Washington Nationals, not the Dulles Nationals or Northern Virginia Nationals.

Hampton Roads area would be interesting, I too read that they were the largest metro area in the country without a major pro sport team (not including Las Vegas for obvious reasons).

[mikemike84]

virginia should have a team period. right now in football u mainly have redskins, cowboy and panthers. most va fans dont follow the wizards at least not in hampton roads i would even say the wizards are as followed as the charlotte bobcats. washington nationals have been making headway down here. dont really follow hockey. i mean we dont even have one team. also i think a team should be in hampton roads that way it wont be as close to washington dc because if it was in nova it would really just be a washington dc team. i would even say put in on the peninsula because it that would be closer to richmond than the southside.