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re: Could Baton Rouge support a minor league baseball team?
Posted on 7/25/17 at 11:25 am to PortHudsonPlaya
Posted on 7/25/17 at 11:25 am to PortHudsonPlaya
I had this same discussion the other day about Houma. I was curious if Houma could support a minor league team. I know I'd sure go to the games.
1
Posted on 7/25/17 at 11:27 am to Clark W Griswold
The ESPHL has 10 teams including the Mississippi River Kings and Pensacola Flyers. I would like to see Louisiana teams back in that league. Baton Rouge Kingfish, New Orleans Brass, Lafayette Ice Gators, and maybe the Shreveport Captains could all make a comeback. Would be legit and give CST something to cover now that all of LSU's baseball and basketball games are on SEC Network or ESPN+.
This post was edited on 7/25/17 at 11:28 am
Posted on 7/25/17 at 11:34 am to jose
quote:
I had this same discussion the other day about Houma. I was curious if Houma could support a minor league team. I know I'd sure go to the games.
Well, the Houma-Thibodaux metro area has almost 200k people, with the nearest competition over an hour away, so I don't see why not. They could easily support a Single A team.
This post was edited on 7/25/17 at 11:35 am
Posted on 7/25/17 at 11:43 am to Godfather1
I would seriously support the crap out of an Ice Hockey team that came in and played during this part of the year.
No LSU sports are in season making things pretty boring in the ole redstick
Downtown has much more going on for it now than it did when the Kingfish were here.
People are clamoring for more activities besides the typical dinner/movie nights.
Spending a Friday night grabbing happy hour drinks\dinner at Jolie Pearl. Catching the hockey game at the River Center with postgame shenanigans at Driftwood on Third Street sounds like an awesome time to me.
No LSU sports are in season making things pretty boring in the ole redstick
Downtown has much more going on for it now than it did when the Kingfish were here.
People are clamoring for more activities besides the typical dinner/movie nights.
Spending a Friday night grabbing happy hour drinks\dinner at Jolie Pearl. Catching the hockey game at the River Center with postgame shenanigans at Driftwood on Third Street sounds like an awesome time to me.
This post was edited on 7/25/17 at 11:44 am
Posted on 7/25/17 at 11:47 am to kingbob
quote:
Well, the Houma-Thibodaux metro area has almost 200k people, with the nearest competition over an hour away, so I don't see why not. They could easily support a Single A team.
Who do I need to call to get this ball rolling?
Posted on 7/25/17 at 11:49 am to PortHudsonPlaya
If Columbia, SC can do it, so can Baton Rouge.
Posted on 7/25/17 at 11:51 am to Tigeralum2008
Agreed. The ability to watch live sports in-doors surrounded by ice and cheep cold beer seems like the perfect solution to Baton Rouge's dead summer season. Plus, LSU doesn't have a scholarship hockey team. There are no pro hockey teams anywhere close, so it'd have no competition. CST seems like the perfect network to broadcast the games. I don't understand why it hasn't been tried. I guess no one's got the money to make the initial investment to get a team.
Also, I've never been to Driftwood. It looks nice, but every time I've passed by it looked mostly empty with the few people there appearing boring and stuffy. Is it different than I'm imagining? I usually hang out at Huey's, Draft House, or occasionally the Roux House when I'm down there.
Also, I've never been to Driftwood. It looks nice, but every time I've passed by it looked mostly empty with the few people there appearing boring and stuffy. Is it different than I'm imagining? I usually hang out at Huey's, Draft House, or occasionally the Roux House when I'm down there.
This post was edited on 7/25/17 at 11:55 am
Posted on 7/25/17 at 11:58 am to Tigeralum2008
Kip Holden said two years ago that there was no way to attract any permanent resident to the River Center without extensive renovations. They got Canes to sponsor it and have done some work already. Something tells me if the hockey league has success (Bham is coming back this year, Lafayette is back, Shreveport is getting the mudbugs I think) then BR is a perfect choice. New Orleans doesn't really feel like a hockey city. Hell Houston doesn't even have a team currently but that might change in the next few years since the arena owner is selling it.
I'd buy season tickets if we got a team. It's the best family entertainment there is for cheap when it comes to sports.
I'd buy season tickets if we got a team. It's the best family entertainment there is for cheap when it comes to sports.
Posted on 7/25/17 at 12:01 pm to kingbob
quote:
I don't understand why it hasn't been tried.
It was tried and failed after 7 or 8 seasons. BR Kingfish played in the river center late 90s to early 2000s.
Not sure anything has changed enough to suggest it would succeed now.
This post was edited on 7/25/17 at 12:04 pm
Posted on 7/25/17 at 12:08 pm to JustSmokin
A minor league baseball team might work if you put the stadium in Livingston or Ascension, off the interstate.
I think there was talk years ago, like right after Katrina, about building a stadium on Nicholson, between LSU and Downtown. Wasn't Magic Johnson involved? Or was he maybe looking at putting one of his movie theaters there? Either way, I heard Skip Bertman put the kibosh on it (which may not have taken much work) because he was afraid it would effect getting a new Alex Box.
I think there was talk years ago, like right after Katrina, about building a stadium on Nicholson, between LSU and Downtown. Wasn't Magic Johnson involved? Or was he maybe looking at putting one of his movie theaters there? Either way, I heard Skip Bertman put the kibosh on it (which may not have taken much work) because he was afraid it would effect getting a new Alex Box.
Posted on 7/25/17 at 12:09 pm to JustSmokin
quote:
It was tried and failed after 7 or 8 seasons. BR Kingfish played in the river center late 90s to early 2000s.
Correction: the team didn't fail. The league did. The entire league went under and stopped playing for several years. When a new league was formed some years later, Baton Rouge never got together and formed another team, maybe because it wasn't profitable.
EDIT: The Team moved to Victoria, BC, Canada
However, Downtown Baton Rouge in 2017 is nothing like it was in 1997. There are people living downtown. There are bars and restaurants and businesses. There are constant festivals, none of which existed 20 years ago. The metro area has grown by over 30% since the league folded. Plus, this year's Stanley Cup Final seemed to really reach a new audience of southern hockey fans. If I had the money, I'd probably invest in it. However, I have no money, so I complain on the internet instead.
This post was edited on 7/25/17 at 12:41 pm
Posted on 7/25/17 at 12:10 pm to PortHudsonPlaya
You only have to draw 5k to be a successful AAA club. BR couldn't do that? How about a singe A club? There's towns with less than 10k people doing that. Even with LSU it seems like there would still be enough fans to support an affiliated club.
Posted on 7/25/17 at 12:13 pm to PortHudsonPlaya
I would love to have a major or minor league team in the BR area, but I don't think it would get enough support.
Plus the weather here sucks for baseball, it's either really hot, wet, or both. I'd want the team to play in the Superdome.
Plus the weather here sucks for baseball, it's either really hot, wet, or both. I'd want the team to play in the Superdome.
Posted on 7/25/17 at 12:15 pm to northshorebamaman
quote:
You only have to draw 5k to be a successful AAA club. BR couldn't do that? How about a singe A club? There's towns with less than 10k people doing that. Even with LSU it seems like there would still be enough fans to support an affiliated club
What I could see working would be a single A team in a place like Gonzales, Denham Springs, or Covington, or a AA team in a place like Lake Charles or Houma. My issue with minor league baseball is that it's just too damn hot outside most of the summer for just minor league ball. LSU baseball is great because it's during the spring, so it's only really hot during the regionals. Minor league games would be miserable without a really great shady grandstand.
Minor league hockey and d-league basketball don't have that problem.
Since the renovations, can the dome even still be configured for baseball?
This post was edited on 7/25/17 at 12:16 pm
Posted on 7/25/17 at 12:51 pm to PortHudsonPlaya
Hell no. LSU already has better home attendance than any minor league team in the country, even AAA.
Posted on 7/25/17 at 1:00 pm to PortHudsonPlaya
I enjoyed seeing the Kingfish play when they were in Baton Rouge. In the early to mid 90's LSU baseball tickets were dirt cheap and could usually be bought at the gate on game day. What is the going rate for them today?
Perhaps if a class A or AA team could make an outing more affordable than an LSU outing they might do okay. I would support a minor league team as long as they were affiliated with a MLB team and not independent. I supported the Zephyrs and went to plenty of their games, but I just can't put my heart into a team called "Baby Cakes." I could have put up with King Cakes but not that stupid shite.
Perhaps if a class A or AA team could make an outing more affordable than an LSU outing they might do okay. I would support a minor league team as long as they were affiliated with a MLB team and not independent. I supported the Zephyrs and went to plenty of their games, but I just can't put my heart into a team called "Baby Cakes." I could have put up with King Cakes but not that stupid shite.
Posted on 6/29/18 at 1:42 pm to PortHudsonPlaya
11 years later.....
LINK
LINK
Posted on 6/29/18 at 2:15 pm to TheFonz
This.
A and AA ball do ok, all over the country.
A minor league baseball team would conflict with LSU football, what? One or two weekends per year? The Zephyrs finish their season on Labor Day weekend, every single year.
LSU baseball is done, what? Last weekend of June AT BEST? There'd be direct conflict from beginning of April, but LSU plays one night midweek, and on weekends. Yes it's competition for the sporting dollar, but not insurmountable. The teams would be on the road often enough.
Get the right big club and it could do well. I'd think Astros, Cubs, would be good choices, as well as Braves? Put the team in St. George.
New Orleans supported hockey well for the four years we had the Brass. There's nowhere for them to play. New Orleans Arena (S.K. Center, now) will not do it, the Brass are gone because the Hornets arrived and the Arena/SMG wouldn't add a third shift/crew to transition from hockey to basketball. I can't see it happening now. The Municipal Auditorum was renovated in 2001, back for its intended purpose, Carnival. And has been flooded since August 29, 2005. There isn't anywhere else to go. :(
We'd get season tickets tomorrow if they announced a comeback.
A and AA ball do ok, all over the country.
A minor league baseball team would conflict with LSU football, what? One or two weekends per year? The Zephyrs finish their season on Labor Day weekend, every single year.
LSU baseball is done, what? Last weekend of June AT BEST? There'd be direct conflict from beginning of April, but LSU plays one night midweek, and on weekends. Yes it's competition for the sporting dollar, but not insurmountable. The teams would be on the road often enough.
Get the right big club and it could do well. I'd think Astros, Cubs, would be good choices, as well as Braves? Put the team in St. George.
New Orleans supported hockey well for the four years we had the Brass. There's nowhere for them to play. New Orleans Arena (S.K. Center, now) will not do it, the Brass are gone because the Hornets arrived and the Arena/SMG wouldn't add a third shift/crew to transition from hockey to basketball. I can't see it happening now. The Municipal Auditorum was renovated in 2001, back for its intended purpose, Carnival. And has been flooded since August 29, 2005. There isn't anywhere else to go. :(
We'd get season tickets tomorrow if they announced a comeback.
This post was edited on 6/29/18 at 2:27 pm
Posted on 6/29/18 at 2:17 pm to PortHudsonPlaya
A short season rookie team would work. Starts up right around the end of the college season.
Posted on 6/29/18 at 2:37 pm to PortHudsonPlaya
They could.
BRAC would find a way to steal the money and funnel it to the BRAF.
Then they would put an entertainment tax on the ballet that would somehow pass.
Then they would funnel the money into studies for a stadium that never would be built.
A good area is somewhere around Olympia field.
Close to downtown and hospitals to attract those workers.
Only uncontrollable problem is the teams play in the middle of the summer and it is hot or you have to deal with afternoon showers.
BRAC would find a way to steal the money and funnel it to the BRAF.
Then they would put an entertainment tax on the ballet that would somehow pass.
Then they would funnel the money into studies for a stadium that never would be built.
A good area is somewhere around Olympia field.
Close to downtown and hospitals to attract those workers.
Only uncontrollable problem is the teams play in the middle of the summer and it is hot or you have to deal with afternoon showers.
This post was edited on 6/29/18 at 2:40 pm
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