04/20/24
April 04, 2012
If they really want to be competitive, the Oakland A's should move to New York: At least that's what Slate's Neil deMause says. Should Billy and the boys pack up and head east?
"Head back east", surely?
posted by yerfatma at 02:29 PM on April 04, 2012
Wait, there's a back east now?
posted by tahoemoj at 03:48 PM on April 04, 2012
Since moving to New Jersey, the Devils have won more Stanley Cups than the other three New York state NHL teams combined.
And they've had better attendance than the NY Islanders for every season since 2001, except for one (where they finished less than 100 ppl/game behind the Islanders).
If anything, the NY Islanders should consider leaving the city to find somewhere else to play...
posted by grum@work at 04:23 PM on April 04, 2012
Grum, I'm hardly ragging on the Devils (look at my profile-I'm a huge fan). Although their success on the ice hasn't exactly translated into revenue. I confess that I had no idea that their attendance compared so favorably with the Islanders, though.
My point was more that simply moving into a market that can seemingly bear one more team isn't necessarily a guarantor of financial returns. The author of the article seems to think that moving into a new market automatically entitles one to a proportionate share of the adoration and money of fans. The Devils certainly shoot down that theory.
Anyway-the article was (I think) intended to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I thought it was an interesting perspective. What he forgot to mention was that if the A's moved back to the east coast, they might even get some coverage on ESPN. That way they wouldn't have to get Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill to come back for a sequel to Moneyball.
posted by tahoemoj at 05:37 PM on April 04, 2012
Too bad that the urban centers in Texas are bunched up to the degree that they are. If things were more spread out and Houston and Dallas were situated farther away, you could put a team halfway between Austin and San Antonio.
posted by beaverboard at 06:48 PM on April 04, 2012
My take away from the article was that the team should be left in Oakland. A point that I can agree with. Moving does not cure all that ails.
posted by geekyguy at 10:19 PM on April 04, 2012
Grum, we in New Jersey are now part of New York state (OMG!)??? Also, the Isles are so far east of the city few from there would travel the hour-plus. I live 8 miles from the Prudential Center; the Devils don't sell out much as many suburbanites won't drive into Newark and obviously they didn't get the draw they had hoped from being next to Amtrak's Penn Station.
That having been said, it comes down to this: win and they will come. It's why the Phillies fill 90-plus percent almost every night and the Mets get 50 percent.
posted by jjzucal at 09:24 AM on April 05, 2012
Wait, there's a back east now?
The A's originally played in Philadelphia. Connie Mack and all that, right?
posted by billsaysthis at 11:48 AM on April 05, 2012
Grum, we in New Jersey are now part of New York state (OMG!)???
Yes, you are.
They've been real nice in letting you think you are a separate state, but I think it's time you accept the facts.
In a way, you've probably known all along.
I mean, that's the only explanation for these guys, right?
:)
posted by grum@work at 11:51 AM on April 05, 2012
OMG Grum, are you trying to push all my buttons at once?!?!?!
posted by billsaysthis at 12:13 PM on April 06, 2012
Because as the New Jersey Devils have proven without a doubt, there's always room for one more New York City team, right?