MLB Expansion: Nashville?

[catjuggin]

Listened to our local talk station this morning and they were discussing how MLB is planning an expansion in a couple years. Cities mentioned were. Las Vegas, Montreal, Charlotte and Nashville.
The Nashville sounds are their aaa team. They used to be as and played CHATTANOOGA Lookouts until maybe ten years ago. They have a new real nice stadium downturn that obviously at 15k capacity won’t fit the bill for MLB.
Personally I like it. I think Nashville can carry a pro team now. I don’t know what will happen to the sounds.

What happened to the Expos? I guess I never heard. Did they move or just fold ?

[Quillback]

The Expos are now the Washington Nationals.

I'm not a fan of further expansion, but would be happy to see a team or two relocate.

[SWbass]

if Nashville fans get behind a baseball team like they do for the Preds they could definitly support a MLB team

[okiebass]

Marlins need to move---never had much fan support

[rb]

Enough teams now but some would do go in a move. Marlins, Rays, Royals, Padres, Blue Jays

[duff73]

Jays ain't going anywhere anytime soon. They make enough cash as they own their (old) building and are owned by a media company that has the national rights in Canada, which makes a ton for them. They were tops in attendance a year or two ago when they were in the playoffs, as success on the field means success at the gate.

[Quillback]

Enough teams now but some would do go in a move. Marlins, Rays, Royals, Padres, Blue Jays

Royals ain't going nowhere.

[Ryno 615]

The Nashville Sounds are the AAA team for Oakland A's. I'd love to see an MLB team come to Nashville. I go and watch Iowa Cubs play the Sounds often.

[GZ ONE]

Anything is better than the Titans that being said they just built the Nashville Sounds a new stadium and it's pretty nice . It's just any pro sport team here can't close the deal....Life Champion's is what this state is .

[Bassmaster96]

I think we should delete the cubs and form another new team

[LewStulePH.D.]

The Expos are now the Washington Nationals.

I'm not a fan of further expansion, but would be happy to see a team or two relocate.

Yeah, but then they can get rid of the unbalanced schedule.

[Bassakwards]

I would love to get a baseball team. American league, so I can see my Yankees a few times a year.

[Ckfishin]

I can't see them expanding unless they added 6 teams, They are all broken into groups of 5.

[Ckfishin]

nvrm

[Meadows]

White Sox relocated to Nashville would be a smart move. Rays or Marlins relocate to Charlotte would be solid as well

[mrlawler1]

The Expos are now the Washington Nationals.

I'm not a fan of further expansion, but would be happy to see a team or two relocate.

No these guys will forever be known at the

And nothing else..

[mrlawler1]

Enough teams now but some would do go in a move. Marlins, Rays, Royals, Padres, Blue Jays

The Marlin's need a new home and the Ray's could go to a new home easily .. Florida just isn't a good place for baseball except during the spring or unless they are winning and then they sell out...

[okiebass]

Royals ?? Really ? They have a great fan base !

[Ckfishin]

Royals ?? Really ? They have a great fan base !

23rd in attendance....

RK	TEAM	GMS	TOTAL	AVG	PCT	GMS	AVG	PCT	GMS	AVG	PCT
1	LA Dodgers	82	3,857,500	47,042	84.0	80	33,239	77.3	162	40,226	81.1
2	NY Yankees	81	3,482,855	42,998	86.6	80	30,685	73.7	161	36,880	80.8
3	St. Louis	81	3,403,587	42,019	95.6	81	29,274	69.4	162	35,646	82.7
4	San Francisco	81	3,156,185	38,965	93.0	81	33,915	74.9	162	36,440	83.6
5	Chicago Cubs	82	3,181,089	38,793	94.3	80	32,800	76.8	162	35,834	85.5
6	LA Angels	81	3,020,216	37,286	82.1	81	28,034	64.6	162	32,660	73.6
7	Colorado	81	3,015,880	37,233	73.7	82	31,607	70.5	163	34,402	72.2
8	Houston	81	2,980,549	36,796	89.8	80	28,842	65.4	161	32,844	77.3
9	Boston	81	2,895,575	35,747	95.3	81	29,992	69.6	162	32,870	81.5
10	Milwaukee	81	2,850,875	35,195	84.0	81	29,000	67.8	162	32,098	75.8
11	Washington	80	2,529,604	31,620	76.2	80	28,102	65.3	160	29,861	70.6
12	Atlanta	81	2,555,781	31,552	76.8	81	27,826	65.1	162	29,689	70.8
13	Toronto	80	2,325,281	29,066	59.0	80	25,152	60.1	160	27,109	59.5
14	Seattle	81	2,299,489	28,388	59.3	80	27,174	63.6	161	27,785	61.3
15	NY Mets	79	2,224,995	28,164	67.4	80	29,795	70.1	159	28,985	68.7
16	Arizona	81	2,242,695	27,687	56.9	81	31,832	71.9	162	29,760	64.1
17	Philadelphia	79	2,158,124	27,318	63.4	80	28,381	66.6	159	27,853	65.0
18	San Diego	80	2,147,000	26,837	64.5	81	30,730	68.1	161	28,795	66.4
19	Texas	81	2,107,107	26,013	52.9	81	26,470	62.0	162	26,241	57.1
20	Minnesota	80	1,959,197	24,489	63.6	81	27,017	64.4	161	25,761	64.0
21	Cleveland	80	1,926,701	24,083	55.4	81	26,088	64.2	161	25,092	59.7
22	Detroit	80	1,856,970	23,212	56.3	80	26,157	62.4	160	24,685	59.3
23	Kansas City	81	1,665,107	20,556	54.2	80	24,262	57.7	161	22,398	56.1
24	Cincinnati	81	1,629,356	20,115	47.5	81	29,918	70.3	162	25,017	59.0
25	Chicago White Sox	80	1,608,817	20,110	50.1	80	26,240	62.8	160	23,175	56.6
26	Baltimore	78	1,564,192	20,053	44.1	81	27,204	64.2	159	23,696	54.0
27	Oakland	81	1,573,616	19,427	55.4	80	28,748	65.5	161	24,058	61.0
28	Pittsburgh	78	1,465,316	18,786	49.0	81	31,288	72.7	159	25,155	61.7
29	Tampa Bay	81	1,154,973	14,258	41.8	80	26,381	60.8	161	20,282	52.4
30	Miami	81	811,104	10,013	26.7	79	28,917	67.2	160	19,347	48.1

[Davecon]

I think it may be the Rays to move.

I am a baseball fan and live in the Tampa Bay Area so I follow the Rays.

They are in a tough spot !

They play in the AL East which means they compete head on with the Yankees and Red Sox. That’s a tall order no matter who you are.

The Bay Area has a history of supporting a winner but if a team loses, nobody shows up.

Tropicana Field is atrocious ! You can put lily pads, reeds, and frogs in a swimming pool and tell me it’s a lake but I know it’s still a swimming pool. Tropicana Field is NOT a base ball park!

Tropicana Field is located in one of the worst geographical areas in the region. It’s located on the far western edge of the population center. If you go to a weeknight game most fans will be lucky to get home by midnight ! That’s fine on the weekend, but not if you have to get up the following day to go to work.

The radio announcers they have are not helping. I won’t even listen to them anymore (once timed it, listened for over 12 minutes to the radio and they NEVER ONCE told the listeners the inning, the score, number of outs, runners on base. They gotta be the worst in all professional sports. I will not subject myself to that.

Political infighting/bribery/good old boy network in Hillsborough County (Tampa) will probably prevent the selection of the best possible sight for any proposed new stadium (not enough locals getting kickbacks).

On the other hand, they are very competitive considering their division and budget.

The television broadcast is, in my opinion, very good.

Thier TV market is larger than any listed in the possible suitor cities listed above and I believe their TV revenues are quite good.

Their contract with the present sight expires in five years and I don’t think they will move any earlier as the attorney that wrote the lease agreement must have been a legal genius as I am told the contract is absolutely, unquestionably, without a doubt air tight and the annual early buyout is VERY high.

So, will the Rays move ? Maybe, but I’m not sure and if they do I doubt it will be before the remaining five year contract with St. Pete expires.

Then again, I’m just an ignorant fan.