1,500,000 population within range of many NBA teams...

[copperfiend]

Regarding the ACC baseball tournament.

"Jacksonville has the four highest attended tournaments in league history, capped by the 2006 record mark of 73,251."

[Ocklawaha]

Where we are missing the boat, is an idea out in left field. Phil Fretz of the TU and I have worked on this angle for some time, and I'm hoping he's going to do a piece on it soon.

We were the HOME, the originator, the base, the conception of the NEGRO LEAGUES. Fine baseball in anyones book, including perhaps one of the greatest players of all time, right here in Jacksonville. The cool thing is that it's all mixed up with names and faces of our past. Philip Randolph was a local attorney that organized the Pullman Car Porters into the first African-American labor Union. After years and years of the porters having an informal society of which both Randolph and the King of England were members: "The International Society For the Prevention of Calling Pullman Car Porters George".  (uh, to the non-history types, that would be as in KING GEORGE of ENGLAND, or like slaves of GEORGE PULLMAN, that bought the sleeping car designs and operations from my family). Meanwhile down at the Union Station the forerunner of todays "SKY CAPS" were called "RED CAPS." Enter the TIMES-UNION that thought it would be cool to host major league baseball with a twist, so they bankrolled the first Negro League. THE SOUTHERN LEAGUE OF PROFESSIONAL BASEBALLERS. So anyway we have thus a complex tapestry of names, businesses and faces, woven around local baseball. Far more then our football heritage.

Taken to the next level, WHAT-IF (and Phil, this is where you and the TU come in again), we bankrolled a REAL and world class museum and hall of fame for the League? What if that same museum and hall were next to our baseball grounds? What if, we put out a call for "NEGRO LEAGUE PRIDE" for pre/post or mid season professional African-American ALL-STARS to play an AL or NL team in our park.

They take the field... basic black and proud.... Uniforms in cream with red trim, on every head both on the field and the stands a Jacksonville RED CAP! Bases loaded score 1-0 Yankees, Jacksonville's Alonzo Mitchell is up to bat... batter...batter... CRACK, and it's a long fly over the center field wall... Fireworks light the night sky and Jacksonville, Black and White are on their feet cheering and singing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game"...

Alonzo, this one is for you, SIR!

OCKLAWAHA

[civil42806]

actually a negro league hall of fame make good sense and should be pursued.  Would be much more interesting than the world golf hall of fame.

[apvbguy]

actually a negro league hall of fame make good sense and should be pursued.  Would be much more interesting than the world golf hall of fame.

maybe golf isn't your cup of tea, but why put down something other people find very interesting to bolster an idea you like?

[Coolyfett]

the Suns games look like there pretty empty as well. Jax has a long way to go.

Wanna see empty? Try Turner Field

[Coolyfett]

Jacksonville could support a AAA team. But there are only 30 AAA franchises in the country to go around. And I remember reading quotes from the Bragans that didn't make it seem like they were very interested in owning a AAA team.

the ownership of the Suns don't want a AAA team because the costs of a AAA team are higher and JAX cannot sustain the level of support necessary to attract and keep a AAA viable here.

How do you figure they couldn't?

The Suns outsell some of the AAA teams and the Bragan Grounds is the same size as a lot of AAA ballparks. If you ask me AA players are better than AAA players. AA is were all the prospects are. So both have their pros and cons. I do agree They should get on TV and it would be easy...There are like 5 or 6 local/comcast channels they could put their product on. I know channel 7 (i think is not PBS) used to have local shows all the time on it.

[cline]

Wanna see empty? Try Turner Field

Wanna see really empty?  Try any Marlins home game.

[adamh0903]

Wanna see empty? Try Turner Field

Wanna see really empty?  Try any Marlins home game.

600 fans for yesterdays marlins home game against the braves...600

[cline]

600 fans for yesterdays marlins home game against the braves...600

The Marlins should just go ahead and move up here to Jacksonville.  Its not like anyone would miss them down there and I'm pretty confident we can get more than 600 people in the stands. 

[thelakelander]

If they can't make it in South Florida, they'll fail in a region 1/5 the size that already struggles to support the one team it does have.  600 is insane, but things should improve when the new park is built just outside of downtown Miami.  Imagine driving from Downtown Jax to Hastings to attend a mid day ballgame in the middle of a work week?  That's basically whats happening at Dolphin Stadium.

[cline]

but things should improve when the new park is built just outside of downtown Miami

That's not a done deal yet.  It is still going through the courts.

[KenFSU]

Much like selfish ownership nearly killed support for Hornets basketball in Charlotte, the Marlins ownership deserve a fair amount of blame for driving fans away from the team. Fans were rewarded for their incredible support in 1997 by dismantling the team immediately after they won the World Series. That was just a knife in the heart.

Further, the Marlins and Devil Rays easily have the two worst baseball stadiums in the entire league. Attending a baseball game isn't just about the actual play on the field, but the overall experience of going "out to the ball game." I'm actually shocked that even 600 people would make that commute out to the Marlins stadium. It doesn't feel like a true baseball park at all. The Rays stadium is actually even worse. I'd go as far as to call it the worst stadium in MLB history. I have a hard time even watching games there on TV. It's not like support isn't there for the Rays in Tampa. Television ratings for their games are the highest in team history. It's a sorry excuse for a ballpark that's actually holding them back.

I guarantee that if you built beautiful, true baseball parks for each team, attendance numbers would absolutely skyrocket, especially in Tampa/St. Pete.

[Coolyfett]

Wanna see empty? Try Turner Field

Wanna see really empty?  Try any Marlins home game.

I can't argue with that one! Miami sports fans are the worst! The Heat, Dolphins, Marlins & Hurricanes don't have real fans.

[apvbguy]

Wanna see empty? Try Turner Field

Wanna see really empty?  Try any Marlins home game.

I can't argue with that one! Miami sports fans are the worst! The Heat, Dolphins, Marlins & Hurricanes don't have real fans.

what are the demographics of the region?
I haven't been down there in 30 years but my view of the Miami area is that there are many new immigrants from the islands and S america and a lot of retired NE xplants, not exactly a good fan base for expensive pro teams. Maybe a MLS team would do well with that demographic.
The Dolphs seem to draw fairly well but they only play about 10 games a season and people will travel further for an NFL game.
I agree a team like the Marlins could generate some interest in other parts of FLA. Maybe they should consider something unique, they could play 1/3 of their schedule in Miami 1/3 in or near Olrlando and 1/3 uo here in NE FLA. the Marlins couldn't do worse drawing fans with a schedule like that than they are now.

[blizz01]

600 total for yesterday's early game featuring the Marlins & Braves in Miami.......................