Should Minor League Haven
Attract an MLB Franchise?
by Tom Rathkamp
Kannapolis, N.C.
They have an NBA basketball team (Charlotte Hornets). They fought for, and
received, an NFL franchise (Carolina Panthers). Is a Major League Baseball
franchise far behind? According to Stan Olson, a columnist with the Charlotte
Observer, the prospects of luring such a team is undeniably linked to
Charlotte’s ability to be ready once another opportunity arises.
When the financial viability of franchises such as
the Montreal Expos or Minnesota Twins comes under scrutiny, Charlotte is
the city most likely to come to the rescue. Why not? It’s one of the
fastest growing cities in the country (sometimes deemed the "Baby
Atlanta"), and is already entrenched as the "minor league"
baseball capital of the country.
The key to any city’s qualifications for
attracting a major sports franchise is (you guessed it) a brand, spanking
new ballpark to play in. But if cities are ever reluctant to upgrade its
venues for existing clubs, how do you convince its citizens to adopt a
"If You Build It, We Will Come" attitude? Olson points out that
if you don’t try, you’ll never succeed. Unfortunately, the city of
Charlotte is currently trying for ways to get its AAA team back to town, a
team that plays in South Carolina but is still called the Charlotte
Knights.
This presents an interesting dilemma for the
powers that be in Charlotte. On one hand, the Charlotte Knights should
play in Charlotte. But if you pay the price tag of between $30 and $70
million for a new AAA stadium for the Knights, you’re practically
admitting that Charlotte is a AAA town at best. He proposes that, if the
city does build a 12,000-seat park for the Knights, make it expandable to
40,000 in case another big league opportunity materializes.
Olson seems bent on convincing his readers that
being a AAA city forever is not a good thing. I’m not so sure that’s
true. Regardless, building an expandable stadium, and expecting the
owners, staff, coaches, and players to not constantly look over their
shoulders at an MLB freight train is a tad disingenuous.
I can’t fully understand Olson’s frustrations
because I’m only a visitor here. But as someone who is growing
increasingly dismayed over the money-grubbing, fan-unfriendly major
leagues, I would say this to him: "You’ve got a good thing here
with these minor league teams. Why mess that up?"
Over the next couple weeks, I’m gonna get the
chance to attend a minor league baseball game in North Carolina. As
someone who has attended countless Milwaukee Brewers games, I am just as
elated to see the Piedmont Boll Weevils (Class A – Philadelphia Phillies)
play as I am to see the next Brew Crew game. Mr. Olson might think I’m
nuts, but all he needs to do is look at his once-beloved Charlotte Hornets
team to see how fast the excitement over a so-called "major
league" sports franchise can evaporate.
I’m not trying to tell the Charlotte citizenry,
or its media, what to think. But if I were to meet Mr. Olson, I’d be
more than happy to trade places with him for a while. If he shook his head
no, I would remind him that in a couple of years, he would probably try to
"renege" on the trade. Why? Because he too would grow
increasingly disgusted over the fact that, not only is the play
"on" the field major league, but so is the greed and shame
"off" the field.
Sporting Briefs …
… Tiger Woods certainly merits an entire column’s
space himself. Winning the US Open by 15 strokes was a grand sight to
behold. In fact, I would have awarded him the entire purse and left the
others penniless.
… Some might not be convinced that the Chicago
White Sox can really dethrone the Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. I
wasn’t sure either, until the Sox swept the Yankees at their own stadium
last weekend. When was the last time Cleveland did that?
… Speaking of the Yankees, their second baseman
Chuck Knoblauch is doing his Mark Wohlers imitation. In a recent game, one
of Knoblauch’s errant throws nailed a fan sitting behind first base. His
13 errors is by far the most of any second baseman this season, but you
get the feeling that, like Wohlers, his problems are beyond physical.
… Oakland 21, Kansas City 3. No, that wasn’t a
pre-season football game between the Raiders and Chiefs. A 10-run fourth
inning fueled the A’s rout of the Royals.
Any comments, criticisms, or condemnations on this sports column or
previous ones? Feel free to email me at andydan@milwpc.com
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