It's good to know we have Crist on our side, however, where was he on the last day of the most recent legislative session?

 

Crist meets with NFL, MLB officials to promote Florida sports

BY BRENDAN FARRINGTON

 

 

ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

 

 

NEW YORK -- Florida Gov. Charlie Crist met with baseball and football executives Wednesday to promote the state's sports and was told Dodgertown will be preserved, the Marlins should stay in South Florida and the state can help the NFL promote football in Latin America.

 

Crist also said he plans to host a dinner Feb. 26 for Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, front office staff and players as a way of showing the league the state appreciates its presence in Florida, including spring training, minor league teams and the Marlins and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

 

"The relationship and the friendship between Florida and baseball is so long-standing," Crist said. "Keeping these teams in the Sunshine State, it's extremely important to me."

 

Major League Baseball will seek a way to keep using Dodgertown, the beloved 59-year-old spring training site in Vero Beach, Fla., that the Los Angeles Dodgers plan to leave next year, said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer.

 

"We won't let Dodgertown go," DuPuy said.

 

He said baseball is considering ideas for the park, or another team may move there.

 

"Dodgertown is an important part of our history and culture. We'll try to keep it," DuPuy said.

 

Crist and DuPuy also talked about the Marlins, who have been trying for years to get state help to build a new stadium in the Miami area.

 

"It would be a shame to lose baseball, obviously, in South Florida," DuPuy said.

 

"We're not going to let that happen," said Crist. "We'll do whatever we need to do."

 

Crist also met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and urged him to keep holding Super Bowls in Florida.

 

"I wanted to plea to the commissioner to have more Super Bowls - like all of them - in Florida," Crist said.

 

Goodell said Super Bowls in Florida produce positive feedback.

 

"Every time people go down there people have a great experience. And that's a tribute to the community and the state. That usually will lead you to more Super Bowls," he said. "The number one issue you want to balance is how do you make it a bigger and better event and Florida has always worked with us, in partnership, to do that."

 

Florida is in the middle of a six-year period in which it will host four Super Bowls. The 2005 game was in Jacksonville and this year's was in Miami. Tampa will host in 2009 and Miami again in 2010.

 

Goodell also said the NFL is trying to increase its presence in Latin America, and said that Florida can help.

 

"It is a gateway, it has a significant Latin American population, as do a number of our other franchise cities. That's something that's very important to us in long term," Goodell said.

I thought the Devil Rays were already planning to move their Spring Training to Dodgertown. They already have a Class-A affiliate at the stadium.

It's good to know we have Crist on our side, however, where was he on the last day of the most recent legislative session?

 

While he can say things like he wants the state to help, it would be political suicide to have a huge hand in it. Because of the lack of support for the Marlins locally with their attendance we aren't showing the rest of the state we actually give a hoot if the team stays or not. My guess is that we don't get any kind of tax rebates until the new place is built and attendance figures are continuously (several consecutive years) at least middle tier. If that ever happens.

I thought the Devil Rays were already planning to move their Spring Training to Dodgertown. They already have a Class-A affiliate at the stadium.

 

I thought so too. At least that was the feeling I got when we went to a Marlins ST game there this past spring. Dodgertown is a ball park by the pure definition of one, and I love the place. However, it is not a state of the art facility and maybe that is what the Tampa Rays (I think that is the new name) are looking for. Any changes to make it one would take away the appeal of the place and would be criminal in it's own right.

Dodgertown is a 1year stint for the Rays. They will be moving to Charlotte County in 2009 to play in the stadium off El Jobean.

I thought the Devil Rays were already planning to move their Spring Training to Dodgertown. They already have a Class-A affiliate at the stadium.

 

I thought so too. At least that was the feeling I got when we went to a Marlins ST game there this past spring. Dodgertown is a ball park by the pure definition of one, and I love the place. However, it is not a state of the art facility and maybe that is what the Tampa Rays (I think that is the new name) are looking for. Any changes to make it one would take away the appeal of the place and would be criminal in it's own right.

 

The Rays only have an FSL team there. The Dodgers will still train at Dodgertown in 2008 and a new team should be moving in for 2009 (according to rumblings from the Indian River County folks -- my educated guess, the Pirates are coming to town).

It could be the Reds heading to Vero Beach... their funding proposal to renovate their stadium in Sarasota fell apart recently. I think the Pirates are on track with their stadium upgrades (including lights), so I don't know if they plan to move or even if they can with their lease.

 

Personally I think the Reds should join the Indians in Goodyear, but then you'd either need another team to move back to Florida (Brewers?), or another team would have to migrate to AZ with the Reds.

 

Whatever happens, they need to save Dodgertown - that's a national treasure.

I don't see the brewers moving anytime soon - the park in maryvale is pretty nice, even if the neighborhood isn't - plus they draw pretty well with all the midwestern people who continually move down here

I don't see the brewers moving anytime soon - the park in maryvale is pretty nice, even if the neighborhood isn't - plus they draw pretty well with all the midwestern people who continually move down here

I don't either, but out of all the teams, they would be the most likely with their combination of geography, facility, and their lease being up sooner. Actually I could see the Rockies moving as well out of Hi-Corbett at some point but not out of AZ (maybe Tucson Electric to replace the White Sox when they leave, or to Goodyear to join the Tribe). But this is all just guessing on my part. The real mystery is what will Reds do... then you may see dominoes start to fall.

Oh, and I forgot to mention - the Brewers attendance at Maryvale stinks... but yes, the park is nice, the neighborhood isn't.

Dodgertown is a 1year stint for the Rays. They will be moving to Charlotte County in 2009 to play in the stadium off El Jobean.

 

Where the heck is Charlotte County?

It could be the Reds heading to Vero Beach... their funding proposal to renovate their stadium in Sarasota fell apart recently. I think the Pirates are on track with their stadium upgrades (including lights), so I don't know if they plan to move or even if they can with their lease.

 

Personally I think the Reds should join the Indians in Goodyear, but then you'd either need another team to move back to Florida (Brewers?), or another team would have to migrate to AZ with the Reds.

 

Whatever happens, they need to save Dodgertown - that's a national treasure.

 

 

I believe I read about a year or so ago that a plan had been blocked to raze the ball park and put up condos or something. There would be county-wide rioting in the streets if they do anything to that complex other than change the light bulbs in the bath rooms. Heck, I would even go up and join them. Nothing like a little glass smashing, car overturning tantrum to bring residents of different counties closer together. I've always wondered if cop cars really make that siren dieing sound when they get flipped over on their roofs or if that is just in the movies. LOL

Dodgertown is a 1year stint for the Rays. They will be moving to Charlotte County in 2009 to play in the stadium off El Jobean.

 

Where the heck is Charlotte County?

 

Southwest Florida. South of Sarasota, North of Ft. Myers. I should know... I grew up there. :cool

Dodgertown is a 1year stint for the Rays. They will be moving to Charlotte County in 2009 to play in the stadium off El Jobean.

 

Where the heck is Charlotte County?

 

Southwest Florida. South of Sarasota, North of Ft. Myers. I should know... I grew up there. :cool

That would be Port Charlotte, specifically. I saw it on Live Search. It has five full-size baseball fields, complete with foul territory, in addition to the stadium itself.

Dodgertown is a 1year stint for the Rays. They will be moving to Charlotte County in 2009 to play in the stadium off El Jobean.

 

Where the heck is Charlotte County?

 

Southwest Florida. South of Sarasota, North of Ft. Myers. I should know... I grew up there. :cool

That would be Port Charlotte, specifically. I saw it on Live Search. It has five full-size baseball fields, complete with foul territory, in addition to the stadium itself.

 

I think the facility the Rays are moving into is the old Rangers facility before they left for Arizona.

So, I don't know if this was reported or not, but DuPoy was down here again yesterday meeting with all the people of consequence.

 

Progress is (hopefully) being made.

So, I don't know if this was reported or not, but DuPoy was down here again yesterday meeting with all the people of consequence.

 

Progress is (hopefully) being made.

 

 

This and the Loria quote earlier this week can only be seen as good news. :cool

So, I don't know if this was reported or not, but DuPoy was down here again yesterday meeting with all the people of consequence.

 

Progress is (hopefully) being made.

 

 

This and the Loria quote earlier this week can only be seen as good news. :cool

 

 

 

Unless somebody finds a way to screw it up. Just thinking realistically.. :whistle