Chief's Stadium Rated Worst in IL

[two3zone]

I like Rochester a Buffalos a lot. Scranton is awesome. Never liked the on each in Syracuse and location is part of it.

Las Vegas is building a new stadium in the suburbs, Cashman Field out there is a dump, location isn’t in a ghetto. If it was all AAA, they’d be last.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Nothing to do with the stadium, but the university could learn a lot from the concessions at NBT stadium for the Carrier Dome.

 

[sutomcat]

Camden Yards is empty today.

Maybe the Orioles being 30 games out is more important that the stadium being downtown?

26,340 isn't empty and is a great crowd for a team that is 25-66.

No one is saying having a stadium downtown will solve the attendance problems that have plagued the Chiefs since the stadium was placed literally in a dump back in the 1930s.

All we are saying is there is strong evidence that moving a stadium to an area in the heart of a city will help improve attendance. Baseball stadiums, used more often than in other sports, also have potential to help turn around blighted neighborhoods.

I don't expect there will be money made available when the Mets contract expires with Syracuse in the mid 2020s to right the wrong done building the new stadium where it is and don't advocate doing it. I think we should try and make the awful location we have in place work.

I hope having the Mets as the parent club will help. As a Mets fan, I will attend more games. Hated going and rooting for prospects for a rival team the last few years.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

I hope having the Mets as the parent club will help. As a Mets fan, I will attend more games. Hated going and rooting for prospects for a rival team the last few years.

Since I am a Yankees / Scranton Wilkes-Barre fan, I feel your pain.

 

[OttoMets]

Nothing to do with the stadium, but the university could learn a lot from the concessions at NBT stadium for the Carrier Dome.

Their partnership with Now & Later: brilliant.

 

[Newhouser]

There will be noticeable upgrades next season - there's a lot of money going into renovations this coming winter.

The location's lackluster (such a stupid decision...even in the mid-'90s, people knew better) and there's been some deferred maintenance. But the Wilpons, despite their Madoff-related stinginess and annual Bobby Bonilla payments, are going to sink some money into the place.

And then hopefully they'll convince the county and state to pay the lion's share of the cost of a new downtown stadium when the lease expires. Because capturing the nightly 'event' crowd is the only way to save pro baseball in Syracuse, in my opinion.

If the team loses money now it is the Wilpon family that is losing the money? When can they get out of the deal to keep the team here? My prediction is that stadium improvements may draw some more people, but people who think the place would have been sold out downtown or people will turn out in droves when it is the Mets and the stadium is improved, are IMHO going to be surprised. I think its a baseball issue in CNY.

 

[Trueblue25]

Their partnership with Now & Later: brilliant.

I live down the street, love that bar

 

[OttoMets]

If the team loses money now it is the Wilpon family that is losing the money? ...

Yep, or Sterling Mets or whatever Wilpon/Katz entity owns the club. It's a kind of unusual arrangement for the rest of this year - they own it, but they're bound by the player development contract with Washington. After this year, they'll have a new player development contract with themselves, but I don't recall how long that lasts for.

I agree that there's a small cap on the number of people who want to see a baseball game in Syracuse, but that's even more reason for the stadium to be in the right place. (I don't think too many more people will go because of the Mets affiliation itself, but I do think they'll get a marketing bump next year and they'll also get people in the building to see any stadium improvements.) Going forward, a lot more things have to go right for Syracuse to continue to have a baseball team. But they've got a lifeline now, they've been in the black for a couple years and now have professionals running the show. If they can retire some debt and manage to keep ~4,000 CNYers coming to the ballpark regularly, it'll be OK. At least the Mets are happy to be here. And I don't think they've got any better options on the horizon just yet.

 

[OttoMets]

I live down the street, love that bar

Big thanks to JeremyCuse for introducing us to the place - awesome bar. Be on the lookout for him and DCCuse, who's there all the time.

 

[Trueblue25]

Big thanks to JeremyCuse for introducing us to the place - awesome bar. Be on the lookout for him and DCCuse, who's there all the time.

That’s great. There, Colemans, and biergarden provide me the liquid genius for my contributions to this board.

 

[SWC75]

I like the ballpark right where it is. Easy to get to and plenty of parking. if you want food and drinks after the game, Destiny is right across the way, (closer than it would be in "no man's land"). I get everything i'm looking for at the game and it's a great place to watch the sunset. It's also the coolest place in CNY on a hot summer night. I would almost certainly go to fewer games if it was downtown.

Would winning make a difference? I'd love to try it and find out. We've had six playoff teams in forty years and one home playoff game in 24.

 

[Trueblue25]

I like the ballpark right where it is. Easy to get to and plenty of parking. if you want food and drinks after the game, Destiny is right across the way, (closer than it would be in "no man's land"). I get everything i'm looking for at the game and it's a great place to watch the sunset. It's also the coolest place in CNY on a hot summer night. I would almost certainly go to fewer games if it was downtown.

Would winning make a difference? I'd love to try it and find out. We've had six playoff teams in forty years and one home playoff game in 24.

I just think there’s potentially a better chance to extend the urban rennaissance going on downtown and inspire small business/restaurant growth between tipp, franklin and clinton if the stadium were moved to the Inner Harbor. Would be just as easily accessible i’d think

 

[shandeezy7]

Buffalo’s stadium is beautiful as well imo.

I challenge anybody to convince me that the stadium location was remotely intelligent.

We’d be near selling out a lot of nights if that was downtown. I absolutely believe it. The tickets and food are very affordable and its a beautiful diamond.

I actually think Buffalo's stadium is a little overrated mostly because of it's location. Drop the Chief's stadium in the Bisons' spot, and I think it's a nicer stadium.

 

[Trueblue25]

I actually think Buffalo's stadium is a little overrated mostly because of it's location. Drop the Chief's stadium in the Bisons' spot, and I think it's a nicer stadium.

I can see what you mean and I dont necessarily disagree. I just admire the old minor league ballpark feel that Buffalo’s has. Its a classic, simple, beautiful diamond smack dab in the center of town.

 

[OrangeDW]

I actually think Buffalo's stadium is a little overrated mostly because of it's location. Drop the Chief's stadium in the Bisons' spot, and I think it's a nicer stadium.

Amazing that Buffalo’s attendance basically doubles Syracuse. Rochester consistently gets quite a few more people too.

Hard to argue that location of the stadium isn’t the primary reason.

 

[shandeezy7]

I can see what you mean and I dont necessarily disagree. I just admire the old minor league ballpark feel that Buffalo’s has. Its a classic, simple, beautiful diamond smack dab in the center of town.

Funny enough, the Bisons' stadium was actually built with hopes of attracting a MLB team.

 

[shandeezy7]

Amazing that Buffalo’s attendance basically doubles Syracuse. Rochester consistently gets quite a few more people too.

Hard to argue that location of the stadium isn’t the primary reason.

I go to a few Bisons games a month, and the only reasons for the disparity between Buffalo and Syracuse that I can come up with are the stadium location and general apathy toward the Chiefs in Syracuse. I think it's a combo of the two, but I'm also not 100% positive that a downtown stadium would help relieve that apathy.

 

[Trueblue25]

I go to a few Bisons games a month, and the only reasons for the disparity between Buffalo and Syracuse that I can come up with are the stadium location and general apathy toward the Chiefs in Syracuse. I think it's a combo of the two, but I'm also not 100% positive that a downtown stadium would help relieve that apathy.

Another thing, Syracuse does not have a metro train line as Buffalo’s main street does.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Amazing that Buffalo’s attendance basically doubles Syracuse. Rochester consistently gets quite a few more people too.

Hard to argue that location of the stadium isn’t the primary reason.

Maybe it's because there are twice as many people in Buffalo?

 

[Trueblue25]

Maybe it's because there are twice as many people in Buffalo?

Going to a buffalo game is as simple as hopping on a train for $2 and getting off essentially infront of the field too.

 

[OttoMets]

Going to a buffalo game is as simple as hopping on a train for $2 and getting off essentially infront of the field too.

The confusion in this thread has to be partially generational: if you've spent decades making decisions based in part on how easy it is to drive everywhere, the Chiefs play in a fine location; if you're looking to use transit or walk to a dozen different social options near the park, it sucks and Buffalo is better.

Despite the naysaying, the proof is in the pudding on this one. There's a reason nearly every major league ballpark has been built where is has in the last 20 years...

 

[rrlbees]

Losing every year and being a farm team for major league teams that nobody cares about are the 2 big reasons.

 

[shandeezy7]

Going to a buffalo game is as simple as hopping on a train for $2 and getting off essentially infront of the field too.

There are also plenty of people that drive to games there and park in either the adjoining parking garage (at $10 a pop) or in other nearby lots for between $5 and $10. It already costs at least $5 to park at Chiefs games, right? I don't think the cost for parking would be that much greater at a downtown location.

 

[shandeezy7]

Maybe it's because there are twice as many people in Buffalo?

Certainly a factor, but not the only one.

 

[Trueblue25]

The confusion in this thread has to be partially generational: if you've spent decades making decisions based in part on how easy it is to drive everywhere, the Chiefs play in a fine location; if you're looking to use transit or walk to a dozen different social options near the park, it sucks and Buffalo is better.

Despite the naysaying, the proof is in the pudding on this one. There's a reason nearly every major league ballpark has been built where is has in the last 20 years...

I just think its more profitable to cater to the casual fan who will leave for dinner/a beer/whatever after several innings than to cater to the old school fans who dont show up in bulk anymore anyways.