There is money to be made in minor league baseball both for the city and the club. McCoy is an outdated facility. A new minor league park on or near the waterfront can be a huge draw for the city. I ve been to or seen about a dozen minor league parks. With a state of the art park like those new ones around and located just off I-95, there is no doubt in my mind that a Rhode Island Red Sox triple A team could be setting minor league attendance records.
If they don't go now, they won't go a few years after the new stadium is built. Tickets will be more expensive. Parking will be more expensive.
Originally Posted by Old Red
I don't know about Rhode Island but over the last 30 years I ve been to a lot of minor league games and I haven't paid more than a dollar to park my car yet. Most were free.
Have you been to McCoy? It's pretty nice. Not spectacular like the new stadiums you may have seen. But nice and adequate.
I do not know where you live. But I live about 2 miles from Rhode Island. I love the place. I love to make fun of it too!
Rhode Island is like a huge comedy club. Any time you go there you just laugh and laugh and laugh.
It's fun.
But it's a minor league state and most likely always will be. I seriously doubt that it will ever offer the kind of success you speak of to any minor league team.
Oh. The economy there is very weak.
This is the why, ultimately, a new stadium would be a bad idea.
I think they could draw a million with a new venue. I know the RI economy sucks that's why I think a new park will help the local economy.
McCoy is a great place to watch a game. Old - yes - no question. A move to Providence is not dramatic for sure in terms of distance. I am curious to know exactly where they hope to build the new park. McCoy is not difficult to get to. From the perspective of governmental funding, Rhode Island is a cash strapped state for sure but there is great wealth in the Providence area. I am not sure who the private funders might be but my guess would be that there is plenty of money there.
Well I read today that the State of RI is part owner of McCoy so it's likely that a new stadium gets built in Providence and the team will be renamed The Rhode Island Red Sox.
I'm against it. McCoy is a great destination for family entertainment.
The man that used to own the team only raised ticket prices a few times for a total of $4. in 34 years and the most expensive ticket is still only like $12. with free parking. General admission is only $5. .
GREED IS GOOD!
That is the way it should be. Portland is a great place to see a game. Good place - good talent - good price. Also easy to get to. Don't know what the goal would be by moving the Pawsox. Easy to get and a good price as well. Family fun.
Pensacola Fl built a new ball park and was a depressed city ten years ago. The new team in their new park led their league in attendance and is part of a revitalized down town. Minor league clubs aren't strapped by the high salaries and depending on their agreement with the parent clubs can be quite profitable. Their goal is fannies in the seats. Because they don't have the high personnel costs that Major league teams have they can keep their tickrt prices reasonable. I think this can be a real winner for Providence and Rhode Island fans. I think McCoy was the oldest park in the Internat'l league and I am sure the Sox wanted to have a triple A facility as good if not better then the other teams in the league.
It seems that the City of Providence is convinced that with the new stadium being visible from I 95 that more interest will be stirred which will lead to increased revenues for restaurants and other downtown businesses. Before anyone here who loves to claim that they know more about this type of stuff than I do say anything really stupid or really smart, know that I heard these things straight from the horses asses, the Major of Providence and the new President of the Pawsox.
I'm sure that some people will be making money off of this. I doubt that it will be the "little man".
Talk is that a plot of land along "the river" just south of downtown will be selected with hopes of having the right field fence abut the river thus creating a potential McCovy Cove type deal with dopes in kayaks paddling around trying to retrieve balls. This is a disgusting idea. Anyone who has seen that water would agree.
But hey, it's the City that Buddy built!!!!!!! This is progress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MVP is exactly right. The new stadium will lead to more expensive seating and paid parking.
McCoy currently averages over 9000 patrons each game. This is a poor city surrounded by poor suburban areas. This is NOT BOSTON and NOT EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
The Providence Red Sox will not be able to draw much more even with a shiny new stadium.
And now most of the sleazy strip clubs in the south of Providence will have to move!!!! The horror!!!
Where are they talking about building the ball park ... off of Allens Ave with a magnificent view of the oil tanks or 95/195? I'd much rather park on the streets of Pawtucket and sit on the LF berm.
They say that they do not have a building plan or even a site chosen. They say they want to build about where you have mentioned.
Cool, eh?
Triple-A
International League
7,021,590 tickets sold by 14 teams for 966 games (7,269 average)
Team Total Dates Average Ballpark (Capacity)
Charlotte Knights 687,715 71 9,686 BB&T Ballpark (10,200)
Indianapolis Indians 660,289 70 9,433 Victory Field (14,230)
Lehigh Valley IronPigs 614,888 68 9,042 Coca-Cola Park (10,000)
Columbus Clippers 628,980 70 8,985 Huntington Park (10,100)
Buffalo Bisons 535,275 66 8,110 Coca-Cola Field (18,175)
Louisville Bats 567,256 71 7,990 Louisville Slugger Field (13,131)
Toledo Mud Hens 545,265 71 7,680 Fifth Third Field (8,943)
Durham Bulls 533,033 70 7,615 Durham Bulls Athletic Park (10,000)
Pawtucket Red Sox 515,665 70 7,367 McCoy Stadium (10,031)
Rochester Red Wings 422,454 66 6,401 Frontier Field (10,840)
Scranton/WB RailRiders 401,618 68 5,906 PNC Field (10,000)
Norfolk Tides 358,147 68 5,267 Harbor Park (11,856)
Gwinnett Braves 303,959 71 4,281 Coolray Field (10,427)
Syracuse Chiefs 247,046 66 3,743 NBT Bank Stadium (11,117)
Looks like the teams that don't have an MLB club within 200 miles have the best attendance. I don't see a new stadium providing anything more than a temporary bump in attendance. PawSox compete with the BoSox for dollars.
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