Border wars
We know that the Frontier League and Wild Things ownership have expressed interest in putting an expansion team in Bridgeport, W.Va., as early as 2014. With recent news coming out of Morgantown, W.Va., one has to wonder if this is a good idea.
Monongalia County approved a tax-increment financing (TIF) district for Morgantown, which clears the way for the way for West Virginia University to build a ballpark that could be shared with a short-season New York-Penn League team.
The district applies to University Town Center, the shopping area just off the Star City exit. A reported $20 million ballpark is in the works.
WVU athletic director Oliver Luck is behind the push for a new ballpark to help elevate the Mountaineers' baseball program to where its competitive in the Big XII Conference.
Luck said he has been talking with teams in the NY-Penn about a team moving to the ballpark when it is built. There is a precedent for a successful college/pro partnership in that league with Penn State and the P:ittsburgh Pirates' State College Spikes sharing Medlar Park.
While a NY-Penn franchise would have to be for sale or able to move to Morgantown, WVU does have one person who could help make pro baseball happen. Ken Kendrick, owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks, is a WVU graduate and influential booster. There are rumblings that Arizona's affiliate in Yakima, Wash., which plays at the same level as the New York-Penn, has a lease that expires in 2015 and is on its way out of town.
Hmmm.
What does all of this have to do with the Frontier League? Well, if a Bridgeport franchise is going to be successful, it will have to draw a significant amount of fans from Fairmont, which is less than 20 miles to the north. Bridgeport probably doesn't have enough population to support a Frontier League team if it doesn't get support from Fairmont. But a person living in Fairmont can just as easily drive to Morgantown as Bridgeport. Plus, you have to believe the ballpark in Morgantown is going be significantly bigger and nicer than Bridgeport's.
The Wild Things also draw fans from Greene County, and if you live in, say Waynesburg, its faster to get to Morgantown than to Washington's Chestnut Street exit.
I'm not sure about how far all the Class A Midwest teams are to Frontier League teams, but it seems that the FL clubs do not do well at the gate when located close to affiliated teams. For example, Canton/Akron, Kalamazoo/Battle Creek. Maybe Joliet and Schaumburg will do well against some Midwest League competition, but Bridgeport doesn't have the same kind of population base as those two areas.
One interesting side note to this Morgantown ballpark is that several media outlets are still reporting that Luck wants the ballpark to have a synthetic surface. That might rule out an affiliated team in Morgantown. If it does, why wouldn't Wild Things ownership partner with WVU instead of Bridgeport? It would make more sense to have a Washington-Morgantown rivalry than a Washington-Bridgeport rivalry.
Monongalia County approved a tax-increment financing (TIF) district for Morgantown, which clears the way for the way for West Virginia University to build a ballpark that could be shared with a short-season New York-Penn League team.
The district applies to University Town Center, the shopping area just off the Star City exit. A reported $20 million ballpark is in the works.
WVU athletic director Oliver Luck is behind the push for a new ballpark to help elevate the Mountaineers' baseball program to where its competitive in the Big XII Conference.
Luck said he has been talking with teams in the NY-Penn about a team moving to the ballpark when it is built. There is a precedent for a successful college/pro partnership in that league with Penn State and the P:ittsburgh Pirates' State College Spikes sharing Medlar Park.
While a NY-Penn franchise would have to be for sale or able to move to Morgantown, WVU does have one person who could help make pro baseball happen. Ken Kendrick, owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks, is a WVU graduate and influential booster. There are rumblings that Arizona's affiliate in Yakima, Wash., which plays at the same level as the New York-Penn, has a lease that expires in 2015 and is on its way out of town.
Hmmm.
What does all of this have to do with the Frontier League? Well, if a Bridgeport franchise is going to be successful, it will have to draw a significant amount of fans from Fairmont, which is less than 20 miles to the north. Bridgeport probably doesn't have enough population to support a Frontier League team if it doesn't get support from Fairmont. But a person living in Fairmont can just as easily drive to Morgantown as Bridgeport. Plus, you have to believe the ballpark in Morgantown is going be significantly bigger and nicer than Bridgeport's.
The Wild Things also draw fans from Greene County, and if you live in, say Waynesburg, its faster to get to Morgantown than to Washington's Chestnut Street exit.
I'm not sure about how far all the Class A Midwest teams are to Frontier League teams, but it seems that the FL clubs do not do well at the gate when located close to affiliated teams. For example, Canton/Akron, Kalamazoo/Battle Creek. Maybe Joliet and Schaumburg will do well against some Midwest League competition, but Bridgeport doesn't have the same kind of population base as those two areas.
One interesting side note to this Morgantown ballpark is that several media outlets are still reporting that Luck wants the ballpark to have a synthetic surface. That might rule out an affiliated team in Morgantown. If it does, why wouldn't Wild Things ownership partner with WVU instead of Bridgeport? It would make more sense to have a Washington-Morgantown rivalry than a Washington-Bridgeport rivalry.
Labels: Bridgeport, Morgantown, New York-Penn League
posted by Chris Dugan at
8:50 PM
9 Comments:
I would not at all be shocked if it's the Wild Things who move to either of the 2 WV towns in a couple years. Clearly they are dying a slow death in Washington, as the declining attendance the past few seasons has shown. And the shocking number of empty seats so far this season is a good indication of what's to come. I don't know how long their lease is, but owners always seem to weasel out of contracts when they want to bad enough. I seriously have to wonder if the Wild Things management is purposely tanking it ala the infamous "Major League" movie, in order to severely weaken interest in the team and justify a reason for relocation. So, in response to what you posted last week, Chris, I don't think there will even be a team here much longer to blog about. Who in their right mind raises prices on EVERYTHING when they've had massive problems filling the seats? Great idea!
I still do read the blog even though I rarely comment anymore. It's an excellent way of keeping up to date with the team, along with the coverage in the Observer Reporter, which I do read online on a regular basis, as I do not live in its circulation area. I think you do an excellent job in your coverage, and you have the awards to prove it. I stopped commenting on a regular basis because there isn't much baseball talk on here, just turf, politics, etc. It bores me, although in retrospect, it does seem to have indeed influenced people from attending games.
This year's team is just plain awful. 5 players in Saturday's starting lineup ended the game with batting averages well below .200. And none are even remotely close to .300. There's no signs of power anywhere. I miss Sidick, Dempsey, and Banks (the first version, not the sequel). There's no position player to get even remotely excited about seeing. The starting pitching seems to be good again, but fans want to see offense. I knew it was a bad sign when I saw the manager's son even sign with the team. That kind of crap is for Little League. And sure enough, he's still occupying a roster spot despite batting a robust .138. Heck, they released Rivera. He started the past 2 seasons. He was a slow starter, but always heated up as the season progressed. And he had a cannon of an arm in rightfield.
I've attended 2 games thus far, and it may be late July until I see another, if at all. The Wild Things are just a horrible product so far this year. Yes, it's still early, and maybe they can sign some guys this month to help turn it around, but I have a bad vibe.
It looks like I will watch the Pirates more often this year. At least Andrew McCutchen is worth watching...until we have to trade him in a few years because there's no salary cap in MLB, of course.
It's sad to see the Wild Things sink so far, I have really enjoyed watching them these last 5 or 6 seasons.
It sounds like the only link to Morgantown would be the turf field where it sounds like affiliated ball wants natural grass.
Other wise, I don't think a Frontier League team would help promote WVU's baseball program.
The fact is that the type of baseball seen at Console Energy just is just not a marketable product
at this point. When the Wild Things first started the novelty factor was high but, as time has proven, you can only call amateur baseball professional baseball for so long. Technically it is professional, but in actually, it’s something very different indeed.. Even the hangers on now are disappearing from the ballpark. I have noticed a marked decline in the number of season ticket holders that did not renew for 2012. What was once a fun place has now been replaced with a very expensive imitation of once was a fun evening, win or lose.
We now are being encouraged to support CEP as an Entertainment Center rather than a baseball park.
In my opinion, it’s never is going to happen. Most of us that are left just wanted, and still do want, baseball at an affordable price. We were promised the world during the off season and all we got was bamboozled, again!
I don’t know the answers to the WT problems, and I don’t pretend to have enough knowledge to know Mr. Williams motives. However, what is going on now is sure not working. In light of all the expectations raised during the ‘advisory group’ meetings this winter, what is happening is shocking, especially the concession prices! I think they are as good as gone from here. Of course, that’s nothing new in the Frontier League, is it?
Ima Fraid
Sign, trade, release. Then, trade, release, then sign and trade, then release and resign. Then sign someone from the Pecos League, then release a guy that used to play for the Wild Things, then resign him and trade him for somebody else. Then send two to players to a missionary team for two players to be announced at a later date.
Then sign the manager’s son so that both dad and his little boy can be together. Of course, son can’t play nearly as good as the two players sent to the missionary team. Who cares, it’s nice to keep families as close as possible. Wins and losses – that’s not important. Meanwhile, release more guys and trade for 3 more that don’t know anything about how to play except they know the managers son.
It’s all enough to scramble anybody’s egg. Meanwhile, the losses just keep stacking up. Of course. the WT know what they are doing, their just not telling us.
Swisscheda and Ima Fraid are probably right. Williams did fool everybody about having all his ducks in a row for this year.. He will most likley move the team after this season so he won’t have to honor his commitment to season ticket holders about no price increases and free parking.
Disgusted with the Wild Thing after 6 years a season ticket holder.
the lease term is not an issue. the owners of the team own the stadium. why would they leave? why would they move their 'anchor' tenant? try taking a deep breath of air, not helium.
Lets Go Mountaineers!
It looks like Stu has two problems.
1. The Wild Things are not winning.
2. He is over pricing the market for the product offered.
Here is how to solve it.
1. Each time there is a home loss, give a free parking voucher for a future game for every person that purchased a ticket along with a free small drink or bottled water.
2. Giving out freebees would be an incentive for management to improve the team to avoid free give aways.
Lot's of problems with that idea. First,some of us have pre-paid parking.
Don't worry, you won't get anything for free. Anyway, the wins will start coming at some point.
Ima Fraid
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home