(02-28-2020 12:34 PM)schmolik Wrote:  

(12-06-2019 02:39 PM)AllTideUp Wrote:  

(12-05-2019 02:34 PM)vandiver49 Wrote:  

(12-05-2019 01:34 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(12-04-2019 10:04 PM)Wedge Wrote:  Agree that Nashville is a possibility. The snag at this point is the mayor publicly saying: No public funding for a ballpark. But that could easily change with a new mayor and/or if it looked like public money was the only thing standing in the way of the Rays moving there.

From the Rays' owner's point of view, why not basically have an open auction with all of these cities. He's not going to pay for a new ballpark himself.

Nashville is way too small.

There aren't many acceptable markets. Besides Montreal, maybe Portland and Charlotte. There are only 5 teams in MSAs smaller than 2.8 million and they are considered small market teams that have mostly struggled in the free agent era-Milwaukee, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Cleveland. And the latter two are over 3 million when you include close by Dayton and Akron.

Orlando is 2.6 and is too close to Tampa. Sacramento is 2.3 and is too close to Oakland. San Antonio is 2.5 but doesn't have a lot of corporate money.

MSA populations:
21. Baltimore 2.802 million
22. Orlando 2.573
23. Charlotte 2.569
24. San Antonio 2.518
25. Portland 2.478
26. Sacramento 2.345
27. Pittsburgh 2.324
28. Las Vegas 2.232
29. Cincinnati 2.190
30. Austin 2.168
31. Kansas City 2.144
32. Columbus 2.107
33. Cleveland 2.057
34. Indianapolis 2.049
35. San Jose 1.999
36. Nashville 1.931
37. Virginia Beach-Norfolk 1.729
38. Providence 1.621
39 Milwaukee 1.576

I don't know how Nashville is way too small if it is still above MIL. Plus I'm sure they would count all of TN and southern KY as some of their potential viewers as well.

I do lean towards Wedge's statement that the Braves would block a Nashville move which is why I think MTL is the ultimate home for the Rays. But if that is the case, MLB has to find a way to buy out the Rays stadium deal.

I have a feeling the Braves might take this approach...

Moving the Rays to Nashville wouldn't be that bad as long as the Braves are compensated by greater access to North and Central Florida. In other words, no team in Orlando under any circumstances. Before the Marlins showed up, the Braves were very popular across Florida for much the same reason they are popular in several other Southern states. TBS was broadcasting the games nationally and those markets didn't have a local team.

If you subtract the Rays from Florida and allow them into Nashville then the Braves haven't really lost any territory. For one, Nashville and everything in West Tennessee isn't really strong Braves territory anyway. The Reds are pretty popular and the Cardinals are pretty popular the closer you get to Memphis.

I imagine MLB would be counting on a regional fan base if they located in Nashville...fans from Memphis, Huntsville(AL), and East TN markets like Chattanooga, and Knoxville. They won't completely get their wish as much of East TN is Braves territory.

Now the situation would be very different if we were talking about the Rays moving to Charlotte. The Braves would pitch a fit over that.

Nonetheless, the Braves would rather the Rays move to Montreal so they get the best of both worlds. If that's not an option then Nashville is probably the 2nd best scenario as long as there's no subsequent expansion into Orlando.

The Braves would then hate my expansion proposal ... Charlotte AND Nashville!

https://www.thegoodphight.com/2016/6/22/...eball-2016

How many MLB teams are in the South? We need some more. Plus, if every team is able to block every team where is MLB supposed to expand to, China?

I can deal with Portland instead of Nashville (Colorado moves to the AL South) but I want no part of Montreal returning. I don't want any more Canadian teams, especially if they join the Phillies in the NL East. My dream NL East is the Pirates returning where they belong.

There's really nowhere else for MLB to expand within US borders.

All of our debates center around which American market could potentially support a franchise if everything goes just right or which one would be least disruptive.

The only good options in the long term are foreign. Montreal is good. Monterrey or Mexico City maybe.