View Full Version : Possible major league baseball team for Towson, Maryland?
PeteU
08-19-2008, 11:51 AM
Given that putting a team in the suburbs of an existing major league market is the unstoppable cure for all of baseball's ailments, I have hereby proposed putting a relocated or expansion major league baseball team in Towson, Maryland. Towson is one of Baltimore's largest suburbs and undoubtedly has the ability to support a major league team. Not only would you be getting fans from Towson, but you'd also be bringing in fans from Parkville, Lutherville-Timmonium, Carney, Fullerton, and on days where Beltway Traffic is not that bad, Owings Mills and White Marsh, too! Fans who would ordinarily drive 15 miles south to Oriole Park at Camden Yards will trade in their orange and black for the new hunter green and sienna brown of the new Towson team just minutes away.
The team will be called the Towson Terribly Terrific Terrors, which is very cool, because it is alliteration. The team will play at a brand new, $450 million 45,000 seat stadium located near the intersection of York, Joppa and Dulaney Valley Roads, and will involve the bulldozing of half the Towson Town Center Mall.
When I mentioned the plan to Orioles owner Peter Angelos, he called my idea "splendiloquent" and said he was "so totally down with" another major league team in traditionally Orioles territory.
When I mentioned my proposal to Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, he said he would immediately call for an emergency session of the Maryland legislature next Monday, and expected that legislators would unanimously approve the $450 million stadium in less than an hour.
While waiting on construction of the new stadium, the Terribly Terrific Terrors will play two seasons at Johnny Unitas Stadium, the home field of the Towson University Tigers, which you can see is easily adaptable for major league baseball:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1253/756482744_2680aaa442.jpg?v=0
Any concerns that the Baltimore suburb will not attract enough fans for an 81 home game schedule will immediately be quelled by the fact that the Towson Univiersity Tigers have long had good attendance at their athletic events, despite being in such close proximity to the Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays, Loyola College Greyhounds, University of Maryland Baltimore County Retrievers, and College of Notre Dame of Maryland Lady Gators.
There is no need to compliment me any further on this breathtakingly amazing proposal, as its sheer brilliance speaks for itself. I am now currently working on an effort to bring the Waukesha Water Whales to the Milwaukee area, and expect funding for a stadium to be in place by mid-September.
Hilarious.
Although, I like Bowie, MD better... just because.
metfan13
08-19-2008, 11:59 AM
I like it. It has everything.
PeteU
08-19-2008, 12:00 PM
Hilarious.
Although, I like Bowie, MD better... just because.
Hells yes--after the game is over, fans can walk over to Rip's Country Restaraunt and Motor Lodge and have a good old time.
Hells yes--after the game is over, fans can walk over to Rip's Country Restaraunt and Motor Lodge and have a good old time.
Absolutely! :rofl:
Should the team fail there, they can just relocate to Frederick and play in Harry Grove Stadium, until they get a massive 15,000 seat park completed.
They will still outdraw the Marlins...
six4three
08-19-2008, 01:55 PM
They will still outdraw the Marlins...
</thread>
Fade to black.
:D
PeteU
08-19-2008, 02:26 PM
They will still outdraw the Marlins...
Seriously, what is it, dude? Was it Game 7 of 1997 that has your Northern Ohio heart so sour?
It's okay. Time heals all wounds. Just say it to yourself, "The Marlins are in South Florida to stay....The Marlins are in South Florida to stay....The Marlins have done me no wrong...The Marlins have done me no wrong...." You'll feel so much better, trust me.
Seriously, what is it, dude? Was it Game 7 of 1997 that has your Northern Ohio heart so sour?
It's okay. Time heals all wounds. Just say it to yourself, "The Marlins are in South Florida to stay....The Marlins are in South Florida to stay....The Marlins have done me no wrong...The Marlins have done me no wrong...." You'll feel so much better, trust me.
Actually I didn't move to Ohio until 2003. Never even visited until 1999, I was a Browns fan growing up and took a liking to the area when I started visiting here for games. I am a Jays fan first, Indians are a DISTANT second since I live here and often go down to the stadium with clients etc. So no, I really didn't care too much about the 97 series when it happened.
A team in Jersey isn't nearly as ridiculous a notion as this satire implies.
metfan13
08-19-2008, 03:24 PM
A team in Jersey isn't nearly as ridiculous a notion as this satire implies.
Sure it is. Given the oft posted reasons why it's illogical.
Smirkman
08-20-2008, 07:21 AM
Really?
New York CSA - 21,961,994 - That's 7,320,664 people per team. That's almost the size of Boston. It may never happen because of the current economic structure, but things could change.
BTW the two Los Angeles area teams would join the NY teams in protesting it as the Dodgers pressed MLB for the rule forbidding 3 teams in an area and they would never want their marked deluded either. Of course that is based on current economics.
PS - Washington/Baltimore - 8,241,912 - 2,747,304 per team.
PeteU
08-20-2008, 07:37 AM
Really?
New York CSA - 21,961,994 - That's 7,320,664 people per team. That's almost the size of Boston. It may never happen because of the current economic structure, but things could change.
BTW the two Los Angeles area teams would join the NY teams in protesting it as the Dodgers pressed MLB for the rule forbidding 3 teams in an area and they would never want their marked deluded either. Of course that is based on current economics.
PS - Washington/Baltimore - 8,241,912 - 2,747,304 per team.
Population is only part of the equation. Funding, temporary venue, existing fan loyalties, territorial rights of the existing teams are very much the other parts of the equation, all unresolved without any easy answers.
And just to be clear, I do think on paper New Jersey has a better argument for getting a major league team than Towson. But they are both equally fantasy long shots at this point in time.
Captain Cold Nose
08-20-2008, 08:37 AM
A team in Jersey isn't nearly as ridiculous a notion as this satire implies.
A team in Jersey isn't nearly as ridiculous as the sense of entitlement some seem to have in regards to it. Thus, the satire.
btown12
08-20-2008, 08:51 AM
A team in Jersey isn't nearly as ridiculous as the sense of entitlement some seem to have in regards to it. Thus, the satire.
Bingo!!!!!
Jim Vaz
08-20-2008, 09:55 AM
Here are a couple of concerns and questions I have with this proposed team and stadium.
Will the stadium be built by HOK?
Will it have brick or or some other material, and if it is brick will the brick have two color tones?
Can we consider brick or block?
Will the stadiums rotunda have a blue Jackie Robinson 42 or orange statue?
Will the new park have a scoreboard at least large enough to be seen from space?
Will the new parks logo be arched in its renderings and then changed to straight in the construction and vice versa?
Will there be extra security throughout the park making sure that no construction worker places a Ripken jersey in concrete under the stadium?
These are things we MUST know!!
PeteU
08-20-2008, 10:25 AM
Here are a couple of concerns and questions I have with this proposed team and stadium.
Will the stadium be built by HOK?
Will it have brick or or some other material, and if it is brick will the brick have two color tones?
Can we consider brick or block?
Will the stadiums rotunda have a blue Jackie Robinson 42 or orange statue?
Will the new park have a scoreboard at least large enough to be seen from space?
Will the new parks logo be arched in its renderings and then changed to straight in the construction and vice versa?
Will there be extra security throughout the park making sure that no construction worker places a Ripken jersey in concrete under the stadium?
These are things we MUST know!!
Final design is still ongoing; however, two definite features of the ballpark will include:
1. A swimming pool beyond the left field fence where Towson High alumni Michael Phelps will perform a swimming exhibition during each home game in the middle of the sixth inning.
2. Statues greeting fans as they enter the ballpark of two of Towson's other most famous residents: Seinfeld siren Elaine Benes and Maryland's only remote claim to the White House, the late disgraced Vice President (and President of the Loch Raven Kiwanis Swim Club) Spiro Agnew.
Smirkman
08-20-2008, 10:55 AM
Population is only part of the equation. Funding, temporary venue, existing fan loyalties, territorial rights of the existing teams are very much the other parts of the equation, all unresolved without any easy answers.
And just to be clear, I do think on paper New Jersey has a better argument for getting a major league team than Towson. But they are both equally fantasy long shots at this point in time.
I don't disagee. The population is presented as a starting point. The other issues besides territorial rights (the LA rule) could easily be addressed over time. Will this happen next week? No, but it is possible and if/ once enough people are interested, it could happen.
This is NY, money can be found. A temporary venue is a non-issue as the team wouldn't begin play until the stadium has been built like in Phoenix. Loyalties change. There really are only two issues, the Yankees and the Mets.
PeteU
08-20-2008, 12:13 PM
A temporary venue is a non-issue as the team wouldn't begin play until the stadium has been built like in Phoenix.
That only works if it is an expansion team, and even then, it would be a tight race to both approve funding and then break ground on the ballpark within 2 years when the team is scheduled to play.
As it turns out, funding for the BOB was approved in Spring 1994, one year before Major League Baseball gave Phoenix an expansion franchise. So the funding for the ballpark was speculative in nature and not made subsequent to the city being awarded a team. Had Phoenix waited until after being awarded the team to approve funding, chances are that the stadium would probably not be finished in time.
Moreover, if it is a relocated franchise, the new city wouldn't even have the luxury of having a two to three year buffer. Without a sufficient temporary venue, the team would have is to play in their current stadium as a lame duck franchise, and we are talking potential hemmoraging of money and virtually non-existant crowds. Think Houston Oilers in the Astrodome the season the move to Tennessee was announced. Not a convenient situation. The only other option would be to play in a neutral market with a satisfactory temporary venue, but there will likely be little enthusiasm for that team, either. Think Tennessee Oilers the season they played in Memphis.
A temporary venue is a very important part of the equation.
mets16
08-20-2008, 06:58 PM
Can you guys stop playing fantasy owner? Seriously a major city in Maryland (Baltimore) can't draw. What business does Maryland have getting 2 teams?
PeteU
08-20-2008, 07:23 PM
Can you guys stop playing fantasy owner? Seriously a major city in Maryland (Baltimore) can't draw. What business does Maryland have getting 2 teams?
Obviously, you are not a golfer.
placount
08-20-2008, 11:52 PM
best thread ever?
Manhattan
08-21-2008, 12:35 AM
best thread ever? Very very good thread.
Can you guys stop playing fantasy owner? Seriously a major city in Maryland (Baltimore) can't draw. What business does Maryland have getting 2 teams?
Its PeteU's sarcasm. He is tired of people like myself ripping Florida fans and suggesting a 3rd team in NY.
Smirkman
08-21-2008, 01:51 PM
That only works if it is an expansion team, and even then, it would be a tight race to both approve funding and then break ground on the ballpark within 2 years when the team is scheduled to play.
As it turns out, funding for the BOB was approved in Spring 1994, one year before Major League Baseball gave Phoenix an expansion franchise. So the funding for the ballpark was speculative in nature and not made subsequent to the city being awarded a team. Had Phoenix waited until after being awarded the team to approve funding, chances are that the stadium would probably not be finished in time.
Moreover, if it is a relocated franchise, the new city wouldn't even have the luxury of having a two to three year buffer. Without a sufficient temporary venue, the team would have is to play in their current stadium as a lame duck franchise, and we are talking potential hemmoraging of money and virtually non-existant crowds. Think Houston Oilers in the Astrodome the season the move to Tennessee was announced. Not a convenient situation. The only other option would be to play in a neutral market with a satisfactory temporary venue, but there will likely be little enthusiasm for that team, either. Think Tennessee Oilers the season they played in Memphis.
A temporary venue is a very important part of the equation.
Currently I don't think relocation is an option. To relocate a team the payoff to the 2 NY teams would have to come from a single owner. For a team to be placed in NY it would have to have the support of the majority of teams and to do that they would have to see some return. Sorry not to not express this earlier but I don't think it is currently possible and was working from an expansion assumption. Of course things change.
As far as your timeline of a facility. Part of the facility could be built in 2 years and construction could continue when the team is out of town/ offseason. A shorter time frame is possible or the team could start play later and have time to develop a farm system and have a few drafts. BTW - Look how long it took DC to build a complete ballpark.
Brad Harris
08-21-2008, 02:14 PM
There is no need to compliment me any further on this breathtakingly amazing proposal, as its sheer brilliance speaks for itself.
You can say that again! :rofl:
Lions/Tigers@Cubs.OhMy!
08-21-2008, 03:24 PM
Obviously, you are not a golfer.
sometimes there's a man... I won't say a hero, 'cause, what's a hero? Sometimes, there's a man. And I'm talkin' about PeteU here - Pete U from Towson, MD. Sometimes, there's a man, well, he's the man for his time and place. He fits right in there. And that's PeteU. PeteU, from Towson, MD. And even if he's a lazy man - and PeteU was most certainly that. Quite possibly the laziest in all of Baltimore County, which would place him high in the runnin' for laziest worldwide. Sometimes there's a man, sometimes, there's a man. Well, I lost my train of thought here...
PeteU
08-21-2008, 03:39 PM
sometimes there's a man... I won't say a hero, 'cause, what's a hero? Sometimes, there's a man. And I'm talkin' about PeteU here - Pete U from Towson, MD. Sometimes, there's a man, well, he's the man for his time and place. He fits right in there. And that's PeteU. PeteU, from Towson, MD. And even if he's a lazy man - and PeteU was most certainly that. Quite possibly the laziest in all of Baltimore County, which would place him high in the runnin' for laziest worldwide. Sometimes there's a man, sometimes, there's a man. Well, I lost my train of thought here...
The Dude abides....:cool: