Orlando on the path to a MLB team

Also a little confused by the 1.5 million number - is that just saying that getting 2% of the 80 million tourists to games on top of regular support? Because 1.5 million/year attendance is pretty lousy - that's only 18,518 per game, which would have been 26th in attendance this season (out of 30 teams).

http://www.espn.com/mlb/attendance
 
The rays Montreal thing is for from a given. Keeping in mind that Montreal couldn’t keep the team they had, I’m skeptical of it happening.
The Montreal thing is just the typical shell game. They lost their team because it was in a crappy stadium and the people didn't want to pay for a new one. So they stopped showing up. Team moved because someone agreed to build a stadium.

The Montreal Expos moving was a bit more complicated then the standard we want a new stadium thing. The team was partially owned by the Quebec pension plan, and in some backroom dealing that could have resulted in the Expos being contracted which was a big subject of the 1994 players strike.
 
This isn't gonna happen any time soon. Tampa is about to lose their team because of poor fan support. Vegas, Portland, or Mexico City would get a team before Central Florida gets another one.
 


I'm thinking Disney won't be in favor of people leaving property to spend money with MLB. Perhaps if we had the Orlando "Lost Boys" and built the stadium where the race track used to be, then Disney might be onboard.

There's nothing to say that the transportation has to be run by Disney. Agreed that Disney wants to keep guests onsite, but do wonder if guests wanting to see their home team play in Orlando will drive WDW visitors (attendance).
 
There's nothing to say that the transportation has to be run by Disney. Agreed that Disney wants to keep guests onsite, but do wonder if guests wanting to see their home team play in Orlando will drive WDW visitors (attendance).
I can't imagine that it would. It doesn't work for the Magic. Sports just aren't that kind of draw. You don't go to Orlando to see your team play and stop by the Magic Kingdom. If you are at the Magic Kingdom, and maybe your team is playing, you might leave and go see it. But that's the opposite of what Disney wants.
 
I can't imagine that it would. It doesn't work for the Magic. Sports just aren't that kind of draw. You don't go to Orlando to see your team play and stop by the Magic Kingdom. If you are at the Magic Kingdom, and maybe your team is playing, you might leave and go see it. But that's the opposite of what Disney wants.

I do think that sports are coupled with Disney with respect to their WWoS complex. Perhaps you meant professional sports , offsite, wouldn't draw the typical guest? If so, then I tend to agree.

I think the conventioneers (mostly from the Orange County Convention Center events) would be substantial. My point of reference is when I traveled in my career to conventions, I went out of my way to visit each MLB stadium even though I am a TB Rays fan. Of course, it helped that I had a "golden ticket" as my father worked directly for MLB in his career which gave/gives me free admissions.
 


I do think that sports are coupled with Disney with respect to their WWoS complex. Perhaps you meant professional sports , offsite, wouldn't draw the typical guest? If so, then I tend to agree.

I think the conventioneers (mostly from the Orange County Convention Center events) would be substantial. My point of reference is when I traveled in my career to conventions, I went out of my way to visit each MLB stadium even though I am a TB Rays fan. Of course, it helped that I had a "golden ticket" as my father worked directly for MLB in his career which gave/gives me free admissions.

Oh Pop Warner and Soccer Showcase and the Cheerleading stuff at WWoS are Disney events. They offer accommodations and ticket packages and people say they are going to Disney. That's a different animal than a relatively close by MLB stadium.

As for the Convention Center, I'm sure it drives some traffic. We were there in the summer for a massive Taekwondo tournament. We took up 2 halls, over 10K participants plus family. That being said, comparatively few people went to Disney. One or two day ticket costs are stupid and because the tournament was Thurs, Fri, Sat, it was inconvenient to go after, requiring parts of 2 work weeks for vacation, and most don't want to go before because... well, kids and focus and all that. I heard of more people doing I-Drive attractions than big Disney packages.

Look, Disney is a vacation in itself for most people. Trying to combine it with other things rarely makes monetary sense, and doing a day or two, unless it's being paid for by someone else, is stupidly expensive for a family without APs.

So when people say "Oh MLB will drive Disney traffic" I just laugh. There is no way it makes any kind of effect on the bottom line. It may drive some traffic to Disney Springs, but the theme parks? Nope.
 
Not gonna say this will never happen ... but ... well ...

I could see a handful of fans scheduling a vacation around when their teams played in Orlando, but considering those types of fans who have money also go to spring training, it seems a bit far-fetched for all.
 
I used to get street tickets to ball games when I was away on business. Enjoyed many a fine MLB and Minor League game on the cheap. Now I go to 2-3 Altanta Braves games a year and that satisfies my baseball fill. When at Disney, I stay in the bubble and have no desire to go see a game. If they had more games at ESPN WWS, I might consider watching, but only because it's on Disney Property. Oh, and at my 55+ Active Community, we have awesome Softball (Men and Women) to watch with cheap hotdogs, shaded seats, and always an exciting time to see who hurts themselves this week.
 
Better to have the Rays as a established franchise than start from bottom Orlando Rays or Central Florida Rays
 
Not sure if this will eventually have a Disney connection, but Pat Williams just announced the start of Otown getting a MLB team. I would buy season tickets, but right now they are just gauging interest. I can see visitors to WDW going to see MLB games if the transportation was convenient.

https://www.fox35orlando.com/sports...lando-dreamers-effort-to-bring-mlb-to-orlando
Florida already has two teams that barely draw a crowd. Don't think MLB is going to rush to add another.
 
In regards to Disney having some type of interest of MLB effort either through ownership (partial or otherwise) of some side role...

Two words: Anaheim Ducks
One word: Indycar

I have a feeling that Disney has no interest in owning a professional sports team because it doesn't drive visits to the Disney Parks.

Indycar and Disney went their separate ways, when Indycar decided they wanted to tighten up their schedule, i.e. reduce the gap between the Disney Indycar race and the next Indycar race. That would have required the Disney race to be moved to the Spring break/Easter time frame where Disney already was operating at full capacity.

Why would Disney be involved with this effort, since much of the MLB season is during Disney's peak seasons.

Based on the attendance performance of the other two Florida MLB teams, I think this is a non-starter.
 
MLB is overdue to add two more teams. An Orlando bid would have multiple fatal problems. First, Florida has a horrible track record of supporting MLB teams. Spring Training in FL is always fun, but people have not and most likely will not turn out in great numbers to support the Rays or Marlins. Second, there are a handful of cities that would be much more attractive options for expansion (Portland, Vegas, Charlotte, Nashville, Mexico City to name five). Orlando's best bet would be to woo the Rays from St Pete. I see a third Florida MLB team as being a far fetched idea.
 
Orlando's best bet would be to woo the Rays from St Pete. I see a third Florida MLB team as being a far fetched idea.

I agree 100%. I think there is a market in Orlando for an MLB team provided it is an enclosed stadium (with windows) and not the dungeon we call Tropicana Field in Tampa.
 
Indycar and Disney went their separate ways, when Indycar decided they wanted to tighten up their schedule, i.e. reduce the gap between the Disney Indycar race and the next Indycar race. That would have required the Disney race to be moved to the Spring break/Easter time frame where Disney already was operating at full capacity.

IndyCar was actually the Indy Racing League when they raced at WDW. Part of the problem was:

Parking at MK caused logistical problems in year 1. They then shifted MK guests to park at EPCOT and use the monorail/bus to get to MK. That became a huge issue to MK guests as it took precious time out their park day.

Temporary grandstands only on the front stretch were primitive. Port-o-potties is not the standard for an IndyCar oval track. I go to St. Pete and Birmingham for the IndyCar races each year and they need port-o-potties due to the nature of the track layout.

No safer barriers led to horrific crash casualties. Granted the track was built prior to the introduction of the barriers, but Sam Schmidt became paralyzed from his accident at the speedway.

The push for a night race was strong, but the locals were deeply concerned about the noise generated and thus was squashed.

The race being held in January was too early in the schedule and competed with the Super Bowl being held in Tampa.
 

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