We’re not the only ones with attendance issues

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Only because all of those Rays fans filled the place 

[imref]

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2023/04/tigers-guardians-attendance-photos-sad

The reds have played a few games lately in almost empty stadiums as well

[Natsinpwc]

So year after year of fielding bad teams reduces attendance. No way.

Dayton has sold out for years. Maybe they could offer tickets to the Dayton games to fans willing to go to a game in Cincy? 

[HalfSmokes]

It’ll be interesting to see what happens after schools get out. If the numbers don’t bounce back, I think baseball may be screwed. There is so little reason for hope in so many markets (look at the O’s not supplementing the best core they’ve seen in decades) and they still haven’t found a way to make kids and young adults care.

[IanRubbish]

Small markets that also have the NFL - Cincy, KC, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Baltimore - have to field incredible teams or else they draw less than half the Yankees and Dodgers.  Will be a bigger issue as MLB depends more on stadium revenue due to cord cutters.  Also suggests they should go to Salt Lake, not Vegas, for another St Louis or San Diego that isn’t tapped out supporting the NFL.

[IanRubbish]

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/sources-lombardo-lawmakers-on-board-with-planned-1-billion-las-vegas-baseball-stadium?fbclid=IwAR2jl3l1tM6XHhPnlJMeniyAb0GmQnxNQK_vL6XBEz_CWGUGBfM7vC-EneM

A's getting closer to Vegas.

[Smithian]

Baltimore is learning you can’t tank for years and expect your fan base to just snap back. Fan bases know when you don’t care about giving them a passable product.

[imref]

Baltimore is learning you can’t tank for years and expect your fan base to just snap back. Fan bases know when you don’t care about giving them a passable product.

Terrible stadium experience as well.

[Slateman]

Baltimore is learning you can’t tank for years and expect your fan base to just snap back. Fan bases know when you don’t care about giving them a passable product.

Ownership's recent comments havent helped. They a but gave up on keeping Adley there long-term

[Smithian]

A's just announced an agreement with Vegas. Big day for O's fans!

[Slateman]

A's just announced an agreement with Vegas. Big day for O's fans!

Why?

[Mattionals]

Why?

Maybe Mini Angelos will move the team to Oakland and park them in the dump that is the Colliseum? Gotta be cheaper rent then OPACY. On second thought, it's the bay area, B-More certainly is cheaper rent.

[Slateman]

Maybe Mini Angelos will move the team to Oakland and park them in the dump that is the Colliseum? Gotta be cheaper rent then OPACY. On second thought, it's the bay area, B-More certainly is cheaper rent.

Its far more likely that someone buys the Nats and moves them. Instantly solves the MASN issue and new ownership gets all the sweetheart deals of a new city.

[Mattionals]

Its far more likely that someone buys the Nats and moves them. Instantly solves the MASN issue and new ownership gets all the sweetheart deals of a new city.

But no one is buying the Nats for 2.4B, so that scenario isn't actually likely at all.


The scenario that will probably play out is that the Lerner family doesn't sell, the team operates piss poor for a long time, MASN never gets resolved, and we all cherish 2019.


The second likeliest scenario is that somehow MASN is resolved, Ted Leonsis buys the Nats at whatever value just shy of what Markie Mark and the unfunky bunch wanted, and we all still cherish 2019 but have slightly more optimism for the future.


I'd place the odds at like 70/30 in favor of "nothing happens" right now.

[Smithian]

Why?

One less market for that team to mercifully escape to in the middle of the night like they’re the Colts

[Slateman]

But no one is buying the Nats for 2.4B, so that scenario isn't actually likely at all.


The scenario that will probably play out is that the Lerner family doesn't sell, the team operates piss poor for a long time, MASN never gets resolved, and we all cherish 2019.


The second likeliest scenario is that somehow MASN is resolved, Ted Leonsis buys the Nats at whatever value just shy of what Markie Mark and the unfunky bunch wanted, and we all still cherish 2019 but have slightly more optimism for the future.


I'd place the odds at like 70/30 in favor of "nothing happens" right now.

2.4 might be doable for your own market with a city building you a new stadium.

One less market for that team to mercifully escape to in the middle of the night like they’re the Colts

The Orioles arent going anywhere.

[HalfSmokes]

Its far more likely that someone buys the Nats and moves them. Instantly solves the MASN issue and new ownership gets all the sweetheart deals of a new city.

The only problem with that is that the Nats don't own their TV rights. The Nats in Portland would still have TV rights owned by MASN.

[Slateman]

The only problem with that is that the Nats don't own their TV rights. The Nats in Portland would still have TV rights owned by MASN.

Dont think we know that. Particularly if they rename the team. MASN certainly doesnt have broadcast rights in Portland.

And honestly, once the rulings come down that MASN owes the Nats money, it would be childsplay to negotiate that and a move out of the DC area in exchange for their TV rights.

[HalfSmokes]

Dont think we know that. Particularly if they rename the team. MASN certainly doesnt have broadcast rights in Portland.

And honestly, once the rulings come down that MASN owes the Nats money, it would be childsplay to negotiate that and a move out of the DC area in exchange for their TV rights.

The compromise what that the rights would be controlled in perpetuity by MASN which would be majority owned by the Os. If all it took was a name change, they would have been the Washington Baseball team years ago

[Slateman]

The compromise what that the rights would be controlled in perpetuity by MASN which would be majority owned by the Os. If all it took was a name change, they would have been the Washington Baseball team years ago

It has a lot to do with the location. They move to Portland, MASN doesn't really have standing to say that they own the rights. And even if they did, simply saying, hey, we'll waive that 300 million you owe us and move the team out of "your" market if you relinquish any and all future claims to the market rights for the team.

[catocony]

MASN has the teams's TV rights.  Regardless of what city they play in, or what their name is.  There's always continuity with baseball sales or moves or name changes.  The Twins are still the Senators under the hood, the A's are still the Philadelphia Athletics under the hood, by way of Kansas City. 

There is a zero percent chance that the Nats will move.   MLB owners aren't going to allow a franchise in one of the richest areas of the country with a fairly new stadium that just won a World Series a few years ago to move to a small market city like Nashville or Portland.

[Slateman]

I'd really like to see that in the writing and again see hownit gets ruled in court. The reason MASN holds the TV rights is because Baltimore basically had DC as a market before the team moved there. They couldnt make the same argument for Nashville or Portland.

Dont think ownere care as long as they get their money. If moving somewhere gets them more money, they're on board

[Natsinpwc]

MLB worked hard to get a team back in DC. They won’t approve a sale that moves the team. Unlikely they would agree to move the Orioles either. Need some resolution to the MASN deal. Looks like the Orioles ownership wants to sell and they likely cannot with it unresolved. 

[IanRubbish]

MLB worked hard to get a team back in DC. They won’t approve a sale that moves the team. Unlikely they would agree to move the Orioles either. Need some resolution to the MASN deal. Looks like the Orioles ownership wants to sell and they likely cannot with it unresolved.

There’s also a lease at Nats Park that goes through 2037.  The other owners also wouldn’t abandon a top 10 market and keep Baltimore, especially when DC generates much more stadium revenue.   By the time MASN is resolved, it’ll be generating less revenue than the squeegee kids in the inner harbor.

[Natsinpwc]

Let’s take the Green Line to Nats Park! 

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/metro-stabbing-green-line-lenfant-plaza-station-washington-dc/65-85612246-2fdf-4fab-856a-b516b5fe6fa5