Braves may leave Disney after 2017

[Next Big Thing]

Disney makes its money off of Youth Sports Teams, not the Atlanta Braves. Thousands of little leagues while only one MLB.

I thought it was hilarious (in a dark humor kinda way) that Disney would kill the media internet by webcasting their games, taking up all the bandwidth. This led to many, many, many upset writers and photographers because you just couldn't upload your stories and photos as the game went on. Minute the game was over, everything went back to normal. Typical Disney infastructure. (I filed through a hotspot w/my phone)

I would be shocked if they stayed.

You're right. The Braves come down once a year and, while Disney makes money off the fans that come, i'm sure they can find a way to fill that time period with something to generate just as much, if not more revenue.

There's always something going on down at WWoS and pretty much all of those groups stay on-property at the all-stars (although from what I hear, Disney wants to move them to the new Hilton extended stay hotels once they open since the values will fill up anyway).

With the way it's looking and everyone seeming to be heading south, and as much as i'd like them to stay, i'd enjoy these next few years of the Braves at WWoS if anyone really loves seeing them there.

 

[WDWoptmist]

I say let the Braves go and Bring in my Phillies (LOL)

Wayyyyy to many Phillies fans in Clearwater for them to move and Brighthouse Field is awesome!

 

[ezralou]

That is not how it happened with the braves.

The Braves left Boston for Milwaukee after the 1952 season. The Braves left Milwaukee after the 1965 season for Atlanta.

I am aware, just building off of JT's post. I have only been down to WDW during spring training once, and was not willing to buy Braves-Yankees tickets from a scalper (game was sold out).

 

[baymenxpac]

I'll see your Braves and Falcons and raise with the Mets, Jets and Islanders!

i knew, based on the avatar and user name, that we were kindred spirits, @artvandelay. fellow mets, jets, isles fan here. and throw in the nets for good measure.

mets can opt out of port st. lucie if no one moves close enough to the east coast. i'd take a move to central florida!

 

[Next Big Thing]

@PhotoDave219 would know better than me - do they use Champion Stadium for anything other than Braves Games? Are any of the major youth tournaments played there or no? Because if not, what do they do with the stadium if the Braves leave? Try to get a minor league team to come in? I'm not sure they could support one...

 

[danv3]

I am hoping to see the Braves franchise fold and their stadium swallowed up by a giant sinkhole. Is that too much to ask?

Still holding out hope...

 

[RSoxNo1]

Wayyyyy to many Phillies fans in Clearwater for them to move and Brighthouse Field is awesome!

The Phillies would be a perfect fit for Walt Disney World. They're a wildly overpaid group of players whose best years are behind them. That should fit in nicely.

 

[fugawe09]

@PhotoDave219 would know better than me - do they use Champion Stadium for anything other than Braves Games? Are any of the major youth tournaments played there or no? Because if not, what do they do with the stadium if the Braves leave? Try to get a minor league team to come in? I'm not sure they could support one...

They do use it for some little league games... "hey kids, you get to play your game on a REAL MLB field!" They also use it for private special events. Think opening ceremony of a tournament with fireworks type of gig. Not used every day though.

 

[artvandelay]

i knew, based on the avatar and user name, that we were kindred spirits, @artvandelay. fellow mets, jets, isles fan here. and throw in the nets for good measure.

mets can opt out of port st. lucie if no one moves close enough to the east coast. i'd take a move to central florida!

The Mets would move from Port St. Lucie, if someone else paid for it, or they shared a facility with another team. Sharing facilities is becoming common in the Arizona League.

 

[disneygeek90]

If they expanded the stadium to a more MLB ready park I think the Rays would be a perfect team to move there. They could still keep their "local" Florida fanbase (albeit small) but move to a better location and out of that godforsaken dome.

 

[Next Big Thing]

If they expanded the stadium to a more MLB ready park I think the Rays would be a perfect team to move there. They could still keep their "local" Florida fanbase (albeit small) but move to a better location and out of that godforsaken dome.

That would be a nightmare traffic wise and would really have to be a total stadium rebuild in order to accommodate the capacity required. It's already hell getting in and out of there during spring training games, I couldn't imagine the rays actually playing there full time. They'd need to build a parking garage over there if they were to do that because parking is a cluster.

Although I highly doubt that would happen and they'll jusy come up with some additional event throughout the year to add into the normal spring training slot.

 

[PhotoDave219]

The Phillies would be a perfect fit for Walt Disney World. They're a wildly overpaid group of players whose best years are behind them. That should fit in nicely.

You realize those are fighting words around here… of course the Phillies did better than the Red Sox did this year…

 

[PhotoDave219]

@PhotoDave219 would know better than me - do they use Champion Stadium for anything other than Braves Games? Are any of the major youth tournaments played there or no? Because if not, what do they do with the stadium if the Braves leave? Try to get a minor league team to come in? I'm not sure they could support one...

That's fantastic question and I really don't know…

 

[Next Big Thing]

You realize those are fighting words around here… of course the Phillies did better than the Red Sox did this year…

Ah, but the Red Sox have at least won 3 World Series' within the past 10 years... The Phillies have only won twice in their history.

 

[Gomer]

i knew, based on the avatar and user name, that we were kindred spirits, @artvandelay. fellow mets, jets, isles fan here. and throw in the nets for good measure.

mets can opt out of port st. lucie if no one moves close enough to the east coast. i'd take a move to central florida!

Last I heard, the Astros and Nats had submitted a proposal for a new facility on the east coast. If that was accepted, Mets would be locked into Port St. Lucie until the end of the lease. As a long time mets fan, I've been hoping for a while for a way to get the mets into Wide world of Sports. But it seems like east coast spring training may try to cling to what little life it has left for another decade or so if the Nats and Astros sign that deal to train in West Palm Beach.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Do y'all know how hard it is being an Atlanta franchise sports fan? Between the Braves and the Falcons... and don't get me started on the Hawks! Just keep breaking my heart...

Obviously you have short term memory because your Braves kicked my Mets' behind for years! Lol

Being a Mets, Jets, Knicks and Islanders fan as of late is brutal. My teams of misery... Though the Jets were good a few years ago and the Mets have a bright future.

 

[RSoxNo1]

You realize those are fighting words around here… of course the Phillies did better than the Red Sox did this year…

The Sox won the World Series in 2013, unless you're a Giants fan, that trumps any and all arguments.

You also have to admit that the Papelbon and Howard contracts are downright awful.

 

[Next Big Thing]

The Sox won the World Series in 2013, unless you're a Giants fan, that trumps any and all arguments.

You also have to admit that the Papelbon and Howard contracts are downright awful.

Yeah, those contracts really hurt the team. I really liked Papelbon, although he is a bit of a D-bag, but he was always fun and added a spark to the team. But wasn't worth close to what the Phillies gave him.

 

[wm49rs]

The Sox won the World Series in 2013, unless you're a Giants fan, that trumps any and all arguments.

You also have to admit that the Papelbon and Howard contracts are downright awful.

And good luck trying to move a 35 year-old 1B that's still owed $60M....

 

[Next Big Thing]

And good luck trying to move a 35 year-old 1B that's still owed $60M....

Oh they can move him, they'll just have to eat a ton of salary. Sort of like when the Red Sox traded Beckett, Crawford, Gonzalez to the Dodgers in 2012.