Posted on 09/12/2013 7:00:36 AM PDT by raccoonradio
Losing a Major League Baseball franchise would be a blow to CBS Radio’s drive to build a successful sports talk station in the market. But MLB commissioner Bud Selig has stated the league is not happy with the support the market is giving the Tampa Bay Rays in terms of attendance despite the club fielding successful teams. The league states, “Last year, the 30 Major League clubs averaged nearly 2.5 million in total attendance; the Rays, who finished with a 90-72 record, drew 1,559,681, which ranked last in the game.” So WHFS-FM “98.7 The Fan” is launching “Save Tampa Bay Baseball,” a multi-tiered campaign to help keep the Rays in the region.
But because St. Petersburg mayor Bill Foster has said Major League Baseball does not “seem interested in a cooperative effort to keep the Rays in the Tampa Bay region for the long term,” the station is taking action. The campaign involves launching the website www.SaveTampaBayBaseball.com to raise awareness that the Rays may be in danger of leaving Tampa Bay, as well as a petition drive to let Major League Baseball know that the Rays belong in Tampa Bay.
The “98.7 The Fan” Street Team will canvass the downtown area offering Save Tampa Bay Baseball window stickers to all local merchants who support the Rays. In addition, “98.7 The Fan” will host an official Save Tampa Bay Baseball Rally on September 12 at Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill – home of the 98.7 The Fan “Fan Cave” – before the Rays vs. Boston Red Sox game.
WHFS-FM program director John O’Connell states, “At ‘98.7 The Fan,’ we strongly believe it’s in the best interest of the Tampa Bay community to keep Major League Baseball here. We will support our hometown Rays every way we can, and encourage Rays fans and the Tampa/St. Petersburg community to join us.”
The key is not just market size or who has other big 4 franchises (MLB/NFL/NBA/NHL), but who has evidence of supporting baseball. RD (plus throw in Charlotte because it isn't that far away) and Indianapolis both beat Nashville in spades when it comes to the total picture.
Los Angeles lacks an NFL franchise for no reason other than they don't support NFL even if they are a huge market and have all of the other three.
RDU isn’t going to happen. The Durham Bulls’ stadium (Durham Bulls Athletic Park, charmingly known as “the DBAP”) only seats around 10,000 and has virtually no room for expansion because it’s built in the middle of downtown with buildings and streets on all sides, limited parking, and limited amenities in the area. It’s a very nice AAA ballpark but nowhere near a Major League facility. Plus, if an MLB team was seriously looking at RDU, Raleigh/Wake County—where 2/3 of the people live—would flex its muscle and the stadium would be put out there where the population is and the politicians are.
}:-)4
It occurs to me that if RDU was serious about getting a MLB team, they would (I think) consider seriously the prospect of putting a baseball stadium over near the RBC Center and/or Carter-Finley Stadium. Lots of open ground out there near that part of the State Fairgrounds IIRC, and good road access, much better than downtown Durham around the DBAP.
}:-)4
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