Marlins may leave Miami
November 23rd, 2005Agitated by a lack of fan support and the inability to secure a new stadium, the Florida Marlins ownership may look to move the team.
Murray Chass of the New York Times also writes on the issue today, and makes an argument that I’ve supported for a long time — get rid of baseball in Florida. The fans there don’t care. Either contract the teams, or move them somewhere where they’ll be appreciated.
Case in point from Chass: The Marlins had the lowest average attendance in the National League last year, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays — who have been a pathetic excuse for a baseball team ever since they started — had the lowest attendance in baseball. The Marlins have won the World Series twice since 1997, and were in the playoff hunt this past year. Yet their average attendance is the lowest in the league. There’s no excuse for that.
Between the Marlins and the Devil Rays, they drew less than 3 million people for 162 games this year. Six teams had an attendance of 3 million or greater for only 81 games.
It’s time for baseball in Florida to go.
Miami has always been a terrible sports city. It would be great if the Marlins could move to Cuba some day when the island is free. We can only hope at this point.
No! Don’t move to Cuba! I’m hoping that the Blue Jays shut down and pack up soon too, so they will move somewhere in the US. Sure, it may be a little selfish of me, but I want America’s Pasttime to be played in America. Well, at least all MLB games. I have nothing against other pro leauges like in Japan.
But, I was excited to see the Expos move into the US, it’s one step closer…
And this for a team that’s one two World Series in the past nine years.
Make that “won” two World Series.
I would like to thank the Marlins for this Hot Stove League firesale and trading Josh Beckett to the Red Sox for a couple of our “prospects.”