They had the ground breaking for the Biloxi baseball team this afternoon.

[rem101]

Even though they still haven't gotten bids for construction yet. Supposed to be done by end of the month. Construction is supposed to be done by March of 2015. If not, a $10k per home game missed penalty will be enforced.

Hopefully everything will go through. I'm looking forward to the games and concerts there. Also nice of the Beau to give them the land.

 

[57stratdawg]

I kind of hate to see the team leave Huntsville, but it's probably deserved. No one ever goes. I'm a big sports fan, and I only went to one game in my last several years.

It's just tough to get into a baseball game when you've never heard of any of the players. I would always keep my ears open to see if maybe Braun, Fielder, or Arameis Rameriz would be in town for a few nights on a rehab, but never heard of any of them.

 

[dawggrad08]

Yea, better for them to go where people will attend

I kind of hate to see the team leave Huntsville, but it's probably deserved. No one ever goes. I'm a big sports fan, and I only went to one game in my last several years.

It's just tough to get into a baseball game when you've never heard of any of the players. I would always keep my ears open to see if maybe Braun, Fielder, or Arameis Rameriz would be in town for a few nights on a rehab, but never heard of any of them.

because I've been in Huntsville for 5 years, and Ive been 3 times...and it's been pretty empty every time I've gone.

 

[RocketDawg]

I haven't been to a game since the early 90s, and I used to have season tickets when my son was young.

I think the main reason for the demise of the Stars is that the team is affiliated with the Brewers. And nobody cares about the Brewers here. When they first started in the 80s, it was with Oakland, and Oakland put what amounted to a major league team here for the first couple of years. It was very good baseball.

Probably what will happen is that Huntsville will build another stadium, perhaps downtown or near there, and get another team. A best case scenario would be if we had the AA or even AAA affiliate for the Braves ... people here are Braves fans. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen. Pretty sure the Braves' AA team is in Jackson. Maybe they'll do a trade and put the Braves here, and maybe St. Louis or the Texans (something nearby) in Jackson.

 

[dawggrad08]

Don't think MS would give up the Braves without a fight

I haven't been to a game since the early 90s, and I used to have season tickets when my son was young.

I think the main reason for the demise of the Stars is that the team is affiliated with the Brewers. And nobody cares about the Brewers here. When they first started in the 80s, it was with Oakland, and Oakland put what amounted to a major league team here for the first couple of years. It was very good baseball.

Probably what will happen is that Huntsville will build another stadium, perhaps downtown or near there, and get another team. A best case scenario would be if we had the AA or even AAA affiliate for the Braves ... people here are Braves fans. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen. Pretty sure the Braves' AA team is in Jackson. Maybe they'll do a trade and put the Braves here, and maybe St. Louis or the Texans (something nearby) in Jackson.

But I do agree with you on the Brewers thing. I did think it was really odd...to have a very "regional" baseball franchise like Milwaukee ALLLLLLL the way down here in AL. I think if the AA or AAA affiliate was for a team in the south, i think it would do better. STL, ATL, Tampa, Miami, or even Cincy.

 

[RocketDawg]

Yeah, they probably wouldn't like the idea. I have no idea how popular minor league baseball is in Jackson though.

Not sure it requires a southern team, just one that is popular. After all, the Stars were really well attended when they were affiliated with Oakland. But certainly a well established team like St. Louis, Cincinnati, Los Angeles (Dodgers) or even the Yankees would go over well. Don't think Tampa or Miami would though ... there's not really a national following for them that I know of.

I hope the team that's moving to Biloxi will have a new owner. Apparently the guy wasn't really into the team, and if it's the same guy Biloxi might be in for some trouble after the new wears off. Do you think they have the population base to support an AA team well?

 

[Freezus H. Christ]

The Tampa AA team is in Montgomery and does very well in attendance. The problem with Huntsville is the stadium is a complete ********. They need a new park in the downtown area to attract a new team

 

[Thirty-Two Dive]

I'll be Alllll up in there! I'll be there a lot of nights after work, to catch a few innings...

 

[dawggrad08]

im not sure

Yeah, they probably wouldn't like the idea. I have no idea how popular minor league baseball is in Jackson though.

Not sure it requires a southern team, just one that is popular. After all, the Stars were really well attended when they were affiliated with Oakland. But certainly a well established team like St. Louis, Cincinnati, Los Angeles (Dodgers) or even the Yankees would go over well. Don't think Tampa or Miami would though ... there's not really a national following for them that I know of.

I hope the team that's moving to Biloxi will have a new owner. Apparently the guy wasn't really into the team, and if it's the same guy Biloxi might be in for some trouble after the new wears off. Do you think they have the population base to support an AA team well?

It's been years since ive been to the coast. And that was a couple years after Katrina...so people were still deciding on whether or not to return. And places like BK were offering 12-15/hr to get people off FEMA money and working.

 

[rem101]

I think it's about 250k across the coast population wise. Could be wrong.

Owner name I heard is ken young. Again, could be wrong.

 

[patdog]

Per Wikipedia, Biloxi-Gulfport MSA is right at 250K population. Plus they get pretty good tourism from the casinos and deep sea fishing.

 

[moturfdog]

I doubt you will get the Cardinals to move. Their AA is in Springfield, MO only 3 to 4 hours from St. Louis and Memphis has the AAA redbirds. I don't know about Memphis, but the Springfield Cardinals draw extremely well and have been division winners in the past few years. Several players from the majors have made rehab trips through Springfield over the last couple of years and it is always a big crowd. The recent success of the Cards helps as patrons get to see players from Springfield playing major roles in the success in St. Louis.

 

[mh715328]

The Cardinals just agreed to buy the Memphis Redbirds franchise and signed a 17 year lease with city of Memphis for Autozone Park. I want to say if the cardinals break the lease early, they are on the hook for 17 million dollars in debt services on the stadium.

 

[RocketDawg]

Huntsville/Decatur CSA is about 650-700K, so there's plenty of potential fans, just not enough interest the way it sits now.

Crappy stadium (was the nicest in the Southern League when they built it in the '80s ... times change), and an uninteresting affiliation means that very few go to games. The Braves being here would be about like the Cardinals in Springfield ... close to the major league town, and lots of attendance and interest. But that's about the only way it would go over well, I think.