American Association of Independent Baseball

Mr.Nuke · Post by **Mr.Nuke** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 10:56 am

joeglow wrote:
the1wags wrote:
joeglow wrote:
HskrFanMike wrote:
joeglow wrote:you have to wonder if a year round destination placed on all that land could have provided a greater net gain for the city.
How's all that development around the existing ballpark doing? It has the double impact of the stadium and the zoo, so it should be going gangbusters.
You just proved my point (thanks). With a AAA team, the CWS and the zoo, development has been sub-par. But the CWS, no zoo and (MAYBE) a group of never-will be's will suddenly be a huge growth catalyst????
Yet the same AAA team with an ice sheet next door is going to bring all kinds of development to suburban wasteland Sarpy County. :lafcry:
The difference is one is using farm land and the other is using prime downtown land. And three hotels are GREAT, but I will join the jircle when we see some real development pop up around there.

I wouldn't call a parking lot at 12th and Cuming "prime downtown land."

justnick · Post by **justnick** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:29 pm

Mr.Nuke wrote: I wouldn't call a parking lot at 12th and Cuming "prime downtown land."

Have you been down there lately?
Art Museums, Hotels, Condos, and Hip Retail say otherwise.

Mr.Nuke · Post by **Mr.Nuke** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 1:01 pm

justnick wrote:
Mr.Nuke wrote: I wouldn't call a parking lot at 12th and Cuming "prime downtown land."
Have you been down there lately?
Art Museums, Hotels, Condos, and Hip Retail say otherwise.

I'm a Creighton grad. Â I've been down there lately. Â My point was more the fact that the land was a MECA/City parking lot. Â There was no chance of other development at the site.

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 1:50 pm

the1wags wrote:
joeglow wrote: The people most likely to go to an independent league (and pay $8-10 to park) are those that already live around there. Thus, there will be very few people coming who don't live there and the existing population has proven unsustainable for new business there.
So I guess the 6,205 a game that the St. Paul Saints averaged in 2007 was all downtown St. Paul residents?

So, you think a metro with 900,000 can match a metro with 4,000,000?

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:38 pm

joeglow wrote:So, you think a metro with 900,000 can match a metro with 4,000,000?

Keeping in mind the metro of 4M has NBA, MLB, NFL and NHL syphoning off potential attendees as well.

Proportionately, I'd call it a wash.

the1wags · Post by **the1wags** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 5:19 pm

joeglow wrote:
the1wags wrote:
joeglow wrote: The people most likely to go to an independent league (and pay $8-10 to park) are those that already live around there. Thus, there will be very few people coming who don't live there and the existing population has proven unsustainable for new business there.
So I guess the 6,205 a game that the St. Paul Saints averaged in 2007 was all downtown St. Paul residents?
So, you think a metro with 900,000 can match a metro with 4,000,000?

Wait a minute, I thought all those that would attend independent ball lived "around there", now people from across a metro attend? Way to backpedal.

Also as Big E noted, their metro (3.2M, not 4M BTW) has all 4 major sports for fans to attend, us..... not so much.

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:34 pm

the1wags wrote:
joeglow wrote:
the1wags wrote:
joeglow wrote: The people most likely to go to an independent league (and pay $8-10 to park) are those that already live around there. Thus, there will be very few people coming who don't live there and the existing population has proven unsustainable for new business there.
So I guess the 6,205 a game that the St. Paul Saints averaged in 2007 was all downtown St. Paul residents?
So, you think a metro with 900,000 can match a metro with 4,000,000?
Wait a minute, I thought all those that would attend independent ball lived "around there", now people from across a metro attend? Way to backpedal.

Also as Big E noted, their metro (3.2M, not 4M BTW) has all 4 major sports for fans to attend, us..... not so much.

In looking at baseball alone, MLB is not a big threat to this team. Â They both offer completely different products (with the only similarity being the game being played on the field). Â Conversely, the Royals ARE providing the same product, except with MUCH better talent and a less costly ticket. Â Additionally, I would think a better comparison would be looking at OUR city when we have had 2 competing teams in the same sport.

the1wags · Post by **the1wags** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:41 pm

Wow you already know the ticket prices for the Royals at their new park and also for this proposed independent team downtown. Can you help me out with the Powerball numbers for Wednesday too? Â Â :;):

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:58 pm

joeglow wrote:Additionally, I would think a better comparison would be looking at OUR city when we have had 2 competing teams in the same sport.

Fair enough.

How'd that work out between the Lancers and Knights again?

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:20 pm

the1wags wrote:Wow you already know the ticket prices for the Royals at their new park and also for this proposed independent team downtown. Can you help me out with the Powerball numbers for Wednesday too? :;):

Fair enough. Â I was getting at the stigma that $8-10 parking will have when many decide where to spend their money.

the1wags · Post by **the1wags** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:34 pm

MECA has also said that while downtown parking is going to increase, the Qwest lots are staying at $6. Also, we don't know what the Royals are going to charge (they ARE going to charge something). We could go rounds all day.

Heck, honestly we don't even know if this independent team is going to happen. I just like to stir the shiznit.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:57 pm

the1wags wrote:I just like to stir the shiznit.

Shiznit. Â Shaken, not stirred.

thenewguy · Post by **thenewguy** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 11:44 am

i wouldn't say AAA and MLB are providing the same product. Â If so, AAA players would be in MLB, not in AAA. Â Like if 2 people are shopping for a porsche, and one gets a 911 turbo, and one gets a cayman: they can both say they have a porsche, but they are certainly not the same product.

However, i see the point you're trying to make. Â I, too, was stirring up this proverbial "shiznit".

Post by **Coyote** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:34 am

Stadium's ball prospects improve

Maggie O'Brien World-Herald staff writer wrote:Two independent baseball leagues are now interested in bringing a team to the new downtown baseball stadium. Clark Griffith, commissioner of the Northern League, said Thursday that he hopes to meet with the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority to discuss a deal. MECA is already in talks with the American Association about bringing a team to Omaha's new TD Ameritrade Park. The Northern League is widely considered the first successful modern independent league. It has a handful of teams in the Chicago suburbs, as well as Kansas City, Kan. (the T-Bones), Fargo (the RedHawks) and Winnipeg, Canada (the Goldeyes).

thenewguy · Post by **thenewguy** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 12:06 pm

Coyote wrote:Stadium's ball prospects improve

Maggie O'Brien World-Herald staff writer wrote:Two independent baseball leagues are now interested in bringing a team to the new downtown baseball stadium. Clark Griffith, commissioner of the Northern League, said Thursday that he hopes to meet with the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority to discuss a deal. MECA is already in talks with the American Association about bringing a team to Omaha's new TD Ameritrade Park. The Northern League is widely considered the first successful modern independent league. It has a handful of teams in the Chicago suburbs, as well as Kansas City, Kan. (the T-Bones), Fargo (the RedHawks) and Winnipeg, Canada (the Goldeyes).

Looks a little bit like the $134 million waste of money is turning into a cash cow.

Post by **Coyote** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 1:07 pm

Independent Baseball Team To Play in New Downtown Stadium

WOWT wrote:The president and CEO of the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority says he expects to announce this summer that an independent league baseball team will take up residence in TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha next year.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 8:52 am

Investors press for ballpark deal

http://www.omaha.com/article/20101123/N ... lpark-deal

Christopher Burbach WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Investors who want to put an independent league professional baseball team in Omaha next year apparently have decided to play hardball.

The investors sent out a press release Monday announcing that they have just about everything they need to launch a team that would play 50 games at the new TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha as soon as 2011

Christopher Burbach WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:But they don’t have a lease to play at TD Ameritrade Park — despite a verbal agreement to terms in September with officials of Omaha’s Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority.

nebport5 · Post by **nebport5** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:27 am

Christopher Burbach WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:The investors said they have joined a league and have a general manager and a scout who is out looking for players. They even have a name, the Omaha Flame.

Dear Meca, I'll take that over Storm Chasers.

S33 · Post by **S33** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 12:50 pm

"American Association of Independent Baseball" - Just the name of the league alone gets me on the edge of my seat and my blood pumping. I've never paid to see grown men hit from the T after 3 strikes.

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 1:13 pm

Go with a name like the 'Rails'... and they might even pull one over on 20%+ of Omaha baseball fans. Â That same 20% who, when the Knights tried to get in on the action, were loyal to Omaha's first and true professional hockey team... the Lancers.

cp jay 07 · Post by **cp jay 07** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 5:42 pm

Can't wait to see all the Flamers that go to these games.

I just can't see people wanting to shell out 8 dollars to park, then pay for tickets, then get concession prices set by MECA, all to watch some bad bad baseball.

Do I want to see the DT stadium succeed? Yes, Do I think Indy baseball will be the reason it succeeds? heck NO.

MECA should be going after the MLS, then you will have Creighton baseball, CWS, MLS, and UFL and that will be enough to be successful.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 6:30 pm

cp jay 07 wrote:MECA should be going after the MLS, then you will have Creighton baseball, CWS, MLS, and UFL and that will be enough to be successful.

I totally agree on the MLS I would have season tickets thats for sure.

Post by **Brad** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 8:06 am

They said it would be financially "successful" with only the CWS, everything else is just gravy. Â The neighborhood success is a whole different story.

thenewguy · Post by **thenewguy** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 8:42 am

i took a trip around TDA yesterday. Â With the bars on capitol opening up and the hotels near by, i think the neighborhood will be successful. Â Maybe not immediately with the cold weather coming, but once it warms up in the spring and people are able to walk more freely, it will further establish clientele and be ok after. Â There are now several bars/restaurants to compliment the hotels, and with Creighton's close proximity, it should do fine. Â It will be a decent alternative to the old market; many people i know are already starting to frequent places in NDT because of its proximity to downtown, and it is more easy to get in and out of than the old market.

Omababe · Post by **Omababe** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 11:59 am

thenewguy wrote:With the bars on capitol opening up and the hotels near by, i think the neighborhood will be successful.

All of the bars I've been to in that area were reasonably busy on the nights I was there. Slowdown, Mattress Factory, and the sports bar (O'Farrell's?) over on Dodge.

If I had some loose money to invest, I would look into opening a sports type bar out in BFE (as H.M. calls it) right in the shadow of Werner Field. Â Oh, get a Zesto's franchise right next door to the bar as well.

OmahaJaysCU · Post by **OmahaJaysCU** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 2:17 pm

Correct me if I'm wrong (I know absolutely nothing about soccer except when I pretend once every 4 years), but isn't a soccer field bigger than a football field? Â If a football field has to be "squeezed" in, would a soccer field fit?

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 2:36 pm

OmahaJaysCU wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong (I know absolutely nothing about soccer except when I pretend once every 4 years), but isn't a soccer field bigger than a football field? If a football field has to be "squeezed" in, would a soccer field fit?

I believe an official pitch is close to 100m x 60m. Â Definitely wider and slightly longer. Â (Cue Big E in 3...2...1....)

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 3:03 pm

Post by **Brad** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 3:06 pm

Â :lafcry: Â :lafcry: Â :lafcry: Â :lafcry: Â :lafcry:

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 3:16 pm

Heh heh... Â didn't even notice until now that his shirt says "Siemens".

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 4:37 pm

OmahaJaysCU wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong (I know absolutely nothing about soccer except when I pretend once every 4 years), but isn't a soccer field bigger than a football field? If a football field has to be "squeezed" in, would a soccer field fit?

They have said a futbol pitch fits into the new stadium. Â They also said a football field fits in Wrigley so who knows. Â My best guess is running across the outfield not down a baseline.

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 8:30 am

I highly doubt they'd squeeze a soccer field into the TD park when they've got a world class ACTUAL soccer field only 4 blocks away.... Â

I don't know if you guys know it or not, but Morrison Stadium at Creighton is one of the top facilities in all of college soccer. Â Â While it certainly doesn't seat the 20k+ that is usually needed for MLS teams, I'm highly doubtful that we'll get a MLS program. Â Not because of Omaha, but because of the league. Â They've really been struggling the last couple of years, from what I understand. Â

I forget what the feeder league for the MLS is, but that might be a possibility. Â An actual MLS team though, I highly doubt it. Â Plus, Morrison is right in line with what the feeder league would want stadium size wise....

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 9:25 am

Ben wrote:I don't know if you guys know it or not, but Morrison Stadium at Creighton is one of the top facilities in all of college soccer.

It's a fantastic venue to be sure. Â I wouldn't complain about brighter lights though. ;)

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 4:48 pm

Ben wrote: Not because of Omaha, but because of the league. They've really been struggling the last couple of years, from what I understand.

I forget what the feeder league for the MLS is, but that might be a possibility. An actual MLS team though, I highly doubt it. Plus, Morrison is right in line with what the feeder league would want stadium size wise....

Actually the league is making major headway the past 3 years. Â Now long term who knows, but it is starting to find its niche in America. Â They often boast that they average more attendance per game than the NBA or NHL granted they do play in larger arenas. Â In 2009 the Seattle Sounders averaged nearly 4,000 people more per game than the Seattle Mariners.

As for actually having a team in Omaha you are right it is a long shot just like every other major sporting league, but It seems far more likely than an NBA, MLB, or NHL team.

Post by **Brad** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 3:36 pm

Baseball group sues MECA

http://www.omaha.com/article/20110204/N ... -sues-meca

Jeffrey Robb WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:A group of investors trying to start an independent league baseball team to play at TD Ameritrade Park has sued the Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority in an attempt to force its way onto the ballfield.

The group, Fast Ball Sports LLC, says it had a lease deal with MECA allowing the Omaha Flame play at TD Ameritrade starting later this year.

Fast Ball Sports says it signed a five-year lease that was prepared by MECA and paid the first year’s lease of $133,750. The group alleges MECA has shut it out as of late.

MECA says there is no deal.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:51 am

http://www.omahaflame.com/

INAUGURAL SEASON 2011 OMAHA'S ONLY PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL TEAM

Wonder when the first game is! Â :;):

Post by **Brad** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 12:35 pm

iamjacobm wrote:http://www.omahaflame.com/

INAUGURAL SEASON 2011 OMAHA'S ONLY PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL TEAM
Wonder when the first game is! :;):

Looks like it will not be in 2012 either. Â There is a "Premium Content" story in the paper saying its still it the courts and its too late this year to work something out for next season even if the lawsuit was settled.

S33 · Post by **S33** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 12:58 pm

I often wonder if the Omaha World Herald staff appreciates the irony in labeling any of their content "premium".

Omababe · Post by **Omababe** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 3:16 pm

S33 wrote:I often wonder if the Omaha World Herald staff appreciates the irony in labeling any of their content "premium".

ROFL! I've wondered that too.

Post by **Coyote** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 2:22 pm

They are at it again:

Letter a last attempt by league to get into ballpark

Jeffrey Robb WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:A lawyer for Fast Ball Sports LLC, which is proposing to start the Omaha Flame baseball team, says an independent league remains willing to place the Flame on the league's schedule for 2012. But in a letter sent to City of Omaha officials this week, the lawyer says the league needs a decision by Jan. 30.