How about some games in Louisville next season?

[takealeake]

Seriously. If the city of Cincinnati can only draw 12,000 to a game in September with a team on the verge of it's first playoff appearance in 15 years, why not play about 9 home games in Slugger Field next season? It holds 14,000, and I'm sure with temporary seating, it could get up to 20,000 or so and lets a large Reds fanbase see the games.

Personally, I've always thought it was a good idea for years for MLB to let teams hold some series in a minor league affiliate's stadium if they wanted. Maybe not financially smart if you're the Yankees or something, but for someone like the Reds it would be pretty cool.

[RedsLvr]

That wouldn't fly. Bud Selig wouldn't allow it, many reds fans wouldn't like it, and the reds would lose money doing it. Although minor league parks are very fun, I don't see this going down.

[757690]

Seriously. If the city of Cincinnati can only draw 12,000 to a game in September with a team on the verge of it's first playoff appearance in 15 years, why not play about 9 home games in Slugger Field next season? It holds 14,000, and I'm sure with temporary seating, it could get up to 20,000 or so and lets a large Reds fanbase see the games.

Personally, I've always thought it was a good idea for years for MLB to let teams hold some series in a minor league affiliate's stadium if they wanted. Maybe not financially smart if you're the Yankees or something, but for someone like the Reds it would be pretty cool.

I've always liked that idea, but I think that in future years, it won't be necessary.

It usually takes until the next year for attendance to take off for winning teams, especially ones that have had as many losing seasons in a row as the Reds. In 1990, the Reds drew around 17,000 fans around this date, but averaged around 25,000 over the next 5 years when they were in contention most of those years.

[skywalker]

please bring them to louisville

[takealeake]

That wouldn't fly. Bud Selig wouldn't allow it, many reds fans wouldn't like it, and the reds would lose money doing it. Although minor league parks are very fun, I don't see this going down.

How would the Reds lose money? There were TWELVE THOUSAND FANS in the stadium tonight. The fact that tickets would probably cost more for a small amount of games in a minor league park as well, means it would probably make them more money on nights like this.

[RedsLvr]

How would the Reds lose money? There were TWELVE THOUSAND FANS in the stadium tonight. The fact that tickets would probably cost more for a small amount of games in a minor league park as well, means it would probably make them more money on nights like this.

Not as many concessions and they wouldn't get as much money from TV since FSN Ohio likely wouldn't pick up a Kentucky game.

[takealeake]

Not as many concessions and they wouldn't get as much money from TV since FSN Ohio likely wouldn't pick up a Kentucky game.

I really doubt that. To be honest, if something ever happened to ownership in Cincy and the Reds moved to Louisville, this city would probably support the Reds more than Cincinnati has as of late.

[RedsLvr]

I really doubt that. To be honest, if something ever happened to ownership in Cincy and the Reds moved to Louisville, this city would probably support the Reds more than Cincinnati has as of late.

Cincy's population is twice the size of Louisville, and there is not a doubt in my mind that Cincy supports the Reds more than Louisville would. Even if the attendence would be better at the moment, it just wouldn't be right for baseball to move the Reds.

[takealeake]

Cincy's population is twice the size of Louisville, and there is not a doubt in my mind that Cincy supports the Reds more than Louisville would. Even if the attendence would be better at the moment, it just wouldn't be right for baseball to move the Reds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population

Actually no.

[RedsLvr]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population

Actually no.

I'm not talking about intercity. Take a look at the numbers for the metropolitan areas. 2,171,896 for Cincinnati, 1,258,577 for Louisville.

[takealeake]

Either way, it's not that much bigger. And obviously size doesn't matter when the team is drawing 12,000. That's only a little over 3,000 more than the Bats AVERAGE attendance this year. That's just plain sad for a team with barely any home games left close to possibly clinching the first playoff spot in 15 years.

[RedsLvr]

Either way, it's not that much bigger. And obviously size doesn't matter when the team is drawing 12,000. That's only a little over 3,000 more than the Bats AVERAGE attendance this year. That's just plain sad for a team with barely any home games left close to possibly clinching the first playoff spot in 15 years.

True, I'm not going to do anything to argue that the Reds should be drawing more fans to the games. But I'm happy that Cincy fans draw the fourth best TV ratings among MLB teams, decent weekend attendance, and the excitement in the city. That's enough for me. :)

[takealeake]

True, I'm not going to do anything to argue that the Reds should be drawing more fans to the games. But I'm happy that Cincy fans draw the fourth best TV ratings among MLB teams, decent weekend attendance, and the excitement in the city. That's enough for me. :)

Well TV ratings isn't limited to Cincinnati. A TON of Reds fans here in Louisville are watching them on FSN Ohio. As well as I'm guessing in Dayton, and even Columbus I bet. There's a lot of Reds fans in this area, I think it would be worthwhile to give some games to Dayton and Louisville each year.

With MLB popularity wayyyy down compared to how it used to be, you think Bud Selig would be receptive to ideas like this to spread the popularity of Major League Baseball in areas with a heavy fanbase for major league teams. It would be pretty innovative and cool to see a couple of Minor League weekends a year in the majors, and probably help a lot of teams with struggling attendance trying to fill 81 home dates a year.

[RedsLvr]

Well then where would the minor league team play? The Reds do make money off of the Bats. It just seems silly to me for a teams and companies to pay hundreds of millions of dollars just to build a place for them to play 81 times a year and then playing away several more times a year for no reason.

As a fan, I think it would be a great idea. But I don't think players, businesses, and owners would be as fond of the idea.

[texasdave]

I think one series in Louisville is a great idea. And let Louisville play one series in GABP. I really see no downside. At the very least let the Reds and the Bats play one exhibition game a season. Switching between the two cities. Have Louisville and Dayton play. How can that be a bad thing?

[davereds24]

lol

[takealeake]

Well then where would the minor league team play? The Reds do make money off of the Bats. It just seems silly to me for a teams and companies to pay hundreds of millions of dollars just to build a place for them to play 81 times a year and then playing away several more times a year for no reason.

As a fan, I think it would be a great idea. But I don't think players, businesses, and owners would be as fond of the idea.

You could schedule around away dates, it wouldn't be any more of an issue than interleague or anything.

It wouldn't be for no reason, it would be to build up the general interest for that team in different areas. You get people to go to a game in another city where you have a big fanbase, they watch the games, they get merchandise, they drive to more games. Right now the league is in bad need of more interest.

And I can understand that if you're the Yankees, Cubs, Red Sox or whoever that you make too much money and have too much demand at home already not to do it. But you go look at a lot of teams attendance (Baltimore drew 9,000 tonight) and you wonder why it couldn't be done.

[Captain13]

I LOVE the idea. The problem financially isn't with the number of tickets, it's the price of the tickets. There is no place at Slugger Field where the Reds could charge $200/ ticket like they do at the diamond seats. But I would go to the whole series if the Reds played one series here, near the end of August or beginning of September. It would be awesome.

[cooperlamar]

I think they could easily pull off a series a season in Louisville. I don't really see a downside. The Buffalo Bills have played games in Toronto. The Expos played in Puerto Rico. The NFL plays games in Europe and Mexico. The Packers used to play a game in Milwaukee each year. It isn't unprecedented and it's good outside the box thinking in my opinion.

I think the Louisville fans would flock to the stadium for 3 games. It would bring the 2 markets closer together. It would build a lot of excitement for fans that don't normally get to see a major league game. You could put TONS of promotions in the area.

Win - Win - Win

[adampad]

I love the idea. This would have been the perfect time to try it this year. Louisville's season just ended, weekday against a team that no one really cares to see (except Thom).

They would sell out easily in Louisville even with increased ticket prices.

(sidenote) It's a shame that the Reds and the Lexington Legends couldn't get it together to bring the AA club to Lexington. I love baseball, but watching single A players for the Astro's sucks. And they never even get a chance to play Dayton.