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Location: Earth, a nice neighborhood in the Milky Way
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mp775
All reports I've seen about the new financing bill seem to indicate that the owners aren't even involved in the discussions. And why would they be, when Worcester is offering them a deal at a third of the price?
I haven't seen any official numbers on what Worcester is offering the PawSox, only numbers proferred by unnamed sources. Those aren't reliable.
The team's out of pocket stadium costs is one factor, but there are other factors in the mix.
*The existing corporate support of the PawSox is $3M/year; they would lose this and have to try to build it anew in Worcester.
*They have an entrenched fan base in Pawtucket they'd have to build in Worcester.
*The over the air TV broadcast of game highlights on the local tv news is part of the marketing strategy. Worcester has no over the air broadcast TV channels, while Providence does.
*The Metro population size favors Pawtucket as well, offering access to the South Coast population.
Another matter to consider is the period between a new stadium announcement and the actual move. A new stadium will likely take two to three years from permitting through final construction. If the PawSox announce they are moving to Worcester. they will essentially be in lame-duck status at McCoy for a few seasons. I cannot imagine that would be a pleasant or short term profitable prospect for the organization. Attendance and sponsorships would drop off a cliff and McCoy would likely become a very inhospitable place.
Some of the ownership group of the PawSox have RI ties. It will be interesting to see if this has any bearing on their upcoming stadium decision.
The PawSox are owned by a group of owners. In addition to Larry Lucchino, other partners included Rhode Island businessmen Bernard Cammarata (former TJX CEO), William P. Egan (part time Newport resident/venture capitalist & part owner of Boston Celtics), Habib Gorgi (Providence based Nautic Partners Manager) , J. Terrence Murray (RI native & resident/former Fleet Bank CEO) and Thomas M. Ryan (RI resident/former CVS CEO), as well as Fenway Sports Management (a division of the BoSox' parent company, Fenway Sports Group), and two limited partners in FSG, Arthur E. Nicholas and Frank M. Resnek.
Eh, the investors with Rhode Island ties could just as easily collect their tens of millions in handouts to move the team, then turn around and sell it to a group of Worcester investors for a profit. You really think Terry Murray and Tom Ryan want to be long term baseball team owners?
Another matter to consider is the period between a new stadium announcement and the actual move. A new stadium will likely take two to three years from permitting through final construction. If the PawSox announce they are moving to Worcester. they will essentially be in lame-duck status at McCoy for a few seasons. I cannot imagine that would be a pleasant or short term profitable prospect for the organization. Attendance and sponsorships would drop off a cliff and McCoy would likely become a very inhospitable place.
Location: Earth, a nice neighborhood in the Milky Way
3,853 posts, read 2,719,735 times
Reputation: 1616
Quote:
Originally Posted by MMS02760
Another matter to consider is the period between a new stadium announcement and the actual move. A new stadium will likely take two to three years from permitting through final construction. If the PawSox announce they are moving to Worcester. they will essentially be in lame-duck status at McCoy for a few seasons. I cannot imagine that would be a pleasant or short term profitable prospect for the organization. Attendance and sponsorships would drop off a cliff and McCoy would likely become a very inhospitable place.
That's true. But there is already some thinking about this problem going on in Worcester. If you read the article I linked above, there's some suggestion that if the team needs to leave McCoy before the lease is up in 2020, they might be able to play at Fitton Field in Worcester.
That's true. But there is already some thinking about this problem going on in Worcester. If you read the article I linked above, there's some suggestion that if the team needs to leave McCoy before the lease is up in 2020, they might be able to play at Fitton Field in Worcester.
Hanover Field at Holy Cross is a 3,000 seat no frills park. It lacks many of the amenities of AAA baseball. I am not sure the International league would be on board or whether it is really feasible.
From 1999 to 2011 under the previous management, Pawtucket was drawing some 600k per season with an all time high of 688,421 in 2005. Big crowds have come out to McCoy in the past. I am sure with the proper marketing and PR (once the negative feeling about present ownership have dissipated), that could happen once again.
what happens in Boston does affect Pawsox numbers. 2005 was the year after they won a world series and there was tremendous interest in baseball at all levels in the Red Sox organization.
I am aware of that. The AA Seadogs park in Portland also has a green monster and follows the Fenway dimensions. Pawtucket doesn't need to follow suit. It is not really a novelty anymore.
The ballpark in Greenville, SC where the Greenville Drive (Red Sox Low A affiliate) play, also has a "mini" green monster and similar dimensions as Fenway.
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