The Portland A's?

[Fez Hammersticks]

Word that the Oakland Athletics could relocate their Major League Baseball franchise has rekindled the fire among Portland’s baseball enthusiasts.

Drew Mahalic, CEO of the Oregon Sports Authority, acknowledged that the group is “closely watching” the A’s’ situation, revealed last week when owner Lew Wolff announced he’ll move the team.

The Sports Authority, which seeks to bring big-time events to the state, and the Oregon Stadium Campaign were two groups that unsuccessfully sought to bring the Montreal Expos to Portland in 2004. The Oregon Stadium Campaign has not met since the Florida Marlins made overtures toward Portland in early 2006, said Wally Van Valkenburg, the group’s former chairman.

However, Portland Beavers and Timbers owner Merritt Paulson’s willingness to spend money on a Major League Soccer franchise could spur baseball advocates into action.

Link​

 

[Master Shake]

That would be sick.

 

[chris_in_pdx]

That would be sick.

If the A's commit, that Triple-A baseball staduim where Memorial Coliseum stands could just as easily become a major-league park.

 

[RR7]

 

[BalancedMan]

Furthermore, if there's any team that knows how to be successful in a smaller market, it would be the Oakland A's. I'd be down for that certainly. Oh wait, I'm moving to Denver. But still, I think it would still be a cool idea and a good fit for the most part.

I am not generally a baseball fan, but think it would be fun to have the team in town.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

If the A's commit, that Triple-A baseball staduim where Memorial Coliseum stands could just as easily become a major-league park.

I've heard the footprint at MC would be too small for an MLB stadium, but the Portland Public Schools building on the other side of Broadway would be plenty big. There's been mention of putting the AAA stadium at the PPS site, which would benefit the Blazers development plans better than a stadium at MC, and be better for a possible MLB stadium. I'm thrilled about MLS, I'd cry if we got MLB!

 

[Minstrel]

Portland is an even smaller market than the East Bay. No way this happens, IMO. Lew Wolff (the managing owner of the A's) is angling for a better market. His real target is San Jose and the South Bay, which Bud Selig has said may be on the table (in the past, he had defended it as Giants territory, but Wolff has a good relationship with Selig). Wolff isn't going to move the team just to move it. He'll move it for a more lucrative market, which Portland isn't.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

Portland is an even smaller market than the East Bay. No way this happens, IMO. Lew Wolff (the managing owner of the A's) is angling for a better market. His real target is San Jose and the South Bay, which Bud Selig has said may be on the table (in the past, he had defended it as Giants territory, but Wolff has a good relationship with Selig). Wolff isn't going to move the team just to move it. He'll move it for a more lucrative market, which Portland isn't.

Sadly, I agree completely. Anyway, the PPS site would be better for the Blazers, and for the dreamers.

 

[santeesioux]

Well, who woulda thunk Oklahoma City would get a team? Stranger things have happened...

 

[ehizzy3]

that would be awesome. although i cannot become a fan of the team, because they are a rival of seattle. but i still want an MLB team here, regardless.

 

[Natebishop3]

that would be awesome. although i cannot become a fan of the team, because they are a rival of seattle. but i still want an MLB team here, regardless.

A rival of Seattle? Portland is a rival of Seattle. The Blazers were the rivals of the Sonics. I would welcome them with open arms. Whether it happens or not, I'm not sure. I'm still not convinced that we will ever get a MLB team... I'm still a little surprised we don't have an NHL team yet, considering we already have the facility.

 

[ehizzy3]

A rival of Seattle? Portland is a rival of Seattle. The Blazers were the rivals of the Sonics. I would welcome them with open arms. Whether it happens or not, I'm not sure. I'm still not convinced that we will ever get a MLB team... I'm still a little surprised we don't have an NHL team yet, considering we already have the facility.

seattle as in seattle mariners. a's and mariners are division rivals.

 

[Rodolfo]

A rival of Seattle? Portland is a rival of Seattle. The Blazers were the rivals of the Sonics. I would welcome them with open arms. Whether it happens or not, I'm not sure. I'm still not convinced that we will ever get a MLB team... I'm still a little surprised we don't have an NHL team yet, considering we already have the facility.

If PA wanted an NHL team, we would have had one 10 years ago.

 

[Wheels]

Well, who woulda thunk Oklahoma City would get a team? Stranger things have happened...

Yeah but that was a case of an owner wanting a team where he is/was from. Unless A's owner is from Portland...

 

[MARIS61]

Portland is an even smaller market than the East Bay. No way this happens, IMO. Lew Wolff (the managing owner of the A's) is angling for a better market. His real target is San Jose and the South Bay, which Bud Selig has said may be on the table (in the past, he had defended it as Giants territory, but Wolff has a good relationship with Selig). Wolff isn't going to move the team just to move it. He'll move it for a more lucrative market, which Portland isn't.

Smaller market, but far less teams to split it with.

Portland has changed considerably in the last 5-10 years and would have no trouble supporting the A's, as long as they changed their name.

 

[Minstrel]

Smaller market, but far less teams to split it with.

Even counting that, I've read analysis that Portland would mean less revenue than Oakland, not more.

It's possible that Portland can support a team, I'm not contesting that. It just doesn't seem likely that the A's would be more profitable in Portland than in Oakland, so there's no incentive for Wolff to move the A's there. The South Bay would be a wide open and lucrative market for the A's. Vegas could be, but it's extremely unlikely that baseball would ever put a franchise in a city associated with gambling.

 

[OddEnormous]

Not

a

chance

 

[Nate Dogg]

Not
a
chance

I concur. We have to see how much money MLS brings to our city before we tackle anything else.

 

[Natebishop3]

seattle as in seattle mariners. a's and mariners are division rivals.

And my point is, fuck any team that comes from Seattle. Fuck the Mariners. Fuck the Seahawks. I've always hated the fact that those teams are crammed down our throats. Just because they're from the Pac NW doesn't mean we automatically support them. You have chosen to follow the M's, but I have not. I would rather have a team in Portland that I can call my own, and not a team that I had to adopt because they were the closest to our city.

 

[Wheels]

And my point is, fuck any team that comes from Seattle. Fuck the Mariners. Fuck the Seahawks. I've always hated the fact that those teams are crammed down our throats. Just because they're from the Pac NW doesn't mean we automatically support them. You have chosen to follow the M's, but I have not. I would rather have a team in Portland that I can call my own, and not a team that I had to adopt because they were the closest to our city.

 

[crandc]

Lew Wolff is a fucking liar, pardon my language. He played Oakland and Fremont against each other for years. Oakland is not a small market and the A's packed the stadium for a long time. Then ownership dumps every young player when he starts to become a star, or even a fan favorite (not necessarily the same thing). They increase ticket prices. Until last year you only needed a minimum of 20 games for a season ticket package, then they upped it to 25. Took away season ticket holder perks. Treat fans like crap. Then complain about how they are not drawing enough people and need to move the team. Now they are looking at San Jose and are using Portland as leverage. That on top of ripping up the Coliseum, at taxpayer expense, to turn it into a football stadium for the pathetic Raiders.

I've had season tix since 1991. I almost did not renew last year but they talked me into it. I called with my order and that's when they sprung on me I now needed 25 games. It's impossible for me to go weeknights. I ended up eating a lot of tickets.

This year they called again and I said I decided not to renew for reasons stated. The man said he would send me his card and that they might be able to accommodate me with fewer games so I would not waste so many tickets. The very next day the Wolff calls a news conference and says he definitely will not keep the team in Oakland, so I wrote the man who called me that they clearly no longer need my support.

The problem with Oakland is not that it's too small, the owners just don't want to be part of a town that is blue collar and proud of it. They want to build a yuppie arena with upscale restaurants and shopping malls. I don't go to a baseball game to go shopping, I go to see a game. Hopefully a good home team.