Why we fight
Posted by Carl on September 8, 2007
Just time for a quick post which I should expand upon later. Some have wondered why I’ve been so quick to jump on board the CanAm train considering no one’s declared the Lynx era over. Clearly there are some signs on the wall - big, glaring signs that say it is. But, until the fat lady sings, it ain’t over. Until then though, I guess I’m hedging my bets - given the current context, the only way the CanAm League gets in is if the Lynx leave; they won’t be forcing them out. Lynx stay - I’m happy. CanAm gets in - I’m less happy, but at least we have baseball and more importantly:
“I met with the city last April and all seemed on track,” says Wolff. “I felt it would be a seamless transition.
“Now, I don’t know where it goes next. I don’t know. We wanted to keep the Lynx people in place and go from there.”
If it doesn’t happen quickly, expect layoff notices around the Lynx office. (excerpted from the Ottawa Citizen, September 8, 2007 emphasis added)
Remember when we said our love of the Lynx was about more than just baseball?
More to follow….
September 8, 2007 at 2:12 pm
A very interesting and surprisingly lengthy article from Don Campbell.
I have a few thoughts about some of the things mentioned.
The Lynx averaged about 1,800 this year.
Perhaps I’m nitpicking, but does it bother anybody else that he couldn’t take the two minutes needed to go to ilbaseball.com to find out the actual attendence?
The actual figure is 1922, which to me as an engineer is not insignificant, it’s 6.8% more.
Many were born in the 1980s. Some are young enough that they leave the park wearing a jersey of their favourite major-league player or team. A lot of them spend a good chunk of their pay on cellphone bills. They always have one in their ear.
They don’t hang out in lobby bars, a sign of price and players’ age.
I think this is an overexaggeration about the age of players. Many Lynx were born in the 1980’s. I was born in the 1980’s and own my own townhouse and have been able to drink for 5 years in the U.S. (seven in Canada). What exactly is his point? That young players aren’t any good? That people only want to watch guys 28 or older? It’s my impression that Ottawans attend hockey games in large numbers involving 16-20 year olds.
It would more likely be a local player who is headed to the U.S. on a baseball scholarship and returns home and wants to play for another year or two.
Or a pro winding down his career, such as Nepean pitcher Mike Kusiewicz, finishing up his 12th year professionally in Winnipeg.
Former Lynx manager Tim Leiper would be a potential manager.
These are certainly all positives.
The Grays were established a year ago to be ready for when the Lynx departed.
Wrong. The Grays are on-and-off. Whether a previous team like Bangor or Allentown folded or an expansion team is granted without a partner, teams like the Road Grays and the Atlantic League’s Road Warriors are assembled to balance the schedule.
Throw in another team somewhere in Ontario. Welland has a stadium ready and could be a possibility, though a Toronto suburb would be best.
Awfully presumptuous, but he’s not totally off the mark.
The Toronto suburbs are unlikely to build a ballpark, but there are actually four cities in Southern Ontario with what I’d characterize as adequate ballparks.
London - http://www.digitalballparks.com/Eastern/London1.html
St. Catharines - http://www.digitalballparks.com/NYPenn/StCatherines1.html
Hamilton - http://mysite.verizon.net/charliesballparks/stadiums/arbour.htm
Welland - http://www.digitalballparks.com/NYPenn/Welland1.html
If I was to rank these parks/markets viability, I’d go with:
1. London
2. Welland (which could really include St. C)
3. Hamilton
4. St. Catharines
London is a clear front-runner to me, having already hosted AA and the Frontier League in their classic park. None of these places really address the commuting issues the way Ottawa or Montreal would, though going forward they could strengthen the overall Canadian interest.
Wolff says Pecor was willing to hand over the key and let the new team come in — even as the ”new” Lynx.
I’m curious to know what fans in Ottawa think is a better idea, continuing the Lynx tradition, or rebranding?
We wanted to keep the Lynx people in place and go from there.
…team expenses are kept to a minimum, the front office staff is small and hard-working.
I wonder how involved the Lynx front office is in this. How much of the staff would be retained and would they be willing to take pay cuts?
Just 20 kilometres north in Manchester, the Toronto Blue Jays have their Double-A Eastern League team.
Twenty minutes south, the Red Sox have their Single-A team in Lowell, Massachusetts.
New Hampshire is not very big. Manchester is the larger of the cities anyway. Any support they received from Manchester likely dried up with the advent of the Fisher Cats.
Not sure that Nashua is the story here anyway. I’m certain that franchise availability is in no way a barrier to an increased Canadian presence in the league.
September 9, 2007 at 9:07 am
London is a funny kind of market (with a great ballpark), it gets the same rap as Ottawa does in being kind of a “wet blanket”, very good initial support for AA and Frontier (great name - the Werewolves of London). St. Catherines had a longest run of any I believe, but the ballpark is better in Welland.
I kind of think rebranding is the way to go, need something you can really market. The Batavia Muckdogs are one of the lower attended teams in NY-Penn (pretty small place), however the merchandise is gangbusters all over N. America and many Little League teams have adopted the name.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m somewhat of a purist I guess, but for this to work, it needs to be fresh and new. The Lynx in-game promotions were the same every game this season as when I last
lived in the area 4 or 5 years ago. Can-Am will need promos EVERY night, they’ll need to be new and ever-changing. They’ll need to draw people seeking entertainment as much or more than those of us seeking baseball. And that’s not a bad thing.
September 9, 2007 at 9:34 am
#1, I noticed this error in Campbell’s piece as well - “The Grays were established a year ago to be ready for when the Lynx departed.”
I also agree that franchise availability is not an issue and that if and when it happens it can come together very quickly. Indy Leagues are very unstable, franchises move frequently, cities change leagues, leauges fold and resurface…
Miles Wolff’s name lends a lot of credibility to the Can Am League but presently the higher end (better caliber, better salaries ) Indy leagues are Northern, Atlantic, Frontier.
Having said that, bring on Can Am ball!
September 9, 2007 at 11:56 am
Dave,
I did some research into the history of affiliated baseball team names in Ottawa and here are my findings.
Canadian League:
1912-15 - Senators
Eastern Canada League:
1922-23 - Canadians
Original Can-Am League:
1937-38 - Braves
1936,39-40 - Senators
International League:
1951 - Giants
1952-54 - Athletics
1993-2007 - Lynx
To me it seems like pulling a historical name back wouldn’t be wise. All are either parent club knockoffs or the Senators which I’m sure is not only unappealing to Ottawa baseball fans, but also trademarked by the aforementioned unappealing entity.
I am also a purist and would like to see the Lynx tradition continue on, but realistically, a new name an identity could go a long way to change the casual fan’s perception about the team as an entertainment event.
I thought about the name “Canalmen” today to honor the hundreds who lost their lives constructing one of Ottawa’s famous landmarks. I know it lacks the 21st century feel of minor league names like Muckdogs, Isotopes, Sky Sox, and Sand Gnats, there is something tough and rock-solid about it.
-Bob
September 9, 2007 at 3:45 pm
With tongue firmly in cheek (though if it lets me watch baseball in the sunshine, so be it) I offer the following for the name the team contest:
Capital City Kitties
Here’s why:
- we get to keep Skratch (who the kids love).
- high potential for marketing with ladies, kids (plush), all
the people who WEREN’T coming to the ballpark.
- it rhymes.
- we can have a cartoon-style logo for the hats (like the original
Lynx logo or old Orioles) which I like.
- offers a whole new format for the restaurant, and waitress uniforms
which may attract more “baseball fans” during game days and non-game
days alike.
- Lenny could even come back (on a limited basis and ONLY if he gains
some weight).
- Go Cats Go will still be heard.
- Cat Scratch Fever can be used (saving money on buying new CD’s).
- people like kittens.
- The Nashua Pride technically ARE “Kitties”.
Somebody call Miles……..!