I So Appreciate This Information! Mary-Ann Baldwin has told me the very same thing concerning corporate sponsorship & support & the lack that we have in Raleigh. She said that The Canes dealt with these concerns but it worked out.
2 Likes
Right now every bid is a long shot
3 Likes
Maybe, but until I see more tangible evidence otherwise I am far from convinced Nashville isn’t the head and shoulders above front runner in the east.
2 Likes
I always thought the ~moving Central Prison~ fantasy was too outlandish to consider just based on the political will needed, the money needed, and the decade-long schedule it would take to implement…
but, damn if it aint the best possible location for a MLB stadium (well maybe a little light on the car and highway access?). If somehow the state government got behind the idea, would likely guarantee a MLB team - but that’s probably the biggest IF possible.
20 Likes
I’d LOVE to be at the first meeting where this is proposed and how the Boylan Heights neighborhood responds. Would they welcome it with open arms to replace the prison, or the usual response to change? That would be ironic.
#SaveThePrison #NoBaseballInMyBackyard
18 Likes
Ehh… It looks a little too good. The city may need to do a two million dollar study on it… I like it though.
3 Likes
If you could support a stadium with mass transit along the two intersecting rail lines and Western, (and thus didn’t have to rely on ingress/egress by car), you could conceivably turn Boylan Heights into Wrigleyville 2.0. If I lived in BH, that kind of proposal would have me pretty hyped! But that’s just me.
(Pipe dreams, I know)…
2 Likes
2 Likes
Ah, the excess of sports…Gotta love it. One of the least professional owners / organizations out there still cashes out immensely…
1 Like
state is the 11th largest gdp…clt has its b-ball and NFL…rdu can do with MLB…whatever site…id prefer downtown, but whichever
3 Likes
Lou , I saw the podcast today with you & the two sports casters concerning MLB Raleigh & Brian Forks & I really enjoyed it . “Go Raleigh MLB “!
3 Likes
Thanks Dwight. That was Joe & Joe (OG Podcast).
We had a home run derby watch party event in collaboration with the Canes. Brian Fork (Canes CEO) gave a lot of great insight into their thinking with getting an expansion team here in Raleigh. Doug Wharf (Canes President) was there to chat about Lenovo Center updates.
14 Likes
Nothing new though what’s actually new about baseball.
Well, you just got the CEO of the Hurricanes (the guy tasked with running the baseball side) breaking down his thinking on it for the first time on camera.
Listen to what he’s saying…
They aren’t concerned about the media optics. The lists of ‘Top Expansion Teams’ that CBS or ESPN wants to write. They care about checking the boxes and convincing MLB owners (who will be the ones to vote). They care about having all the pieces together when the time is right.
So given that, what would be the point of putting out their plans in the middle of July, 2025? Why talk specifics about stadium or location right now? What does it get you? (Although he did say that location is NOT going to be an issue)
At the end of the day, only one East Coast group has a billionaire (who happens be a known entity since he owns a professional team). Only one has a vocal and supportive government. And that market also happens to have the best viability metrics and is sitting smack dab in the middle of MLBs largest east coast dead zone.
You’d think the media would start to figure that out. But they haven’t. They’re too focused on the shiney object (Nashville). And honestly, that’s probably a blessing in disguise.
27 Likes
Okay got it, that good to hear and I know some people have joined the ownership group.
1 Like
Nashville has spent out. They are paying for a new NFL stadium, still paying on the the MLS soccer stadium, their visitor taxes are some of the highest in the country already. They are flat out broke they do not have the money to build or contribute to an expensive baseball only stadium.
Let me speak for my hometown Charlotte. There is NO movement here for MLB baseball. We are paying for a huge renovation of the Bank for the Panthers, just finishing up the renovations at the Cable Box for Hornets, we love our minor league AAA ballpark with great skyline view. We have a MLS team so three majors already. Just as Charlotte was a dark horse in the race for a MLS team (over Raleigh) with our billionaire on the ready, I do believe Raleigh is the dark horse ready to pounce with your billionaire and you win the prize (that being a MLB team). Many I have talked to look forward to spending an evening watching MLB here in North Carolina yes in Wake County! TV market size of Raleigh Durham Fayetteville and yes this matters is right behind metro Charlotte and ahead of Nashville and Portland. I am team Raleigh really I am.
23 Likes
and one more thing. Charlotte was a LONG shot for a NBA team and some dude in Phoenix said the only franchise we would ever get is a McDonalds. (By the way we have more Chick-fil-As than McDonalds but that is beside the point) The race for a NFL oh the Carolinas and Charlotte can not support a team blah blah blah. People ALWAYS underestimate NC but our time has come.
15 Likes
I’ve wondered whether MLB would take into consideration the performance of his current franchise — any sense whether it matters to them? On paper, we’ve got a high-performing team with a still-growing streak of sellouts. Would they try to contextualize a Dundon bid against current owners like the Lerners or Sternberg?
1 Like
…which just halted construction for a moment as a NOOSE was recently found on the site… they have their hands full, Raleigh can take it from here.
3 Likes