New Downtown Baseball Stadium, AAA Club, and Associated RE Development

[WstateU]

[Veritas]

There was excitement for AAA
Not as much for AA
Wichita Biz Journal had an article today about the impact. A lot of spin but basically states not that much difference either for the game or the local development. What they didn’t ask is whether these same folks would rather have AA or AAA. I imagine the answer is AAA 100%

[SubGod22]

Being direct competitors with the Royals, I'm now less likely to go to random games. Will still probably go support the Naturals when they come to town, but was much more into this when we were affiliated with the Marlins

[SHOCKvalue]

Official: AA with Twins and Texas league.

Like the Waterwalk, but with baseball this time.

[ShockTalk]

Found out several years later that my mother had gone out with Del Crandell while he was playing minor league ball here. Always looked at my mother with a little more awe after that.

Respectable offense, fantastic defense.

Just looked him up. Still living, 90, and is the last living Boston Brave.

[pogo]

Found out several years later that my mother had gone out with Del Crandell while he was playing minor league ball here. Always looked at my mother with a little more awe after that.

[ShockTalk]

Always been a Braves fan (first Milwaukee and then Atlanta) probably because when I was young the Milwaukee Braves had a team here. I remember my most valued article of clothing was a T-shirt that looked like a game jersey. Also a National league fan (because they play it without the designated hitter/pitcher which is the right way by the way) The Cardinals or Cubs would be nice.

Spahn, Sain, and Pray for Rain (although I don't believe Sain ever pitched in Milwaukee). How could one not like the Braves with Spahn and Aaron. Two of the very best!!

A story, that few would believe today, was the marathon pitching dual between Spahn (in his 40s) and Juan Marichal (early in his career). Both pitchers threw a complete game into the 16h inning (yes, I said 16th). Spahn lost the game when Willie Mays hit a solo HR in the bottom of the 16th. Another story about that game, is that when the manager came out to talk to Marichal about coming out of the game, he refused by saying something like: You know how old that guy is? If he can stay in, nobody is taking me out of the game.

[pogo]

Always been a Braves fan (first Milwaukee and then Atlanta) probably because when I was young the Milwaukee Braves had a team here. I remember my most valued article of clothing was a T-shirt that looked like a game jersey. Also a National league fan (because they play it without the designated hitter/pitcher which is the right way by the way) The Cardinals or Cubs would be nice.

[SubGod22]

It's hard for me to say how that would go with attendance. I'm a Royals fan, and regardless on how they're doing in KC, if they have intriguing MiLB talent coming thru I'm very interested because I like looking at the future in that regard. Hell, back in the day I used to create a thread on here that followed the Royals farm system at all levels and kept the other fans updated on the prospects and others. I remember pimping Merrifield when nobody considered him a prospect.

But I know I'm different. And the Royals have a number of young prospects right now that I look forward to keeping tabs on.

So I'm not sure how the average fan in Tulsa would react to the differences between the Rockies and Dodgers.

[Shock Top]

I will give you that the Cardinals do have a lot of fans in this area and would do well in that regard. I still wouldn't go to games unless they were playing a Royals affiliate, but they would pull better generally than the other teams/rivals you listed.

I will also give you that average baseball fans that don't care about the affiliation will go regardless, as long as they're competitive. When it comes to diehards around here the Royals reign Supreme and I still don't see most of them supporting a rival.

I agree. Royals would be the number 1 choice. How much longer are they committed to NWA?

However, I see the teams I listed as being able to be more competitive beyond the minor league level than the Twins; due to FA, $$$, etc. That could translate to people becoming interested at the lower level.

Basically, do you think Tulsa would draw the same number of fans to the Double AA team of the Rockies as they do as the Dodgers? I don’t know their attendance numbers, but to me it just feels like Dodgers would have more pull to bring people in. Maybe I’m way off.

[SubGod22]

Too bad it could have been the Royals Double A, or a more historic club’s affiliate.

Cardinals, Tigers, Cubs, White Sox are all close teams with deep history. If they could lock one of them down in a couple years, that would be golden.

(Yes, I know two are division rivals to the Royals, and the Cardinals are considered rivals as well, but I am looking more at pulling power of the organization then anything.)

I will give you that the Cardinals do have a lot of fans in this area and would do well in that regard. I still wouldn't go to games unless they were playing a Royals affiliate, but they would pull better generally than the other teams/rivals you listed.

I will also give you that average baseball fans that don't care about the affiliation will go regardless, as long as they're competitive. When it comes to diehards around here the Royals reign Supreme and I still don't see most of them supporting a rival.

[Shock Top]

Too bad it could have been the Royals Double A, or a more historic club’s affiliate.

Cardinals, Tigers, Cubs, White Sox are all close teams with deep history. If they could lock one of them down in a couple years, that would be golden.

(Yes, I know two are division rivals to the Royals, and the Cardinals are considered rivals as well, but I am looking more at pulling power of the organization then anything.)

[SubGod22]

I, and many friends and family, were excited to be able to watch the Storm Chasers come to town a few times a year. Everyone is a little less excited for the Naturals, but I'm sure we will still go at least a few times when they're in town.

When we were a Marlins affiliate, most of us felt more likely to catch random games not involving Omaha, but feel we're less likely to spend our time and money on a Twins affiliate. Maybe we're in the minority with that thinking, but for those of us that are more diehard Royals fans, supporting a rival organization is less exciting than the Marlins who we were more indifferent about. I'd feel the same about an affiliate of the White Sox, Tigers, Indians or Cardinals.

[ShockerDropOut]

Although I wish we were getting a AAA team, a AA affiliate of the Twins is not a bad get. The Twins have generally had a quality farm system and currently are considered top 10. I personally like AA better since that is where the top prospects tend to spend the most time before being called up to the big club. Each person has their opinions, but I am only mildly disappointed.

That the Twins being a rival of the Royals makes things interesting to me. I will support the Wind Surge in every game, except when they play the Naturals.

[RoyalShock]

Ugh. And a league rival to the Royals. This sucks.