Comments on: Pond Trifecta: Joe Nathan, Prospects, and the Dirty C Word http://puckettspond.com/2011/02/26/pond-trifecta-joe-nathan-prospects-and-the-dirty-c-word/ A Minnesota Twins Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More Sat, 30 Mar 2013 02:06:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Maija http://puckettspond.com/2011/02/26/pond-trifecta-joe-nathan-prospects-and-the-dirty-c-word/comment-page-1/#comment-1590 Maija Sun, 27 Feb 2011 17:39:47 +0000 http://puckettspond.com/?p=3600#comment-1590 Yeah--I was REALLY surprised about the Vegas thing. But the only reason I gave it any real notice was that I heard the rumor, at the time, from very good sources. Made me think there might have been some inkling of truth there. I don't know if that move would have actually happened--I can't imagine MLB would allow it. Not because of the market size, but because of the association with gambling. That's too close, having a team in Vegas. And MLB obviously have a very low tolerance on many gambling issues. Yeah–I was REALLY surprised about the Vegas thing. But the only reason I gave it any real notice was that I heard the rumor, at the time, from very good sources. Made me think there might have been some inkling of truth there.

I don’t know if that move would have actually happened–I can’t imagine MLB would allow it. Not because of the market size, but because of the association with gambling. That’s too close, having a team in Vegas. And MLB obviously have a very low tolerance on many gambling issues.

]]> By: Wally Fish http://puckettspond.com/2011/02/26/pond-trifecta-joe-nathan-prospects-and-the-dirty-c-word/comment-page-1/#comment-1589 Wally Fish Sun, 27 Feb 2011 16:58:47 +0000 http://puckettspond.com/?p=3600#comment-1589 Vegas was and remains a red herring. MLB is not going to move into a area that ranks 45th in the US TV market no matter how badly they want a team. MLB has also been very adverse to opening the can of worms that goes along with placing a team in Vegas. Kansas City, Milwaukee and Cincinnati are the smallest markets with a team currently and they rank 31st, 34th and 35th. Charlotte is a far more viable option (24th TV market) as it Portland (22nd TV market) but both areas have significant concerns with respect to being able to support a team. More on Vegas: http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2010/08/Issue-240/Franchises/MLB-Team-Rejects-Las-Vegas-Overtures-Due-To-Market-Size-Economy.aspx Vegas was and remains a red herring. MLB is not going to move into a area that ranks 45th in the US TV market no matter how badly they want a team. MLB has also been very adverse to opening the can of worms that goes along with placing a team in Vegas.

Kansas City, Milwaukee and Cincinnati are the smallest markets with a team currently and they rank 31st, 34th and 35th.

Charlotte is a far more viable option (24th TV market) as it Portland (22nd TV market) but both areas have significant concerns with respect to being able to support a team.

More on Vegas:
http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2010/08/Issue-240/Franchises/MLB-Team-Rejects-Las-Vegas-Overtures-Due-To-Market-Size-Economy.aspx

]]> By: Maija http://puckettspond.com/2011/02/26/pond-trifecta-joe-nathan-prospects-and-the-dirty-c-word/comment-page-1/#comment-1588 Maija Sun, 27 Feb 2011 16:47:00 +0000 http://puckettspond.com/?p=3600#comment-1588 Contraction WILL NOT happen because the MLBPA (player's union) will never let it happen. The MLBPA is the most powerful union in the country--to think they would allow baseball to eliminate that many jobs, so the rich teams don't have to share money? The players would walk out and baseball would be over, at least for a long time, and the owners know that too. So you are right--no one really wants contraction. But the media lights to write about it, and others like to use it to scare fans into a new stadium... Although, the threat of a team being relocated is very real. The Carolinas have wanted a team for a very long time. Las Vegas was going to take the Twins, had we not gotten the new stadium bill when we did. Contraction WILL NOT happen because the MLBPA (player’s union) will never let it happen. The MLBPA is the most powerful union in the country–to think they would allow baseball to eliminate that many jobs, so the rich teams don’t have to share money? The players would walk out and baseball would be over, at least for a long time, and the owners know that too.

So you are right–no one really wants contraction. But the media lights to write about it, and others like to use it to scare fans into a new stadium…

Although, the threat of a team being relocated is very real. The Carolinas have wanted a team for a very long time. Las Vegas was going to take the Twins, had we not gotten the new stadium bill when we did.

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