P.S. - Build a stadium immediately or you're out!

[moose]

Bud has sent a letter of appreciation to the Minnesota fans:

LETTER

The article is short:

Sunday, October 20

Selig thanks fans for 'patience and enthusiasm'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press


MINNEAPOLIS -- Baseball commissioner Bud Selig thanks Minnesota "for your patience and enthusiasm'' in a full-page advertisement printed Sunday in both of the Twins Cities daily newspapers.


The advertisement printed in the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Star Tribune of Minneapolis includes a color photograph of the Minnesota Twins as the 2002 American League Central Division Champions.


Underneath the picture, it states:


"Thank you, Minnesota, for your patience and enthusiasm ... and Congratulations Twins, for a most memorable season! We look forward to building our future ... together.''


It was signed "Allan H. 'Bud' Selig, Commissioner of Baseball.''


Selig failed to eliminate the Twins and Montreal Expos last offseason after baseball's contraction plans were blocked by the Minnesota courts. Baseball later agreed in its new labor deal not to eliminate teams until 2007 at the earliest.


In Minnesota, Selig was perceived as trying to help Twins owner Carl Pohlad, a close friend, get a better price in contraction that he would in a sale. Selig has denied the accusations.


Earlier this month, Selig came to the Metrodome to watch the Minnesota Twins in the opener of the ALCS. The Twins lost the series to Anaheim.

[Duque]

Further evidence that Selig or MLB are just totally out of touch with the public. That is so transparently phony.

[JamesI]

I think more owners should do what the Giants did and build their own stadium. They can afford it! (at least he can in Minnesota)

[sweaver]

I think it's sweet that Selig has made a gesture to the Minnesota fans, even if it is as awkward and ham-handed as everything else that comes out of the commissioner's office. People of the northland have to stick together, right?

And James, while Pohlad could afford to buy and sell everyone in the USA, he won't spend a penny of his own money. Ever.

[pathogan]

Originally posted by JamesI
I think more owners should do what the Giants did and build their own stadium. They can afford it! (at least he can in Minnesota)

...was the worst thing to happen to owners in years...and he is sucessful with it. I no longer comment on those other people...

[rcartman28]

I almost choked on my cereal yesterday morning when I saw the ad in the Pioneer Press. I haven't seen or heard any local media reaction to it yet, but I will believe the sincerity of it when orange trees start growing here (by the way, we are supposed to get a couple inches of snow here today)......

Pohlad will still try to screw the legislature next year for the new stadium.....

[KCBOOMER]

I have never understood why more owners won't buid their own stadiums. Walter O'Malley (may he rot in hell) showed them in the early '60's that building your own stadium was a license to print money.

I think it speaks to the transient nature of ownership.

[NCFella19]

Selig's actions have made the public so scarred and sarcastic that any Commissioner attempt to come across as legitimate or touching just comes across as another example of Selig's bumbling idiocy.

The man really needs to go.

[pathogan]

Originally posted by KCBOOMER
I have never understood why more owners won't buid their own stadiums. Walter O'Malley (may he rot in hell) showed them in the early '60's that building your own stadium was a license to print money.

I think it speaks to the transient nature of ownership.

that and being given, free and clear, 50 acres of property in downtown LA

If I am an owner - and there is even a remote chance that the government will essentially give me half a billion dollars...

Why would I even consider building a stadium myself?

This is a problems municipalities like Cleveland and Baltimore (who built multimple stadiums/arenas on the public dime) have created for everyone else.

Seriously... I mean, you've got an okay place to play now. All strong-arming does is increase the chance for the public to give you HALF A BILLION DOLLARS, with the only downside being that the city won't like the owner. And the public goes to the games anyway, especially in Minnesota, where they're likely to pack the Metronome next year.

If I'm an owner, I keep holding out for the half a billion dollars.

Cities like mine are far more to blame than the Owners.

[RedSeat]

Originally posted by CpUltravox
...Cities like mine are far more to blame than the Owners.

I don't know if I want to assign blame to one party or the other, but the real shame is that the new CBA didn't accomodate the discrepancy through revenue sharing. If an owner is prepared to privately finance a new ballpark, there should be relief in terms of revenue sharing. With modern ballparks costing hundreds of millions of dollars, teams with publicly funded stadia have a decided financial advantage over teams paying their own way. Isn't that what revenue sharing is supposed to even out?

Pac Bell is a spectacular place to watch a baseball game. Magowan should be rewarded for making the financial comittment that he did. But as it is, it really doens't make any sense for owners to take on that much debt.