Topic Retitled: Regional Team Affiliations

[Jack Merridew]

It wouldn't work. It's impractical. If they aren't selling tickets in TB, then they should just move.

[D-train]

It wouldn't work. It's impractical. If they aren't selling tickets in TB, then they should just move.

No NBA in Seattle and an MLB franchise in Tampa Bay. Freakin Twilight zone.

[D-train]

Vogey leads the non Trout AL in wRC+

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx? ... &sort=17,d

[Hanjag]

It wouldn't work. It's impractical. If they aren't selling tickets in TB, then they should just move.

No NBA in Seattle and an MLB franchise in Tampa Bay. Freakin Twilight zone.

Cuba and the US have restored diplomatic relations. If the Rays changed to the Bermuda triangle or some such and played in Tampa, Havana, San Juan, maybe just PR, and Havana. Spit balling here.

And the best thing to do with the thread would be to change to is are the Rays on the move.

[Hanjag]

Cuba has a league of their own so I don't know how receptive they would be to sharing but:
Gran Estadio de La Habana and currently holds about 55,000 people. It was built in 1946. Perhaps bringing in exposure building a new stadium along with the revenue would be an economic boon for the city and the country as a whole. Havana has 2.1 million people in a country of 11.2. GDP per capita is wildly different but the Miami Herald produced this report on Cuban take-home.In 2016, the Miami Herald wrote, "... about 27 percent of Cubans earn under $50 per month; 34 percent earn the equivalent of $50 to $100 per month; and 20 percent earn $101 to $200. Twelve percent reported earning $201 to $500 a month; and almost 4 percent said their monthly earnings topped $500, including 1.5 percent who said they earned more than $1,000."
You might have to get creative but having 2.1 or 11.2 million households watching and being influenced by your team would be worth something for the creative. Not to mention the large wealthy population of Cubans in the USA.

I just looked up GDP/capita and it is 7,600$.

[Double Mocha Man]

BTW, I don’t think this is crazy. I think it’s smart. It’s a way for a second-tier team to tap into undeveloped markets. I eventually see us doing the same with Vancouver, or Portland, and becoming a regional team.

I'd go for the Seattle/Bellingham connection. We already have a ball park with a Mariner's history. Edgar and Griffey both played here... the park is slugger-ready. I could rent out a spare bedroom to Vogelbach and build a batting cage in the backyard for him. And construct a small version of the Hit It Here Cafe.

[Hanjag]

San Juan has a city population of 400k but 2.4 million urban area. The country-state has a population of about 3.4 million. The stadium Hiram Bithorn Stadium was built in 1962 can seat just over 18,000 and was home to the Expos in 2003 - 2004. 22 games in each year. The GDP/capita is lower than the US mainland at about 31K/year vs about 58 K.

[Hanjag]

BTW, I don’t think this is crazy. I think it’s smart. It’s a way for a second-tier team to tap into undeveloped markets. I eventually see us doing the same with Vancouver, or Portland, and becoming a regional team.

I'd go for the Seattle/Bellingham connection. We already have a ball park with a Mariner's history. Edgar and Griffey both played here... the park is slugger-ready. I could rent out a spare bedroom to Vogelbach and build a batting cage in the backyard for him. And construct a small version of the Hit It Here Cafe.

Yes, I have proposed this before. I think the only way you get M's games in Vancouver BC is mlbtv package. I would like to see at least a series spent there.

[Double Mocha Man]

BTW, I don’t think this is crazy. I think it’s smart. It’s a way for a second-tier team to tap into undeveloped markets. I eventually see us doing the same with Vancouver, or Portland, and becoming a regional team.

I'd go for the Seattle/Bellingham connection. We already have a ball park with a Mariner's history. Edgar and Griffey both played here... the park is slugger-ready. I could rent out a spare bedroom to Vogelbach and build a batting cage in the backyard for him. And construct a small version of the Hit It Here Cafe.

Yes, I have proposed this before. I think the only way you get M's games in Vancouver BC is mlbtv package. I would like to see at least a series spent there.

I think a series against the Blue Jays in Vancouver would be perfect. Then we really would be the "away" team... not just seem like it.

[Hanjag]

NW big cities and their baseball venues:
Portland Providence or 100 other names renovated many times latest 2018 by timbers soccer. 20k or so but is it altered so that it could no longer be suitable for baseball.

BC Place Vancouver seats 54K and has a dome. So a series or two played here would be fine.

Spokane ~Indians home about 7 K

Boise no big baseball fields biggest is around 4K and Boise State's Albertson's field does not look like it has the dimensions to host MLB baseball but it could seat 36K if it could.

Obliviously Spokane, and Boise are not MLB clubs but Portland has plans to build an MLB stadium and is on a list including Vancouver, Vegas, Montreal, Memphis, and a few others as expansion targets. I hate to bring up the Sonics, Ok City and the New Orleans Hornets but that host showed the NBA it could be a franchise. I really think if you took a homestand or two to these alternate cities it would boost home attendance. Some might even be more tempted to see a game in Portland or BC for a different feel.