As regular readers know, we at SbB are quite certain that a bloodbath looms for many, many franchises out there. The combination of a history of outrageous salaries and a worsening economic climate means that all of a sudden, there probably aren’t 30 teams in any sport (with the possible exception of the NFL) who can all be both competitive and profitable. In instances like hockey, it may not even be close.
(Ruh roh.)
But though our earlier musings have focused primarily on the NBA and NHL, it’s definitely worth noting that the largest economic disparities in major sport occur in baseball, and while those small-market teams haven’t historically shown major signs of distress (unless they’re, say, the Expos), these are unprecedented times for major sports, and even in the hallowed ranks of the nation’s oldest professional sport, someone’s probably going down. And if the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS is right, two such someones are the Oakland A’s and Florida Marlins.
At issue in both instances are stadium deals; both teams play in total dumps, and the popular tactic of getting local and state governments to pay for new stadia is now, with the economic crunch hitting everywhere, pretty much off the table. Miami wants to include provisions like “[in] the event the Marlins are sold, the city wants to get back all its stadium costs before owner Jeffrey Loria could reap any profit from the sale” and other safety measures for city money. Loria, the notorious cheapskate, is obviously backing off. Hard to see that situation getting better. Ever.
Then in Oakland, the controversial Lew Wulff deal that would put the A’s 30 miles further south in Fremont, which is basically a parking lot with a mayor, is dead and bloated. Wulff’s failure was smacked down hard by the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE’s Ray Ratto, who said:
“It was nothing more than a real-estate deal with a baseball team as a hook,” wrote Ratto, “and it made less sense than moving the A’s back to Philadelphia and exhuming Connie Mack.”
Guhhh.
It’s as simple as this: there’s just nowhere for these teams to play anymore. They can’t get attendance in their existing buildings, they can’t get new ones built, and where on earth would they move to? Like… Portland? What makes anyone think Portland or anywhere else wants the headache of some team coming and asking the city to spend half a billion dollars on a new stadium? Meanwhile, the other owners (themselves hemorraging money as the stock market falls apart like a butterfly in a blender) can’t be happy that they’re giving away all this money in revenue sharing to teams that just plain wouldn’t exist (and suck anyway) without them.
So when it’s mid-July, both teams are over 20 games out of first, shopping their veterans to anyone who wants them, and drawing about 9 thousand fans a game, it’s going to be a tough but necessary task for Bud Selig to pick up the phone and tell the owners that it’s time to talk about pulling the plug.
The owners, at that point, will probably be the first to agree.
3:04 pm on March 2nd, 2009
Umm, the A's are expected to contend this year (they added Holiday and Cabrera, just to name two) and the Marlins are rarely bad because of their collection of young talent. I doubt either team will ever be 20 games out of first. I know you aren't a reporter and this isn't an article, but a little fact-checking would be nice.
3:06 pm on March 2nd, 2009
Contracting the Marlins when they've won two World Series won't go over well at all, but I'll be laughing. I'm a Rays fan.Seriously, the Marlins have no business playing outdoors in south Florida. They need a dome or a roof to be a viable franchise.The A's have a long tradition and they're in better shape than the Raiders - why wouldn't Vegas or Indy want 'em?
3:18 pm on March 2nd, 2009
Vegas? Seriously?
3:24 pm on March 2nd, 2009
A dome or a roof? That piece of sh*t in St. Pete is an insult to baseball.
4:14 pm on March 2nd, 2009
Time to trim the fat.
6:10 pm on March 2nd, 2009
Hey brooks when is the last time you where at the oakland stadium???
6:55 pm on March 2nd, 2009
You know, if MLB wasn't going to contract two teams when the owner of one of those teams was practically begging Bud to do it, it's highly unlikely MLB will contract two teams in a downturn year when the sport is one of the better entertainment values out there. Or maybe you haven't noticed that Arizona spring training ticket sales are up over last year, despite the down economy and despite Frank McCourt's inherent stupidity in seeking national advertisers for a venue which can only work if locals buy ads in it.
Though I will say that I know one group of people that's having a good laugh over the A's issues: The Monfort Brothers. Despite the flak they took for trading Matt Holiday to the A's, those
cheapskatesfrugal owners are looking pretty smart right now.6:58 pm on March 2nd, 2009
MLB Foreclosure List
Marlins - no new stadium, goodbye by 2011.
Rays - when they return to the Rays in 09 they'll be history by 2011.
Twins - no money and fans aren't paying for a new stadium - 2011
A's - Holiday was on a team 20 games ack last year, goodbye 2011.
4 less teams equals lower payrolls its economics. Simple supply and demand.
7:01 pm on March 2nd, 2009
And Vegas? Please. MLB would be better off trying to see how much Larry Miller Enterprises would be willing to pay for the A's and move them to Salt Lake. Hey, if the NBA can work in the Mormon's Valhalla….
2:15 am on March 3rd, 2009
The A's aint goin no where. First of all they are gonna be contenders in the west this year, and have a very good chance to win the division: Last year they lacked vets who knew how to win, healthy players, and a big bat. Welcome Holliday, Giambi, Cabrera, a healthy mark ellis, and a slew of vet relievers. They have players in the farm system who can be moved over the summer if they feel they can contend.
Ya their stadium isnt great, but if worst comes to worst the smarter thing to do would be to figure out something with the giants, so the A's could share the stadium. Ya it might not sound plausibile, but in times like this it is good for the game to keep one of the most successful oldest teams in the league around.
The marlins on the other hand….peace.