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December 13, 2004
Marlins cry homelessness
It's not an easy trick to pull off, but the Florida Marlins have done it: come up with a never-before-used excuse for demanding a new stadium. This weekend, Marlins landlord (and former owner) Wayne Huizenga announced that the team would be evicted from their digs at Pro Player Stadium, effective ... six years from now.
Okay, that last bit still needs some work, as threats go. Still, it was enough to make headlines across the nation - the "surprising twist adds even more urgency to the Marlins' attempts to resolve their longterm future," wrote the Miami Herald - and presumably put the screws on any Florida state legislators who might have been hoping the team's stadium subsidy demands could be put off for another legislative session. Marlins step-exec David Samson declared the team to be "a millimeter away" from getting a Miami stadium deal finalized, which makes one wonder why he needed to fly 3,000 miles last week to scare Floridians into getting it done.
In any case, the eviction story seems dubious on the face of it. Huizenga claims he only makes about $1 million or so off of Marlins games each year, but that's hard to believe, given that the team has one of the most extortionate leases on the planet. Add in that a Pro Player exec insisted that booting the Marlins would allow them to rent out more dates for soccer and cricket - I mean, come on, cricket? - and you have to wonder how much the Marlins are paying off their landlord to help with the stadium p.r.
I think Joe Robbie Stadium would be a great place for soccer games. Didn't the US men play there back in 1993 or something like that?
Posted by Bertell Ollman on December 13, 2004 07:50 PM
But isn't the new Orange Bowl rennovations that passed this November supposed to be for hosting international soccer too. I'm not sure there's that much of a market to go around for both stadiums plus Lockhardt in Ft. Lauderdale (former MLS home). It's not like there's any chance of MLS putting a team in Pro Player long term.
They could probably get a few international friendly (non-important) games a year but have competition. Little chance of many US national team games there cause they'll be put in the new MLS stadiums or places like New England and Seattle as far away from central america and the carribean as possible (to avoid them being "away" games) if the games are World Cup Qualifiers.
Are the Dolphins playing a part dirt field early in their season? That'd be one of their biggest concerns. But I agree this is a statment that the Marlins wanted.
It'd take me longer to search back for 93 results, but the US played in Pro Player in 98:
http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/1998/games/feb21.htm
but moved to Ft Lauderdale for 99
http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/1999/games/feb21.htm
orange bowl for gold cup in 00
http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/2000/games/feb12.htm
http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/2000/games/feb16.htm
Orange Bowl in 2001
http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/2001/games/feb03.htm
nowhere in 2002 after contracting Miami from MLS
but both in Lockhardt and OB in 2003
http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/men/schedule2003.htm
and 2 2 gold cup matches later that year in 2003
and again in OB this year
http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/men/schedule.htm
so unlikely to put big time qualifiers there for US, but the market gets 1-2 games a year. 2 competiting stadiums (one rennovated for soccer for 98, other undergoing current rennovation)
Posted by swedcrip on December 13, 2004 08:25 PM