Multi Use Stadium

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
#1

Just curious, because I remember the dilemma the Toronto Blue Jays were in last year, but what if we built the stadium to accomodate a baseball field as well? Is this possible, obviously it is, I mean without too much of an extra cost because the Syracuse SkyChiefs (AAA) ended their affiliation as the main feeder club to the Jays, just like the Hamilton Bulldogs are a feeder club to the Canadiens (if you didn't know about MLB), and I know they were talking about getting a partnership with the Buffalo Bisons so their main affiliate was close to home but the Bisons signed a development contract with the Philies so Toronto had to sign a deal to use the Las Vegas 51's for 2 years.

Would it be worth looking at the possibility of possibly getting a AAA baseball franchise to play here, no doubt the Jays would look into it because I remember last year how disappointed they were to have to use Vegas because of the whole travel situation if they have to move a player up or down. If I had the money this is something I would look at for sure.

Tickets are inexpensive for the league, in Las Vegas you can buy a 12 game ticket package behind the plate for $130 now thats a deal, Bulldog tickets are $26 a game and its virtually the same type of league. The Bulldogs average around 3,500 a game I believe somewhere around there it's not an official number but I read the paper and check attendences just out of curiousity on a regular basis. Attendence averages in the PCL league at 5,747 with some franchises as high as 10,433 and as low as 3,644.

Just something to look into maybe to get more bang for our buck in this new stadium we may get.

#2

Watching baseball down there would be great!

#3

Theres a half decent ball park up on the mountain, I forget what it's called, but a few more thousand seats and it could host a AAA team.

#4

Oh boy, just what Canada needs another A, AA or AAA team that go down the tubes. I can appreciate the idea of a more multi-use stadium but the history of pro baseball in this country, besides the Blue Jays, is abysmal. See below. Anyone around these parts when they want to see baseball end up going to Toronto to see the Jays, for the most part.

The Death of Triple A Baseball in Canada – a lesson in what not to do

[i]Canada’s last Triple A baseball franchise the Ottawa Lynx will end their season today (Monday afternoon) with a game against the Buffalo Bisons. Playing before a gathering of friends, family members and those who still love baseball, once again a Canadian city is set to lose its Triple-A baseball franchise. The Lynx will play one more season in Ottawa in 2007 before moving to Allentown. The Lynx managed to win a Governors Cup in 1995 (emblematic of winning the International League title) and established an IL single season attendance record in their inaugural season in 1993 (since eclipsed). Terribly poor ownership (the first ownership group) killed professional baseball in Ottawa long before Vermont businessman Ray Pecor purchased the team in 2000.

The Lynx will join a long list of failed Canadian Triple A baseball teams. Several since Major League Baseball arrived in Canada in 1969, when the Montreal Expos joined the National League: Calgary, Alberta, Canada 1985-2002 (PCL), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 1981-2004 (PCL), Vancouver, B.C., Canada 1956-1962, 1965-1969, 1978-1999 (PCL), Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 1970-1971 (IL). And many more before the Expos arrived: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 1898, 1951-1954, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada 1886-1890, 1918 (IL), London, Ontario, Canada 1888-1890 (IL), Montreal, Quebec, Canada 1890, 1897-1917, 1928-1960 (IL) , Toronto, Ontario, Canada 1886-1890, 1895-1967 (IL).[/i] ...

[url=http://sportsbiznews.blogspot.com/2006/09/death-of-triple-baseball-in-canada.html]http://sportsbiznews.blogspot.com/2006/ ... anada.html[/url]
#5

Earl I think this is important line in the article. Poor ownership has killed many a professional sports team. The right ownership might be the answer for us. Since the price of tickets, and travel hassles to the (former) Sky Dump, are an impediment to some people attending Jay games perhaps an affiliate in the Hammer might make some economic sense.

I don't like the idea of a multi-use stadium in general, however. Usually you wind up with a facility that is not ideal for any particular sport. I'd rather have a stadium that is designed to be ideal for football alone. Having said that, what will become of Ivor Wynne, assuming we build a replacement? Is it possible to tear down the south and east stands and build a baseball park with what remains?

Just some food for thought.

#6

A multi use stadium is what we need for sure. But baseball? There would be too many seats for a AAA baseball team.

I think the city is in a jam right now. We definitely need a new stadium but with the closing of Stelco and the layoffs taking place elsewhere in the city, do they really want to spend money that the city doesn't have on a stadium?

We need to attract big, one time events, like track and field championships, international soccer friendlys and concerts. At this point, I don't feel that the city would be able to support a new soccer or baseball team with the state that the city is in.

We barely support the Ticats and Bulldogs as it is. We don't need another team here for us not to support.

We need a new stadium, we have played in the same one for 80 years. It's time that the city stepped up and helped us out. Are there things that are more important? Yes but how many years has the city not taken care of the stadium or refused to talk about a new stadium.

The city spends money on things all the time that I don't use so why should people complain when they build something I will use?

#7

True enough I suppose Mike about IWS as a baseball park as you say. But try finding anyone to invest in a AAA team for that location, good luck. I don't see it working myself. As much as I hate multi-use stadiums, albeit football and soccer seem to be a perfect match with the field about the same design, baseball and football I would only say could work if there are some new technologies that would allow the football field a better design with the seating than what we see at Rogers Centre currently. But if it can be done, I agree it is worth looking into again, depending on the price and people willing to invest.

#8

Personnally I would look at a AA level team as opposed to AAA. I would think the costs would be a little lower and the team's brightest prospects usually are at the AA level as many players who become stars in the majors spend more time at AA then at AAA where minor league vets and major leaguers on the decline spend more time at AAA.

It's kind of like comparing AA baseball to Major Junior A hockey vs triple AAA baseball to the AHL.

#9

All Triple A baseball teams in Canada now have gone under. The last were the Ottawa Lynx, in the 90's they were averaging 10,000 fans a game one of the highest in AAA. But in the last few years attendance had slumped to a few hundred a game. Sadly it was the same in Vancouver, Edmonton and all other AAA cities in Canada. Attendance really slumped in Ottawa when the Expos left Montreal, the Lynx were the farm team for the Expos.
I doubt if any AAA team will ever come back to Canada.

#10

Baseball minor league is dead by en large in Canada.
What maybe the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the semi pro Northern League draw a few fans.
There is also an arguement that can be made about MLB also soon following suit with the Blue Jays exiting now that Ted Rogers has died and there is no real interest in the Rogers empire.
As for the possibility of a new stadium, what a mistake that would be to configure the baseball field part.
That would be like putting in a track which is used maybe once every few years.

#11

Is that really the case? Has there been rumours or any articles written on that account? I figure the Rogers Empire would be very interested in keeping the Jays and Sportsnet for the latter's content/survival and as a glorified billboard for all their telecommunications products and services.

#12

I personally think the Jays are fine and not in any trouble. Now, of course, they may be run more as a pure business model without someone like Ted running the ship but he wasn't a real sports fan anyways from my understanding but may have just ok'ed things quicker when JP or Godfrey said let's sign this guy for some big bucks. Those days of just a quick signing of the cheques are over but doesn't mean the Jays are dying or flying south or whatever, still good branding for Sportsnet and programming time and lots of people all over southern Ontario go to Jays games. They'll be fine even if more or less purposely operated as a team to just be respectful in the difficult division they are in although no one will ever say this of course. As long as they keep a high profile player in the ranks like a Halliday or Wells, just one, their image is ok with the average baseball fan who really thinks the organization is out to win big-time.

#13

Meh...would anyone really want to to go and watch baseball? Really, now...be honest.

I think they'd be better off with a field Lacrosse team over baseball. We'll be able to get that MLL team that Toronto is being awarded -- can't imagine they'll draw flies.

So, bring them in here, make them a Haudenosaunee national team and you might get half decent crowds. A big maybe.

#14

could start another land claim

#15

Multi use stadiums are… Multi Nothing Stadiums.
They have terrible site lines for football.
Stop dreaming about baseball. We don’t have a team.
Don’t tell me that if we build it they will come… To Wit: Copps Colesium
The American multi use stadiums are all gone or soon will be.
Can’t we learn from experience ?

#16

Uhhhh...okaaaaay. Guess you need an emoticon on that one...no clue what that's supposed to mean.

#17

ive seen a lot of minor league baseball in the states, and while id love to see this in hamilton id say much of the charm of the minor league ballparks is that they are baseball only. multi purpose i dont hink works well for baseball, as evidenced by skydome, being basically terrible for everything.

as well i think the problem with the support of a team is that minor league baseball plays a lot of games. and its hard for people to go all the time, most games ive been to in the US have been pretty underattended, but fun with lots of weird promotions ( spongebob riding around on a monster truck at one with children on it throwing candy into the crowd).

ticets for minor league baseball tend to be low from like 5-15 bucks. but most sports tickets seem lower in the states, i just paid 5$ to see the miami heat, and i payed i think 8 for the memphis grizzlies, raptors only have some limited 10$ seats but you cant drink in em.

#18

What, you can't drink in the cheap seats at Craptor games? Not for me thank you. :wink:

#19

Yeah, no matter how many drinks I can have, I still wouldn't want to spend $10 on a Raptors game. Actually, even if there was free beer, I might, albeit reluctantly, stay for only the first half.

#20

Like a lot of sports its more fun when you are there than on tv. they get out a good crowd, and the rap tor or whatever he is called is an A1 mascot, second only to bruiser (bulldogs).