Sherrie Huffman, Staff Writer

The possibility of North Carolina  gaining a Major League Baseball team may soon become a reality, as explained by lecturers at the first annual Appalachian State University Sports Management Conference, Nov. 7.

Executive Director of North Carolina Baseball, Michael Solomon of Greensboro, presented information concerning when and how MLB will come to North Carolina to conference participants in Whitener Hall.

The prospect of a team to play for North Carolina is good.  Hickory Crawdads owner Don Beaver seeks to buy the Minnesota Twins for $210 million.

Beaver wants to relocate the team to North Carolina.  Solomon said the possibility seems feasible because Twins’ attendance has dropped, and the owner is ready to sell.

Solomon hopes a North Carolina baseball team will attract more fans than the recently acquired Carolina Panthers.  “Baseball games are more family-centered and more affordable than football,” he said. “The average family will be able to afford a baseball game easily, and the chance of getting a seat at a baseball game is far greater than trying to get a seat at a Panthers game.”

The proposed MLB stadium site is in the triad area of the state, between the cities of Winston-Salem, High Point and Greensboro.

Solomon said the stadium would be in a geographically-ideal location.

The area’s population totals more than 6.5 million and it is the largest United States population base without access to a major league franchise, Solomon said.

The triad area is also home to the seventh largest television market and the 11th largest radio market in the United States, so broadcast coverage would be abundant, according to Solomon.

The addition of a baseball stadium to the triad area would generate over 3,000 jobs and invite approximately $40 million in revenues.  More people would be attracted to the area.  Solomon said, “A baseball team would contribute to the quality of life in a city.  People are attracted to sports cities, and this would contribute to the generated revenue [for the cities].”

The stadium itself would cost $210 million dollars, but it will mostly be payed for through private donations.  Taxpayers will pay $1.50 per month toward the stadium, said Solomon.

The proposed idea for the team and stadium will be voted on  May 5, 1998.

“If things run as planned, the team should be in North Carolina by the year 2000,” Solomon said.

Also present at the conference was Crawdads General Manager David Haas, who addressed concerns that a MLB team might steal business from minor league teams.
Haas said he feels that teams in the vicinity of the major league team will suffer the most.

However, Haas also recognized the benefits of the Twins’ relocation. “The minor leagues may get a boost of attendance at games because the major league team will spur interest in baseball,” he said.
 
 

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