MLB in Vancouver?

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

True in the mid-nineties. Players didn't want to be here because the Canadian teams both weren't that great and there was a bit of a cultural shock. Raptors have proven that wrong with sold-out crowds. Vancouver's on the shortlist and is a gateway into growing the sport in Asia, apparently.

I don't think we'd have as much of a problem with talent as in the early 90s and I don't think we'd have too much of an issue with players wanting to be here either.

Toronto has a large African American/Canadian population (and culture), we don't.

Contrary to popular belief, the Grizzlies never had an attendance problem.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by KPELLY

Actually only 60k+. Half of the NFL teams have stadiums between 60k and 70k capacity. Only 5 teams have stadiums that are 80k+.

Ok, I exaggerated a bit. Notably the larger NFL stadiums actually don't fill to their real capacity before "selling out" due to the NFL's archaic blackout policy.

Toronto has tried a few times to get something going with the NFL. If they've failed, we'll never make it.

[Tetsuo]

Even London and Mexico City have better chances at landing an NFL team than Toronto, never mind Vancouver.

[svlt]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

True in the mid-nineties. Players didn't want to be here because the Canadian teams both weren't that great and there was a bit of a cultural shock. Raptors have proven that wrong with sold-out crowds. Vancouver's on the shortlist and is a gateway into growing the sport in Asia, apparently.

I don't think we'd have as much of a problem with talent as in the early 90s and I don't think we'd have too much of an issue with players wanting to be here either.

In 2018, willing to wager that it's more attractive for players to be in Vancouver than the likes of OKC, Memphis, Salt Lake or Charlotte. The perception of Vancouver in the mid 90s internationally is very different than it is today.

Vancouver can flirt with the idea of an MLB or NBA team, but certainly not the NFL...well, not in my lifetime anyway.

[Vancity]

Some news on the MLB front, Manfred mentioning Vancouver as a possible expansion city for MLB. PLEEEEEEEEEASEEEEEE let this be true! lol.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...c6tQCO91A/edit

http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vanco...baseball-team/

[logan5]

The Vancouver fans showing up by the 10's of thousands has to have gotten the attention of the commisioner. There is no better of example of support for professional baseball than what we see at Safeco when the Blue Jays are there. If we had a proper baseball stadium, we would almost certainly be front runners for expansion or relocation. That's the problem though. No stadium. The best path would be to build a high capacity AAA stadium that could be expanded to MLB capacity. And build it on the waterfront where the Whitecaps stadium was proposed. It would make for a top notch stadium experience.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by Vancity

Some news on the MLB front, Manfred mentioning Vancouver as a possible expansion city for MLB. PLEEEEEEEEEASEEEEEE let this be true! lol.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...c6tQCO91A/edit

http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vanco...baseball-team/

Worth noting that the article is from 2016, and Manfred doesn't actually say anything about Vancouver, just overall expansion.

If we got a team, I think it'd do fine. I have a hard time imagining someone willing to get a stadium built though.

[logan5]

In an interview a couple days ago, Manfred mentionsa Vancouver by name. Not that that makes much difference when we don’t have a stadium...

[LeftCoaster]

He posted the wrong link, there was indeed new discussion on the topic:
http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/major...team-vancouver

Still a longshot IMO, but fun to discuss.

[EastVanMark]

Although not directly related to MLB, the Vancouver Canadians have moved to Sportsnet and as part of the broadcast deal will have 6 games televised on the network.

This is virtually unheard of for a minor league team.


Vancouver Canadians= Best run team in the city

Other franchises in Vancouver: Please take note how to run your teams.

Okay, directly related to MLB; the Miami Marlins barely outdrew the Canadians last season on a game by game basis.

[moosejaw]

Originally Posted by EastVanMark

Okay, directly related to MLB; the Miami Marlins barely outdrew the Canadians last season on a game by game basis.

Thats my home team
Well good for the Canadians. Maybe ill buy a hat!

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by logan5

In an interview a couple days ago, Manfred mentionsa Vancouver by name. Not that that makes much difference when we don’t have a stadium...

It is also in his interest to get more cities talking about it even if they aren't actual legitimate contenders. The more viable cities being talked about, the more pressure certain current cities *cough*Tampa, Oakland*cough* have to get their situations under control, stadium wise.

[EastVanMark]

Oakland A’s stadium talks with the city of Oakland have stalled, and the A’s are rumoured to be looking for an alternate home. Cities mentioned for potential relocation included Montreal, Las Vegas, Portland, Nashville, Charlotte and Vancouver.

Only one of those cities mentioned have no plans in place for hosting a team. I’ll let you guess which one

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by EastVanMark

Oakland A’s stadium talks with the city of Oakland have stalled, and the A’s are rumoured to be looking for an alternate home. Cities mentioned for potential relocation included Montreal, Las Vegas, Portland, Nashville, Charlotte and Vancouver.

Only one of those cities mentioned have no plans in place for hosting a team. I’ll let you guess which one

They're just using the threat to get their development plans approved. Would you go to Las Vegas or Vancouver if you had a MLB team?

[Migrant_Coconut]

I somehow doubt the "Vancouver Athletics" are going to get a lot of hype.

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

They're just using the threat to get their development plans approved. Would you go to Las Vegas or Vancouver if you had a MLB team?

Totally. That’s exactly What they’re doing. However if the city doesn’t budge, as we seen on a few previous occasions, things can get more serious.

Vancouver isn’t even in the equation as long as a group or plan does not exist

[Migrant_Coconut]

I'd argue that the difference between "last on the list" and "not on the list" is mostly symbolic. There's at least a little momentum for an NBA team.

[phesto]

As long as Vancouver keeps getting tacked on to these fairly arbitrary lists by sports writers in MLB expansion/relocation articles, the idea of MLB in Vancouver won't be entirely dead. It's been going on for 15+ years now.

In reality though, there's never even been a rumour of any billionaire or company showing interest in pursuing an MLB Team for Vancouver. It's just been Manfred and previous commissioners expressing that Vancouver is a "nice city" which gets picked up by the writers.

At least with NBA we have a stadium and local investors that have shown interest since the Grizzlies left, and if Seattle gets a team, who knows?

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by phesto

In reality though, there's never even been a rumour of any billionaire or company showing interest in pursuing an MLB Team for Vancouver. It's just been Manfred and previous commissioners expressing that Vancouver is a "nice city" which gets picked up by the writers.

MLB brass wouldn't have any interest in creating an arms race for expansion and relocation cities, would they?

[phesto]

Originally Posted by JHikka

MLB brass wouldn't have any interest in creating an arms race for expansion and relocation cities, would they?

Of course, but it has to be backed up by tangible interest from prospective investors/ownership groups to have any merit. There is tangible interest from such groups in Portland, Nashville, Montreal etc, but not here. Vancouver is sort of a casual and flippant addition to make the list seem longer.