Franchise Set-Up to Fail

[djm305]

For a team that has still only been in the league for 12 years they sure have had a lot of problems. 3 Diffrent owners and 2 Firesales. Behind it all the state not wanting to help the team get it's own stadium. I'm sorry but baseball cannot succeed when the home stadium is a football stadium located pretty far from anyone. Look around baseball and you will see that most baseball stadiums are easily accessible by the inhabitatns of that city. When you consider the stadium problems, which have lead to the firesales, it's no wonder the fan base of the Marlins is so fickle. If this team had gotten it's own stadium after 97 who knows what the fan base would be like. But that first firesale in 98 turned off a lot of fans that have never returned and now this firesale will basically end the possibility of baseball in SouthFLA. Because let's face it, whatever fan base we had till now, it will turn their back's on the team now, as they should. But let's not blame the ownership on this one, Loria and Co came in with good intentions and even after we won a world series and he lost lots of money he still put a competetive team out there in 04 and in 05. But that can only go on for so long with the lease they had at DS, eventually Loria and Co saw that the State was not going to give in (even thoguh the state put up money for 2 basketball and a Hockey Arena) and they had to look at this from a business perspective. I now understand why Huizinga sold the team. Even after winning a world series the state would not help and nobody wants to own a business that losses money.

 

So this is the point I am making it costs a lot of money to put a competetive team on the field, Huizinga and Loria both put $$$ into the team in order to win and they each gave us a title, but the state still would not help. But let's face it with the stadium issue being what it is, this team can not be competetive without loosing a lot of money. So as much as it pains me to say this, I say move the team to a city that is willing to build them a ball park and succeed.

[LoriaLovesVegas]

The contant blasting at the stadium being so horrible and the fans being so bad is turning more people away from coming to games.

 

Lets keep blaming the customer, sounds like a great plan.

[rferry]

It's never been about the low turnout. While that's been a problem to consider, the only reason it has ever been brought up by any Marlins owner over the years is to force the hand of public officials.

[DcFishFan]

It's never been about the low turnout. While that's been a problem to consider, the only reason it has ever been brought up by any Marlins owner over the years is to force the hand of public officials.

 

 

Huh? What is your justification for stating "it's never been about the low turnout?"

[rferry]

It's a concern, I'm sure, but it's not the reason why they're leaking money and it's not the reason why they can't reach their potential. A new stadium would have solved many of the issues that relate to the low turnout. High turnout at Huizenga's stadium means diddly squat to them. And as you could see from the scant attendance and public support after the 2003 World Series and Delgado signing, not the best investment.

 

The reason why it is brought up by those seeking a stadium in South Florida is to threaten the public officials that the market isn't all that's cracked up to be and that they're other options.

 

Obviously the issue of low attendance is brought up by fans and media members, because it's been the measuring stick used well before the recent and projected continued trend of teams making the majority of their money on things other than ticket sales.

[DcFishFan]

It's a concern, I'm sure, but it's not the reason why they're leaking money and it's not the reason why they can't reach their potential. A new stadium would have solved many of the issues that relate to the low turnout. High turnout at Huizenga's stadium means diddly squat to them. And as you could see from the scant attendance and public support after the 2003 World Series and Delgado signing, not the best investment.

 

The reason why it is brought up by those seeking a stadium in South Florida is to threaten the public officials that the market isn't all that's cracked up to be and that they're other options.

 

Obviously the issue of low attendance is brought up by fans and media members, because it's been the measuring stick used well before the recent and projected continued trend of teams making the majority of their money on things other than ticket sales.

 

 

Hey, I don't doubt for a moment that Samson was at least somewhat truthful when he admitted that the Marlins could draw 40K at the Pro and still lose money. But here's the thing: given how whiny South Florida fans are (present company and all MarlinsBaseball.com posters excepted), I have absolutely no confidence whatsoever that attendance will really improve much if the Marlins did get their new stadium. Eventually, if people don't have any desire to see this team, all the new stadiums in the world won't keep this franchise afloat.

 

So, I suppose where I come out on it is that attendance may not be the only problem (or even, as Samson acknowledged, as much of a problem as the lousy lease at the Pro), but eventually, I have no confidence whatsoever that whiny South Florida fans will ignore the Marlins and any new stadium that's built for them.