"I Want a New Stadium or I'll Move My Team!"


by: Don Groth

Hi sports fans. I hope all of you are happy and healthy! ...

How many times have we heard this statement by an owner of a pro ball team in the past several years?
"I want and need a new stadium or I'll move my team to another city!" It's much too often I'm afraid and it's getting more frequent all the time. Frankly, I'm sick and tired of it!

These owners are mult-millionaires and some are billionaires! If they want a new stadium so bad, why don't they spend some of their money and build their own stadium instead of begging hard working taxpayers to pay for it. You can't take the money with you!

For example; The Baltimore Colts moved in the night to Indianapolis, Art Modell moved the beloved Cleveland Browns in the night to Baltimore who are now the Ravens. What about Al "Renegade" Davis moving his Raiders football team from Oakland to LA and moving back to Oakland again? Need more examples? How about Bud Adams moving the Houston Oilers to Tennessee and renaming them the Titans? Also, the Rams moving from LA to St.Louis and the Cardinals moving from St.Louis to Arizona? Are you getting dizzy yet?

Did you know one of the main reasons all these teams moved was because the owner wasn't making enough money on his private suite sales? They wanted more private suites to sell! Wow! What a great reason to tear fan's hearts out and flush loyalty and tradition down the toilet! How can some of these owners sleep at night?

As for me on the home front here in Minnesota, the Twins got approved for a new stadium. Now, billionaire used car salesman Red McCombs, owner of the Minnesota Vikings is threatening to move the Vikes to LA if he doesn't get a new stadium. Seriously, if I was a billionaire, I would buy the Vikings and build a new stadium on my own land and not go around begging for money to build one! Hey Red, you going to take your bat and ball and go home? Come on, grow up!

What do you all think out there? I'd like some feedback on this topic! ... "Thought of the week"; "The harder you work, the luckier you get!"

Until next next time ... Take care, Don

Previous Articles

February '02
March '02
May '02

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Don Groth is a 45 yrs. old, x-minor league baseball player, Yankee A farm club, Ft Lauderdale, Fl. Still very active in playing baseball, softball and volleyball and coaching. Husband, father of 3, 2 girls(23 & 22) 1 boy, 18. He and Betty are loving life in too cold Minnesota. You can reach Don at; Don@boomerjournals.com