Nashville Mayor says “ingredients” MISSING for MLB

[@brodiebrazil]

*Some other videos you might like:* Report: A's spending more to avoid grievance 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKHPqqqLgMuAn9k Rays REVEAL 2025 Stadium details, while MLB visits Florida politicians 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZnRnWeYfrafjK8 An AMAZING SF Giants City Connect concept for 2025 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2S7p3lsisqHrs0 Roof & HVAC issues COMPLICATE Arizona Diamondbacks future 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hp3NhoGMbJueidk 76ers New Arena Vote OPPOSED by Location & Benefits 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/m32Vq6meequCgpo Did Juan Soto sign an IMPOSSIBLE contract with Mets? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/npvchmd4osynl7c San Antonio Spurs & Alamodome: "Project Marvel" is TOO BIG? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGGslqKsYtGBqsk Willy Adames signs HISTORIC SF Giants contract 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4iUhXiag9-IqpY Vegas Sphere has ideas to REVERSE financial struggles 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpXCZX6XhL-amK8 Rays Uncertainty: FIVE POSSIBLE outcomes 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2K3aaKKqLedn5Y Dodger Stadium QUIETLY digging $100M Clubhouse Upgrades 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoDMdmNjrNOJh7s Does YES vote equal "NO DEAL" for Rays Ballpark Project? 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKOvh3uBmdKEbpo St. Petersburg APPROVES funding for Rays Stadium [Highlights] 📺 kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqSTmIp5iJupZ7M

[@thomasjoseph3488]

Looks to me like Salt Lake City is putting distance between itself and the other expansion/team move destination contenders.

[@BlackSaiyan24]

They may not even be a good candidate themselves.

[@archstanton6102]

​@@BlackSaiyan24who would be better?

[@BlackSaiyan24]

@@archstanton6102 Utah would be a candidate for a western team to relocate (Athletics) or an expansion team. For a team like the Rays, staying on the east coast is quite important given the divisions and whatnot, and I think Orlando or Raleigh-Durham is more suitable.

[@HighpointerGeocacher]

@@BlackSaiyan24 If teams move to a different geographic region, then just realign the divisions. They are not fixed permanently. Actually, some of teams should move to a different division right now. For example, why are the Pirates not in the NL East, to maintain an intrastate rivalry with the Phillies? Atlanta is further west of Pittsburgh by several degrees of longitude, so the Braves should be in the NL Central. In my lifetime, two teams not only switched divisions, but leagues: Brewers from AL to NL, and Astros from NL to AL.

[@thomasjoseph3488]

@@archstanton6102 I agree. Who can move quicker than SLC right now?

[@huck29329]

If MLB can pay a player $700M they can afford to purchase land and a stadium on their own.

[@ltrev1979]

Cities benefit from the tourism, payroll, payroll tax and economic expansion of sports teams. The days of privately funded stadiums are over.

[@jimsmerbeck4049]

​@ltrev1979 then why did two teams in privately-funded stadia just meet in the WS? Or the Giants winning three WS in 5 years after winning zero the previous 55?

[@paulo123-]

The As and Rays couldn’t afford $700 million. MLB needs revenue sharing….

[@herotomillions4095]

MLB didn't pay a player $700M. That was one owner

[@jimsmerbeck4049]

@paulo123- In a previous video, Mr. Brazil mentioned low-revenue teams get an average of $70 million per team per year. How's that not enough?

[@stevehofer3482]

I think the secret to mid-market cities successfully hosting major league sports teams is not taking on too many. Nashville understands.

[@MilesTailsProwe]

@@stevehofer3482 They have three and a Milb team. Adding another would just break the system

[@glengoad7846]

Predators draw well year in, year out. Titans don't when they're losing , like now.

[@stevehofer3482]

@@pocklecod I am in Indianapolis, a city in the same class as Nashville and Kansas City, and I don't think there is much interest in Major League baseball here. This isn't traditionally a "baseball city". Football and basketball are both more popular, and more youths play soccer than baseball. We have a AAA team that is successful and well-liked. Personally, I don't "follow" baseball, but I do enjoy occasionally attending a AAA Indianapolis Indians game, just to relax and be outside on a warm summer night. I don't care much who wins or loses. I don't see me feeling the same way if I was spending 5x as much for a Major League game.

[@HighpointerGeocacher]

@@stevehofer3482 I don't understand why Indianapolis doesn't seek to lure the White Sox out of Chicago. That wouldn't be moving too far, and the White Sox would have the entire state of Indiana to themselves, rather than sharing the Chicago area with the Cubs. Especially if the White Sox could be purchased by a new owner, and I expect that there must be a few extremely wealthy people in Indiana with the financial means to purchase an MLB team, then a move to Indiana could revitalize a franchise that just set a record for most losses in a single season (since 1901). AAA is minor league baseball. It is good to have such a team, especially if your city is not very large, but if your city is larger than several cities with MLB teams and growing at a healthy rate, then you should aspire to have an MLB team. Just as in life, if you have good skills and education, then you aspire to reach the top of your profession, not settle for a lower rung, especially when there are seemingly lesser people who have attained great heights.

[@pocklecod]

@stevehofer3482 Yeah that's a big factor. Entertainment money is not infinite, most people cannot afford to attend more than a few pro sports events per year. What can happen is that people flock to whatever team is doing well and any team that goes on a 10-20 year run of not being great will struggle to create revenue and could eventually move again anyway. I grew up in a four sport city and only ever went to games for two of the teams (baseball and hockey). That's fine if there are 5 million people in an area some of whom will certainly prefer the other sports but the pie is just so much smaller in a market if 2 mil.

[@danbradley7759]

30 year Nashville resident here: no public rail rapid transit, prioritized MLS over MLB, then funded the Titans’ stadium. The arena is due for a refresh soon. And George is the biggest baseball fan in Nashville media. Good guy. 3:29

[@Rushbolt43]

It's over 600 miles from Atlanta to Washington, DC and MLB does not have a team within that highly populated 600 mile east coast stretch. Charlotte is just too tempting in my book. Similarly, Salt Lake fills a huge gap out west. I think these two cities make the most sense.

[@sstorey79]

As a Nashville resident, the current mayor is weary of public spending on sports teams. He voted against the new domed stadium before he was elected mayor. He doesn’t want to use more public money on stadiums. He will fight against it hard

[@trclark7689]

I lived in Nashville for about a decade back before it became what it is now. It's refreshing to see some local commentary on the Nashville issue for a change instead of people just spouting off like it's a done deal. I can remember being part of a group many years ago that petitioned and met with Karl Dean while he was mayor about trying to lure the Marlins to Nashville. He told us, at the time, that Nashville had no desire whatsoever to bring MLB to town. He said that the city was content with having the NFL and NHL. He talked about the funding that the city had to spend on maintenance for Nissan Stadium, Bridgestone Arena, the Municipal Auditorium, and even the Centennial Sportsplex. That wasn't even mentioning the ordeal surrounding the Sounds and Greer Stadium (eventually replaced by First Horizon Park, which the city spends money on to maintain) and Geodis Park, which was initially partially funded by Nashville and is having bond payments repaid, I believe. I'm not sure if Nashville provides any maintenance on Geodis Park. A lot of baseball fans were bummed, especially by the Mayor saying that the city had no desire for MLB, but it is what it is. The deal surrounding the new Titans stadium was weird. In early 2022 the Titans agree to extend their lease through 2039. In late 2022, it's found that the stadium has significant structural issues and that it's outdated based on the terms of the lease. The Titans and the City have research done on whether or not the stadium should be renovated or if a new stadium should be built. I believe the renovation costs came out to something like $1.5 billion dollars. It was later found out that Nashville had been violating their lease agreement because it had failed to do any maintenance on the stadium since COVID. Nashville said that it didn't want to build a new stadium and couldn't afford to do so (I'm sure you remember when Nashville passed that 34% property tax increase in 2020 that went over pretty poorly and was later recalled?) Ultimately, the State of Tennessee kicked in $500 million and Nashville decided to issue tourism bonds IIRC to pay their share. It was determined that for just a couple hundred million more, they could get a new stadium, a 50 year lease from the Titans, and they would be able to develop the East Bank of the Cumberland. Win/win, right? Back to Music City Baseball, I've said that their plan from the start was flawed. They tried to get support from local government which has always been a no-go. They tried to purchase the property that the scrap metal place is on and balked at the price, then they decided they'd partner with TSU and build a stadium on campus at TSU. Let me preface this by saying that I'm a TSU alumni. MLB teams need to have wealthy fans buying premium seats and boxes. They need to have fortune 500 companies buying season tickets, etc. As someone that attended TSU and worked in Brentwood, Franklin, Hendersonville, Mt. Juliet, etc.. how many people from those neighborhoods do you think are going to be willing to attend a night game in North Nashville? If MLB is going to put a team in Nashville, it has to be downtown where the scrap metal facility is and it will HAVE to have public funding. Every time someone talks about the White Sox, A's, Rays, D-Backs, etc, etc, moving to Nashville, all I can do is laugh.

[@SuperMathewson]

Keep him around then

[@rockofloveusa]

​​​@@trclark7689 thanks I live in Tennessee also for updates. I remember hearing about 34 percent tax. I thought the renovations cost was high . And a lot got approved for the new stadium fast. On the facts that it will bring more events to Tennessee.

[@chuckdameron5626]

That's code word for I'm not giving MLB team 600 million dollars like the other cities are doing

[@someguy7222]

This mayor is looking out for the voters. Need more like him. Stop giving money to the billionaire Bros. of MLB - build it themselves or F* off

[@turkeybowlwinkle4440]

Yes, not unless I get a cut.

[@glengoad7846]

I have lived in the Nashville area all my life. I agree with the mayor. "Yes, it would be great, but we don't have the taxpayers money to finance 2 stadium projects". MLB needs the Rays and A's situation straightened out first. I hope to still be alive when the MLB Nashville Sounds happens.

[@UncleGabe216]

Can you put it where the Titans currently play?

[@franciscomiranda1471]

Owners need to pay their own stadiums. Greed and taking money to their grave is so dumb.

[@darlawittmier1793]

What about Murfreesboro?

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

@@franciscomiranda1471 - Just another reason the people are fighting back against the 1%!

[@boltyourselfin]

I was just thinking this whole video... MLB can't seriously be looking to expand right now, where we have multiple teams in minor league facilities, others unable to pay for repairs, etc etc... not to mention the looming rise in all construction and materials costs... it would be an absolute recipe for failure. But, honestly, Manfred doesn't come across as someone who thinks these things through.

[@stevehofer3482]

For cities like Nashville Triple A is the sweet spot: good quality baseball at a cost that you can afford to take your family.

[@jeandelisi9441]

Triple A baseball is superior to MLB in terms of quality of play. I miss my Phoenix Firebirds when they were displaced by the Dbacks

[@IronSikh44]

What a concept! Have things that families can afford to attend!! Are you seriously telling me normal families should get the same consideration as elites😉? I’m in Vancouver. We have Single A minor league baseball. It’s the absolute best place to go for families. Affordable, fun, and entertaining as these players are trying to climb the ladder. So they work hard.

[@HighpointerGeocacher]

@@jeandelisi9441 How can you say that "Triple A baseball is superior to MLB in terms of quality of play," when the AAA players are those players who are not good enough to play in the major leagues?

[@showcaseSampa]

The Sounds are feeders to the Brewers. So they see their fair share of MLB talent.....at minor league ticket prices.

[@craigcavaliere6744]

@@IronSikh44 I am 45 minutes from low-A Daytona and about 50 minutes from AAA Jacksonville. I love going to both. They are extremely affordable and I can sit only a few feet from the field.

[@ozzmoises]

MLB needs to figure out the situations in Tampa, Arizona, White Sox, and the As before they can look at expansion. Also a salary cap needs to happen to help the middle and smaller markets.

[@chrisweidner4768]

Always time for Brodie. Heard rumors that Nashville wanted the Cardinals. Thanks for this.

[@heathrunyon4036]

Cardinals aren’t going anywhere!

[@ATCguy1973]

Nashville is a football city. I'm sure the people of Nashville would welcome an MLB team, but it would have to be an expansion team, not a team relocating. Also I don't think the people would not approve of any public funding for a stadium being that they just approved of a 2.2 billion dollar stadium for the Titans. The silver lining for the Titans new stadium in Nashville is that they will be able to host numerous Super Bowls over the years.

[@glengoad7846]

Along with Final Fours, SEC Championships.

[@archstanton6102]

Think they also had a new MLS stadium built there

[@ATCguy1973]

@glengoad7846 yes that too. Maybe some kick ass Taylor Swift shows as well 👍

[@americangiant1003]

ATCGUY Nashville is also now a hotbed in the Southeast US for NHL Hockey too. With the hockey Predators making the Stanley Cup Finals not that long ago. And honestly when the Grizzlies moved from Vancouver IMO, it should have been to either Kansas City or Nashville. Not sure if Memphis should even have a NBA team since Western Tennessee and Northern Mississippi is more a College Football and College Basketball hotbed. Finally back to a new Nashville MLB team. Best for them to get an expansion team and build from the ground up similar to the Predators. Most in the Nashville area want an expansion team and not a relocation one such as possibly the Rays.

[@HighpointerGeocacher]

"Nashville is a football city." But every city in the US is a "football city," given the popularity of the NFL.

[@creepycrespi8180]

baseball already has too many teams with empty stadiums.

[@TheBrainSpecialist]

It was really telling that Japan's Seibu Lions could have a historically awful season on par with what the White Sox are going through... and still out-attend 10 MLB teams.

[@daltontf]

@@TheBrainSpecialist Did they draw a lot of fans of the visiting teams? Japan's geography would make that easier.

[@TheBrainSpecialist]

@@daltontf They're a Pacific League club, so not really. While the CL is packed closer together, the Pacific League is spread out all over the country. There's only 1 team that's within a reasonable distance, and that's the Chiba Lotte Marines. It's still about 2 hours by commuter train between the stadiums (and you'd need to change trains like 3 times)

[@dyoung5690]

Wow, complete 180 from Nashville. Outside looking in, it looks like the Titans made out like bandits getting 1.2 billion in public finance.

[@troyhoffman6012]

There aren’t too many options for all these teams threatening relocation

[@someguy7222]

If all teams move to Las Vegas (or threaten to) that'll get those fans minds right and willing to hand over lumps of money to the billionaire bros. of MLB

[@Fordguy02]

Nashville resident here. I’ll say there’s not much of an appetite to fund a new stadium by the public or the council. Williamson county could be a possibility I think.

[@GDavis49]

They’re spending 2+ billion of public money on a new Titans stadium. I imagine the well of public funds for a new ballpark is dry for awhile.

[@Fordguy02]

Bridgestone Arena is getting old, I figure there will be some money put toward it soon.

[@Fenti081]

Personally I think it’s wild that the Carolinas do not have an MLB team. I feel like Carolina would be a more natural fit for a Rays relocation should it happen

[@daltontf]

Raleigh over Charlotte. Don't want to contend with the Panthers for public money for stadium costs.

[@acelm8437]

@@daltontf I think a Raleigh team would get instant support. Also it's far enough north that you could consider an outdoor stadium

[@ltrev1979]

If the Carolinas got an MLB team, Nashville won't. Too close

[@PCSPounder]

Baseball has 81 dates (or, more generally, 27 homestands) with a generally daily schedule. The larger markets have normally benefited more from these factors. In the RSN era, a Carolina team might have made up for their smaller markets by a decent sized TV deal. But we’re exiting the RSN era. You need one market that’s larger instead of 2-3 that aren’t quite there.

[@acelm8437]

@@PCSPounder The Triangle metro is larger than Milwaukee and Cleveland

[@mityace]

One of the venues that the mayor was hinting at is the existing minor league ballpark for the AAA Nashville Sounds. Compared to the A's and Rays' temporary homes it's small. Just over 8,000 fixed seats and 10,000 including "berm seating." So, that may not work for a home while a new stadium is constructed. It;s also less than ten years old. Construction cost was around $91 million.

[@99somerville]

91 million for a minor league stadium. Did the taxpayers pay for it?

[@PCSPounder]

OH! “… the first credible ownership group that materializes…” All of our focus about Nashville has lacked the one key requirement… an ownership willing to pay for stuff. Brodie might have said that Nashville is keeping the door open, but that statement- and the comment about an owner willing to foot the bill- closes that door.

[@brettbudward]

Very interesting. The MLB has a major problem. NFL teams have tons of options if they want to relocate in the form of college football stadiums as temporary locations. Baseball only has minor league parks that already have tenants and don’t hold that many spectators.

[@PCSPounder]

@@brettbudward I offer the thought that good baseball is popular. Bad baseball is seriously not. So consider the possibility that both the A’s and Rays are now in appropriately sized ballparks. Imagine the prospect of expansion by two teams, meaning a middling franchise should expect to win a World Series every 40 years and an expansion perhaps every 50 years. Is that sustainable? Consider the Padres and Brewers have never won a World Series (est 1969) and the Mariners (est 1977) haven’t even won the AL, much less the big one.

[@trclark7689]

The thing about the Titans stadium is that both parties agreed to extend their lease from 2029 to 2039. It was then determined that the stadium had structural issues and that Metro-Nashville was required by contract to keep the stadium as one of the top stadiums in the league (think St. Louis contract with the Rams) it was then found that Nashville had breached their contract be failing to maintain the stadium for several years dating back to COVID. Private construction estimates found that it would have cost Metro-Nashville $1.5 billion to renovate the stadium to the standard that they were contractually obligated to have it. All parties decided that it would be more advantageous for all sides to just build a new stadium and develop the land around it. Metro-Nashville actually came out and saved $300 million dollars and will get more revenue off of the new development. I believe this will also extend the Titans lease for something ridiculous like 50 years, so Nashville won't be building a brand new stadium with the Titans being able to leave or demand something new in 14 years.

[@ericlund2909]

SLC just passed new zoning for the MLB ballpark area so the mixed zone can be built out the way the Miller Group and community wants for a MLB ballpark with hotels, apartments, and businesses. It’s getting all teed up for a MLB ballpark. Seems like it’s the most MLB-ready location now.

[@johnfarr2738]

Again thanks for the great content Brodie!

[@sdeepj]

Whether you are Democrat, Republican, Independent, or whatever, we’re all in agreement that our tax dollars should not go to stadiums. I would rather that money spent on baseball fields and parks for everyone to enjoy

[@GDavis49]

Agreed, but that’s not the way these things work

[@teambigv]

Republican here I agree.

[@brianglas7768]

Lean left and definitely agree. We can debate welfare for struggling Americans. There should be no debate about welfare for billionaires.

[@tbonemaloneknowsitall]

Snooze, you lose. Cross Nashville off the list.

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

Spoken like the 9th letter 4th letter 9th letter 15th letter 20th letter 1%'er you are!

[@kjhuang]

It's more like, you don't give millionaires their government welfare, you lose.

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

@@kjhuang - Those who support the 1% can go start a donation drive for them!

[@potatoesforsale]

@@kjhuangsome would call that a win

[@kjhuang]

@@potatoesforsale Yeah, like Nashville (for MLB)

[@MilleniumFalconSuperCool74]

I was a Nashville resident for 13 years(2009-2022). I left because it was obvious that Nashville would continue to give large tax breaks to corporations and allow housing developers to bulldoze our neighborhoods unrecognizable and I would never be able to own a home there. I know a lot of residents feel the same way. And after Geodis Park and the new Titans stadium, I think the locals have soured on not only publicly funding another stadium, but continuing to bulldoze the city’s history for entertainment afforded and championed by the very few.

[@tomk.3428]

If MLB can commit $750 million to a single player, they can fund their own stadiums. When Amazon wants to bring a super-warehouse to a city, do they ask the city to pay for it? Heck no!

[@chrissantos5580]

Amazon gets massive tax breaks that pays for the warehouse dummy

[@ericjefferson9684]

MLB doesn’t pay players. The team a player signs with pays them. And all big businesses get tax breaks for locating in cities. It’s a way to help create jobs in that area

[@albertsancho5909]

Just move the Rays there and rebrand them as the 'Nashville Stars'. Let them play at the Sounds minor league park to see how it goes for the attendance before any new ballpark plans.

[@ncdad1995]

I am putting Raleigh higher on my list than other people. North Carolina has the most population for state without a team, the governor prefers Raleigh over Charlotte, the Triangle is over 2 million people and much interest from the politicians to bring a team here. Not only from a fan perspective but the amount of sports betting on local teams. NC is one of the latest to legalize sports betting, but the last few months have been over $600 million per month. And MLB wants a team between the Nationals and Braves.

[@muslimadamsandler]

MLB is not going to leave the entire central Florida mega-region without a team , that would be insane

[@PCSPounder]

@@muslimadamsandler Oh yes they can. Think the old contraction attempt; they’ve demonstrated they would consider any possibility that coincides with their desire to create more public stadium money. Insert my “fans and government need to forcibly take over all franchises” rant here. Not against Orlando per se (maybe I should be), but I’m against modern sports business.

[@BlackSaiyan24]

@@PCSPounder the central Florida region is home to 10 million people plus is perhaps the most visited region in the US (St Pete to Orlando to Daytona Beach). Rob Manfred is dumb but not that dumb.

[@youautoknowjoe]

Love the content, great work and thank you for being consistent with the videos. I immediately click on them when I see them pop up

[@stevendearmas1633]

At this point I don't see how Salt Lake City is not getting a team in the future.

[@vamoscruceros]

Salt Lake needs an expansion partner.

[@noaho8457]

That city is too small and there are five better candidates for a team than that trash heap.

[@kjhuang]

​@noaho8457Do those five better candidates have government welfare in hand to give to rich baseball owners?

[@yuckyool]

Good review and I agree wrto NFL priority. Also, Nashville (like Las Vegas and Florida in general) offers A LOT of enjoyments and activities besides sitting in one's seat for 4 hours.. It's a great place to go out and walk around and enjoy a street party . . . and that's competition for a sports entertainment business.

[@jmwmotorsporthobbies4498]

West Tennessee is Cardinals country. East Tennessee is Braves Country. People in Nashville aren't going to embrace the Rays. Just like everyone in Tampa still roots for the Yankees.

[@HighpointerGeocacher]

So, if a another team from another region in the USA is popular in the area, just because the area doesn't have a team of its own even though its population is greater than other cities with MLB team, then the area should never be able to have a team of its own?

[@HighpointerGeocacher]

How can you say that "everyone in Tampa still roots for the Yankees?" I know that the Yankees have many fans in all regions of North America, but I am sure that other MLB teams have fans of their own, and I would presume that the number of baseball fans who would prefer that the Yankees would lose would outnumber the number of people who would prefer that the Yankees win.

[@jmwmotorsporthobbies4498]

@ go to a game in Tampa when the Rays are hosting the Yankees and see which team has more fans there by far....

[@fandyllic1975]

Do the math… if the MLB expansion fee is $2 billion, and ownership group and city would need at least $4 billion to start a new expansion team. That’s a ridiculous amount of money.

[@smellslikeproductions]

I feel Nashville is more of a hockey town. They have one of the best fan bases ever.

[@pudgiechild4677]

Nashville isn't large enough for MLB Montreal, Orlando, and Southern Alameda County would be better options for a team that is relocating

[@willp.8120]

If Nashville is not large enough, then neither is Cleveland, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City.

[@WanderingWolf365]

Baseball is the most popular sport worldwide only behind soccer. - WW

[@michaelmarkowski204]

No location is a lock until it can present a fully-financed ballpark proposal that is shovel-ready and MLB announces the city has officially been awarded a franchise. Nashville's baseball group(s) have never even come close to this requirement re. a fully-financed project. Smart of the mayor to lay out publicly where he stands re. what it will take if any MLB team wishes to set up shop in Nashville - i.e., end of questions on this topic directed toward him so he can now focus on other (I'm sure more pressing) issues.

[@thomasneavill194]

If not Nashville, why not Charlotte, NC? It’s another large up and coming city. Just a thought.

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

Probably because the taxpayers are going to build a stadium for the Panthers instead soon.

[@karlsauerwein5862]

Charlotte may be on the hook for major renovations or even a rebuild of Bank of America Stadium. Not sure how

[@BlackSaiyan24]

@@karlsauerwein5862 plus MLS commissioner Don Garber wants all MLS teams in soccer-specific stadiums. So their brand new MLS team will be due for a new stadium sooner rather than later.

[@UserName-ts3sp]

I think Raleigh is more likely than Charlotte. But North Carolina should have a team

[@davidhalcon5594]

Maybe, just maybe, if Nashville (Dave Stewart) doesn’t go through, Stew can find a MINORITY group to try and buy the A’s if Fisher can’t get anything done anywhere. Keep them HOME!

[@riggler2]

Nashville "not ready for baseball" means "We don't want your relocation hand-me-downs." They want their own homegrown team. They know MLB is years away. When MLB is ready for expansion, Nashville will be there and will be a lock to do whatever they need to do. The location, demographics, and economics are just too good. They may be so good in fact, that they may not need the city's help.

[@nicko5945]

All roads lead to Salt Lake Brodie!! If Nashville won’t be ready when expansion happens, give it to SLC and Montreal.

[@PeruvianPotato]

Mate, baseball is dead in Montreal

[@nicko5945]

@ I don’t disagree but a guy can dream haha.

[@dacosio7]

Manfred has misplayed the franchise situation. His decision to wait on Oakland and Tampa Bay to be resolved delayed expansion and the associated fees (likely worth at least $100 million for each of the 30 existing franchise) but, also, gave up relocation fee revenue (to be split between 29 teams) which he waived for John Fisher/Athletics and now sets a new precedent. Five years ago Manfred could have expanded to Nashville and Las Vegas. Now it sounds like the timing is no longer right for Nashville and LV may or may not get a relocated team with an incompetent owner. The White Sox and D-Backs situations are lurking in the background. In the 90's baseball expanded because it wanted to be in Denver, Florida and Phoenix. I don't recall hearing anything from the commissioner's office over the last decade saying they wanted to be in Sacramento and/or Salt Lake City. However, they may have little choice. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for growing the game.

[@franciscomiranda1471]

Steve ballmer should be what all owners should be like. Fund their own stadium or arenas. They can't take their billions of dollars to the grave. Greed.

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

The 1%'ers are in for a 23rd letter 1st letter 18th letter with the poor!

[@juicyfartsofjimcornette1154]

Too bad Ballmer was stupid to build Intuit in INGLEWOOD instead of Anaheim!

[@zch7491]

Mlb wants a free lunch, and it ain't available in Nashville.... slc though

[@donfinstad1685]

Outside of a handful of teams, MLB isn't nearly as strong, as some think it is.

[@someguy7222]

MLB wants the few big city (spender) teams to be the Globe Trotters and the rest of the league to be the Washington Generals. F* Manfred and double so for Fisher

[@willp.8120]

Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Boston, St. Louis, Houston, and Philadelphia.

[@s.v.c1]

Well the things the mayor said i agree the stadium and building a new stadium for MLB team its hard to find land in main downtown area

[@maxfactor886]

The Nashville mayor guy must not have talked to Music City Baseball ppl yet. There is a group trying to get a team there with a privately funded stadium, wherever it goes. The Carolina group that wants a team prob. in Raleigh has as much ammunition and more appetite for public funding (from NC). But the Carolina group doesn’t have the connections MCB already has with MLB brass. MCB has ppl like Dave Stewart, Bob Kendrick, Dave Dombrowski, who are influential in MLB circles and already talking to Manfred & co. about how to make Nashville happen.

[@BlackSaiyan24]

Rays are destined for Orlando.

[@MilesTailsProwe]

Unless the stadium was going to be PRIVATELY funded, it would unlikely to happen. The State paid for the MLS stadium and the highly expensive new Nissan Stadium.

[@ryanrant1]

I've always thought Nashville was a bit iffy because of the fact that they just committed a whole bunch of money to building the new Titans stadium. As of right now, here's what I see happening. The guy that owns the Carolina Hurricanes (his name escapes me) is always willing to make big investments. He did own an entire spring football league at one point a few years back. I can see him swinging something to get Raleigh a team. The Portland Diamond group seems to be closing in on new land. I can see that panning out. So, expansion: Portland and Raleigh. I don't think the Rays ever figure it out in the Tampa area, sadly. But in light of hearing this from the mayor, and knowing most billionaires aren't going to pay for their own stadiums (at least not on their own), I don't see relocation happening either. Tampa takes the wild card route and moves to Utah. Portland goes to the AL (build that Seattle rivalry), Raleigh to the NL (regional rivalry with Atlanta), then you have Utah (Tampa) switching to the NL to create a rivalry with Colorado (and honestly, Arizona considering the Coyotes situation) and to even out the leagues, flip Miami to the AL or return Milwaukee to the AL. This is just my wild speculation at the moment considering we're so far away from really anything coming out of it.

[@jeandelisi9441]

Arizona has stadium issues and lease runs out in 2027. If Portland and Carolina gets expansion teams and Tampa moves to SLC this does not leave any options for the Dbacks to move-Montreal? San Antonio?

[@BlackSaiyan24]

Acting like you can just fabricate rivalries based off geographical location is pointless. The Jazz and Nuggets, Dolphins and Bucs, Kings and Warriors have zero rivalry. The Blazers, Sonics and Grizzlies never had a rivalry in the 90s. Trying to whoo a team based off another city is a surefire way to let others know you are not a major league city.

[@Uniblab8]

Salt Lake City!!! 900 million public money set aside for a Stadium and ballpark village. The rest of the cost will be covered by the Larry Miller family, a presitgius family and a very generous family when it comes to promoting Salt Lake City as a Utah based MLB experience. The Wasatch front metro area is over 2 million and growing at an amazing rate. The population is "young" and "wealthy". The NBA JAzz are here and have been embraced by the area since coming to Salt Lake City in the late 70s. The NHL thought highly enough of the are to allow a move of a franchise from Phoenix to Salt Lake City. The Athletics made a mistake staying in California but I kind of understand why they chose Sacramento. We're ready, able and willing!!! We are a sports mecca!!

[@DetectiveRFB]

I think the two cities MLB want are Nashville and Montreal with Utah pushing hard for a new team.

[@TJR93]

I see contraction as more likely than expansion for the MLB.

[@부루마블-q8x]

relocation

[@TJR93]

@@부루마블-q8x Nah contraction above relocation.

[@willp.8120]

@@부루마블-q8x Pittsburgh -> Raleigh Milwaukee -> Nashville Chicago Whitesox -> Charlotte Kansas City -> Austin/San Antonio Tampa -> Orlando

[@BlackSaiyan24]

@@TJR93 this would be such a massive mark on Manfred’s reign. That’s embarrassing

[@TJR93]

@@BlackSaiyan24 Less embarrassing than failed expansion teams in my mind.

[@raylsullivan]

In addition to new Nissan Stadium there is upkeep & upgrades to Bridgestone Arena that City of Nashville is on the hook for.

[@Ibhenriksen]

If their MLB scoreboard isn't in the shape of a guitar, they already failed.

[@AndreAllDay20]

The Tampa Bay Rays are not moving to Nashville and is staying in Tampa Bay.

[@georgehand]

This worries me as I believe Nashville would be the perfect addition and I would love to see a Phillies-Nashville matchup but at the rate MLB is going I don’t think I’m ever going to see this!!!

[@EricRhine]

Sugar and extract should be easy ingredients to find

[@jonesyokc]

I don't know what the obsession is with Nashville. They cannot support another pro team. The market is too limited in size. Their catchment area just isn't good enough with other population centers being 3-4 hours or more away. Consumer sports dollars are already spread very thin with the Predators, Titans, and the Nashville SC playing there. They cannot absorb a MLB team on top of that. Is is delusions of grandeur on the part of Nashville and their PR people. North Carolina makes more sense for the Rays. As for the White Sox, they aren't moving to Nashville. The better bet for them would be a stadium on the NW side of the Indianapolis metro area. That is a market with a bigger catchment and putting the stadium on the NW side the side makes it easier to pull White Sox fans from Chicago. But I think right now the Indianapolis plan is MLS. Even with the bigger catchment, Indianapolis isn't a big enough market to have four pro sports franchises. I guess it would be five if you consider the WNBA. And that is a city famous for sports.

[@conrailhbgline]

Nashville could be in either the AL Central or AL East, it's geographically neutral between an eastern, central, or southern oriented division.

[@chuckjay6254]

Suggestion: (If TB moves to Nashville) Nash ---> NL Central Pitt ---> NL East Miami ---> AL East

[@maxpowr90]

I think Raleigh will get a team before Nashville does.

[@VicHolland_SCS]

You mentioned the Winter Meetings happening in Dallas. Around the time they were starting, Jaguars and Fulham FC executive (and All Elite Wrestling owner) Tony Khan threw a press conference to promote a July 2025 pro wrestling show at Globe Life Field. I assume the answer to this is, “No,” but have you heard if Tony or his father, Shad Khan, have shown any interest in possibly buying or starting an MLB team? I wasn’t sure if Tony was purely trying to be a savvy wrestling promoter or if he was in North Texas, possibly, for baseball reasons.

[@ryleeroseborough7885]

Don't overlook NC. It is a swing state and could get it due to politics

[@william7286]

Should have planned ahead - built a nextgen multipurpose stadium like Minneapolis.

[@VoxVeritas1776]

Brodi in your honest opinion does this open the door for Charlotte NC?

[@willp.8120]

Charlotte should have had a team long time ago. The South needs more teams. It is the most populated region of the country, but it has the fewest teams. Make that make sense.

[@davidkitterman3952]

Salt Lake City!! ⚾️

[@Odin029]

I'd just like to point out that the public money going to the Titans stadium isn't tax payer money directly. It's tourist money from hotel/motel taxes and so on. The $500 million from the state of Tennessee might be direct taxpayer money I don't know. When it comes to doing projects like this in Nashville, it's getting tough without using actual taxpayer money and I don't think the residents are ready to do that.

[@justmythought1586]

Probably the best bet would private funding for a ballpark. Is there the ability of private funding in Nashville? Are the power brokers there have the money???

[@SmrtShrX]

Another team that would go nowhere in this baseball circus 😂

[@impassable]

Do the Titans need a domed stadium?..At this rate all the new stadiums will be domes

[@Fordguy02]

@@impassable the plan is to get events like the Super Bowl, final 4, ect.

[@UserName-ts3sp]

I think Nashville can join the Super Bowl rotation, getting 1-2 every decade or so

[@potatoesforsale]

It never felt like a lock for anyone in Nashville besides Eddie George.

[@samuelsullivan9546]

Nashville may have just enough population for a baseball team but its television market is too small. The Cardinals, Braves and Reds have the television market tied up.

[@HighpointerGeocacher]

So, if other teams telecast their games in another region far away that doesn't have a team, then that region should never gain a team?

[@willp.8120]

​​@@HighpointerGeocacherTheir argument is absurd. The South has few teams and is the most populated region of the country, but people are content to let only Atlanta cover the entire southeast outside of Florida. Have they not noticed how close those teams are to one another throughout the Midwest. Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Cincinnati, Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Kansas City, Minneapolis. Yet that region has about half the population of the South. Those cities are never "too-close" to one another, but Nashville to Charlotte, a distance 6-7 hours for drive apart, are deemed "too close". MLB needs more southern teams. North Carolina should get first dibs.

[@willp.8120]

Nashville is not in close proximity to these cities. It is four hours drive by car to Atlanta.

[@Cdntrvler54]

Quick question?:Do the Counties or Cities, in negotiations for a new stadium to be funded, do they not get a share of the revenues, such as merchandise and concessions? It would seem to me that a long term shared revenue stream would soften the blow for the taxpayers and that would mean all revenue & concessions. Not just from sports but cultural events etc. Concert, trade shows. Just asking.. Thank you in Advance from Wet Coast Canada

[@josephmangone4926]

Montrael is the largest city without a MLB team....they do not want to pay the expansion fee...they are ready for a team to relocate there. Everything is in place including the beloved name: Expos. There is no other city east of the Mississippi that can handle an expansion team other than Montrael.

[@HighpointerGeocacher]

Montreal is in Canada, not the USA. It appear to me that so many people are not realizing that. I've been to Canada and I have to cross a border and get questioned by their border patrol when I do so. Usually, except in rural areas, there are long waits to cross the border. Usually a passport is required to cross the border, and the majority of people in the USA do not have a passport. Also, many people are unable to cross the border, due to having a criminal record and other factors.

[@GDavis49]

They are not ready for a team to relocate there. Renovations to Olympic Stadium won’t be completed until 2028, and that’s assuming the renovations are baseball friendly.

[@TheBrainSpecialist]

@@HighpointerGeocacher You do realize baseball teams get fasttracked through customs, right?

[@BlackSaiyan24]

@@josephmangone4926 Orlando clears Montreal.

[@BlackSaiyan24]

@@josephmangone4926 get your own league in Canada. Stop mooching off the US for everything

[@darlawittmier1793]

Maybe in Murfreesboro since it is a little farther than Nashville but big enoygh people to go to the games

[@davidsloan6646]

I’m fine with Nashville sticking with the sounds. We already are footing the bill to get a dome for the football team when is enough going to be enough? We need to fix our traffic and crime problem first.

[@RedTape812]

Sounds like 'contraction ' should be brought up. Funny that UT is expanding their baseball stadium.

[@alexanderfuchs2361]

lol the mayor said that eh? 😂😂😂

[@BF2021-kf8xz]

step on up Montreal!

[@HighpointerGeocacher]

I don't want to see a team in Montreal. It is not that I don't like Montreal, it is a great city to visit, but it is absurd to place a team in a French-speaking foreign city in a country with a declining economy where its per-capita income and GDP are less than most states in the USA. The Montreal of today is not the same as the Montreal of 56 years ago when the Expos were established.

[@BF2021-kf8xz]

@ good points. I read that the province of spending 800 million to renovate old Olympic Stadium, which seems like a big-time waste of money.

[@johnharris6655]

Given how the big market teams are now outspending the Small Market, teams, I think a team in Nashville would have a hard time competing

[@richardforscutt1063]

There is a common denominator in all of these relocations. If you ask the taxpayer of Oakland, Phoenix, Tampa, or Nashville and ask them do you want to raise your taxes (property, sales, and income) to build a new stadium and I bet you the answer is no. For about twenty years the San Francisco Giants would ask the voters of liberal San Francisco to vote for a tax increase for a new stadium for Candlestick Park and the voters voted no.

[@ki2726]

That is the case in most cities

[@rockofloveusa]

Never thought it was a lock. If it's named Nashville Stars. I don't think Nashville is looking for a relocation team. But with the web site name Nashville Stars. I'm on board with the Tennessee name. With most Of 88 percent of the state people st.louis , Cubs, braves fans and 12 of different teams. I do think the state wants another city like Bristol. And only support titans. I think lots of people will be upset cause Nashville sounds got a new stadium.

[@scotttild]

If they can’t build it on their own dime they should not be owners. Stop asking for handouts. If the Giants can build it on their own by taking out a loan so can anyone else.

[@krapinhat]

if I had a billion dollars I would give it to the white sox to build their new stadium

[@GDavis49]

No you wouldn’t 😂

[@MoneyC225]

Nashville is nowhere near ready. It doesn't have the name appeal like a Montreal, nor has it been big long enough to take seriously.

[@fruiz7390]

Does this bump Austin up the list?

[@michaelmarkowski204]

I doubt either Austin or San Antonio will get an MLB team as I think both the Astros and Rangers would be a hard no.

[@willp.8120]

@@michaelmarkowski204 Neither Austin or San Antonio are anywhere in close proximity to Houston or Dallas-Fort Worth.

[@michaelmarkowski204]

@@willp.8120 I think the issue is the vast majority of MLB fans in those two cities are likely either Astros fans or Rangers fans who watch or listen to the games via TV / streaming, buy team merchandise, etc., and the Astros and Rangers don't want to give that up should another team set up shop in the state of Texas. At minimum, I don't see it happening in the next 10 years.

[@joes3-e13]

Nashville still can be a lock for MLB maybe 5-10 years down the line, but cities like Montreal, Salt Lake City, Portland, Austin & others have a better chance to land a MLB team, hopefully not in Florida which is only good for spring training games imo.

[@noaho8457]

I’m rooting for Portland. It just makes too much sense for Baseball given that the Mariners are the only team in the PNW and is the only one in that part of the region. Geographically it makes more sense to put a team there than it does SLC especially now. Portland has had its struggles but it’s coming back and the metro area is growing rapidly. I see baseball in Portland as a win win for the MLB and the city and baseball will do both party’s nothing but good.

[@djowers1349]

The views of Freddie O'Connell do not represent the views of the Nashville metro area or for that matter the state of Tennessee. It should be noted O'Connell is about to be hampered by his public transit initiatives.

[@Fordguy02]

@@djowers1349 I wouldn’t say that. The transit plan on the last ballot passed

[@BlackSaiyan24]

@@djowers1349 well he has the power, you don’t, lol

[@katemoo9581]

This is kind of a shock to me

[@MarkSchliebener]

Brodie Brazil what is your take on Vancouver Canada getting a mlb franchise from what I understand there’s a lot of baseball interest there and I am sure Vancouver is bigger than a lot of us markets like Milwaukee if not expansion relocation

[@tonygoochafanchi578]

Charlotte may take their place as the east coast expansion team

[@great-one0389]

It'll probably be SLC(for sure) and either raleigh or portland. It should be austin, raleigh or portland tho.

[@EJL8888]

Move Tampa to Raleigh. Perfect fit!

[@SaintGBar22]

Why would anyone want a baseball team at this point with the very broken economics of baseball? Do we really need more feeder teams for the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Red Sox and Giants? I say this as a life long Mets fan. It’s broken. There is no competitive balance. They need to implement a hard salary cap and really fix the league first. There is a reason the average fan is in their 50’s

[@SladeBling]

Now that baseball has "Mega" teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, BoSox, SF, Hou, Atl, would it even be wise for a city to get a new MLB team nowadays?

[@willp.8120]

San Francisco is not a "mega team". They are mid-tier in fan support. St. Louis is a "mega" team along with Atlanta, NY Yankees, LA Dodgers, Houston, Boston, and San Diego.

[@SladeBling]

@@willp.8120 maybe, but the A's just left this has to give SF a nice boost.

[@patrickmorrissey2271]

He says "Credible Ownership Group" like 3 times there..... If I am the A's or the Rays, I don't like the sound of that...... Just saying.... I don't think it's a big leap to say he is implying that Nashville does NOT consider those Ownership Groups as "credible"....