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+--- Thread: Those AAA Baseball Honchos (/showthread.php?tid=1237)
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - Fittisize - 23rd October 2003
Quote:EDMONTON (CP) -- A company owned by Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan has bought the financially struggling Edmonton Trappers of the Pacific Coast League and will move the triple-A club to Texas after the 2004 season.
The sale, announced Thursday, leaves only one triple-A baseball team still in business in Canada, the Ottawa Lynx.
The Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos, which bought the Trappers in 1999, have sold the team for $10.4 million US to Round Rock Baseball Inc., of which Ryan, one of the greatest pitchers in Major League history, is majority owner.
The team is expected to play out the 2004 season in Edmonton and continue its affiliation with the National League's Montreal Expos before moving to Round Rock, Texas, next fall.
"When you are faced with something that is inevitable and you are given an offer that would be more than we would get if we were in a force situation where it got nasty, then you take it," Eskimos chairman John Butler told a news conference.
The Trappers have played in Edmonton since 1981 and won their fourth PCL championship in 2002.
It's the third western Canadian triple-A club to head south for financial reasons in recent years. The PCL's Vancouver Canadians moved to Sacramento, Calif., after winning the 1999 triple-A World Series, and the Calgary Cannons went to Albuquerque, N.M., following their 2002 season.
Eskimos president Hugh Campbell said the owners had been under pressure to sell the team for the last two years.
"This was a very difficult decision for us," Campbell said. "We originally purchased the Trappers to keep them in Edmonton. However, the PCL has changed significantly.
"The Calgary Cannons' move to Albuquerque was the major factor that triggered the push by PCL members for the Eskimos to sell the Trappers franchise. Scheduling, air and cross-border travel and the Canadian dollar were also factors in the PCL not wanting to have a Canadian team in the league."
The Trappers remain popular in the sports-crazy Alberta capital, recording an average attendance of 5,443 at their games this season, the second highest total of any minor-league team in the country.
By contrast, the country's remaining triple-A club, Ottawa of the International League, only managed 2,417 a game this year, making their lovely 10,332-seat stadium look bare. Lynx owner Ray Pecor has said he doesn't want to move the team but finances may force the issue.
In Edmonton, however, location ultimately turned out to be the franchise-killer.
PCL president Branch Rickey praised the Trappers as a "model franchise" with exceptional fan support and called Telus Field "one of the finest ball parks in the PCL." But he said the distances between Edmonton and the other PCL cities along with the growing complications of crossing the border have became too much of a hassle.
"With smaller airplanes and some of the other elements of how the airlines are reconfiguring, our travel is more challenging for us every day," Rickey said.
The Eskimos plan to begin talks immediately with the City of Edmonton regarding the future of Telus Field, the beautiful river valley park that has been home to the Trappers.
Campbell said the Eskimos will use the profit from the sale to pay off the baseball team's debts and replenish the football club's stabilization fund, which was utilized to buy the Trappers.
The Round Rock Express is a double-A team playing in the Texas League. Its president and chief executive is Reid Ryan, son of Nolan Ryan. The plan is to renovate the Dell Diamond in Round Rock next year before moving the Trappers in. The Express would then move to Corpus Christi, Texas.
That sucks, I love watching Trapper's games, and they are an awesome team. :(
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - A Black Falcon - 23rd October 2003
Too bad. Seems like Canadian pro ball is dying off, slowly but surely...
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - Laser Link - 25th October 2003
That is too bad. You would minor league ball would be different.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - A Black Falcon - 25th October 2003
Yeah. But it doesn't sound like drawing fans was the problem... just location. And not having stable ownership. Stinks for fans there...
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - alien space marine - 26th October 2003
I loved the Ottawa lynx infact the first time I have seen a league baseball team was the lynx.The Lynx have had a hard time in the last few years , But are slowly making a come back.
Are hockey teams are the biggest concern , A canadian team haisnt won since montreal in 1993. There was a huge dilema on the canadians head about its future but due to public outcry plus alot of allies the canadian stayed pout in montreal. Losing the habs would be a serious blow to the NHL culture and its history being the only team to win the cup 38 times, Most of all it would have been a giant kick in the testies for canada.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - Fittisize - 26th October 2003
??? 23 NHL Stanley Cups. Maybe 38 before the NHL became a league... That's quite the dynasty.
And before you know it the Lynx will be sold to so don't get your hopes up.
Yes, the Canadians being moved would be a huge blow on hockey in general. I don't see why they would move though...they have the biggest rink, and they fill it up nearly every single game. But money could still be a problem.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - A Black Falcon - 26th October 2003
As this Edmonton team moving makes clear, filling up your stadium all the time and being popular mean nothing...
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - alien space marine - 27th October 2003
Quote:Originally posted by Fittisize
??? 23 NHL Stanley Cups. Maybe 38 before the NHL became a league... That's quite the dynasty.
And before you know it the Lynx will be sold to so don't get your hopes up.
Yes, the Canadians being moved would be a huge blow on hockey in general. I don't see why they would move though...they have the biggest rink, and they fill it up nearly every single game. But money could still be a problem.
Am I bad , Well I guess it must be 23, still that is a decent record regardless. It probaily is in there 30's if you count the pre NHL period.The montrealites really love the canadians still too this day, But another reason for good ticket sales for every team is the fact its also about seeing a live NHL game in your area ,Alot of stuggeling teams like the cannucks wouldnt have survived if everyone who bought tickets did so soley to see that team win.
But the NHL biggest concern is balooning salaries for players as the NHL has the highiest of the major north american professional sports , NHL players are paid higher then NBA and NFL, So that is whats killing teams is the fact even if you always have full house you always need a little more then you can make and they have to push for alot of merchandising and other ways of keeping up with the costs.
Denver has an extremly strong roster this year should be interesting.The canadians are doing very well so far this season.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - A Black Falcon - 27th October 2003
Highes salaries? Seriously How high are they? Isn
't the highest paid team llike 60-something million? That's not much... at least compared to the Yankees and their $180-million payroll this year. Though. I guess hockey has fewer players on the payroll (under 25 I imagine?), and plays half as many games, so its expected... still, though, I'd think basketball would be higher at least. Lots of baseketball players are paid very well...
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - Fittisize - 27th October 2003
The highest payroll is the New York Rangers, with about $75 million. Now, if they could only make the playoffs....The average NHL payroll is around the $40-$45 million mark, but I'm not too sure.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - A Black Falcon - 27th October 2003
In the MLB $50 million is really, really low. :)
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - N-Man - 27th October 2003
The Canadiens have won 24 stanley cups total, NHL or no.
Looky looky.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - alien space marine - 27th October 2003
That was a census from statistic shown on TSN sports network, They said the NHL was estimated 10% higher then the NFL or NBA and didnt add pro baseball in that census so that is open for debate.
Vince carter got 75 million to continue playing for toronto rapters from that article in what 2002 I think that was conciderd alot for an NBA player maybe not the highest but a pretty high.
I have seen NHL players contracts in the hundreds of millions.
P.S I remeber the 1993 game, Wyne Gretsky scored a goal on his net now that was funny.Whats even more weird is seeing LA at the stanley cup,The kings almost dont even exist I rarely even see them at all. Ever since Gretsky left for new york and then to retirement the La kings phased out of existence.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - Fittisize - 27th October 2003
Quote:Originally posted by A Black Falcon
In the MLB $50 million is really, really low. :)
Phh, I bet ya the Expos are lower than 50 mil.
Ha, only 6 of the Canadiens Stanley Cups have been won against teams that weren't in the original 6. They (or any other Candian team, preferably the Senators or Oilers) need to win a Stanley Cup real soon...this year hopefully.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - alien space marine - 29th October 2003
The canadians nearly did but Carolina beat them just before the final , In my mind Carolina is a Inferior team , I think the reason was for the defeat is because of all the injuries and fatiqued after fighting like hell agiast boston earlier. It was saddening it wouldnt have matter if they made it to the final and lost but the fact a weak team like the hurricanes was what did them in was saddening. One thing the canadians had at that time was Doug Gilmour with his faboulous passes and experience as well as Koivu come back also was a boost to the team.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - Laser Link - 29th October 2003
You can tell I haven't watched much hockey this year (but I haven't watched much of anything), but I noticed the Avs were wearing their red and blue jerseys at home instead of the typical white. And then I heard that home teams are wearing dark jerseys and road teams are wearing white this year. Is that really true, and why did they switch?
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - Fittisize - 29th October 2003
Yup, it's true. Home teams wear dark jerseys and away teams wear with jerseys. Just like in football (and in the Raptors season opener today the Raptors were wearing their sweet red third-jersey's, but it mighta been only for that game). Anyways that's how it used to be in the NHL, until like, 15 years ago (apparently) so maybe they're tryin to get back to their roots...if so then a Canadian team should win the Cup this year. :D
I like this new change...for the most part of it anyways. Now whenever the Oilers play at home they have to wear their ugly-ass black jerseys (Todd McFarlane's worst work I reckon), but most teams dark jerseys are nicer anways. Home crowd likes to see it. I dunno.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - Laser Link - 29th October 2003
I like it too. I didn't know that they used to be that way. Now if only we could fix this lockout threat, hockey would be perfect.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - A Black Falcon - 29th October 2003
Dark home jerseys? How strange... I know teams do it once in a great while, but as the norm? I don't know, seems wrong. It wouldn't work in baseball... but of course in Baseball most home jerseys are white and most road ones grey. Grey isn't the greatest color. :)
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - Laser Link - 30th October 2003
Dark jerseys at home is the standard in football, although it's not a rule. The Cowboys would often wear white at home just to be annoying, and early in the season teams in hot areas will wear white at home. In September the Chargers will often wear white jerseys and white pants, which is extrordinarily boring.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - A Black Falcon - 30th October 2003
*gasp* you knock white-with-white? But like two thirds of baseball teams have that as their home uniform... :)
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - Fittisize - 30th October 2003
Bah, baseball needs to change it's image a bit. What with the uniforms and colours and all. Baseball's far too traditional for my tastes.
Those AAA Baseball Honchos - A Black Falcon - 30th October 2003
But a big part of why its great is because of its history and tradition... :)