For Funsies: Conference Reallignment/Creation

Ululating Daddy · May 24, 2023

SteveMM said:
You could have stopped right there. I'm not a baseball guy, but it's obvious that AA baseball is not about team building. It's about individual player development. The entertainment aspect that's built up around AA ball is a side-effect of teams realizing that the product isn't so hot and therefore they must build a carnival around the game to make it interesting.

My Dad was a season ticket holder for the Aberdeen Ironbirds for years. At the time they were a short-season Single A team in the Baltimore Orioles organization. The fun, for him, wasn't the games themselves. It was trying to predict which players would make it to the show. And the promotional stuff was just a sideshow, to him. I went to a few games with him - taking that attitude they were a lot of fun. Just a different kind than when I went to Camden Yards.

Ululating Daddy · May 24, 2023

Half-baked Mcbride said:
Well....I'd counter that minor league baseball is exceptionally exciting and interesting if you are following the teams of your franchise. One of the problems with the Flying Squirrels is that they are an affiliate of the SF Giants....not many of those knockin around the RVa area.

As a Phillies fan? I can (and have) easily made the treks to Reading/Lehigh Valley for their AA/AAA games. By the way, BOTH are beautiful stadiums with excellent (not overpriced) food and local beers....

Many Many Many minor league/Indy league franchises offer quality baseball at affordable prices...

Just my 2 cents.....I DO wish RVa took a page out of Charlotte's notebook and build a baseball stadium near Shockoe/Downtown. Truist Field is a really nice place to take in a game

I agree that it's easier to invest your interest in a minor league team when you're a fan of their major league affiliation. Smartest thing the Orioles did was put their farm teams in Maryland and Virginia.

RowdyPkunk · May 24, 2023

Half-baked Mcbride said:
Well....I'd counter that minor league baseball is exceptionally exciting and interesting if you are following the teams of your franchise. One of the problems with the Flying Squirrels is that they are an affiliate of the SF Giants....not many of those knockin around the RVa area.

As a Phillies fan? I can (and have) easily made the treks to Reading/Lehigh Valley for their AA/AAA games. By the way, BOTH are beautiful stadiums with excellent (not overpriced) food and local beers....

I agree, I think that's a big factor. If our team was a minor league team of the Nats or Phillies who are local(ish)... you'd prob have more excitement about it. Even the Braves to an extent after we had their team here for so long.

With us being in the Giants Organization.... unless you're a giants fan... most don't see/pay attention to these guys after they leave Richmond... unless they end up on your franchise.

RowdyPkunk · May 24, 2023

Ululating Daddy said:
I agree that it's easier to invest your interest in a minor league team when you're a fan of their major league affiliation. Smartest thing the Orioles did was put their farm teams in Maryland and Virginia.

I lived in Maryland til 97..... and I remember at one time the Delmarva Shorebirds (my local team when I lived there).... were a minor league affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays...., and I never understood that, since you had the Baltimore Orioles an hour or two away. I think they are now with Orioles now.

Ululating Daddy · May 24, 2023

RowdyPkunk said:
I lived in Maryland til 97..... and I remember at one time the Delmarva Shorebirds (my local team when I lived there).... were a minor league affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays...., and I never understood that, since you had the Baltimore Orioles an hour or two away. I think they are now with Orioles now.

Yep. Norfolk, Bowie, Aberdeen, and Salisbury.

Mercury · May 24, 2023

The Flying Squirrels led AA in attendance last season and average close to what the Braves did most years. Regardless of affiliation the draw is going to be the same. Most fans don't care about watching prospects it's just something cheap to do outside on a Saturday night.

The Orioles affiliates are all in close proximity, have had a string of top prospects come through and nobody shows up to watch them.

rambunctiousrowdyram · May 24, 2023

Ululating Daddy said:
I agree that it's easier to invest your interest in a minor league team when you're a fan of their major league affiliation. Smartest thing the Orioles did was put their farm teams in Maryland and Virginia.

The opportunity was there this year as the Nats needed a AAA team but they went for another team cuz the facilities are trash.

VCU Finance 2008 · May 25, 2023

PhantomRam said:
As a baseball purist, I hate AA ball. Nobody cares who wins the championship. Practically different manager and players every year. And for the most part, no strategy to the game. The Diamond is a dump with its garish artwork. Looks more like and LSD trip than a ball park. Not to mention the bad food and high prices (yes, I know, that's to be expected). Parney deserves a ton of credit for putting butts in the seats with a bad product. If your thought of entertainment is grow-ups dressed as tomatoes jumping on a bun is, than go for it. I go at least once or twice a year hoping I will enjoy the experience. But I leave feeling underwhelmed by the game and the product. But I get it, its an ok place to go with family and friends and spend a nice summer night out, but that is about it.

Anyway I would think the average Squirrels attendance is about the same as VCU basketball. I find that ummmm, I don't know, weird.

As a baseball purist you are making the mistake of thinking that baseball is the product. The silly characters, overpriced food and drinks, garish artwork, giveaways and dumb games between the innings are the product. It doesn't sound like it is for you and that is ok but they know their target audience.

BaNgMyPrOgRaM · May 25, 2023

rambunctiousrowdyram said:
The opportunity was there this year as the Nats needed a AAA team but they went for another team cuz the facilities are trash.

Who is the Revolutionaries, er, Nationals AAA team? More importantly what is their stupid nickname?

SteveMM · May 25, 2023

BaNgMyPrOgRaM said:
Who is the Revolutionaries, er, Nationals AAA team? More importantly what is their stupid nickname?

Rochester Red Wings

The AAA teams don't tend to lean into the stupid (or creative, depending upon how you look at it) nicknames.

N Mollen · May 25, 2023

rambunctiousrowdyram said:
The opportunity was there this year as the Nats needed a AAA team but they went for another team cuz the facilities are trash.

I think the Squirrels were contractually obligated to the Giants when the Nats were looking.

Wolfpack Ram · May 25, 2023

N Mollen said:
I think the Squirrels were contractually obligated to the Giants when the Nats were looking.

Pretty sure the Squirrels just extended with the Giants. Last time around there was too much uncertainty surrounding a new stadium for the Nats to look at Richmond. I'm sure Richmond in not off of the table down the road for the Nats if the City of Richmond actually builds a new stadium. I personally would not look at moving to Richmond until there is actually a new stadium in place, based on the City of Richmond's sketchy history of failed promises regarding building a new stadium.

ramluvr99 · May 25, 2023

VCU Heel · May 26, 2023

ramluvr99 said:

I would think teams like Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Arizona State, USC, UCLA, etc. would be on that list ahead of some of those teams.

ramluvr99 · May 26, 2023

VCU Heel said:
I would think teams like Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Arizona State, USC, UCLA, etc. would be on that list ahead of some of those teams.

wake and georgia tech more of a true gold i think