University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Let the Rose City shine: a blog series exploring why Portland, Oregon, should be Major League Baseball's next expansion city

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Let the Rose City shine: a blog series exploring why Portland, Oregon, should be Major League Baseball's next expansion city

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LET THE ROSE CITY SHINE:

A BLOG SERIES EXPLORING WHY PORTLAND, OREGON, SHOULD BE MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALL’S NEXT EXPANSION CITY

by

Claire Sisun

A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ANNENBERG SCHOOL FOR
COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS

May 2020

Copyright 2020 Claire Sisun

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Acknowledgments
I could not have completed this thesis without the help and support of my family, friends
and professors at USC.
Thank you to Jennifer Floto, the chair of my thesis committee. Jennifer has helped me
formulate ideas throughout this process and has challenged me to embrace creativity and become
a better writer. Thank you to Kirk Stewart for his tremendous contributions to this final product.
Kirk asked questions that helped me create the product you are about to read. Thank you to
Michael Chavez Booth for his attention to detail when reviewing this thesis and for his
encouragement along the way.
Finally, I’d like to acknowledge my support system outside the academic environment.
Thank you to my mom, Joanne. She probably has this thesis memorized by now. She’s the best
and most enthusiastic copy editor I’ve found. Thank you to my dad, Mark, for passing down his
love of baseball and keeping his season tickets to the Colorado Rockies despite many
disappointing seasons. Thank you to my sister, Sara, for always providing comic relief when
needed and for disliking baseball. I know I can talk to Sara if I need a baseball break! Thank you
to my brother, Brett, the true Portlander in the family. And lastly, thank you to my pugs, Winnie
and Dixie, for providing pug therapy during the stressful moments.

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Table of Contents
Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... ii
Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iv
Preface................................................................................................................................. v
Blog Post #1: Major League Baseball in Portland isn’t Just a Dream ................................ 1
Blog Post #2: Something Has Been Missing for the Past 20 Years.................................... 5
Blog Post #3: Expansion Could be the Boost MLB Needs ................................................ 8
Blog Post #4: Portland, Oregon: The Next Baseball Mecca? ........................................... 18
Blog Post #5: Portland is Only Missing One Thing… Baseball! ..................................... 31
Blog Post #6: How the Media is Covering a Potential MLB Team in Portland ............... 38
Blog Post #7: Convincing the People of Portland to Embrace an MLB Team................. 43
Blog Post #8: The Other (and lesser) Cities Vying for an MLB Team ............................ 49
Blog Post #9: A Trip to Portland to Talk to the People Involved ..................................... 71
Blog Post #10: The Final Plea to Mr. Manfred ................................................................. 75
Works Cited ...................................................................................................................... 77

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Abstract

This thesis explores the potential for an MLB expansion and argues that Portland,
Oregon, should be MLB’s next expansion city. The author explores key topics involved in a
future MLB expansion including an analysis of the history of expansion and relocation in MLB,
an analysis of the financial implications of expansion and a look at the organizational effort
necessary to execute an expansion. This thesis also highlights the merits of Portland as an
expansion city by discussing the city’s existing sports market, the media landscape, the
geographic location, the culture, and the appetite for MLB. The thesis also includes a
comparative analysis of other proposed expansion locations, including: Las Vegas, Nashville,
Charlotte, Vancouver B.C., and Montreal.

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Preface

What you are about to read is not a conventional, academic thesis. When I embarked on
the path of writing a thesis for my M.A. in Strategic Public Relations, I knew I wanted it to be
different. I wanted to challenge myself to create a unique and valuable piece of writing. So, I
settled on writing a white paper. That wasn’t enough. Plenty of people write compelling white
papers, but just a white paper didn’t seem sufficient for my topic of choice.
I asked myself, “What are you writing?” The answer was simple. “I am writing an
opinion piece about why Portland, Oregon, should be home to the next Major League Baseball
expansion team. Then I asked myself, “Why are you writing this?” Again, the answer was
simple. “I am writing this because one day I want to cheer for an MLB team in Portland.” This Q
& A allowed me to determine a structure for my thesis that was innovative and straightforward.
After deliberation and a little help from my thesis committee, I decided to create a series
of blog posts to convey why Portland is the best city for an MLB team. I keep a consistent tone
and narrative throughout the blog posts. All posts are part of an informal “letter” directly to the
man who makes decisions at Major League Baseball, Commissioner Robert Manfred. My goal is
to speak to the people at MLB who strategize where to take the organization next in a format that
is practical to publish, share and maybe even contribute to the MLB to PDX movement. So here
it goes…
Disclaimer: Expansion is a fluid and ever-evolving topic of discussion. Cities across North
America are working to lure in an MLB team. Consequently, the circumstances regarding the
specific plans of expansion are subject to change. However, this argument stands and serves as
an important analysis of the implications of expansion and the merits of potential expansion
cities.

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Blog Post #1: Major League Baseball in Portland Isn’t Just a Dream
Picture this: A warm August evening at the ballpark overlooking the Willamette River
with a thirst-quenching beer in one hand and plate of vegan nachos in the other. You’re watching
the Portland Wet Sox (bad name, I know) in a heated battle with their biggest rival, the Seattle
Mariners.
This may sound entirely fictional, but it’s not. A group of determined former sports
executives and sports commentators in Portland, Oregon is working hard to make this scene a
reality in the not too distant future. In my opinion, the Rose City is the obvious choice to expand
MLB. I also believe MLB must expand. I’ve done hours of research, reading, baseball-watching
and soul-searching to reach this conclusion. In this series of blog posts, I will make my case for
an MLB expansion and convince readers across the country (hopefully) that Portland is ready to
welcome a team.
What follows in this blog is a letter to the man who makes the decisions at MLB,
Commissioner Robert Manfred.

Dear Commissioner Robert Manfred,
I have a proposal for you. Stop talking about a Major League Baseball expansion unless
you are serious about actually making major changes to the league. Since you’ve been tempting
cities with this vague promise for years, I am going to assume you are sincere. Consequently, I
would like to discuss your proposition for an expansion in-depth and tell you there is only one
place that is a clear front-runner to house the next MLB team: Portland, Oregon.
Now, before we dive into what the Rose City has to offer, I’d like to remind you of the
numerous occasions in which you’ve expressed an interest in expanding MLB from its current 30

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teams to 32 (just in case you’ve forgotten). Keep in mind, every time you bring up the topic
baseball fans in baseball-less cities across America are on the edge of their seats, thinking “my
home has a chance!”
Do you recall your on-camera interview with Fox Sports on July 17, 2018 when you
identified a short list of cities that could one day be home to an MLB team? You said, “We have
a real list of cities that I think are not only interested in having baseball but are viable in terms of
baseball. Places like Portland, Las Vegas, Charlotte, Nashville, in the United States. Certainly
Montreal, maybe Vancouver in Canada. We think there are places in Mexico we could go over
the long haul” (First Things First, 2019).
Your words got people in the U.S., Mexico and Canada fired up. Not to mention there
were dozens of articles published immediately following the interview latching onto your
promise. Sports Illustrated promptly posted a story with the headline, “Commissioner Rob
Manfred Listed Las Vegas and Portland Among Six Potential Expansion Locations” (Rollins,
2018). And, the headline for an article in Deadspin read: “Rob Manfred Wants MLB Expansion,
Lists Six Potential Cities” (Petchesky, 2018). More recently, you told Baseball America,
“Baseball is a growth industry… Eventually, we’d like to get to 32 teams” (Brown, 2019).
“Eventually” is vague, I think “now” or even “soon” sounds better.
You have also made it clear that one of your top priorities, before the league can expand,
is to deal with current issues plaguing MLB teams. The list of concerns MLB is facing seems to
grow by the day. First, and probably most-talked about, is the Houston Astros cheating scandal.
Your recent investigation into the allegations uncovered a disturbing sign-stealing scheme that
likely played a large role in the Houston Astros 2017 World Series win. Then, you got to deal
with the ugly aftermath. Many in the baseball world and beyond perceived your punishment as

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too light. People wondered why the players weren’t punished and some questioned your ability
to lead the league. One ominous article in Sports Illustrated asked an important question in the
headline, “How Does Rob Manfred Recover from this?” (Martin, 2020) Let’s hope it all goes
better when you release your report regarding the allegations against the Boston Red Sox.
A few more battles you’ve had to wage over the last year:
• Claims MLB intentionally altered baseballs in 2019 to produce better offense and
more home runs
• Oakland A’s and Tampa Bay Rays need for new stadiums or relocation
• Enduring problems between MLB and the minor leagues and a proposed overhaul
of the minor league system
You have had quite a few problems on your plate. I get why focusing on these issues is a
priority, but I say fix them and move on. I think expansion is a positive way to put MLB’s recent
crises in the past.
Let’s face it, I’m impatient. I want to make it clear that I fully support an MLB expansion
and applaud your effort to spread the joy of baseball. (Not to mention the economic boom it
could create. I promise we’ll get to that.)
I am a proud super fan of an expansion team—the Colorado Rockies. They began playing
in 1993, just one year before I was born. I can safely say I’ve donned purple apparel my entire
life to cheer for the high-altitude team. The Rockies may not make it to the postseason often, but
we Rockies fans are dedicated and resilient (okay, maybe some fans simply enjoy spending a
summer evening sipping Coors Light at Coors Field with a view of the Rocky Mountain sunset.)
Regardless, I want other people to feel the joy of supporting a hometown baseball team and I
can’t think of a city more eager for Major League Baseball than Portland, Oregon.

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Sit down and grab a beer, maybe even some Cracker Jacks, as I present my case for an
MLB expansion to Portland. We’ll cover all the necessary considerations—why an expansion is
MLB’s ticket to growth, why the Rose City is the ideal home for the next MLB team, why you
shouldn’t have any doubts about choosing Portland, and why the other cities on your short-list
just don’t stack up.

Next post preview: We must look to the past before we can look to the future. The next blog post
will explore the history of expansion in baseball and highlight a glaring expansion drought.

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Blog Post #2: Something Has Been Missing for the Past 20 Years…
It’s time for a history lesson. No, I’m not going to educate you about the Declaration of
Independence or the Civil War, but I would like to start today’s lesson way back in 1876. During
that fateful year, the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs (now known as the
National League) formed. Fast forward a few years and Major League Baseball as we know it
started to take shape. The National League of Professional Baseball and its biggest rival, the
American League of Professional Baseball clubs, joined forces in 1903 (History.com, 2019).
That same year, the two major leagues began playing one of the most anticipated sporting duels,
the World Series. The premise remains largely the same today—pit the best team in the NL
against the best team in the AL and see who comes out on top.
While the fundamentals remain similar, much has changed over the past 116 years.
Without decades of MLB expansion and relocation, we’d still be stuck with a handful of teams
clustered in the Northeast. (Not to mention, “Boston Redstockings” just doesn’t roll off the
tongue like the “Boston Red Sox”).
In 1954, MLB started to push beyond the status quo of the previous 50+ years. The St.
Louis Browns moved to Baltimore, starting the relocation boom.
But a bit earlier, in 1950, Walter O’Malley purchased the Brooklyn Dodgers with no
intent on keeping the team in New York. Meanwhile, across the country, Los Angeles was
actively searching for a team. The city offered O’Malley land to build a stadium.
Simultaneously, Horace Stoneham, the owner of the New York Giants, was seeking a new and
improved home for his team. Major League Baseball agreed that both the New York Giants and
Brooklyn Dodgers could head to California. In 1958, both teams relocated creating The San

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Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The rivalry survived the cross-country journey
and the teams have proven highly competitive in their new homes near the Pacific.
Let’s pause our history lesson right here for a moment. Can you imagine what baseball
would be like if MLB had not acknowledged the potential on the West Coast? In an analysis of
baseball’s expansions, Peter Bendix writes, “Expanding into California was probably the best
thing the game could have done, as the emerging West provided a strong (and growing) base for
baseball. The economy was booming and baseball was benefitting” (Bendix, 2019). That’s
exactly right, and baseball continued to thrive with huge benefits.
What if Chavez Ravine was never home to the Los Angeles Dodgers? Can you imagine
what the city of LA would be like if dedicated Dodgers fans didn’t throw on their Kershaw
jerseys and spend $20 for a beer at Dodgers Stadium?
In 2019, the Dodgers drew nearly 4 million people to the stadium and averaged an
attendance just under 50,000 fans per game (Baseball Reference, 2019). That’s a lot of ticket
transactions. As for San Francisco, the Giants have won six World Series championships since
coming to The Bay. And while they may not have had their strongest showing in 2019, the team
still drew 2.7 million fans to Oracle Park and averaged 34,000 fans per game (Baseball
Reference, 2019). Clearly, the West Coast can support a baseball team (or two).
Okay, back to our history lesson. Following the relocation of the Dodgers and the Giants,
Major League Baseball faced pressure to expand. In 1961, The American League added the
Washington Senators and Anaheim Angels (yes, the Anaheim in California, on the WEST coast.)
The following year, the National League added the New York Mets and Houston Colt .45s (who
named that team?).

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In 1969, the American League added the Kansas City Royals and the Seattle Pilots.
Finally, baseball in the Pacific Northwest! Sadly, the Pilots quickly left and became the
Milwaukee Brewers. In 1969, the National League added the San Diego Padres and Montreal
Expos. In 1977, Major League Baseball returned to Seattle, adding the Seattle Mariners and the
Toronto Blue Jays.
My favorite MLB expansion occurred in 1993. While I was developing in my mother’s
womb, the Colorado Rockies were in a development phase of their own. That year, MLB
expanded and took franchises to Denver and Miami. In 1998, MLB added the Arizona
Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
And that’s where our history lesson ends— in 1998. Wait, isn’t this 2020? Major League
Baseball hasn’t expanded in over 20 years. I’d say it’s about time we reignite the expansion
conversation.

Next post preview: MLB is a business and a successful expansion can only happen if it will
generate money. The next blog post will dive into the economics of expansion (without an
excessive amount of math).

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Blog Post #3: Expansion Could be the Boost MLB Needs
Let’s not ignore the elephant in the room. As much as I want to think of baseball as a
pastime that’s all about bringing people together to enjoy the greatest six (or nine if you count
spring training!) months of the year and watch a game deeply rooted in American history, it’s
not. Baseball, like any other sport in the U.S., is about money.
According to Forbes, the New York Yankees are currently worth $4.6 billion and bring in
about $668 million each year. For a comparison on the best coast (I mean, West Coast), the Los
Angeles Dodgers are worth $3.3 billion and bring in $549 million each year. Obviously, these
are MLB’s two most lucrative franchises. However, the struggling Tampa Bay Rays are still
worth $1.01 billion and bring in $228 million every year.
When it comes to revenue, MLB recorded a record revenue of $10.3 billion in 2018. That
marked the 16th consecutive year of record gross revenue, despite a dip in attendance (Brown,
“MLB Record Revenues,” 2019). Now, record revenue doesn’t equate to an increase in
profitability, but bringing in more money certainly helps. With lucrative sponsorships and TV
deals, MLB is finding ways to make money even if every single stadium seat isn’t consistently
filled. I’d also like to take a moment to congratulate former MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. He
knew how to run a smooth business. According to sports reporter Maury Brown, MLB gross
revenue increased 377% since 1992 when Selig took the job. With these figures in mind, it’s
easy to understand why any decision to expand or relocate is all about the bottom line.
So, do you want to see that gross revenue number continue to climb? Then add more
teams.
Hear me out: expansion has the potential to generate even more revenue for Major
League Baseball. Under the current labor agreement, up to two new expansion clubs can be

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added (Brown, “Inside MLB Expansion,” 2019). By expanding to two new cities, MLB will
attract thousands more people to stadiums and games. Yes, there are costs involved, but adding
two teams could prove lucrative. The key is to add teams that have the best shot at success.
Where you place a team is of upmost importance because, yes, an expansion could fail and I’d
hate to see that happen.
Through a savvy expansion, MLB will widen its audience reach by drawing fans to new
stadiums and by broadening its television market reach. While there are costs associated with
building stadiums, it’s an investment that’s has the potential to pay off if you pick the right
location. According to Michael J. Haupert’s analysis of the economic history of Major League
Baseball, “Eight new stadiums were constructed between 1991 and 1999 for existing MLB
teams. The average franchise value for the teams in those stadiums increased 20% the year the
new stadium opened” (Haupert, 2007).
While I don’t have a crystal ball and can’t say exactly what will happen when a new
franchise builds a stadium in a new city, I would venture to say that a franchise in the right place
at the right time has a strong shot at success. Now, let’s dive into a few of the key issues in more
detail.
Television Deals
Television deals are a key piece in the expansion puzzle. If you can find just the right fit,
you can strike gold. MLB is different from other leagues because it relies on individual
franchises reaching deals with regional branches of national networks or local stations rather
than the league as a whole coming to an agreement for national broadcasting rights (like the
NFL).

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These local broadcasts are a major hit and a significant money maker. According to
Forbes, “In the past three years eight MLB teams have secured a combined $33.8 billion in RSN
(regional sports network) deals payable over the next 29 years making TV the new moneyball”
(“MLB’s Most Valuable TV Deals,” 2019). Not surprisingly, the New York Yankees have one
of the most profitable deals. According to Forbes, the annual average of the team’s deal with
YES network is worth $385 million.
Not only are these deals worth more money than many of us can even fathom, the games
also are attracting a lot of eyeballs. According to Nielsen ratings for the 2018 season, Major
League Baseball ranked first on cable in all major league markets in the U.S. except Miami.
Additionally, in 2019, Nielsen ratings show 12 of the 29 major league teams in the U.S. (Nielsen
does not include Canada) were the most popular prime-time broadcast in their market.
In an analysis of this data for the New York Times, Juliette Love notes, “Baseball is
relying on its high volume of games. But the fact remains that people spend many more hours
watching their home team than other prime-time shows” (Love, 2019). For MLB to compete
with shows like This Is Us or Dancing with the Stars is no small feat. Clearly, local audiences
turn on the TV to support their local team, even if they aren’t making the trek to the stadium. It’s
time to spread the love and add two more local teams. You’ll tap into an entirely new segment of
the television market if you pick the right place (ahem, Portland).
Streaming Deals
Beyond TV deals, MLB and individual teams have an emerging opportunity for revenue:
streaming services. Team owners agreed to allow individual clubs to negotiate streaming deals
for the 2020 season and beyond. Maury Brown, in an analysis for Forbes says, “MLB giving

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local streaming rights to the clubs to sell will be an absolute game-changer. It will alter baseball
media landscape” (Brown, 2019).
The New York Yankees, according to the New York Post, are already in negotiations with
Amazon to allow online streaming of select Yankees games. According to The Post, this is part
of the Yankees’ effort to entice more Millennials and Gen Zers to watch games. As more people
cut the cord and opt to only pay for streaming services, the Yankees saw a 17% drop in TV
ratings for the 2019 season (Kosman, 2019). The Yankees are able to seize the opportunity more
quickly than other teams because the club owns 20% of the local TV Network, YES.
It could take longer for other teams to negotiate deals under their current agreements.
Regardless, this is a change that MLB and individual teams can leverage to their advantage. New
expansion teams would have the opportunity to negotiate a new category of deals with streaming
providers
MLB’s Talent Pool
Adding another two teams could give more players the opportunity to play at the big-
league level and earn high paying salaries. Let’s take a moment and remember Gerrit Cole’s
record-breaking salary deal. He recently signed a nine-year, $324 million contract with the New
York Yankees (Nightengale, 2019). That makes him the highest-paid pitcher in Major League
Baseball. Oh, and Mike Trout. He recently signed a 12-year contract worth about $426.5 million
(Spotrac, 2019). Or my personal favorite, Nolan Arenado. The star third baseman for the
Colorado Rockies stands to make $35 million in 2020 as part of his 8-year, $260 million contract
(Spotrac, 2019). The Rockies might feud with arguably one of the best players in baseball for the
season to come and scare him away, but that’s a story for another day.

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It’s impossible to have the expansion conversation without questioning whether or not
there is enough talent to support two more major league teams. This question is nothing new to
baseball. It’s come up before and will (hopefully) come up again. Way back in 1991, Bill Koch
wrote in an article for the Cincinnati Post, “The National League’s two new expansion
franchises won’t field teams until 1993, but already baseball purists are worried about the
debilitating effect the new clubs will have on the quality of the game.” Gasp! Fast forward 29
years and I’m not convinced that expansion stretched the talent pool and caused MLB to
crumble. Sure, the league has had some ups and downs, but the talent pool is just one aspect of a
much larger equation.
There has actually been an uptick in the number of players appearing in Major League
Baseball games over the last decade. According to an article in the New York Times citing data
from the Elias Sports Bureau, a record 1,379 players appeared in major league games during the
2019 season, marking the sixth year in a row with an increase (Kepner, 2019). The vast majority
of those players were pitchers, consistent with the trend to change pitchers more often and ensure
your team is armed with a complex and nimble bullpen. Kepner discusses the renewed focus on
player development saying, “Long gone are the days when minor leaguers subsisted on peanut
butter and jelly sandwiches with threadbare coaching staffs to guide them. Teams employ more
coaches than ever in the minors and the majors and arm them with increasingly sophisticated
tools to develop players.” Not every minor leaguer is a budding Gerrit Cole, Mike Trout or
Nolan Arenado, but players are getting more chances to prove (or disprove) their worth.
In reality, the future of baseball is largely in the hands of 10-year-old kids from all over
the world. It usually takes a passion for a sport at a young age to make it to the professional
level. MLB is well aware of this and has been working on programs to encourage youth

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participation in baseball. According to the Aspen Institute’s 2019 State of Play Report, which
analyzes youth participation in sports in the U.S., baseball was the second-most popular sport
among kids between 6 and 12. In that age group, 13.6% kids of played baseball in 2019, up 3%
from 2015. The data shows basketball was the most popular sport, with a 14.1% participation
rate. Not surprisingly, participation in tackle football dropped 4% between 2017 and 2018.
Participation in flag football also dropped .3%. In the past, baseball has lost talented players to
more popular sports like football, but that can change. Baseball now has the opportunity to
attract more players as concerns over the safety of football grow.
In the U.S., MLB must address issues surrounding youth access to baseball. According to
the Aspen Institute report, kids between 6 and 12 from homes earning $100,000 or more are
about twice as likely to play a sport on a regular basis compared to kids in households with
incomes under $25,000.

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Baseball is a global sport and MLB draws talent from all over, giving the league the
opportunity to improve its talent pipeline beyond the U.S. According to an analysis of baseball
data from the University of Toronto School of Cities, nearly 30% of current MLB players were
born outside the U.S. Back in 1900, that number was just four percent. Many of those players
come from the Dominican Republic or Venezuela. MLB has the opportunity to attract the most
talented players around the globe but must invest the resources to do so.

Despite the number of MLB players hailing from outside the U.S., MLB has a diversity
issue that needs to be addressed. According to a report from The Institute for Diversity of Ethics
in Sports, only 8.4% of players on opening day rosters in 2018 were African American. That
Figure 1. “Birthplace of non-U.S. Major League Baseball Players.” Patrick Adler, University of Toronto
School of Cities/Baseball-Reference.com (David H. Montgomer/CityLab)

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number was 18% in 1991. I’d call that a disturbing regression. MLB is trying to address it with
programs like the “Diversity Pipeline” and “MLB Diversity Fellowship.”
In my opinion, expansion can help solve some of these problems rather than exacerbate
them. By adding two teams, MLB could drum up excitement and inspire future baseball and
softball players along the way. What MLB needs is a burst of excitement to spark a renewed
interest in the game. Shaking things up is one way to do that. Most importantly, an expansion is
an opportunity for MLB to take a hard look at its talent pipeline and consider where it can focus
its efforts to cultivate the next generation of diverse, talented and enthusiastic players.
Approval Process
Now, let’s discuss why current franchise owners might favor an expansion. In order for it
to happen, current owners must vote and approve the expansion. At least 75% of votes must be
in favor of expansion to proceed. If approved, the group behind the new baseball team would
have to pay an expansion fee that would then be divided by current franchise owners.
According to an analysis by R.J. Anderson for CBS Sports, “Back when the
Diamondbacks and the Rays joined MLB, each group had to pony up $130 million. The fee
would likely be multiple times higher now. Seattle’s NHL franchise is paying $650 million to
join the league. MLB revenues are believed to be more than double the NHL’s, meaning its
expansion fee could top $1 billion. Multiply by two, divide by 30, and owners could pocket
nearly $70 million apiece.” (Anderson, 2019). The fee is intended to offset the potential pitfalls
of an expansion like more franchises dividing national revenue, more competition to win the
World Series and potential conflicts in television market overlap.
Expanding the league to 32 teams will make it more difficult to win the World Series, a
factor that franchise owners are likely to consider. However, it’s not like anyone is proposing to

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double the number of leagues, which would have a significant impact. Plus, a larger league could
make that World Series win a tad sweeter.
At the end of the day, it’s all about money. Neil deMause, points this out in an analysis
of a potential MLB expansion for Deadspin, saying, “Sports leagues tend to expand not because
of cities that ‘deserve’ new teams or because of some underlying capitalist imperative, but
because the existing owners find themselves salivating over prospective expansion fees more
than worrying over what they’d have to give up.” I predict franchise owners will jump at the
chance to land a giant check for doing practically nothing. And despite deMause’s dismissal of
cities “deserving” a team, I will without a doubt still convince you that Portland deserves a team.
Now, picture Major League Baseball in 20 years. Imagine Portland facing Nashville in
the World Series with tickets selling for anywhere from $1,000 to $7,000 a pop. Don’t laugh.
Look at the most recent World Series played in 2019 between the Houston Astros and
Washington Nationals. Both teams are expansion teams.
The Astros debuted in 1962 as the Colt. 45s and the Nationals got their start as the
Montreal Expos in 1968 (Kepner, 2019). The only other World Series between two expansion
teams was played in 2015 between the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals. Just to remind
you how lucrative the World Series is, fans paid an average of $1,524 to see the Washington
Nationals play at their home stadium in game 3 of the World Series. I think it is time to breathe
new life into baseball and pave the way for more all-expansion team championships. Fans
obviously don’t discriminate between the original boys of summer and the “new blood.” Neither
should MLB.

Change

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Expansion involves a lot of change—a concept baseball hardly embraces. But, as
everyone witnessed during the 2019 World Series, mixing things up can be good. MLB doesn’t
need to be overcome with anxiety thinking about transformation. That won’t accomplish
anything. MLB needs to prepare for the future. If MLB wants to attract new fans and help avert
the criticisms of boring, long games, slow play, too many homeruns, too much good pitching, or
whatever the complaint of the moment is, then MLB needs to evolve.
Sports Illustrated’s Jay Jaffe writes, “As the Bud Selig era showed, MLB can thrive
even with significant changes. The sport's revenues have more than quintupled since 1993,
from $1.9 billion to over $10 billion annually (per Forbes) while the industry and its audience
has coped with the implementation of the wild card, three divisions and interleague play.” So,
there you have it, MLB changed under the leadership of Bud Selig with success. I am
confident MLB can continue to develop, grow and thrive under your leadership.
Relocation
Now, you might think, “We don’t need to expand right now. We can just relocate the
Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland A’s and put expansion off a few more years.” Sure, that’s fine.
That solves a few problems. I’m not enthusiastic about the idea. Relocation is like giving
someone an organ transplant. The new organ may or may not take.
In the case of baseball, yes you can move the Tampa Bay Rays to Portland. But, I’m not
sure how much support an already struggling team from Florida will get in Portland. Sure, there
is no guarantee a team built from scratch in Portland will succeed, but it might have a better shot
than a team coming in with a lot of baggage (and I’m not talking about a plane full of bats and
baseballs).

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I’m confident I convinced you that expansion is in MLB’s best interest. As you will see,
it is also in the best interest of the Rose City. A newly formed expansion team with a clean slate,
fresh owners and brand-new sponsorships gives the city the best chances to foster a winning
baseball culture.

Next installment preview: Enough background, it’s time we get to the meat of the lineup… or
matter. Next up, the moment you’ve been waiting for. I’ll explain why Portland should have
an MLB franchise.

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Blog Post #4: Portland, Oregon: The Next Baseball Mecca?
Since I’ve convinced you to expand MLB, the only question left to consider is the
location. The answer is simple. Portland, of course. I’m ambivalent about where you decide to
put the second team. There is no clear second choice, but there are a couple of viable options.
What matters most is that Portland is the obvious frontrunner. Grab a second beer (or maybe a
third by now), refill your bowl of Cracker Jacks and join me as I prove to you that Portland,
Oregon will be MLB’s next franchise city.
Portland’s Baseball History
Since baseball is a sport rooted in history, I must start my argument with a little history.
Despite years of neglect from the major leagues, baseball has a rich past in the Rose City. It all
started in 1866 with Portland’s first amateur baseball club, the Pioneer Baseball Club. In 1884,
Portland’s first pro team, the Willamettes, began playing. The club changed its name to the
Webfeet in 1890.
By 1901, the Portland Webfoots (way too similar to the Webfeet) formed and joined the
National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues. In 1903, the Portland Browns joined the
Pacific Coast League. That team went on to play under a variety of names between 1903 and 1945
including the Giants, Beavers, Buckaroos and Ducks. In 1972 the team said goodbye to the Rose
City and moved to Spokane, Washington. In 1973, the Portland Mavericks replaced the Beavers
and played in the Northwest League.
In 1978, a new team also named The Beavers joined the Pacific Coast League. That team
left for Salt Lake City in 1993. In 1995, Portland welcomed the Portland Rockies for a brief six
seasons before the team relocated to Pasco, Washington. In 2000, another iteration of the Beavers
moved to Portland and played in downtown Portland until 2011. In 2012, the Hillsboro Hops, now

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a popular minor league team, started playing in Hillsboro, just a short drive from Portland (Roth,
2018). Despite years of baseball coming and going in Portland, the city has never had a major
league franchise.
It’s time to change that.
Introducing the Portland Diamond Project
I know you are familiar with the Portland Diamond Project (PDP). PDP is the group
leading the effort to bring MLB to Portland. Or, “MLB to PDX.” I also know you are a busy man
and may not have dug into what is going on at PDP behind the scenes. I’d like to introduce you
to a few of the key “players” to show you the passion these individuals have for sports, baseball
and the Pacific Northwest. There is no better group working to expand MLB.
Batting first in the PDP lineup is Craig Cheek. He is the Founder & President of Portland
Diamond Project. He spent over 20 years working for Nike, Inc. and retired in 2016. In his most
recent role, he oversaw relationships between Nike and professional sports leagues, including
MLB (Portland Diamond Project, “Craig Cheek”). You know Cheek and you’ve spent time with
him. You are aware of his strong business acumen, his deep passion for sports and his ability to
network with key players in the sports world.
Did you know Cheek hails from Vancouver, Washington? Yes, that little Vancouver that
is a short drive away from Portland and likely a key fan base for a future Portland team. Cheek
grew up playing in Alcoa Little League (Buhler, 2018). That sounds like local talent to me. In an
interview with Willamette Week, Cheek said, “The thought of connecting the sport I love with
the city I love, at the highest level of the game, intrigued and motivated me… I wake up every
morning asking, ‘Why not us, and why not now?’” (Jaquiss, Monahan, 2018). Cheek is a

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passionate individual with a long history in Oregon and Southwest Washington with powerful
ties to the country’s leading footwear and apparel company.
Batting second in the lineup is Mike Barrett, the Managing Director of PDP. He was the
play-by-play announcer for the Portland Trail Blazers for 17 years. In addition, he was a regular
contributor to national and local sports programming (Portland Diamond Project, “Mike
Barrett”). Barret provides powerful insight on the sports industry in Portland. Not only that, but
he’s keenly aware of the media market in Portland and can leverage his relationships across
multiple media platforms.
Now—the main attraction. Batting in the third hole for PDP is Ciara—the well-known
musician, actress and model. And right behind her in the cleanup spot is her husband, Russel
Wilson. Wilson is the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. (Yes, that other Pacific Northwest
city just a 3-hour drive up I-5). The couple has invested in the PDP effort and both Ciara and
Russel are listed as co-owners. Why would a football star want to venture into the world of
professional baseball team ownership? First and foremost, it’s big business.
In addition to his talents as a football player, Wilson is a savvy investor. He’s had
endorsement deals and ambassadorships with major corporations like Nike, Microsoft, Alaska
Airlines and more (Portland Diamond Project, “Russell Wilson”). He’s well-known in the Pacific
Northwest and familiar with many of the businesses rooted in the area. Second, baseball isn’t
some random pick for Wilson or an opportunistic stretch. Wilson actually played baseball. After
high school, the Baltimore Orioles drafted him in 2007. However, he declined and decided to go
to college instead. In 2010, my all-time favorite team, the Colorado Rockies, drafted Wilson.
Within a couple of years, he decided to pursue professional football rather than baseball.
However, he still occasionally reports to spring training for various teams and has stayed

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connected to the baseball world (Axisa, 2019). Most importantly, Ciara and Russel Wilson bring
something to the organization that baseball desperately needs—youth, excitement and diversity.
Ciara (age 34) and Russell Wilson (age 30) are both Millennials with a sophisticated approach to
social media and fan engagement. Ciara has 23.7 million followers on Instagram (@ciara). Let
that soak in a moment.
For comparison, the official MLB account has a mere 5.9 million followers (@MLB).
The Dodgers have 2.1 million followers (@dodgers). The Yankees? 2.4 million (@yankees). The
recent World Series Champion Washington Nationals have a mere 582,000 (@nationals). Russell
Wilson, or @dangeruswilson as he’s known, has 4 million followers. Who do you want
promoting the next MLB franchise? I’d say Ciara and her 20+ million followers is a good place
to start. Russell Wilson with his 4 million followers doesn’t hurt either (Instagram, 2019).
Both Ciara and Wilson are creative entrepreneurs with the ability to excite people and
promote their endeavors. On top of that, neither Ciara nor Russell is an old white man. I mean no
offense to old white men, but it is important to have a diverse group of people working to bring
MLB to Portland. Russell and Ciara are a powerful couple that have the ability to engage an
audience that can be difficult for MLB to reach.
Now, you can see PDP is in good hands. There are many more key players working
behind the scenes, but Cheek, Barrett, Ciara and Russell Wilson are strong representatives of the
powerful group.
Stadium
The one crucial item for a baseball team is nonexistent in Portland—a stadium. That’s
part of the fun. We get to dream up MLB’s next great attraction. As of now, a baseball stadium
in the Rose City only exists in glossy renderings (Portland Diamond Project, “Ballpark

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Concepts”). The moment PDP released their mockups for a stadium, the internet went wild.
News outlets across the country jumped at the chance to show off what could be MLB’s next
state-of-the-art stadium.

Figure 2. “The Ballpark.” Portland Diamond Project, https://portlanddiamondproject.com/ballpark-concepts.

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Figure 3. “The Ballpark.” Portland Diamond Project, https://portlanddiamondproject.com/ballpark-concepts.

Figure 4. “The Ballpark.” Portland Diamond Project, https://portlanddiamondproject.com/ballpark-concepts.

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Looks like a nice place to soak in a ballgame to me. PDP went above and beyond to
innovate and generate interest in what is really just a hunk of steel to house a new edition of one
of America’s oldest sports.
Two architectural firms are involved in the process of creating the stadium, Populous and
TVA Architects. Populous specializes in building event centers and stadiums and has created
some of the most iconic venues in the world like Yankee Stadium, Oracle Park, the London 2012
Olympic Stadium and many more. You may not be as familiar with TVA Architects. The
Portland-based architecture firm brings local flare to the job. TVA Architects created the Nike
World Headquarters and the University of Oregon’s Mathew Knight Arena, among many other
noteworthy buildings throughout the Pacific Northwest.
In an interview with KGW-TV, Craig Cheek argues this is the perfect blend of
architectural talent saying, “We love this great mashup of world class ballpark design meets
Portland sensitivity that should be an iconic ballpark that is of Portland (KGW, Cheek Interview
Part 1).” I agree. It strikes the balance between supporting and fostering local talent while
tapping into a world-renowned firm to create a stadium that will no doubt become a destination
for baseball enthusiasts across the country.
The planned stadium is about much more than just creating the ideal space to watch the
boys of summer play, it’s about drawing an audience through innovative and authentic
experiences. That sound like a bunch of buzzwords to attract Millennials and Gen Zers. That’s
the point. In order for baseball to thrive, MLB must create a home that feels safe for the tried and
true Boomers who have rooted for their hometown team for decades, while also ushering in the
next generation of viewers.

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In the same interview with KGW-TV, Craig Cheek outlined a few of the innovative
elements included in the ballpark renderings. One that caught many people’s attention is the
gondola. Portland is no stranger to gondola’s dotting the skyline. The aerial tram that connects
the south waterfront to Oregon Health & Science University is a well-known and recognizable
transportation landmark in the Rose City. But, the proposed gondola in the ballpark serves an
entirely unique purpose. It exists in order to give people a new and creative way to take in a
baseball game from a variety of vantage points.
When explaining the idea behind the gondola, Cheek said, “Can you imagine spending
three innings in the gondola, heading all over the stadium, going down into the right field where
you get a craft, microbrew, you know chirping at the opposing right fielder and then finish the
game maybe in another section of the stadium? We think that’s the energy and those are the
insights that are going to make our experience very unique” (KGW, Cheek Interview Part 1).
Unique indeed.
While I personally think riding a gondola around a baseball stadium and drinking beer is
the ideal way to make yourself sick and projectile vomit on a right fielder, I can’t speak for
everyone. I’m sure many of my fellow Millennials and Gen Zers would jump at the chance to
take the baseball ride and snap Instagram-worthy photos of their day at the ballpark.
You’ll find me in the traditional seating section keeping a close eye on the game with my
fellow senior friends. Let’s face it: I’m an old-timer at heart. But, that’s beside the point. What
matters is that PDP is proving it can deliver a stadium that challenges our notions of what a
ballpark should be.
Creating a venue that is unique, interesting and never-before-seen is what MLB needs to
attract fans. Plus, it fits perfectly with Portland’s reputation as a quirky and fun city. Throw in

27
some beards, beer and hipster glasses and this ballpark sounds like the ideal setting for an
episode of Portlandia. (And yes, the ballpark will include a state-of-the-art retractable roof for
those few days it just so happens to rain.)
Stadium Site
Location, location, location. In any city, MLB’s new ballparks must be in strategic
locations. So far, PDP has focused its efforts on a marine cargo terminal in Northwest Portland
known as Terminal 2 (see figure 5). This site comes with a lot of benefits. It’s right in the city,
along the Willamette River, and close to some of the West side’s most popular neighborhoods
like NW 23rd, Pearl District and Slabtown. According to The Oregonian, the terminal is lightly
used because access is difficult, unlike other terminals on the Columbia River (Njus, 2018).
Figure 5. Brown, Maury. “MLB To Portland Has Agreement In Principle For Ballpark Land On River Near Downtown.” Forbes,
Forbes Magazine, 29 Nov. 2018, https://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/2018/11/29/mlb-to-portland-has-agreement-in-
principle-for-ballpark-land-on-river-near-downtown/#146e44f7d61a.

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While this might not make the best location for a terminal, it does make a great spot to extend the
vibrant city of Portland.
This area is in major need of redevelopment and could be transformed from an eye sore
to a contemporary attraction. Building a ballpark would give the city a chance to create
additional affordable housing, retail and a more robust transportation system.
PDP is in the process of assessing the viability of the Terminal 2 site. In 2018, PDP
signed an agreement in principle with the Port of Portland to develop the land. Six months later,
PDP came to another agreement to extend the due diligence period for another six months. Once
that time ran out, PDP extended the due diligence period yet again. PDP is using this time to
conduct an independent transportation study of the area and determine the viability of the site
(KGW, 2019).
Now, PDP may decide this isn’t the ideal location. That’s okay. The city has other viable
options worthy of housing the next great baseball stadium.
There’s something I need to mention before I woo you over too quickly. I’m sure you’re
wondering… “How much will this stadium you’ve hyped cost?” Great question! Craig Cheek
says anywhere from $1 billion to $1.3 billion.
Stadium Funding
That brings us to the next question hanging like a dark Pacific Northwest rain cloud over
the prospect of an MLB expansion franchise in Portland—who’s going to pay for it? PDP has
that figured out.
In early 2019, PDP released a list of 12 charter investors who have funded the endeavor
so far, including: Russell Wilson, Ciara, Harvey and Sandy Platt, Darwin Barney, David P.
Barney, David M. Barney, Samantha Richardson, Mike and Kristin Fritz, Rick Dillon, Grant

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Hammersley, Marcus Harvey, Dan and Sheena Portrait, Mark and Peg Allen, Tyler Williams and
Kelsey Williams (Canzano, 2019). This list includes notable players in the Pacific Northwest
sports and business arena. A few highlights: Harvey Platt is the retired CEO of Platt Electric, a
company he sold for $382 million in 2012 (Jaquiss, 2019). Darwin Barney is a former MLB
player and star at Oregon State University. He was recently hired by the Texas Rangers to coach
their Triple-A minor league team. Marcus Harvey is the CEO of popular Portland-branded
apparel company, Portland Gear.
According to The Oregonian, all together these investors have come up with more than
$1.3 billion to fund the early stages of a potential expansion to Portland (Canzano, 2019) In
addition, several of these investors have said they would expand their ownership stake if the
expansion moves forward. To put some homemade whipped cream on top of this money pie,
PDP has not disclosed all of the investors. That means there is more money out there that the
public doesn’t know about just yet.
In an interview with the Portland Mercury, Cheek alluded to the fact that this money
could be coming from a foreign investor saying, “the group we are attracting and rallying around
will be a very diverse group. They will have experience nationally and globally. One of the
things we talked about why Portland has a unique position is it being a great window into the
Pacific Rim. We’re sister cities with China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, etc. I think there’s a really
interesting connection point, whether it’s taking games over there or a potential connection from
an investor over there” (Ham, 2019).
I like to stick to the facts and avoid speculation as much as possible, but that statement
does make it sound like a foreign investor located somewhere in Asia is likely to emerge during
this process.

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PDP has stressed that the stadium will be built with private money. However, there is one
small exception due to one of Oregon’s many strange laws. Back in 2003, when Oregon made a
significant push to land the Montreal Expos, the city enacted a player’s tax bond of $150 million.
This bond would ensure that if Portland secured a baseball team in the future, there would $150
million that could go to the costs of constructing a new stadium. The current law in place would
raise the $150 million through taxes on the salaries of players and coaches. So, the funding is
only available if Portland has a baseball team.
Former Lewis and Clark law professor Steve Kanter helped write the law and told The
Oregonian, “Without a team, nothing happens with the bill. It really is a net benefit to the state.
It’s only triggered if we get a team” (Canzano, 2020). PDP has said it plans to use this money.
However, some Oregon lawmakers oppose the idea of using any public money to fund the
stadium and lawmakers have proposed legislation to withdraw the funds (Monahan, 2019).
Let’s step back a moment. We’re talking $150 million. To me, that sounds like a lot of
money and I’d gladly accept that fat check from anyone. However, when you’re talking about a
process that could cost well over $2 billion, it’s just a drop in the bucket. PDP will be fine with
or without this money. If it’s going to cause any friction, let the bond money go and find more
investors.
While lawmakers and city officials may not want to spend tax payer dollars to fund a
baseball team, that doesn’t mean they aren’t supportive of the effort. In fact, it’s quite the
opposite. You won’t need to worry about winning over Portland’s Mayor or Oregon’s Governor.
In a tweet on November 29, 2018, Mayor Ted Wheeler said “Baseball has a rich tradition in
Portland. A ballpark along the nw bank of the Willamette River would have a positive impact on
our economy while shaping the next great PDX neighborhood. I look forward to working w/

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@PDXDiamondProj + the Port in moving this initiative forward” (Twitter, @tedwheeler). Those
are promising words from one of the city’s top officials.
In addition, Mayor Wheeler told KGW-TV, “I am very excited about the prospects of
bringing baseball here. It’s not because I love baseball. It’s because I love Portland and I see this
as a huge economic opportunity. As I’ve said, it’s an opportunity to build a central city
neighborhood from scratch and to do it right. It’s a very compelling vision” (KGW, Craig Cheek
Interview Part 2).
When it comes to Oregon’s governor, Kate Brown, she shares similar sentiments to
Mayor Wheeler, as in –great idea! Just don’t ask to use our funds. When asked about bringing a
team to Portland in 2018, Governor Brown said, “I love baseball, and I look forward to seeing
what the private sector can do to put together a package” (Griffin, 2018). So, there you have it,
Mr. Manfred. You have the support of top officials in Oregon, just don’t expect to tap into the
state’s bank accounts.

Next post preview: There’s a lot to consider beyond the nitty gritty logistics. Next, I’ll show you
what makes Portland a happening city for baseball.

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Blog Post #5: Portland is Only Missing One Thing… Baseball!
Now that I’ve convinced you this is a sophisticated effort led by competent individuals,
let’s get to the meat of the matter. Portland has a lot to offer. Allow me to introduce you to the
finest city MLB has previously ignored.
Location
Portland, the great western frontier! Let’s face it, MLB doesn’t have that many West
Coast teams. There are six between Washington state and California. That’s a mere 20% of MLB
teams. Four of those are in California, leaving the Seattle Mariners are all alone in the Pacific
Northwest. Oregon is left without their own MLB team to root for. Additionally, because of
Portland’s close proximity to Southwest Washington, a team in Portland would likely attract fans
from both Washington and Oregon.
Plus, Portland’s location makes it an ideal city for a summer sport. The city has long
summer days, without excessive heat or humidity. Sure, you might rely on that retractable rain
roof a few times, but you likely won’t ever see snow on opening day or scorching temperatures
in the middle of summer.
Population
Portland proper is home to about 650,000 people. When you count the entire metro area
(including counties in Oregon and Southwest Washington), that number rises to about 2.4
million people (World Population Review, 2019). Portland is the second largest U.S. city in the
Pacific Northwest behind Seattle. Seattle has a baseball team. Why doesn’t Portland?
There are plenty of people eager to cheer on a team, and plenty more heading to Portland.
According to a study by Portland State University, Portland’s population grew by 1.3% between
2018 and 2019. Statewide, Oregon’s population grew by 41,100 during the same time frame. The

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report says that 86% of that growth is attributed to people moving to the state (Portland State
University, 2019). If I had to guess, I’d say these people are moving seeking employment, a
moderate cost of living, and a high-quality of life. A high-quality of life includes watching
professional sports.
Culture
The Rose City is famous for being full of unique individuals with unwavering enthusiasm
for anything local. I’m sure you’ve heard of the show Portlandia. Maybe you’ve even seen a few
episodes. Ask anyone from Portland and they will tell you the show doesn’t really depict what
Portland is like. That’s not true. They’re lying. They just don’t want to validate a mainstream TV
show that is making a pretty penny from exploiting an authentic city.
Many people in Portland are just as hip, forward-thinking, creative, and quirky as
depicted in the show. These people have the power to breathe new life into a baseball game. I
can only imagine the fun this city can bring to your often cringeworthy fan entertainment
between innings and pitching changes.
The kiss cam? Forget it. Bring on the beard cam! And, what about the race around the
field that every team seems to have a version of? In Denver, it’s the “Comfort Dental Tooth
Trot” where Bristles (the toothbrush), Toothy (the tooth) and Fresh (the toothpaste) race around
the field (Newman, 2019). Lame, I know.
In Portland, I say we ditch the tired race. Instead, let’s make time for something really
exciting, and uniquely Portland. I am advocating for a little game called “Name That Donut.”
Between innings, a fan will be selected to strap on a blindfold and taste a donut from a local
donut company (think Voodoo, Blue Star, Pip’s, Coco, Sesame). The person will have to try to

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correctly name which company made the donut. If her or she gets it right, they will get a prize
pack (probably full of donuts).
The point is, the city has an abundance of creativity and novelty to capitalize on. I have
no doubt fans will get excited and create a vibrant baseball experience.
Existing Sports Teams
Beyond the fun we could have supporting baseball in Portland, the city also has a
population that is devoted to local sports teams. So much so that the city doesn’t have enough
teams to keep up with the demand. The most prominent professional teams in Portland are the
Trail Blazers (NBA), Timbers (MLS) and Thorns (NWSL). Each team draws a remarkable
number of fans and generates excitement for thousands of people.
In an analysis for CBS Sports, R.J Anderson, says, “The Blazers drew more fans per
game last season than the big-market behemoth trio of the Los Angeles Lakers, New York
Knicks and Boston Celtics. The Timbers Packed in more than 20,000 fans per game, while the
Thorns have exceeded 16,000 devotees per game in each of the past two seasons” (Anderson,
2019). One word: wow.
In the 2019 season, the Trail Blazers brought in a total of nearly 800,000 people to their
games. That puts them at #7 in overall attendance in the NBA. As Anderson noted, that’s a better
attendance record than many of the most well-known teams (ESPN, “NBA Attendance Report”).
As far as soccer goes, the “Timbers Army” is hard to miss. Head to Northwest Portland
on any Timbers game day and you will immediately understand what I am referencing. The
Timbers Army is the collective group of thousands of people who don bright green apparel and
silly looking green scarves to cheer for the Timbers at Providence Park. The army is a force to be

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reckoned with. The screams that emanate from the stadium during a game would make you think
the army was in actual battle, not watching a soccer match.
In an article for NBC Sports Northwest, Kevin Barry argues Portland is “Soccer City
USA” saying, “When you look at the whole picture: MLS, NWSL, College, Supporters,
Championship, Ticket Sales & Attendance (relative to population size), and importance to the
city…it’s pretty obvious. Portland is Soccer City, USA. (Barry, 2019).” Hmmm…. This tells me
Portland can support more sports teams.
Portland doesn’t have an NFL team. Portland doesn’t have an NHL team. Portland
obviously doesn’t have an MLB team. So, the city doesn’t really have a choice but to be “Soccer
City, USA.” What else are fans supposed to flock to? They already go to Trail Blazers games en
masse. They even head out to Hillsboro to show the Hops their unwavering support in the minor
leagues.
During the 2019 season, attendance at Hillsboro Hops games totaled 133,605, averaging
about 3,500 people per game. While those are definitely not Major League numbers, they stack
up well in the Professional Baseball Northwest League. The Hops rank third for overall
attendance in their division. As you can see, the Rose City is hungry for sports and I feel
confident fans will embrace a Major League Baseball team.
Business Opportunities
Another key to a financially feasible expansion is the opportunity to create sponsorship,
uniform and equipment deals. While I’d like to be Raven from “That’s So Raven” and put a
funny look on my face and see the future of sponsorships and the exact figures behind them, I
can’t do that. But, I can take an educated guess and say an MLB team in Portland should not
have a difficult time finding sponsors or partners to provide equipment, beverages, etc.

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First and foremost, Oregon is home to the most recognized sports brand in the world—
Nike. The iconic company’s headquarters in Beaverton is just a short drive away from the
proposed MLB stadium. As you know, and as we’ve discussed, a former Nike executive is
leading the charge to bring baseball to Portland.
Starting in 2020, Nike announced a 10-year partnership with MLB that will make Nike
the exclusive provider of Major League Baseball’s uniforms. You yourself are quoted in the
Nike press release, saying, “Nike’s global brand and reputation as a leader in driving innovation
makes them an ideal partner.” An ideal partner indeed! Not to mention, Nike is already an
official Major League Baseball sponsor and has endorsement deals with over 500 major and
minor league players (Nike, 2019).
So, let me ask you a tough question. How is it that one of MLB’s foremost sponsors
operates out of a state with no Major League Baseball team? That’s a head-scratcher to me. It
seems to me that a state like Oregon with a high concentration of sports apparel businesses and
good turnout for their existing sports teams could support an MLB franchise. While Nike does
not historically sponsor specific professional sports franchises, the company does provide a
wealth of high caliber players and teams with equipment and shoes.
Beyond Nike, Oregon is home to many large corporations that I believe could be
interested in sponsoring or partnering with an MLB team. That list includes other apparel
companies like Adidas, Under Armour, Columbia Sportswear and Pendleton. Outside the
footwear and apparel category, Oregon is home to Intel, Daimler Trucks North America,
Banfield Pet Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Lithia Motors, Bob’s Red Mill and
more. Just take a look at some of the other existing sponsorships in Portland to get a taste of what
could be.

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The Blazers have sponsorship and/or partnership deals with Adidas, Biofreeze, Daimler,
First Tech, Ford, Fred Meyer, Moda Health, Nike, Toyota and Umpqua Bank. The Timbers’ list
includes Alaska Airlines, Providence Health & Services, Key Bank, PGE, Widmer Brothers
Brewing and Adidas. The Thorns, and the greater NWSL, have deals with Nike, Thorne,
Providence Health & Services, Pelican Brewing Company, Budweiser and Jersey Mike’s Subs.
In October 2019, the Thorns became the first NWSL team to be sponsored by a CBD company,
Social CBD (Mickanen, 2019).
In the food and beverage category, a Portland franchise could feature a plethora of
homegrown drinks and bites. In the beer category alone, the stadium could offer sips from
BridgePort Brewing Company, Burnside Brewing Company, Deschutes Brewery, Full Sail
Brewing Company, Hair of the Dog Brewing Company, Rogue Ales, or Widmer Brothers
Brewing (pending exclusivity agreements, of course). When it comes to cider, there’s 2 Towns
Cider House, Eden Valley Orchards, Cider Riot!, and Portland Cider House. For people who
prefer a glass of chardonnay with their baseball, there are a variety of local vineyards.
What goes well with a cold, local beer? A comfortable sofa and a TV showing the local
baseball game. Fortunately for you, Mr. Manfred, this is an easy scenario to execute in Portland.
We’ve discussed how important television markets are to MLB teams. It’s essential for MLB
franchises to come up with winning television partnerships. Portland will be no exception.
TV Market
Portland’s TV market is ready to support and embrace an MLB team. According to the
2020 Nielsen Designated Market Area (DMA) ratings, Portland is #22 on the ranking of the top
210 TV markets in the U.S. Portland has 1.1 million T.V. homes representing 1.04% of the U.S

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(Nielson, 2020). While that may not seem like an impressive number, think of it as 1 million
more eyeballs on Major League Baseball than you currently have.
According to an analysis in The Street, Portland’s TV market is about the same size as St.
Louis’ TV market (Notte, 2014). You know, the city that manages to enthusiastically support the
consistently competitive St. Louis Cardinals. Let’s take a look at the Cardinals’ TV deal. In
2015, the team reached an agreement with Fox Sports Midwest that is worth over $1 billion and
runs from 2018 to 2032 (Settimi, 2019). That just proves that a city doesn’t need to be one of the
top ten markets to support major television deals.
Additionally, there isn’t much in the way of competition for an MLB team in Portland.
You won’t run into problems like you might face in Los Angeles, where there are two baseball
teams in close proximity and compete in the same market. In Portland, the closest team is the
Seattle Mariners, with an entirely different television market and viewership. The people of
Portland don’t think of the Seattle Mariners as “their” team. You don’t see people rooting for the
Mariners unless their jumping on the bandwagon when the team is having a particularly good
season.
Finally, the future Portland baseball team will get significant media coverage because of
the city’s robust media presence. As far as television stations go, the city has local affiliates of all
the major networks: KGW (NBC), KATU (ABC), KOIN (CBS), KPTV (FOX). In addition, the
city is home to the sports-specific NBC Sports Northwest.
In the world of print and digital, the city has The Oregonian, Willamette Week, Portland
Mercury, Portland Observer, Portland Tribune and more. You don’t need to fear, Portland is not
some city in the boonies with a tiny TV market and zero media outlets. It may not be New York,
but it sure isn’t Topeka, Kansas.

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Next post preview: I’ll take a close look at the media coverage of PDP’s effort to date.

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Blog Post #6: How the Media is Covering a Potential MLB Team in Portland
As I’ve covered in previous blog posts, there is a significant media and news presence in
Portland. But, do any of these outlets even care about a potential baseball team? Do the people of
Portland even want a team? I’m glad you asked. Quick answer: yes, and yes. Let’s take a look at
the proof in this pudding…
First, I’ll examine The Oregonian/OregonLive.com. It’s one of Oregon and Southwest
Washington’s leading news sources and has a circulation of about 140,000. The news outlet has
published over 197 articles that specifically discuss the Portland Diamond Project since April 15,
2018 through November 9, 2019. That’s 197 articles about a baseball team that doesn’t yet exist.
So fine, the newspaper is writing stories on the topic and reporters are interested. But, do
the people of Portland care? Yes. The article, “Ready for a $2.5 billion swing at Major League
Baseball? Portland Diamond Project charter investors revealed” published on January 16, 2019
that dives into the funding behind the Portland Diamond Project has over 600 comments and has
been shared close to 3,000 times (Canzano, 2019).
Another article on the sports beat, “Damian Lillard sets franchise record with 60 points in
Portland Trail Blazers’ fourth consecutive loss,” that would likely be popular among Oregon
sports fan had a mere 64 comments (Goldberg, 2019).
Yet another article about a polarizing rivalry that should get the attention of many readers
had an equally meager comment count. The article, “Sneak peek: will Oregon Ducks snap 4-year
skid to Washington State?” had 61 comments (Crepa, 2019).
Outside of the sports world, articles on the Portland Diamond Project still compare
favorably. The Oregonian’s “Teens break into furnished Portland rental, throw Halloween
‘rager,’ then plan 2nd night, cops and neighbors say” (I mean, I would click on that) has about

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140 comments and 381 shares—just slightly more than the coverage of the Blazers, Ducks and
Cougars (Kavanaugh, 2019).
As you can see, The Oregonian’s report about investors in a team that’s still just a dream
has more than six times as many comments as articles on high-profile teams in the Pacific
Northwest and over 3 times as many comments as a click-baity news story.
The hundreds of people commenting on this particular article have meaningful opinions
to share. Someone by the username of “Pamontejano” commented, “I hope this pans out. I’m
excited to have baseball come to Portland and the stadium is amazing!” I agree, Pamontejano.
Someone else by the username of “Mountaindog” says, “This is going to be wonderful
for the Portland community. Originally from New England, my family and I are huge MLB fans
and would be season ticket holders. Can’t wait. Kudos to the smart, driven team behind the
Portland Diamond Project.” How much do you think PDP paid “Mountaindog” to say such
wonderful things? Kidding, of course. “Mountaindog” is 100% correct.
I won’t pretend it’s all daisies and rainbows. Are comment sections ever daisies and
rainbows? No. Some people are adamantly against baseball in Portland. Someone called
“Discustard” commented, “To net this out, a bunch of wealthy investors, few of who live here,
want to destroy the livability of Northwest Portland for a profit.” Ouch. Of course, I disagree.
Terminal 2, and the immediate surrounding area, is currently about as livable as a railyard.
Another user, “Crgr11” said. “Yep, the rich keep getting richer. But however naïve it may
be, I appreciate the Platts’ attitude towards the whole ‘getting the family together thing.’ So
‘70’s-ish. Too bad a night at the ball game for a family of 4 would probably run you $300. Ball
game or groceries, hmmm….” “Crgr11” has a valid concern. The good news, it’s a concern that
can be addressed. Simply provide some low-cost tickets to make baseball games accessible to all.

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No matter what city MLB lands in next, you will face criticism and you will need to listen to
those critiques to create an experience the residents of Portland will embrace.
If you read a few of the articles in the The Oregonian, you’ll start to see a pattern. Many
of them are written by John Canzano, the paper’s lead sports columnist and frequent
commentator on KGW. If you don’t already know Canzano, I suggest you get to know him right
away. Canzano has in-depth knowledge of the Oregon sports environment and is consistently the
reporter breaking sports news in Portland. Who published the initial story about the list of
investors in the Portland Diamond Project? John Canzano. Who regularly pens updates on the
efforts to bring baseball to Portland even when there isn’t much progress to report? John
Canzano. Other news outlets across the city often follow his lead and look to him as the expert.
Another expert worth noting is Maury Brown. Brown is based in Portland and regularly
contributes to Forbes and Baseball America. He has closely followed a potential MLB expansion
and regularly produces articles for Forbes on the cities competing to land the next MLB team.
You don’t have to be an expert to have a say in this matter. The Oregonian also publishes
a regular “Readers Respond,” or letters to the editor. A recent letter focused on this very topic.
Ethan Hsu, of Vancouver, wrote “Help bring major league baseball here,” posted on November
6, 2019. Hsu made strong arguments for baseball in Portland, writing, “Imagine a sunny July
afternoon at the ballpark. Good food and a fancy ballpark are only part of the game day
experience. Anyone who has been to one of Portland’s professional sporting events knows just
how special the fan base is, along with the great memories created” (Hsu, 2019). Spot on. This
letter to the editor sparked a conversation online—with 85 comments.
Let’s shift from the world of print/digital journalism to broadcast. I’d like to take a look
at a television station in Portland that has a soft spot in my heart—KGW. Is that a soft spot or

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lasting pain from too many breaking news heart attacks? Full disclosure: I was a news producer
at KGW (the NBC affiliate) for two years, first, as an overnight producer of KGW News at
Sunrise, then as the producer of KGW News at Noon.
I’ve mentioned the station a few times already as it is one of the leading local news
outlets in the Rose City. I was at the station in the early stages of the Portland Diamond Project’s
effort. Any new bit of information we received turned into a breaking news situation. Yes,
breaking news as you know it complete with the bright red, flashy graphics and dramatic music.
One day, I remember we got word of some slight progress in the MLB to Portland effort
just before the noon show hit the air (isn’t that what always happens?) To be clear, the new
information couldn’t have been too earth shattering because I can’t even remember what it was.
Regardless, we went into breaking news mode and scrounged up a reporter working on the more
important day-side stories to throw together a last-minute piece to front in the 12 p.m. newscast.
At the time, any news on bringing Major League Baseball to Portland was breaking news. It was
just as captivating and important as major breaking news for Trail Blazers, Ducks, Cougs,
Timbers. It was just as important as weather. That’s saying a lot in the local news world.
Since I’ve left KGW, the station has continued to whole-heartedly pursue the topic. On
KGW’s website, there are almost 100 articles discussing the Portland Diamond Project. The
topic has also been prominently featured on the station’s on-air programing. In December 2018,
Craig Cheek appeared on KGW’s “Straight Talk with Laurel Porter” for an extensive interview
on the effort that lasted the duration of the 30-minute show. That interview is now posted in two
parts on KGW’s website and Youtube (cite Straight Talk clip). All this to say: news outlets in
Portland are already reporting on MLB’s potential expansion to Portland because viewers are
interested.

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Now, viewer interest does not guarantee the stadium will be sold out every game or that
the TV ratings will be through the roof. Some of these viewers probably oppose the proposed
expansion. But, based on my experience in the newsroom, I would argue that a good amount of
the engagement and interest is due the public’s excitement over the proposed project.
People in Portland aren’t just passively watching the news of the MLB to PDX effort,
they are actively involved and throwing out some pretty great ideas. On December 26, 2018
Willamette Week, another prominent publication in Portland, posted “The 18 Greatest Names
Suggested for a Portland Baseball Team and the Greatest Things Fox News Said About
Portland” (cite Willamete Week). I’m going to focus on the first half of that article. We can save
the Fox News discussion for another time (or not). Willamette Week rounded up citizens’ best
suggestions for a team name and ranked their top picks. Here are my personal favorites: Portland
Wet Sox, Oregon Trail, Portland Green Sox, Portland Rosebuds.

Next post preview: It’s time to hear the story of expansion straight from the source trying to
make it happen. Next up—a deep dive into how the Portland Diamond Project is working to win
over the public.

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Blog Post #7: Convincing the People of Portland to Embrace an MLB Team
Portland Diamond Project is doing an excellent job of keeping the public updated on its
progress and generating interest in its efforts. PDP has deployed savvy public relations strategies
and tactics that have resulted in significant news coverage and interest from the public. This
high-level communications effort sets Portland apart from any other city competing for an MLB
team. It also makes MLB’s job a lot easier. PDP is well on its way to winning over the general
public in Portland and beyond.
Website
I urge you to spend some time on PDP’s website, portlanddiamondproject.com. Like any
website, it highlights important information about PDP and provides the answers to questions
members of the public might have. But, unlike just any website, it is actually visually appealing,
easy to navigate and inspirational. The website has a clean design and simple navigation. It is
chock full of relevant information without being overwhelming.
The website is designed by clever.ly, the same company that has worked with other
notable clients including Nike, Adidas, and Mitsubishi. This isn’t some website that looks like it
was created for a school project or that was thrown together at the last minute. This website is a
reflection of the PDP effort in general—high quality, professional and serious. The website
serves as an easy access point for many of PDP’s other communications efforts that I will discuss
in detail including its social media pages, events, podcast, branded apparel, and a petition to
bring MLB to PDX.
Social Media Pages
With investments from high-profile individuals like Ciara and Russel Wilson, it’s no
surprise that PDP’s social media game is strong. On Twitter, PDP has 13,900 followers. On

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Instagram, PDP has 16,100 followers. On Facebook, PDP has about 10,000 likes. Not bad for a
non-existent sports franchise.
What really sets PDP apart is the quality of its social media content. On December 5,
2019, PDP posted an adorable video of second grade students at Orenco Elementary in Hillsboro
arguing why Portland should get an MLB team. For school, the students wrote opinion papers on
the topic and their teachers mailed the papers to PDP. The teachers asked PDP to pass the letters
on to MLB (I hope you’ve seen them, or that you get to see them).
PDP was touched and inspired and decided to visit the students and seize the moment to
produce a promotional video. Brilliant communications. In the video, students read their opinion
papers out loud and offer great insights from the perspective of an eight-year-old, like, “I want to
go to the stadium. It will be nice to not go all the way to another state. I think you guys should
make it.” And, “I am a fan of baseball. That’s why I want them to get a team.” Well said, kids.
This video has over 1,500 views on Twitter. Again, not earth shattering, but not bad for a non-
existent team.
PDP’s Instagram also features facts about Portland that suggest the city is ripe for
baseball (see figure 6).

Figure 6. “Portland Diamond Project (@Portlanddiamondproject) • Instagram Photos and Videos.” Instagram,
https://www.instagram.com/portlanddiamondproject/.

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I must say, the rainfall statistic is reassuring.
Events
PDP isn’t just relying on the internet to connect people to the movement. The group
consistently hosts events to engage with the public and bring more awareness to its effort. PDP
hosted a World Series watch party for the first game of the 2019 World Series. The event
brought together over 1,000 baseball fans at Revolution Hall in Southeast Portland and included
giveaways throughout the game from local companies including Zenner’s Sausages, Breakside
Brewery, Miss Hannah’s Popcorn and Portland Gear.
The night would not be complete without a celebrity appearance. Russel Wilson recorded
a video to play during the game. He spoke about his support for PDP, saying, “Hopefully we can
bring a World Series to Portland one day.”
PDP also used the event as an opportunity to create a compelling promotional video. A
highlight reel from the event is prominently displayed on PDP’s website and is posted on
YouTube. The event, and subsequent video, sparked excitement about the future of baseball in
Portland and reminded everyone of the hard work necessary to secure an MLB franchise.
PDP is also hosting a series of events as part of a “Baseball or Bust Tour.” The basic
premise is that the leaders of PDP are traveling around in a PDP branded van and visiting
communities all across Oregon. Craig Cheek has made it clear that Portland’s baseball team isn’t
just for Portland, it’s for everyone in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
On a tour stop in Eugene, he told the Eugene Register-Guard, “This is our effort to unify
the state and get into the cities and listen to how baseball can make Oregon better… We are

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going to listen, but we will not be bashful about saying how excited and inspired we are for this
project” (Reichard, 2019).
As part of this effort, PDP has had a presence at high-profile events in the state including
Feast Portland, Make-a-Wish events, the Wilson Charity Golf Event, Portland Jazz Fest, Oregon
Sports Awards, Cinco de Mayo events, First Thursdays and more. PDP often has its branded van,
information about the effort, and branded merchandise. The goal is to engage a dialogue with
potential baseball fans and generate support.
Podcast
Yes, PDP even has a podcast. The group knows its audience and knows baseball needs to
evolve and keep up with Millennials and Gen Zers. PDP launched the Portland Diamond Project
podcast on March 19, 2019. Here’s the rundown of the show: “Join us as we talk all things
baseball in Portland and Oregon at large. We’ll look back on Portland’s rich baseball history,
celebrate Oregon’s current baseball culture and learn more about the Portland Diamond Project’s
movement to bring MLB to PDX. Tune in to hear about all the ways Portland Is Better With
Baseball.”
So far, there are nine episodes. This is a great platform to have and there are opportunities
for PDP to grow the podcasts as the movement develops. I envision the podcast as a platform to
involve the community throughout the process.
PDP must ensure it is engaging in a two-way dialogue with the people of Portland, and
the podcast can serve as a tool to do so. PDP can bring in vocal Portlanders who both support
and oppose the effort to discuss their top concerns and priorities. PDP can also bring in experts,
local politicians and people who have gone through the expansion process to get their
perspective on PDP’s efforts.

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Apparel
I think you can guess what was on my Hanukkah wish list this year. Portland Diamond
Project gear (see figure 7)! PDP launched a line of PDP branded apparel and merchandise that
the group sells online and in the Portland Diamond Clubhouse near Providence Park. According
to PDP, net profit from the merchandise is donated to local nonprofits. I personally think the
“National OR American” hoodie is quite clever.

Sports fans love team apparel. Getting people to wear apparel to support a non-existent
franchise is pretty savvy. Not to mention, it’s all in the name of supporting local non-profits.
Smart.
Online Petition
Perhaps the most effective way PDP is drumming up support for a baseball team in
Portland is through its online petition. It’s one of the best ways to make people feel like they are
making a difference by simply filling out a form online and clicking “submit.” Ahhhh, the sweet
euphoria of doing something without actually doing anything.
The “Sign the Petition” button is proudly displayed on PDP’s homepage. As extra
incentive, new signers are entered to win PDP merchandise when they submit their name.
Additionally, PDP has a signature wall at its clubhouse in Portland where people can write in
their name in dark Sharpie to prove they are eager to welcome MLB to Portland. PDP
Figure 7. “Shop Portland Diamond Project Gear.” Portland Diamond Project, https://shop.portlanddiamondproject.com/.

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continually posts updates on the number of signatures it has received on its various social media
pages. As of early December, PDP had over 45,000 signatures.
In a thank you video from Managing Director Mike Barrett posted on Instagram, Barrett
said, “These are important. They say a lot not only to us and to the support, but we wanted to do
this from a grassroots level from the beginning. It speaks loudly around the country, too, about
the desire for Major League Baseball in Portland.”
While this petition won’t actually do much, it does show the thousands of people ready
for baseball in Oregon. I wouldn’t want to disappoint over 45,000 people in Oregon and
Southwest Washington…

Next post preview: Portland obviously isn’t the only city hoping to secure an MLB team. Next,
I’ll analyze the competition and prove other cities just don’t compare.

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Blog Post #8: The Other (and lesser) Cities Vying for an MLB Team
In order to fully understand why Portland is the clear front-runner in the race to land a
Major League Baseball team, we must look at the other competitors. In addition to Portland, you
mentioned three other cities in the U.S.: Las Vegas, Nashville and Charlotte. Then, you threw a
curveball and included two cities in Canada: Montreal and Vancouver (not to be confused with
the Vancouver near Portland).
I won’t bore you with a longwinded rant on why these cities are poor choices. Instead,
let’s take an objective approach and analyze these cities based on a consistent set of factors. To
be even-handed, I will evaluate each city’s geographic location, the population size, the existing
sports market, the potential TV market, the overall culture (totally objective…) and the city’s
progress towards making Major League Baseball a reality (see figure 8).

Figure 8. Map of existing MLB teams identified by team logo and proposed expansion cities identified by a red circle. “MLB
Map: Teams: Logos - Sport League Maps : Maps of Sports Leagues.” Sport League Maps,
https://sportleaguemaps.com/baseball/mlb/.

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Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the obvious place to start. You’ve uttered the words “Las Vegas” more than
a few times in recent months. During a meeting in early October with Oakland Mayor Libby
Schaaf, you mentioned Sin City could potentially be the next home for the Oakland A’s (Akers,
2019). The media went wild. News outlets around the country took your words seriously. USA
Today’s headline: “MLB in Las Vegas? Commissioner Manfred Threatens Oakland A’s move”
(Krajewski, 2019). And my favorite headline from TMZ: “MLB Commish Threatens to Move
Oakland A’s to Vegas Over Stadium” (TMZ, 2019).
Well Commish, you learned to be more careful with your words. You clarified your
statement a few weeks later and stressed the Oakland A’s would not be relocating to Las Vegas
immediately. You did, however, leave the possibility on the table, saying if Oakland can’t work
out its stadium problems, Las Vegas and other cities could be considered as relocation options.
With Vegas still on the table, let’s take a trip to Vegas, baby!
Location
Geographically speaking, Las Vegas is a decent place to have a Major League Baseball
team. Nevada doesn’t have an MLB team so you wouldn’t need to worry about too much
competition within the state. It’s not far from other baseball markets, but far enough to
encourage its own fan base.
However, there is one glaring issue. Or should I say heated issue? It’s in the middle of
the desert. The average temperature in the month of July is 104 degrees. August? 102 degrees.
June? 99 degrees. I can just feel my sweaty back sticking to my seat while I suck down too many
lemonades in an attempt to survive a Sunday afternoon baseball game. Yes, I know an indoor air-
conditioned stadium is possible. I just don’t find it appealing to watch a baseball game in an

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Ikea-like warehouse. While Portland’s stadium will have a retractable roof for the days when it
rains, it’s not necessary to have an air-conditioned box. In Portland, the crisp summer air can
flow through the stadium without giving fans heat stroke. I think Nevada is a great state for
spring training! Let the players enjoy the 70-degree days in March and send them on their way
(The Weather Channel, 2019).
Population
According to the World Population Review, Las Vegas has a population of about 650,000
people and is the most populous city in Nevada. The city’s population has steadily increased
about 1 to 2 percent since 2011. The larger Las Vegas metropolitan area (which would be part of
the fan base) has a population of just over 2.2 million people. Even I can’t deny the fact that
there are plenty of people in Las Vegas to watch baseball.
Existing Sports Teams
Las Vegas has experienced a sports boom. For a long time, Sin City was home to world-
class shows and casinos, but lacked professional sports. That change in 2017 when the National
Hockey League expanded and brought the Vegas Golden Knights to the city (Rodgers, 2018). In
2018, the Women’s National Basketball Association moved the San Antonio Stars to Las Vegas
to become the Las Vegas Aces. Now, Las Vegas is in the midst of preparing for the arrival of the
Big Kahuna—the NFL.
In 2017, NFL owners voted to allow the Oakland Raiders to move to a new stadium in
Las Vegas. The $2-billion stadium is under construction and should be completed in 2020, ready
to welcome the Raiders for the 2020 season. Pause for a moment. Could you really move
Oakland’s MLB and NFL teams to Las Vegas in the span of a couple of years? It’s like a mass
sports exodus from Oakland. That doesn’t look good.

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Another major concern—can Las Vegas support two major relocations at the same time?
I know Sin City is a mecca for money and investors, but building so many multi-billion-dollar,
state-of-the-art stadiums in such a short period of time might catch up with the city. Not to
mention the impact on the fans.
Maury Brown wrote, in an analysis of Las Vegas’s viability as a home to MLB, “While
the Golden Knights prove fans will come out for pro sports, when you throw in not only the
NHL, but soon the NFL … it becomes a question as to how diluted the market will become”
(Brown, 2019). Are the citizens of Las Vegas really going to support that many teams? I think
you should let the NFL figure it out first.
TV Market
Pathetic. Sorry, I said it. The Las Vegas TV market is a real dud. According to the 2020
Nielsen DMA rankings, the city has nearly 750,000 TV homes, making up about .695 of the U.S.
That puts Las Vegas at #40 on the Nielsen ranking (Nielsen, 2020). In case you forgot, Portland
is #22.
When the NFL was weighing a move to Las Vegas, the size of the TV market was a
significant concern. Las Vegas is the NFL’s fifth-smallest TV market (Smith, 2016). As you
know, sports teams rely on TV and TV deals to make money. Again, let’s have the NFL see if it
is possible to play lucrative games in Las Vegas before MLB jumps in.
Culture
Let’s not pretend I’m going to make some earth-shattering revelation here. We all know
Las Vegas and its reputation. It’s known for its nightlife, casinos, shows and party scene.
According to Statista, just over 42 million people visited Las Vegas in 2018 (Statista, 2019).
That’s more than 40 times the population of the greater Las Vegas area. That’s a great number if

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you’re trying to entice people to see a Brittany Spears concert or the latest Cirque du Soleil
show.
I’m not convinced many of the people seeking a weekend of drinking, gambling and
partying are going to make it a priority to catch a baseball game. I mean, we’re talking about
baseball. The sport that’s family-friendly and wholesome. The sport that’s struggling to muster
up enough viewers. Las Vegas isn’t going to be MLB’s saving grace. Baseball won’t even be a
top attraction in Las Vegas.
When you log onto Trip Advisor and look at the top things to do in Las Vegas, you are
never going to see baseball listed. You’ll have to rely on the locals developing a passion for
Major League Baseball. I worry those locals have too many other entertainment options on their
plate to welcome the idea of sitting through a baseball game in sweltering heat or in an air-
conditioned box that isn’t a nightclub or theater.
Effort to Lure MLB
The folks in charge of persuading MLB to expand to Las Vegas aren’t doing anything to
convince me they are serious. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, investors Lou
Weisbach and Steve Stone are actively working to bring an MLB team to Vegas. Weisbach also
tried to bring the Montreal Expos to Nevada just under 20 years ago and failed. He’s optimistic
his longtime dream will become a reality, telling the paper, “I really believe in the few times that
I’ve tried to actually do this, I think it was too early and we didn’t have a facility” (Helfand,
2018). Weisbach says he has investors interested and willing to build a baseball stadium, then
secure a team. However, there is little public information about potential investors.

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The current crew leading the effort is doing so behind the scenes. There’s no organization
name. No website. No social media presence. There’s hardly any news coverage of their effort,
and what’s out there is mostly from 2018. I’m not impressed.

Nashville, Tennessee
Time to leave the desert and head south to Nashville, Tennessee. The city known for
country music is putting together a strong effort to land a Major League Baseball team. But, it’s
not all shiny trucks and smooth whisky. The city has serious challenges on its path to securing an
MLB team.
Location
I can understand why you would be tempted to place an MLB franchise in Nashville.
MLB has a lack of southern teams. Sure, you have the Atlanta Braves, the Miami Marlins and
the Tampa Bay Rays. But, that’s about it. Of course, Missouri has the St. Louis Cardinals and the
Kansas City Royals, but even I can’t attempt to argue that Missouri is a southern state. Nor can I
say Missouri’s two teams offset the need for more baseball in the region.
As far as the weather in Nashville goes, if you don’t mind humidity, it’s not bad. July is
the warmest month with an average high of 89 degrees (The Weather Channel, 2019). Sounds
like a nice day at the ballpark. There could be a dome to be prepared for any inclement weather,
but it may not be needed too much. As much as I want to, I really can’t knock Nashville’s
geographic location. I actually think it’s a great region to expand MLB. Shocking, I know. But
wait, don’t strike a deal with Nashville just yet. We’ve only just begun.
Population

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Nashville and Las Vegas are similar in terms of population. According to World
Population Review, Nashville is home to nearly 700,000 people. If you include the greater
metropolitan area, the population is about 1.9 million (World Population Review, 2019).
Nashville is in the midst of a major growth spurt.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the population of Nashville has grown by an
average of 19 people per day since 2003 (Stoll, 2019). Of course, that growth comes with the
mix of good and bad that cities around the U.S. are facing: increased cost of living, more traffic,
more employers and more development. While people welcome more and better paying jobs,
they likely aren’t so fond of high rents and more cars on the road. To be clear, Portland is also
experiencing some of these growing pains. But, it’s important to understand that many people in
Nashville feel lukewarm about the sudden boom.
Vanderbilt University conducts an annual survey of over 900 residents to gauge
sentiment on issues the city faces. This year, 78% percent of respondents said Nashville’s
population is growing too quickly. In 2015, only 50% of respondents said the population was
growing too quickly. Furthermore, in 2019, 64% of respondents said the construction of new
buildings and properties over time is happening too quickly and 45% of respondents said, “things
in the Nashville area are generally heading down the wrong track.” In 2015, only 22% of people
surveyed shared that sentiment (Geer, Clinton, 2019).
All these numbers add up to a population that is increasingly frustrated by the growth and
current climate in Nashville. I understand, it can be unnerving to see Amazon build a set of
towers and promise jobs paying $150,000 per year. After all, those jobs are likely to go to tech
outsiders. No one wants to see their hometown become the overpriced and under-livable Silicon

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Valley. As an MLB commissioner, I’d be concerned about building a multibillion-dollar stadium
and contributing to more growth in a city that doesn’t seem to want more invaders.
Existing Sports Teams
Nashville is currently home to the NFL’s Tennessee Titans and the NHL’s Nashville
Predators. Have you heard of them? I’m kidding. Who could miss the Titans’ triumphant defeat
of the New England Patriots in the NFL Wild Card? But before that, not many people paid too
much attention to the team. Even the Denver Broncos with a pathetic 7-9 record beat the Titans
16-0 during their October 13th matchup. It’s safe to say that neither the Titans nor the Predators
are known for their consistent performance, nor for their devoted fan base.
According to ESPN, the Titans ranked 21 out of 32 teams for attendance in 2019 (ESPN,
2019). The Predators did slightly better, ranking 17 out of 31 teams (ESPN, 2019). But, those are
hardly numbers to suggest a strong sports culture.
I read an opinion piece in the Tennessean supposedly arguing why Nashville should be
called “Music and Sports City” instead of just “Music City.” The author writes about the
Tennessee Titans games saying, “With the team in a rebuilding mode, it’s very common for local
fans to cheer for opposing teams that they watched in their former cities” (Ammenheuser, 2016).
Please, excuse me while I laugh. That’s hardly a solid argument to show just how loyal fans are
to local teams. Nashville should stick to “Music City.”
In addition to football and hockey, Nashville is getting ready to welcome a Major League
Soccer team, the Nashville SC. The team will begin playing in 2020. There are plans to build a
new $275-million stadium at Fairgrounds Nashville that is supposed to be ready to welcome the
team in 2022. However, construction was intended to begin months ago and did not.

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In a statement, the Mayor’s office said, “This delay in demolition is not about soccer, but
rather the extremely complicated financing and site infrastructure concerns that make for a
successful project” (Kutson, 2019). That doesn’t sound good. If I were you, I would keep a close
eye on what happens with Nashville’s MLS stadium. I’m not sure how many new stadiums a city
like Nashville can support. If the plans to build a soccer stadium are already hitting snafus, I’d be
hesitant to break ground on an MLB stadium.
TV Market
Nashville is a step up from Las Vegas in the TV market category, but it’s still no
Portland. According to our trusty 2020 Nielsen ratings, Nashville ranks 28 on the list of 210
media markets. Nashville has about 1 million TV homes representing .917% of the United
States. It’s not a tiny market, but it is fairly small given you’ll have to compete with the NFL,
NHL and MLS.
Culture
Billy Ray Cyrus. Guitars. Fords. Beer. Honky-tonk. Twang. Facial hair. All this comes to
mind when I think of Nashville, Tennessee. To be fair, there is plenty of facial hair in Portland. I
have nothing against facial hair. Or guitars. Or country music. Okay, maybe I don’t love country
music. Still, there is one thing we can all agree on—Nashville is Music City, USA.
The city helped launch the careers of some of country music’s most well-known artists.
An MLB franchise would have to compete with the city’s vibrant music scene, luring people
hungry for entertainment away from music venues and into a baseball stadium. Sure, you can
play some country tunes in between innings, but I’m not sure that will compete with the city’s
lively music scene.

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In addition to music, Nashville is earning recognition for its up-and-coming food scene.
According to the Tennessean, high-profile restaurant openings have outpaced notable closures
two to one in the last year (Alfs, 2019). Nashville was named as one of the top 10 most
underrated food cities in 2019 by USA Today (Lani, 2019). My taste buds haven’t had the
pleasure of sampling all that Nashville has to offer, but it sounds tempting.
Let’s be honest, though. If you’re looking for a supreme gastronomic experience, you’re
much more likely to find that in Portland. In a recent WalletHub report, Portland was ranked the
best food city in America. It ranked number one in a number of categories including: coffee and
tea shops per capita, craft breweries and wineries per capita and affordability and accessibility of
highly rated restaurants (WalletHub, 2019).
In my opinion, Portland’s food scene easily trumps any BBQ, hot chicken or biscuits you
can get in Nashville. Let’s start with ice cream (because I like ice cream). Portland is the
birthplace of Salt & Straw, arguably one of the most successful artisan ice cream shops in the
country. Oprah once picked Salt and Straw’s Arbequina Olive Oil flavor as one of her favorite
things for O Magazine. Portland is also home to many restaurants run by star chefs like Andy
Ricker’s Pok Pok, Joshua Mcfadden’s Ava Genes and Tusk, Gabriel Rucker’s Le Pigeon, and
many more. It’s also a city where you can eat some of the best bites of your life from a food cart.
If you don’t believe me, go try a beef brisket taco from Matt’s BBQ at the cart on N Mississippi
Ave.
We digress, back to Nashville. Music, food and a great bar scene make the city an
enticing destination. But, consider yourself warned, I don’t believe people are going to Music
City for sports. Locals don’t even seem overly interested in the existing sports teams. When you
take a brief look at recommendations on what to do in Nashville on sites like Trip Advisor and

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Culture Trip, you will see guides to live music, roundups of the best restaurants and bars, even
street art highlights. Sports? Not there.
Effort to Lure MLB
John Loar is leading the charge to bring baseball to Nashville. You are surely familiar
with the California businessman and his history of dealings in the sports and entertainment
world. He was part of the Seattle Seahawks acquisition, temporary relocation and eventual sale
to Paul Allen in 1997. As Vice President of Blackhawk Corp. from 1987 to 1998, he also
oversaw the development of gated communities in Contra Costa County and Riverside,
California. He moved from San Francisco to Nashville just a few months ago to spearhead the
effort (Deas, 2019).
Loar named the project “Music City Baseball” and launched a splashy website to support
the effort. It looks like he took a few cues from the Portland Diamond Project but missed the
memo on the importance of appearing sleek and polished. His website is an alarming
combination of red, white and blue. Proudly displayed on the homepage is the statement,
“Greatness holds no boundary to time and in honoring Nashville’s past we swing for the stars of
tomorrow” (Music City Baseball, 2019). Gag me.
Music City Baseball has posted renderings of a potential stadium and issued preliminary
ideas of where the stadium could be located, although there are no specific plans in place. The
organization also says it intends to raise money to cover its operating expenses for the next three
years and intends to enlist investors to pay for the construction of the stadium and the expansion
fee. Again, no major specifics on who these investors are or where they will come from. Music
City Baseball is good at drumming up media coverage and sparking a conversation. The effort

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has received a lot of attention for the renderings of the potential stadium and for issuing a team
name—the “Nashville Stars.”
All in all, I applaud Music City Baseball’s effort. The organization understands the
importance of communicating its desires and progress. It clearly knows the value of having a
public presence as it tries to win over supporters. However, I have hesitations about an outsider
invading Nashville on his quest to get rich (or richer). Remember that survey we discussed?
Many residents don’t feel good about outsiders coming in and overdeveloping the city.
I’m not sure they’ll feel any differently when the development is for baseball. In Portland, you
have a team of locals leading the effort who are deeply involved and in sync with the local
community. It seems like less of a get-rich quick scheme.

Charlotte, North Carolina
We don’t have to travel far to investigate MLB’s next potential expansion/relocation city.
As you will soon find out, it doesn’t seem like anyone in Charlotte is willing to step up and do
what it takes to bring an MLB team to the city.
Location
Charlotte would be a decent location for an MLB franchise (can you sense my
enthusiasm?) As we discussed during our conversation about Nashville, the south is home to a
low concentration of MLB franchises. The closest MLB team to Charlotte is the Atlanta Braves.
A little further afield you have the Washington Nationals and the Cincinnati Reds. We can safely
say these franchises are not close enough for Charlotte residents to feel a connection.

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When it comes to the weather in Charlotte, I have no bones to pick. It’s a good climate
for baseball. The average high in July is a comfortable 89 degrees. The average high in April is
72 degrees. That’s about as good as it gets for opening day baseball (The Weather Channel,
2019). Just as we saw with Nashville, if we only view Charlotte through the geographic lens, it
looks like a smart option for MLB.
Population
This is where the analysis gets more interesting. Charlotte is a rapidly growing city in
close proximity to other quickly expanding cities. Charlotte proper is home to about 870,000
people and the greater metropolitan area has about 2.4 million people. It is the largest city in
North Carolina, making it the obvious choice for professional sports in the state (World
Population Review).
What is remarkable about Charlotte is the rate at which it is growing. According to World
Population Review, Charlotte is the third fastest-growing major city in the U.S. This is the
statistic that made my jaw drop: if growth continues at this rate, Charlotte’s population with
climb 47% between 2010 and 2030. I can see why Charlotte draws your interest.
Existing Sports Teams
Charlotte does not have a long history of professional sports in the city. According to the
Charlotte Observer, the most popular sports in Charlotte before 1987 were NASCAR and
something called “rasslin.” Which is supposedly like wrestling. Slim pickings. The article notes,
“The lack of options often meant that sports fans had to drive 150 miles to Chapel Hill, Raleigh
or Durham to see something big-time like a major college basketball or football game” (Fowler,
2017).

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The sports market finally began to expand in 1988 when the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets
began playing. In 1995, the NFL brought the Carolina Panthers to Charlotte. The team quickly
became popular and now has a loyal fan base.
As far as the boys of summer go, there is a surprisingly large appetite for baseball in
Charlotte. The Triple-A Charlotte Knights draw impressive crowds to their minor league
baseball games. In 2018, the Knights were named “Minor League Baseball Attendance
Champions” (Charlotte Knights, 2019). The team drew an average of 8,980 fans to each of their
home games, the most of any minor league team. They sold out 23 home games.
I’ll give the town kudos for consistently selling out minor league baseball games. Part of
the popularity can be attributed to the new minor league baseball stadium in Uptown built in
2014. It’s in close proximity to the homes of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte Hornets. Let’s
learn a lesson from Charlotte’s minor league success: stadiums and their location matter. Yet
again, I can see why you pinpointed Charlotte as a city ripe for an MLB team.
Before we move on, it’s impossible to discuss sports in Charlotte without mentioning
NASCAR. The city has a long history of NASCAR that dates back to the inaugural season in
1948 (McKim, 2010). Charlotte is considered the home of NASCAR due to the city’s proximity
to other association venues and its history of producing some of the most well-known drivers.
Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Lee Petty and Buck Baker are all from North Carolina
(Ravenel, 2015). The state is full of home-grown talent. The Charlotte Motor Speedway and
NASCAR Hall of Fame are top attractions in the city.
While this all sounds wonderful, NASCAR’s glory days might be a thing of the past.
Over the past several years, NASCAR has had trouble filling stands and its TV ratings have
dropped drastically. During the 2018 season, NASCAR’s Cup Series races averaged 3.34 million

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viewers, down about 18 percent from 2017 and down about 50 percent from 10 years ago
(Willis, 2019).
TV deals are crucial for NASCAR and if viewers don’t tune in, the association will face
serious setbacks. TV deals accounted for just over a third of total revenue in 2018. Interest is
waning in NASCAR. Viewers turning away from car racing might be inclined to embrace
baseball. There is no way to know for certain, but I do think it is to MLB’s advantage to enter a
market where the sport that once reigned supreme is crumbling.
TV Market
As far as the overall TV market in Charlotte goes, it is very similar to Portland. Charlotte
comes in just ahead of Portland in the Nielsen rankings, at 21. Charlotte has about 1.1 million
TV homes making up 1.052 percent of the U.S., just slightly more than Portland.
An MLB team in Charlotte will face competition from the NFL and NASCAR, but not
from the NBA. As NASCAR dwindles in popularity, there could be more opportunities in the
TV market. Currently, NASCAR has a 10-year deal with NBC worth $4.4 billion that runs
through 2024. NASCAR also has an 8-year deal with FOX worth $2.4 billion (Badenhausen,
2013).
Culture
When I first began to ponder what Charlotte is known for, my brain was unusually and
uncharacteristically blank. I couldn’t come up with a single attraction (other than NASCAR) or
characteristic associated with Charlotte. The city isn’t like Las Vegas or Nashville with a strong
and well-known culture. But, a quick Google search and a deep dive into strange internet threads
informed me Charlotte is in fact known for a few things.

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First, Charlotte is known as “the New York City of North Carolina.” Apparently, it has
this reputation because it isn’t the state capital, but it is the largest city in the state. It also has this
reputation because it’s a banking hub. Charlotte is home to the corporate headquarters for Bank
of America and Wells Fargo (this could prove useful for MLB when it comes to corporate
sponsorships). It’s also home to Lowe’s Home Improvement.
According to Trip Advisor, there is a very popular amusement park in Charlotte called
Carowinds, aka “The Thrill Capital of the Southeast.” It’s a must-visit destination. The Charlotte
Motor Speedway and NASCAR Hall of Fame are also popular attractions. As far as the arts and
culture scene goes, the city isn’t home to MOMA or Madison Square Garden, but it has several
music venues, theaters, standup comedy venues and an orchestra.
Charlotte is regarded as a city on the rise that can provide young people with a high
quality of life, good jobs and a relatively low cost of living. The biggest complaints are in sync
with what you hear about most up-and-coming cities—traffic is getting worse and many
transplants are making the city more crowded.
Effort to Lure MLB
This is where Charlotte can kiss its chances of landing the next MLB expansion or
relocation goodbye. Nobody has done anything to bring an MLB team to Charlotte. I think the
city would make a fabulous home to MLB. With its promising Triple A baseball attendance
numbers and the influx of millennials seeking a high-quality of life, what more could you ask
for?
In fact, I would even go so far as to say you should expand MLB by two teams and award
those teams to Portland, Oregon, and Charlotte, North Carolina. However, Charlotte’s failure to

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assemble any kind of plan to land a Major League Baseball franchise forces me to take back my
words. Don’t expand to Charlotte. Don’t relocate a team to Charlotte.
When you mentioned Charlotte in the short list of potential expansion cities, local media
ran a few stories about the future of MLB in Charlotte and that was it. You would think
somebody in the city would’ve heard what you had to say, looked around at all the wonderful
growth and prosperity in the city and said, “I’m going to take charge and bring an MLB team to
Charlotte!” But, no. That did not happen.
Unless some secret entity or billionaire is doing a great job of keep their lips tightly
sealed and their plans under wraps, it doesn’t appear that anyone is attempting to create solid
plans to bring an MLB team to Charlotte. In an April interview regarding the possibility of MLB
in the city, Erik Spanberg of the Charlotte Business Journal said, “Charlotte has always been 5
to 10 years away from Major League Baseball” (Carboni, 2019).
Okay… It doesn’t seem like the city is interested. Meanwhile, you have people in cities
like Portland and Nashville who say they can have stadiums up and running in three to five
years. Let Charlotte keep its minor league team and give the next MLB franchise to a city that’s
really fighting for it.
Montreal (Quebec, Canada) and Vancouver (British Colombia, Canada)
Hop aboard, it’s time to take our search for baseball’s next home further afield. As an
astonishment to many, you suggested Montreal or Vancouver could be options for an MLB
expansion team. MLB is no stranger to Canada. Regardless, it would be surprising to see the
league take an expansion team outside the U.S. given the league hasn’t expanded in over 20
years and has cities in the U.S. begging for a franchise. I admire your desire to expand MLB
internationally. However, I think it is in MLB’s best interest to expand operations in the U.S.

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Location
Both Montreal and Vancouver would be significant treks for Major League Baseball
teams to make during the season. Let’s say the Los Angeles Dodgers or Los Angeles Angels
have to play a series in Montreal, the team would have to fly over five hours to get there. This
isn’t new. The players had to do this when Montreal was briefly home to an MLB franchise. It’s
not a huge deal and the players can clearly do it, but with a U.S. expansion you have the option
to avoid that scenario.
When you play 162 games in a season and are constantly traveling between games it can
start to take its toll. Likewise, if the Miami Marlins had to play a series in Vancouver, the team
would have to travel about eight hours to get there. While I understand these matchups wouldn’t
happen frequently, it still is rough on players and should be an important consideration.
As far as the weather goes, you can’t go wrong with either location… in the summer.
Montreal averages 79 degrees in July and Vancouver averages 71 degrees (The Weather
Channel, 2019). Both cities would provide long summer nights to enjoy baseball. However, the
weather isn’t reason enough to expand to either location.
Population
Both Montreal and Vancouver have significant populations that you could tap into as fan
bases. Montreal is the second largest city in Canada with about 4 million people in the greater
Montreal metropolitan area (Canada Population, 2019). Vancouver has a population of just over
2.5 million in the greater metropolitan area. According to World Population Review, it is the
most densely populated city in Canada. Since MLB currently only has one team in Canada, you
have the opportunity to expand to some of the largest cities in the country.

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Sure, you can’t compare the population of Montreal with that of Portland, but the number
of people in a place does not equal success for an MLB team. Not all of those people are actually
going to come out and support the MLB team.
Existing Sports Team
There is one MLB team in Canada, and it’s not doing so well. The Toronto Blue Jays
ranked 22 in overall attendance for the 2019 season. They brought in a total of about 1.8 million
people. That is 2.2 million people less than the top-ranking Los Angeles Dodgers. It’s only
938,842 more than the bottom-ranking Miami Marlins (ESPN, 2019).
In an analysis of the Blue Jays disappointing attendance for the Toronto Sun, Rob
Longley writes about the stark change in one of the most popular games, Canada Day, saying “A
festive, must attend event for so many years, it’s alarming to look at a stadium map and see the
available seats. Several sections at multiple levers are virtually empty” (Longley, 2019).
Granted, the Toronto Blue Jays did have a particularly rough season, finishing 67-95.
When the team does well, attendance doesn’t seem to be an issue. Is that want you want? A city
full of fair-weather fans only willing to pay attention to a team when its dominating its
competition? No, you want a consistent, loyal fan base. MLB needs to expand to a city that will
support its baseball team rain or shine, and that city is not in Canada.
I also must address Montreal’s tangled history with Major League Baseball. The Expos
played in Montreal from 1969 until 2004, when they relocated to Washington D.C. and became
the Washington Nationals. After the 1994 players strike, the Montreal Expos never recovered.
In a discussion of the demise of the Expos in Bleacher Report, Farid Rushdi says, “In the
team’s 35-year history in Montreal, the Expos failed to draw one million fans nine times. Seven

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of those nine seasons came after 1994.” Rushdi goes on to say, “In their last ten years in
Montreal, the Expos had a winning record just three times” (Rushdi, 2009).
I can understand the hesitation to bring baseball back to Montreal. The same mistakes
won’t necessarily happen again, but I think it is best to start with a clean slate somewhere else.
Let’s discuss the proposal to have the Tampa Bay Rays split their games between Florida
and Montreal. This is a backwards solution to solve the Ray’s problems. Don’t even get me
started on what a disaster that would have been. Fortunately for you, the people of Montreal, and
the people of Tampa Bay, and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman put the kibosh on that.
I’d like to address something strange: we’re having a long-winded discussion about
baseball in Canada when it’s not even that popular. Sure, there’s baseball, but it’s nothing like
hockey. We all know Canada is famous for hockey and is home to some of the best teams and
players. Montreal hosts the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver is home to the
Vancouver Canuks. Hockey is and always will be the most popular sport in Canada. I can safely
say any MLB team you bring to either Vancouver or Montreal will never be as popular as the
local hockey team.
TV Market
We can’t evaluate television markets in Canada the same way we do in the U.S. because
Nielson only ranks cities in the U.S. However, we can look at existing television agreements to
see the potential in Canada. In 2013, the NHL reached a 12-year, $5.2 billion (Canadian)
agreement with Rogers Communications for broadcast rights (Rosen, 2013). That was one of the
largest TV rights deals in NHL and Canadian history. So, yes, there is the potential for lucrative
TV deals in Canada.

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Culture
I’m not going to make blanket statements about Canadian culture. It’s a waste of our time
and would be presumptuous and inaccurate. After all, Montreal and Vancouver are about as
different as Los Angeles and Bangor, Maine. Yes, we can say many people in Montreal speak
both English and French. Sure, we can say Vancouver is an international destination that attracts
visitors and residents from all over the world. But, I can’t comfortably argue that either city is
more or less culturally ready to welcome Major League Baseball.
What I can say is that there is currently only one MLB team in Canada. One team. One.
Clearly, MLB isn’t a large part of Canadian identity or culture. I think you’re much more likely
to hit success by expanding to cities in the U.S. that are hungry for a team of their own. Let’s not
venture too far into the outfield when you have cities close to home plate more than ready to
embrace and support an MLB team. Leave a Canadian expansion for another decade. I say we
bring MLB teams to a few more cities in the U.S., then 10 years from now, we can expand
internationally and give Canada and Mexico serious consideration. Now is not the time.
Effort to Lure MLB
“Montreal Baseball Project” is leading the effort to bring baseball back to the city. It was
started way back in 2012 by Warren Cromartie, a once beloved Expos player in the 70’s and
80’s. His effort has been a long slog that’s seen a bump in interest since the Washington
Nationals, the team that once called Montreal home, won the World Series.
According to Montreal Baseball Project’s website, “Montreal Baseball Project seeks to
build upon the recent groundswell of demand for baseball in Montreal and deliver a team back to
the community.” Cromartie recently posted an update on the Project’s website writing

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optimistically about the discussion of splitting a team between Florida and Montreal. Cromartie
wrote, “Whether it is playing 20 games, 40 games, or a full season in the city, Montreal is
ready.” Is Montreal ready? No. Not now, anyway.
The city doesn’t have a suitable stadium and would need to build something from scratch.
Cromartie has discussed plans for a new stadium and development in downtown Montreal that
could seat around 34,000 fans (Spedden, 2019). That stadium is more of a wish than a concrete
plan. Montreal still has major hurdles to overcome before it is ready to welcome a team.
As for Vancouver, there is no organized effort to bring MLB to the city. Vancouver has
many obstacles to overcome before it can welcome a team, including building a stadium.
Vancouver currently has a minor league baseball stadium for the Vancouver Canadians, but it
can only accommodate about 5,000 people.
Many people point to the city’s 2010 Olympic Games to show the city can support sports
and sporting venues. However, there are few similarities between hosting a one-off event that
attracts thousands of people to your city for a few weeks and supporting a Major League
Baseball team day in and day out for half of the year. Vancouver might one day be ready for
baseball, but it certainly won’t be ready in time for the next MLB expansion.
The Final Tally
Now that we’ve discussed the merits and demerits of each potential expansion city, allow
me to release my definitive ranking of the most viable options. Here we go, listed from best to
worst:
1. Portland, Oregon
2. Charlotte, North Carolina
3. Nashville, Tennessee

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4. Montreal, Canada
5. Vancouver, Canada
6. Las Vegas, Nevada

Next installment preview: Time to get my boots on the ground. Travel to Portland with me to get
a real sense of what’s going on behind the scenes.

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Blog Post #9: A Trip to Portland to Talk to the People Involved
As I am sure you can now see, it’s easy to call Portland the front-runner in this race to
attract an MLB team. But, to fully understand the magnitude of the project and seriousness of
those involved, I strapped on my rain boots and rain jacket and headed north to Portland,
Oregon. Allow me to introduce you to some of the people working in the sports business in
Portland who have a thing or two to say about MLB in PDX. If I haven’t yet convinced you the
city is a viable option, I am confident these folks will persuade you to believe that Portland will
be a brilliant success for MLB.
Chris Jones, VP/GM Field Sports & Specialty, Nike
On a crisp day in January I had the distinct pleasure of meeting with Chris Jones at the
epicenter of footwear and sports apparel in North America, Nike World Headquarters in
Beaverton, Oregon. As the VP of Field Sports and Specialty for Nike, you’ve worked with Mr.
Jones and his department at Nike. For those a little less familiar with Mr. Jones, allow him to
explain his complicated role in simple terms: “I run Nike Baseball. I run Nike football.” You get
the picture, if it falls under the category of a “field sport,” chances are Mr. Jones has something
to do with it.
From a strictly business perspective, having an MLB team in Portland makes a lot of
sense for Nike. “It is critically important that Nike be a brand rooted in sport,” said Mr. Jones.
“Hence, baseball is meaningful for Nike’s image.” It’s a simple concept that goes much deeper.
Mr. Jones says Nike and MLB are working closely to grow the game in a way that is mutually
beneficial. MLB is seeking to attract a younger audience, while MLB can help Nike achieve its
business and brand image goals.

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As of now, the relationship between Nike and MLB is doing just fine without an MLB
team in Portland. But, think of the possibilities! Mr. Jones says having regional proximity to
major sports teams like the Portland Trailblazers, Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Beavers is a
bonus. He also explained to me that Nike is currently testing products on the local minor league
baseball team because the proximity allows for the logistics of a relationship like that to happen.
Additionally, when visiting players, say like Mike Trout, come to town, they would be able to
easily pop in for a meeting at Nike between games. While this is most beneficial to Nike, there
could be benefits to an MLB team, like the opportunity and proximity to test new products and
gear or the chance for players to meet with other Nike athletes.
Furthermore, Mr. Jones advocates for setting up a West Coast rivalry. His face lit up
when he started talking about the possibility of two competitive baseball teams in the Pacific
Northwest, one in Seattle and one in Portland. He described the ability to create a level of
competitiveness that is rarely seen outside New York or Boston. “That would add a lot of juice,”
said Jones.
Business aside, what does the person Chris Jones think about this whole idea? When I
asked him what having an MLB team in Portland would mean to him, he paused and delivered a
line I’ve heard time and time again: It would be great, but who is going to pay for it? So, Mr.
Manfred, from a business perspective the Rose City makes a lot of sense, just don’t step on
taxpayers’ shoes (Nike’s, of course).
John McIsaac, Principal, McIsaac Communications
During my journey to Portland, no one was as excited or as enthusiastic about bringing
MLB to Portland as John McIsaac. Mr. McIssac owns McIsaac Communications and is the

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primary public relations consultant to the Portland Diamond Project. We met for a cup of locally
roasted coffee topped with intricate foam in downtown Portland.
Mr. McIsaac serves as the liaison between the press and the Portland Diamond Project
and works on the PDP account daily. For Mr. McIsaac, this is a passion project and a dream
come true. When I asked why he got involved with the Portland Diamond Project he looked
across the room at nothing in particular and began to grin. He slowly started to explain, “This is a
legacy project for me. I am in the 4th quarter of my career and this means a lot.” Mr. McIsaac
grew up in Portland and wanted to do something that would change the city for the better.
He believes bringing an MLB team to Portland will create thousands of jobs and millions
of dollars in tax revenue. He wants to be part of the effort to revitalize a part of the city and do it
the right way from the get-go. He is sure this project is in good hands and will be executed
correctly, even touching the “G” word many Portlanders dread. “No gentrification,” Mr. McIsaac
said.
He also mentioned that there is a level of excitement to this project because it changes
constantly. “It’s an organic, living, breathing organism that has a life of its own,” said McIsaac.
Meaning, who knows what will happen tomorrow, but he’s thrilled to be along for the ride. Mr.
McIsaac is confident in the work he and the Portland Diamond Project are doing. “It would
change the city for the better in a permanent way,” said McIsaac.
A Trip to the PDP Clubhouse
With some interviews under my belt, I couldn’t resist heading to the Portland Diamond
Project Clubhouse near Providence Park to pick up some branded merchandise as a souvenir
(remember, all proceeds go to local charities). While I studied the t-shirts, I met Robbie Ellis,

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another key player in the effort who once again proved just how serious and enthusiastic the
team is.
Mr. Ellis is a charming young man who works in Community Engagement at the Portland
Diamond Project and is a University of Oregon alum. Mr. Ellis knows baseball. We stood in the
store chatting about everything from the history of baseball in Portland to the latest fallout from
the Houston Astros cheating scandal. He schooled me on baseball history (kudos to him) and was
clearly thrilled to be part of the effort to bring the big leagues to Oregon.
After my conversations with Mr. McIsaac and Mr. Ellis, I was fired up about PDP’s
effort and had the overwhelming sense that this was a good group of guys looking to do
something special for Portland. Part of me was worried I would meet the men behind the project
and have an uneasy feeling that it was just a bunch of greedy people looking to earn money and
glory. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. It was a pleasure doing business with these folks and I’m
confident you will feel the same way.

Next installment preview: It’s coming to an end… I’ll make the final case to Mr. Manfred—
expand to Portland!

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Blog Post #10: The Final Plea to Mr. Manfred
It’s the bottom of the ninth inning in a tied ballgame with the bases loaded. There are
two outs. You’re ahead in the count, 3-2. Fans in the stands are chanting “Manfred, Manfred,
Manfred!” Your next swing could send the ball soaring over center field and into a crowd of
screaming fans. Your teammates could be just about to round the bases and bombard you at
home plate with shouts and ferocious slaps on the butt. Or, your next swing could go nowhere. It
could cut through the empty air, never making contact with the ball. You’ll never hear the
satisfying thwack as the ball goes flying, or the roar from the stands as you become the hero.
Instead, you’ll slowly walk off the field with your head down, muttering a few curse words under
your breath. All you’ll be left with is the haunting sigh of 30,000 plus fans who’s hopes and
dreams you’ve just shattered.
The expansion game we’re talking about isn’t exactly baseball, but it is. You, Mr.
Manfred, could be the player who hits a grand slam with the next MLB expansion. You have the
power to pick the right city at the right time and send Major League Baseball into a dominating
next phase. You could give the sport the jolt it needs to thrive.
Or, you could make a mistake. You could pick the wrong place at the wrong time or
even decide expansion isn’t in the cards. You’ll be faced with that eerie sigh from thousands of
people who believed in you but couldn’t hide their disappointment when you didn’t come
through.
Choosing Portland, Oregon as the next Major League Baseball expansion city is hitting
the grand slam in the bottom of the 9th. Portland is the right place, and it’s the right time. I’m
confident I’ve convinced you to expand and proven to you that Portland is the best option. As we
have seen, other cities just don’t compare.

79
So, Mr. Manfred, I’ve signed the Portland Diamond Project’s petition to bring Major
League Baseball to Portland, Oregon. Have you?

Let’s play ball!
Sincerely,

80
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93
@TedWheeler. “Baseball has a rich tradition in Portland. A ballpark along the nw bank of the
Willamette River would have a positive impact on our economy while shaping the next
great PDX neighborhood. I look forward to working w/ @PDXDiamondProj + the Port
In moving this initiative forward." Twitter. 29 November 2018, 12:31 p.m.,
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Abstract (if available)

Abstract This thesis explores the potential for an MLB expansion and argues that Portland, Oregon, should be MLB’s next expansion city. The author explores key topics involved in a future MLB expansion including an analysis of the history of expansion and relocation in MLB, an analysis of the financial implications of expansion and a look at the organizational effort necessary to execute an expansion. This thesis also highlights the merits of Portland as an expansion city by discussing the city’s existing sports market, the media landscape, the geographic location, the culture, and the appetite for MLB. The thesis also includes a comparative analysis of other proposed expansion locations, including: Las Vegas, Nashville, Charlotte, Vancouver B.C., and Montreal.

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The influencer break-down: a history, categorization, and analysis of success for health & wellness influencers

Asset Metadata

Creator Sisun, Claire (author)

Core Title Let the Rose City shine: a blog series exploring why Portland, Oregon, should be Major League Baseball's next expansion city

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Strategic Public Relations

Publication Date 04/08/2020

Defense Date 04/06/2020

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Baseball,baseball expansion,expansion,major league baseball,OAI-PMH Harvest,Oregon,Portland,Sports,sports business

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Floto, Jennifer (committee chair), Chavez Booth, Michael (committee member), Stewart, Kirk (committee member)

Creator Email claire.sisun@gmail.com,csisun@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-280624

Unique identifier UC11675348

Identifier etd-SisunClair-8251.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-280624 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-SisunClair-8251.pdf

Dmrecord 280624

Document Type Thesis

Rights Sisun, Claire

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA