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OT: MLB Thread

I really can't stress how much of a failed venture this will be for the city/fans. The team could always relocate or get sold at some point, which is why I don't think the ownership group will ever take a real hit, they'll just cut budget and get rev share. The ownership group is going to look for tax credits/public investment to make this happen. If it's done cheaply, and with this ownership group and their budgets it will, it will fail within 5 years as the fans give up. The thing that will be different with WASH/MTL is the owner of the Nats is a multi billionaire who had a plan. Their record for the first 7 years were pretty bad and attendance dropped after the first year. Then Ted shot the payroll to 112m and now it's 200m. If the expos plan to keep a 75m payroll (which they already put out in their reports) and not be able to get to 125m+ and compete with the blue jays/yanks/red sox, the fad will last about 4-5 years. They also plan on building an el cheapo no frills stadium for 500m that will end up costing 900m in Quebec. Factor in the fact they only want a 30k stadium which will always limit revenues, and the fact this team most likely will never get a TV deal to compete with the US teams, likely spells failure from the start. I want a team more than anyone, but I know this conglomeration has unrealistic expectations and their plans/budgets will never allow the Expos to succeed, it's unfortunate.
 
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Altair said:
Canadian dollar isn't helping right now either.
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I don't follow the optics of baseball that much.

Is this league like the NFL where TV revenue and other sources cover a big chunk of your payroll ?

Isnt there a sizeable revenue sharing pie in place where a weaker sister like the Expos or A`s cashing in big time ?
 
GEEMAN said:
I don't follow the optics of baseball that much.

Is this league like the NFL where TV revenue and other sources cover a big chunk of your payroll ?

Isnt there a sizeable revenue sharing pie in place where a weaker sister like the Expos or A`s cashing in big time ?
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Indians claim they've lost money for a while and that's the reason they can't increase payroll. I don't know if that's before/after rev share numbers though.
 
GEEMAN said:
I don't follow the optics of baseball that much.

Is this league like the NFL where TV revenue and other sources cover a big chunk of your payroll ?

Isnt there a sizeable revenue sharing pie in place where a weaker sister like the Expos or A`s cashing in big time ?
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If the revenue sharing money comes in american dollars that would help any weak ass montreal team
 
Will the Expos ever return to the city?
A source told ESPN’s Buster Olney it’s possible.

“This spring I had a conversation – and this is not like it was with Rob Manfred the commissioner or some owner – it was a mid-level person in Major League Baseball and it surprised me with such the ease that he had to say next round of expansion, which would take place after they settle the franchise situations with the Rays and the Athletics – two teams looking for new ballparks.

But once they do the next round of expansion, yeah Montreal will be involved. And he said it as if it was a done deal,” Olney said Tuesday morning on First Up with Michael Landsberg and Carlo Colaiacovo.

“He doesn’t have the power to make it happen, but I was really surprised that he said it with that much confidence and that much ease because I thought it would be more of an open question like okay, once we’re there let’s examine these things.
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https://www.tsn.ca/source-tells-olney-montreal-expansion-could-happen-1.1279902
 
This city has no money to throw on baseball.....a slowly dying sport

Even in the middle summer, when baseball has all the attention, the US Networks talkshows only discuss NBA-NFL....
 
Rolex said:
This city has no money to throw on baseball.....a slowly dying sport

Even in the middle summer, when baseball has all the attention, the US Networks talkshows only discuss NBA-NFL....
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I guess accounting is not your forte. For the 16th consecutive year, MLB saw record gross revenues. For 2018, baseball-related revenues were $10.3 billion.
 
CH1 said:
I guess accounting is not your forte. For the 16th consecutive year, MLB saw record gross revenues. For 2018, baseball-related revenues were $10.3 billion.
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Yup - was about to say there’s oodles of non stop 24-hr baseball talk here in the northeast. Since 1992, MLB has grown close to 400% in revenue (adjusted for inflation) more than any other North American sport.

Also, MLB has always been very innovative when it comes to monetizing web/social media & merchandising in general.

When compared to all other North American sports MLB had:

- Highest attendance
- Second-most active fans
- Second-most Avid fans
- Second-most fans of any interest
- Second-most television views
- Second-most purchased clothing/apparel with team logos

Having said that, NBA will likely surpass MLB in the next 25-years in revenue, I’ve even read NHL might do the same and move to #3 spot.

From a long term investment NBA might be the better option for Mtl, I’m just not sure there’s enough demand in the marketplace though much the same for baseball
 
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Stephen A was commenting though that baseball's average fan age is like 45-55. Younger people are flocking to other sports.

I know this much, Geeman must hate it, no salary cap and guys getting $430 million contracts
 
The future belongs to the NBA. Basketball is the only global rival to soccer, the other sports will be quaint regional pastimes.
 
lecoqsportif said:
The future belongs to the NBA. Basketball is the only global rival to soccer, the other sports will be quaint regional pastimes.
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you have a point

Even though my son has only played hockey, been a rep player his whole life, I swear he follows NBA and knows all the top college guys way more than he knows the NHL/potential draft choices. He watches the Canadiens and loves the game, but he loves him some bball too. Most of his teammates talked more about bball too, all want the expensive shoes etc

Now that could change when guys he played with are finally drafted and in the NHL.
 
TheCountofMonteCristo said:
Stephen A was commenting though that baseball's average fan age is like 45-55. Younger people are flocking to other sports.

I know this much, Geeman must hate it, no salary cap and guys getting $430 million contracts
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I hate the sport . No issue with Trout`s getting paid .

The game gives owners flexibility and longer salary control regardless of your payroll.

You can make mistakes and work through them unlike hockey.
 
CH1 said:
I guess accounting is not your forte. For the 16th consecutive year, MLB saw record gross revenues. For 2018, baseball-related revenues were $10.3 billion.
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I watch and listen to ESPN and FOX Sports daily....it’s all NBA and NFL buzz year-round...
 
TheCountofMonteCristo said:
you have a point

Even though my son has only played hockey, been a rep player his whole life, I swear he follows NBA and knows all the top college guys way more than he knows the NHL/potential draft choices. He watches the Canadiens and loves the game, but he loves him some bball too. Most of his teammates talked more about bball too, all want the expensive shoes etc

Now that could change when guys he played with are finally drafted and in the NHL.
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Helps that Canada has its “golden generation” of basketball talent. It’s legitimately a thing now.
 
How much would basketball pick up in Quebec?

I don't think this is a build it and they will come type scenario.

A bunch of Americans playing a expensive sport that doesn't have widespread interest at the exact same time as the NHL season sounds like a really bad idea.
 
Don't know if there is enough grassroots youth participation in the Quebec province to sustain interest in an MLB team. In other words baseball is not really ingrained in the brain there. Heck maybe a team in Vancouver would last longer, they actually like playing the game out there.
 
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wiseguy1 said:
Don't know if there is enough grassroots youth participation in the Quebec province to sustain interest in an MLB team. In other words baseball is not really ingrained in the brain there. Heck maybe a team in Vancouver would last longer, they actually like playing the game out there.
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nah, Vancouver isn't much of a baseball town, now we might do decently little league wise but that is because they can start practicing in March here but in rest of Canada usually only in April.

Other than a few blue jays people who go down to Seattle, there isn't much baseball talk here.
 
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