Thoughts and pictures of my local minor league baseball team the New York Penn League Connecticut Tigers; a Detriot farm team. We'll still be looking at former Navigators/Defenders players along the way....

Thursday, August 23, 2007

In today's Bulletin..

Our view: Norwich shrugs as Defenders edge closer to exodus


The Connecticut Defenders have three strikes against them and, yet, the Norwich City Council is considering issuing a $610,000 bond to pay for work at Dodd Stadium. It's a bond that would be money wasted since the team is already, in essence, out.

No one should delude themselves into thinking Dodd Stadium will be home to professional baseball much longer. The management team of the Connecticut Defenders has been working tirelessly to promote the team and to get people in the seats. While some improvements have been made, let's all be honest, it is not nearly enough. The Defenders still have one of the worst attendance records in Double-A baseball. That is strike one against the team. The team is, after all, a business and it is not interested in performing any public service for Norwich.

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Strike two against the team is its affiliation. How many people in this region care about the San Francisco Giants? Take Barry Bonds out of the equation -- and he will never come to Norwich on a rehab assignment -- and the Giants might as well be a franchise for a baseball team in another country. Unlike the years of Yankees affiliation, when fans could see the likes of Alfonso Soriano, Shane Spencer and Nick Johnson and then follow them in big league careers, there has yet to be that kind of connection between fans and players with the Giants affiliation.

If location is everything, it is the strike that was thrown right down the middle of the plate and was ripe for hitting. Instead, Norwich sat with its bat on its shoulder and watched this one go by. Dodd Stadium is in one of the worst possible locations it could be in. It is not close to the highway. It is buried in an industrial park, and the easiest way to get to it is closed off with a gate. Norwich called that pitch and has watched it ruin the chances of the stadium ever being successful without much effort to change the scenario.

Never had a chance
In truth, there are many more strikes against the Defenders.

Norwich, with its Stadium Advisory Authority, has made alternative uses of the stadium difficult at best. It has also been less than helpful in allowing team ownership to do what it believes is necessary to attract visitors. Although, it must be noted, the Stadium Advisory Authority would like to credit the team with the expenses it has already taken to improve the stadium.

The city has not negotiated the gate issue, even though it is the city that was supposed to do traffic studies and re-examine the concerns after season one.

So, why should the taxpayer be expected to pay for a failing venture? The City Council should do what City Councils have done when it comes to Dodd Stadium and the baseball team playing there for the last 12 seasons -- nothing of substance. In doing so, Norwich leaders will reap what they have sown through the years with Dodd Stadium. They will have an empty facility. And no one should blame Defenders owner Lou Dibella and his staff for the outcome.

6 Comments:

Blogger mdeep04 said...

This is so fucking sad, pardon my language. And I am sick of fighting with people about it. VonSchellFan28 on the forums on the bulletin is me, and I'm fucking done dealing with the people who don't support. I have seriously been looking at colleges in California now, so that I can enjoy baseball, because I am sure our AA team will be sent there within a few years, and the other three, San Jose, Freno and San Fran are out there. I'm not a Yankee/Red sox girl, I'm a giants girl.

9:39 AM

 
Blogger lance aka lc said...

VS28, the baseball season only overlaps with college semesters by about six weeks. Even if the team moves there will still be NB....
Based upon the affiliation excuse, the Trenton and Portland games should be sellouts.
Better marketing and better signage to direct people to where the park is would solve the problem.
I could put 225K people in that park next year if it was my responsibility.

4:42 PM

 
Blogger lance aka lc said...

BTW, you promised us Hedrick Greg, what happened? I don't think that is suck a good idea, he has setup man or closer stuff, but who knows. If I remember correctly he pitches stictly from the stretch.

There is a twinbill tomm. in NB, maybe he'll start one of those. I'll be there, it is hammer night, free hammer to the first 1,000 fans (and a tee shirt). What will they think of next? (and it doen't even get an honorable mention on milb.com for the best promotions of the week).

5:31 PM

 
Blogger greg8370 said...

The Hardware City...got to love it.

9:28 PM

 
Blogger thehondohurricane said...

Anyone goung to be in NB tonight? I have an aisle seat in Sect 107.

12:03 PM

 
Blogger thehondohurricane said...

That's tonight, Friday for the 2 games.

12:03 PM

 

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