MLB commissioner opposes deal to keep Cubs in Arizona
"The office of Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is opposing legislation that would build a new spring-training facility for the Chicago Cubs. An Arizona attorney hired by Selig's office says a proposal to create a surcharge on tickets to all Phoenix-area spring-training games is unfair. Attorney Pat Ray made his comments during a legislative committee hearing Wednesday morning."
I think it's safe to say, it ain't gonna happen if Bud doesn't want it. However, the bill did move on to the next step of the legislative process, 6-2. We also got more details on the funding mechanism: "It would impose a $1 surcharge on car rentals in Maricopa County and an 8 percent surcharge on all Cactus League tickets." In other words, exactly what Snakeoil Scotty's original press release said. What happened to all those "various proposals" he said would be "on the table" last week?
almost 2 years ago
Jim McLennan
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Not so fast my friend, as 75% is a blowout when it comes to these things.
This bill won’t be defeated at the state level and that was shown today at the house panel. The thing could have been mistaken for Derrick Hall’s firing squad as numerous reps took the chance to give the DBacks and Hall some chin music (ie: no bed tax for out of town fans coming to see the DBacks amongst other not so subtle jabs). I’m curious to see if Kenderick, Hall & Co. get the message and decide to stay out of it. I’d like to see them focus more on building a winner then worry about the Cactus League.
The only way this thing falls apart is come the Fall when it goes to ballot in Mesa until then the wheels have been greased.
Anyone want to bet that the Brewers exercise their opt out clause with Maryvale and move into HoHoKam starting in 2012?
Why?
Maryvale’s a nicer- and newer- stadium than Hohokam. And you think Brewers fans want to pick up the Cubs castoffs?
"I've never heard of a famous Phoenix hot-dog"
However,
that Maryvale neighborhood is most of the objection.
I've never heard of a famous Phoenix hot dog.
-Some crazy Cubs fan
by Reynolds rapper on Feb 17, 2010 5:48 PM EST up reply actions
One thing is location, with the layoffs happening to the Maryvale PD this will get worst before it gets better.
Next is seats, HoHoKam is bigger and that means more in ticket revenue.
Lastly, HoHoKam is the last stadium that will see any money from the AZSTA for stadium renovations (16 million-20 million). No one seems to mention this fact, Mesa is still planning on using the last drop of the renovation funds on HoHoKam even if the Cubs get a new stadium. After that the money is gone (the real problem), so hoHokam will get a 20 million dollar facelift while Maryvale gets squat.
by Augie's Army on Feb 17, 2010 5:48 PM EST up reply actions
The trend, however,
seems to be towards teams moving to the West Valley rather than the East, with the exception of the Dbacks and Rockies, who are a special circumstance.
George Sr., regarding a rival prison softball team: "Word has it they're getting Jose Canseco."
--Arrested Development
then we will defeat it
at the ballot box.
I will be very surprised if it even gets that far.
Du hast mich gefragt und ich hab nichts gesagt
by unnamedDBacksfan on Feb 17, 2010 5:50 PM EST up reply actions
Why would you care?
If and when this gets to the ballot box, Mesa residents have shown they’ll approve things. Regardless, the DBacks games won’t have the surcharge so why does it really matter?
by westerncubbie on Feb 18, 2010 1:15 PM EST up reply actions
Because we attend games at other stadiums. And because we’re tired of Cubs fans like you act like we owe them something.
"I've never heard of a famous Phoenix hot-dog"
I always avoid Cubbie games
because the crowds are remarkably un-mellow. I shouldn’t have to pay for their theme park.
I've never heard of a famous Phoenix hot dog.
-Some crazy Cubs fan
by Reynolds rapper on Feb 18, 2010 2:57 PM EST up reply actions
THIS THIS THIS!!
George Sr., regarding a rival prison softball team: "Word has it they're getting Jose Canseco."
--Arrested Development
and the day
the front office has to worry about the idiots in congress will be when hell freezes over.
Phunny how others who have now spoken out against it too are not taken to task.
gotta love Arizona……
Du hast mich gefragt und ich hab nichts gesagt
by unnamedDBacksfan on Feb 17, 2010 5:52 PM EST up reply actions
I hate
our state legislature. Bunch of ****ing morons.
George Sr., regarding a rival prison softball team: "Word has it they're getting Jose Canseco."
--Arrested Development
I think that
no matter your party or ideology, that’s something we can all agree on.
All targets neutralized. Program completed. By your command.
Uh....
Woah, woah, wait a minute. I thought that it was going to be $1 on tickets and an 8% rental car surcharge. But it’s the other way around? Screw. That. Get thee hence, Cubs, I won’t even miss you a little bit.
I’d also like to see some justification behind the $138 million figure that keeps getting tossed around. As someone at AZ Central pointed out, that works out to the idea that “each seat is generating $663/game in economic impact on Mesa.” Uh-huh.
"I've never heard of a famous Phoenix hot-dog"
Hey Mesa, what is really important to ya?
Priorities……..
In addition, Beck and all other department heads have been asked by City Manager Chris Brady to plan for another 10 percent budget cut, which amounts to a $5.4 million hit on the Fire Department, based upon an anticipated decline in Mesa’s revenues.
“A budget reduction of this magnitude after years of compounding reductions, will certainly have a severe impact on our service level to the community and put jobs at risk,” Beck wrote.
He said he would work with the United Mesa Firefighters to do everything possible to avoid layoffs. Beck was meeting with firefighters through a teleconference to all fire stations Wednesday afternoon and was not immediately available for comment
Du hast mich gefragt und ich hab nichts gesagt
by unnamedDBacksfan on Feb 17, 2010 5:55 PM EST reply actions
Amen!
I've never heard of a famous Phoenix hot dog.
-Some crazy Cubs fan
by Reynolds rapper on Feb 17, 2010 5:57 PM EST up reply actions
Apples & Oranges as they are funded from completely different revenue streams. Mesa would pay their share from an increase in the bed tax and this is why it would have to go to ballot only in Mesa.
Tempe & Scottsdale each have bed tax increases on the ballot for March but are cutting public safety. Bed tax has to go towards “tourism promotion” and while that is broad cops & firefighters don’t match.
Most cities are cutting public safety and PHX is gutting their Parks & Rec Dept. but in all reality it has absolutely nothing to do with stadium funding.
by Augie's Army on Feb 17, 2010 6:03 PM EST up reply actions
P-R-I-O-R-I-T-I-E-S
I can’t spell it out any more plainly than that.
Du hast mich gefragt und ich hab nichts gesagt
by unnamedDBacksfan on Feb 17, 2010 6:07 PM EST up reply actions
C-H-I-C-A-G-O
The mayor of Mesa can’t spell it out any more plainly than that.
"I've never heard of a famous Phoenix hot-dog"
+1
well said.
Du hast mich gefragt und ich hab nichts gesagt
by unnamedDBacksfan on Feb 17, 2010 6:53 PM EST up reply actions
Well
I think I’m done at BCB for now. When I flat-out get called a liar for using actual numbers that are backed up by proof, and the fans I thought were somewhat rational are telling me they don’t see any hint of blackmail in the Cubs threats to move to Florida, I just don’t think there’s any point in carrying on with the discussion.
Plus, I think the only other guy who really agreed much with me (other than azjazzman) is BCB’s version of ’Hacks….
"I've never heard of a famous Phoenix hot-dog"
The guy on BCB that made the most revealing comment
and basically spoke for all Cubs fans was the one who wrote, “The Cubs shouldn’t rest until they have a facility at least at par with what the White Sox and Dodgers have right now.”
At the end of the day, that is really what this is all about, isn’t it?
Yeah
But they talk about how White Sox fans are the ones with a chip on their shoulder….
"I've never heard of a famous Phoenix hot-dog"
Did you see
The Coping Mechanism – How to Deal With the Cub Backlash fanpost? “Why do so many people feel the need to bash a team that hasn’t won a World Series since 1908 and one that doesn’t even play in their division or league?” I think their reaction to our reaction should be filed as Exhibit A there.
Yeah, was really surprised Al didn’t see the threat to move to Florida as blackmail. I’m hoping he’ll explain more why he thinks that is not the case.
"Win, or die" -- Marquise de Merteuil
by Jim McLennan on Feb 19, 2010 2:36 AM EST up reply actions
It is a completely different world over at BCB
They tend to completely ignore convenient facts like those attendance figures I always like to cite. Yes, the Cubs dominate the local attendance of Cactus league games but they also receive far more money from spring training as a result (which should happen in a capitalist system).
However, when you look at other clubs’ best interests a 2.50 tax actually makes a difference because a ticket that goes from 17.50 to 20.00 will actually result in lost fans (about every 5 bucks is a psychological barrier that results in lost fans), a 2.50 surcharge makes it likely one of these barriers will be hit. There is data that supports psychological pricing so teams are going to be careful about every 5 dollar increment.
Here is a link to an overview of psychological pricing.
So when Cubs fans say “it’s just 2.50, it’s not even the cost of a beer”, what they ignore is that it WILL cause lost fans because fans aren’t rational in their buying patterns. The purpose of it is to give the Cubs even more economic dominance when their relative impact to the Cactus League already reflects on their bottom line since revenue is not shared in spring training.
I've never heard of a famous Phoenix hot dog.
-Some crazy Cubs fan
by Reynolds rapper on Feb 19, 2010 8:03 AM EST up reply actions
I saw that
It took some effort of will not to try to go into that thread and explain just why they get that backlash, using the other thread to illustrate the point.
"I've never heard of a famous Phoenix hot-dog"
I’ve been called a troll and other similar things in conversations when i was the only one to bring hard facts to the discussion. Two of my favorites were Soriano is the best LF or maybe it was best defensive LF in baseball and umpires should retreat from players having a tantrum.
My experiences at BCB
have been that I have had enjoyable discussions/debates on baseball related topics (and I have friends who are regular posters there) but inevitably when someone disagrees with me it will wind up with them saying, “who cares what you think, you aren’t even a Cubs fan, so get off our blog”. I really don’t have any answer to that, so that is when I typically retreat.
That's when
you should reveal your FINAL BOSS FORM
All targets neutralized. Program completed. By your command.
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