Sports in Austin

[drummer]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoes

The only real locations for a stadium would be adjacent to the COTA site or expanding Dell Diamond to meet MLB requirements.

I tend to agree, but in general I would just focus on anything suburban. That said, we can still hope and wish and dream and cry about it. I know I will.

[ATX2030]

MLB expansion: Potential cities, top locations to land teams

ESPN
Feb 21, 2024, 07:00 AM ET

Major League Baseball expansion is coming -- it's just a matter of when ... and where.

While the timeline for MLB to go to 32 teams remains a bit murky, commissioner Rob Manfred recently said he hopes to have a process "in place" for the league to expand to 32 teams before he retires in 2029.

There are plenty of candidates to land one of the franchises when the sport does expand, headlined by a pair of cities that have moved to the front of the line. Is your city one of the places that baseball could be eyeing? We asked our MLB reporters to break down the cases for and against the leading options.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/3956...-orlando-portland-raleigh-salt-lake-city

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

MLB expansion: Potential cities, top locations to land teams

ESPN
Feb 21, 2024, 07:00 AM ET

Major League Baseball expansion is coming -- it's just a matter of when ... and where.

While the timeline for MLB to go to 32 teams remains a bit murky, commissioner Rob Manfred recently said he hopes to have a process "in place" for the league to expand to 32 teams before he retires in 2029.

There are plenty of candidates to land one of the franchises when the sport does expand, headlined by a pair of cities that have moved to the front of the line. Is your city one of the places that baseball could be eyeing? We asked our MLB reporters to break down the cases for and against the leading options.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/3956...-orlando-portland-raleigh-salt-lake-city

I’m not sure how much stock to put in a list that’s just in alphabetical order.

But I tell you what, I’d purchase the — out of Austin Bats merchandise

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by Novacek

I’m not sure how much stock to put in a list that’s just in alphabetical order.

But I tell you what, I’d purchase the — out of Austin Bats merchandise

Without a potential Austin ownership group actively working to bring a team here, I think we are unlikely to get one of the two expansion teams. Unfortunately. Hopefully, there's an ownership group of some kind brewing behind the scenes that just hasn't made themselves public yet.

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

MLB expansion: Potential cities, top locations to land teams

ESPN
Feb 21, 2024, 07:00 AM ET

Major League Baseball expansion is coming -- it's just a matter of when ... and where.

While the timeline for MLB to go to 32 teams remains a bit murky, commissioner Rob Manfred recently said he hopes to have a process "in place" for the league to expand to 32 teams before he retires in 2029.

There are plenty of candidates to land one of the franchises when the sport does expand, headlined by a pair of cities that have moved to the front of the line. Is your city one of the places that baseball could be eyeing? We asked our MLB reporters to break down the cases for and against the leading options.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/3956...-orlando-portland-raleigh-salt-lake-city

Not that I expect an ESPN MLB writer from Chicago to know MLS all that well, but it would have been pretty easy to google Austin FC attendance and see that the team has sold out all 20,738 seats since its inception.

Edit: After thinking about it, I am guessing that they just copy/pasted from their last article about Austin as an MLB city and didn't bother changing anything.

[drummer]

Also, I think 130 would be a horrific location for a baseball stadium, personally. I know that was an irresponsible speculation at best and doesn't hold any water, but I just wanted to make my opinion known because it's important that you all hear it.

[ATX2030]

Statesman site with the Rainey skyline in the outfield would be pretty spectacular. Talk about stimulating the DT economy, bars, restaurants, shops and hotels would love it. Would be a grand slam!

The Statesman site has sat empty since '21 and will probably continue that way for several years to come. Such a waste of some of the best prime real estate Austin has to offer.

[Lobotomizer]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

Statesman site with the Rainey skyline in the outfield would be pretty spectacular. Talk about stimulating the DT economy, bars, restaurants, shops and hotels would love it. Would be a grand slam!

The Statesman site has sat empty since '21 and will probably continue that way for several years to come. Such a waste of some of the best prime real estate Austin has to offer.

Also a light rail station, and new bridge connecting to downtown. The Statesman site would immediately become one of MLB's best locations.

[drummer]

AAANNNNDDDD the mascots would fly right by at dusk.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by drummer

... I just wanted to make my opinion known because it's important that you all hear it.

Thanks for thinking of us.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by The ATX

Thanks for thinking of us.

Isn't that why all of us are here?

[Tyrone Shoes]

Originally Posted by drummer

Also, I think 130 would be a horrific location for a baseball stadium, personally. I know that was an irresponsible speculation at best and doesn't hold any water, but I just wanted to make my opinion known because it's important that you all hear it.

Just an opinion that I've expressed more than once. The best location for an Austin MLB stadium would be the old American Statesman site...best for TV.

[LiveattheOasis]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoes

Just an opinion that I've expressed more than once. The best location for an Austin MLB stadium would be the old American Statesman site...best for TV.

Without a doubt. Was at PNC Park in Pittsburgh last week and that view of the skyline is magisterial.

[zrx299]

I did one of these a while back, using Great American ballpark at the YMCA & Lamar spot.
Here's PNC Park at the former Stateman's site. Eyeball-scaled as best I could using Google maps satellite & Google Earth.

It just barely fits, but any serious consideration would have to bundle in the Firestone building, and the Traffic & Transportation building behind it to fit the full footprint. Plus whatever ownership group would undoubtedly add other small buildings for team offices, team store, "ballpark village" amenities, etc.

[zrx299]

An outdated Google Earth flyby view at roughly 120 feet above street level. Orientated same as the satellite photo.

Any Google Earth gurus or drone gurus out there with an updated shot, post it and I'll update the view. Night or twilight would be cool too.

[LiveattheOasis]

That is phenomenal! Well done on pulling off that view for one.

Second, if that's the view, my goodness the amount of buildings one could view was it be built ...

[SproutingTowers]

The ballpark would need a retractable roof for the Texas heat.

[GoldenBoot]

That's Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!

Waterline will just right of center field in that image (and would not fit into it). The view of the Rainey buildings would be outstanding.

[ATXboom]

Imagine homeruns landing in the lake with kayakers all over. Similar to SF. Personally, I'd prefer the stadium rotated counterclockwise 90 degrees, but there may be some regulations that control orientation to sun.

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by ATXboom

Personally, I'd prefer the stadium rotated counterclockwise 90 degrees, but there may be some regulations that control orientation to sun.

Yes. The sun, during the summer evening games, would possibly be almost directly in the batter's eye. However, I know what you mean.