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re: Could the state of Alabama support a pro team...
Posted on 1/1/12 at 6:08 pm to LSU GrandDad
Posted on 1/1/12 at 6:08 pm to LSU GrandDad
quote:
the only sport that would be possible would be the NFL. i'm not sure birmingham has a large enough population that makes decent money nor a large enough corporate base to consistently sell the tickets and luxury boxes. losing steel was a huge blow to it's economy. but if the area got the fever it could probably support an NFL team. but it might be hazardous unless they were winning.
This is inaccurate. The Birmingham metro is identical in size to New Orleans, and has more corporate headquarters and regional offices, and has a higher level of affluence.
The means are present (for this market only), and the support would be ample. The problem with Birmingham is myopic local government. There is absolutely no cooperation among local municipalities that could pull an NFL franchise to the area.
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Posted on 1/1/12 at 6:15 pm to Alahunter
quote:+1
Could it? Yes. Would it? Probably not.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 6:19 pm to TigersOfGeauxld
quote:
Could the state of Alabama support a pro team...
According to the NCAA Alabama already has a football team where the players get paid....
Posted on 1/1/12 at 6:20 pm to TigersOfGeauxld
MLS is the only viable option IMO. Birmingham had good crowds for Olympic soccer when it was here. We also hosted the college championship soccer tourney. Youth soccer here is huge in the suburbs.
They should turn the Hoover Met into an MLS venue.
They should turn the Hoover Met into an MLS venue.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 6:29 pm to Aubie Spr96
It would take a ton of work to make a baseball field big enough for a soccer field. I think some MLS fields are smaller than average, though.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 6:44 pm to Evolved Simian
quote:
The problem with Birmingham is myopic local government. There is absolutely no cooperation among local municipalities that could pull an NFL franchise to the area
Winner winner chicken dinner.
The perfect scenario has passed by now. Had Birmingham, taken the race track on John Rogers Drive, when they owned it and went to Jefferson County, Irondale, Leeds/Moody, Trussville and St Clair County.. they could have developed a domed stadium/complex on that property. They could have had multiple entities share the load, as all would have benefitted from the location. You've got I59, I459, I20, Hwy78 and Hwy 11 converging in that one area. It's easy to get John Rogers into a 6 lane, from the 4 lane it is now.
The problem, is Bham wants it downtown. And downtown is where anything will be doomed to fail. In analogizing local politics... you've got in the U.S. Gov't.. Repubs vs Dems... worldwide, you've got Christians vs Muslims.. and then below those 2, you've got the City of Bham vs anything positive and harmonious.
This post was edited on 1/1/12 at 6:45 pm
Posted on 1/1/12 at 6:45 pm to LSURussian
quote:
According to the NCAA Alabama already has a football team where the players get paid....
huh?
To the original question, no.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 6:53 pm to TigersOfGeauxld
i don't think the majority or the minority of the state wants one, or even thinks that we need one. there are too many pro teams that are struggling, even in what are considered big cities.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 7:04 pm to TigersOfGeauxld
No, Atlanta 2 hours east, Nashville 3 hour north, and New Orleans 4 hours southwest. We don't have the population to support it.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 7:05 pm to TigersOfGeauxld
No, we do not have the population to support something like that. 4 million people and 80% are broke rednecks.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 7:08 pm to TigersOfGeauxld
A lot of things are involved, including a venue that attracts crowds, such as a stadium near - or better yet - that includes myriad activities for the fan base to also enjoy themselves. Like someone said, Birmingham is bankrupt, Mobile doesn't have it and Huntsville was working towards it, but backed away. I'm not sure about Montgomery, but that would be a decent location. Ideally, I'm talking about hotels, shopping, clubs, eateries, ect. within walking distance of the state of the art stadium and in an area people feel safe. This would be ideal. But these cities have also shown a waning support for the pro teams they already have or have sported in the past. Even major acts in the entertainment venues are sometimes iffy at best in Alabama. I do remember the Birmingham Americans having a rabid fan base for awhile, though, so there is hope.
Some places just seem to support teams more than others, though. I know that sales for items in say Louisiana for New Orleans Saints memorabilia has always done well, even when they were the horrible "Aints". But Atlanta Falcons items are very hard to sell, really always have been, aside for individual sales for athletes such as Vick and Sanders, and it's the same with the Braves. Alabama is rabid about college football, but it would take a very shrewd and charismatic promoter and those other things mentioned to make it fly in my opinion. Finally, you'd have to have the complete support of the city council which these days is very hard to do.
Some places just seem to support teams more than others, though. I know that sales for items in say Louisiana for New Orleans Saints memorabilia has always done well, even when they were the horrible "Aints". But Atlanta Falcons items are very hard to sell, really always have been, aside for individual sales for athletes such as Vick and Sanders, and it's the same with the Braves. Alabama is rabid about college football, but it would take a very shrewd and charismatic promoter and those other things mentioned to make it fly in my opinion. Finally, you'd have to have the complete support of the city council which these days is very hard to do.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 7:11 pm to Evolved Simian
quote:
This is inaccurate. The Birmingham metro is identical in size to New Orleans, and has more corporate headquarters and regional offices, and has a higher level of affluence
Similar metros but New Orleans has a much larger population within a 90 mile radius with BR and the Mississippi gulf coast being so close.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 7:20 pm to TigersOfGeauxld
If anything it'd be the NFL, however most of us don't want a pro team. The Iron Bowl is bigger than UM/tOSU because we care more. We don't have pro sports, they do, which makes us care more about the rivalry.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 7:25 pm to AllBamaDoesIsWin
If Alabama had a pro team they would have all of their games blacked out most likely.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 7:32 pm to TigersOfGeauxld
I think and MLS team would do very well in Birmingham/Hoover, but sadly, any other sport is a no go. Birmingham is a dying city and just does not have the ability to support one of the top tier leagues.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 7:33 pm to PurpleandGold Motown
Not enough money in the state and Birmingham is a dump... No chance for a pro team here 
Posted on 1/1/12 at 7:33 pm to TheSandman
quote:
We could, yeah
No you couldnt
Posted on 1/1/12 at 7:35 pm to Tha Truth
quote:
Similar metros but New Orleans has a much larger population within a 90 mile radius with BR and the Mississippi gulf coast being so close
when you factor Lafayette, Jackson Ms, and Mobile that are all Saints towns it gets much bigger.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 7:48 pm to busey
quote:
Posted by busey
It would take a ton of work to make a baseball field big enough for a soccer field. I think some MLS fields are smaller than average, though.
Turning it into a soccer venue would be cheaper than letting it sit idle.
Posted on 1/1/12 at 7:59 pm to Aubie Spr96
No. The state is too poor to support all the thug players that would be on the team.
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