A Case for Caribbean MLB Inclusion

[Gringo]

Hear me out-

We all know how awful Toronto and Tampa baseball support is. Terrible fair weather fans at BEST.

We all know how awful their stadiums are- A massive dome throwback with Astroturf, and whatever that thing is that Satan himself vomited up onto the streets of Tampa.

The other AL East clubs suffer because of these pathetic ball clubs.

MLB had two Canadian clubs for a while, so foreign inclusion has precedent. I suggest blowing up the Rays and Jays and moving them to the Caribbean- One in Santo Domingo, and one in San Juan.

The Dominicans and Puerto Ricans would pack their ballparks every night, the passion would be immense. A flight to the D.R. and P.R. from Boston is shorter than any west coast flight.
It would also be fun for traveling fans.

The Marlins could move to the AL East, along with the P.R. team. The D.R. team could be in the NL East.

[Palodios]

It would make more sense to get rid of the Marlins than the Rays. Kill one off, and the other will gain a few thousand fans. Atleast the Rays are competitive.

The other concern is... how much money is there in the Caribbean? Maybe the fans can afford $5-10 tickets, but have you been to the Dominican Republic? It is a poor country, with high crime rates. Players aren't going to want to play there unless they are actually from the DR.

[mvp 78]

Marlins - 2 WS
Rays - 0 WS

Guess what the Marlins do actually works?

[Palodios]

Originally Posted by mvp 78

Marlins - 2 WS
Rays - 0 WS

Guess what the Marlins do actually works?

The current Marlins ownership bought the team, won a world series the following year, and haven't been to the playoffs in ten years since.

[Gringo]

That's true, I didn't factor in if players would actually want to live there. Puerto Rico has it's upper middle class neighborhoods, but still. There is a reason so many of them live here now.

Pipe dream remains pipe dream...

[Rdsxmbnt]

Would never work, these decisions are driven by money and neither has it. San Juan has a population of less than 400,000 and per capital pales greatly in comparison to basically any market in the US. Even worse in the DR. You'd have trouble generating enough revenue and getting players to play in countries with significantly worse living standards.

[jacksonianmarch]

The jays will be one of the top attendances in baseball this yr. Toronto will keep their club. Also, I'm not sure a team can survive in the Caribbean due to the prices it would take to go to games and the fact that television support would be tough to get in a place where people grow up without electricity (DR)

[Bellhorn04]

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

The jays will be one of the top attendances in baseball this yr. Toronto will keep their club. (DR)

Yes, agreed.

[Dojji]

Montreal > Carribean. Carribean fans love their beisbol but they can't support a big league team. Montreal did so for decades before their ownership became toxic.

Put Montreal in the AL East. THey have a rivalry with Boston. They have a rivalry with Toronto. They would play against the best and richest baseball team in the world (NYY). Tons of reasons to come see a game in the AL East. A lot more than when the nearest divisional rival was the Mets or Phillies.

Although I'm normally strictly against relocation or contraction, if the Tampa Bay Rays played in Montreal I think both the league and division would be tougher and more interesting.

[Lucienbel]

Originally Posted by Dojji

Montreal > Carribean. Carribean fans love their beisbol but they can't support a big league team. Montreal did so for decades before their ownership became toxic.

Put Montreal in the AL East. THey have a rivalry with Boston. They have a rivalry with Toronto. They would play against the best and richest baseball team in the world (NYY). Tons of reasons to come see a game in the AL East. A lot more than when the nearest divisional rival was the Mets or Phillies.

Although I'm normally strictly against relocation or contraction, if the Tampa Bay Rays played in Montreal I think both the league and division would be tougher and more interesting.

I'd enjoy seeing another team in Montreal again. We used to drive up there and catch games once a year or so, I'd definitely be interested in going up again.

Either way, the Rays do seriously need to get out of that ballpark they're in.

[wyo-sox]

plus the Montreal Rays would be ironically awesome

[The Campfighter]

Originally Posted by Palodios

It would make more sense to get rid of the Marlins than the Rays.

Not with a brand new ballpark in Miami.