Jumbo Shrimp to AAA?

[Tacachale]

^Similiar note on "sports" and media coverage.

AEW has got to be one of the most underreported local stories of the last year and a half.

We've got a hugely successful live television program eminating weekly in primetime from Daily's Place (with socially distanced crowds of up to 1,000 for big events) and I don't know if anyone in the local media even realizes it.

Ahem.

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/aew-is-making-jacksonville-a-wrestling-hotspot

[Ken_FSU]

^Still the best local coverage I've seen in the last year and a half on AEW.

[landfall]

^Similiar note on "sports" and media coverage.

AEW has got to be one of the most underreported local stories of the last year and a half.

We've got a hugely successful live television program eminating weekly in primetime from Daily's Place (with socially distanced crowds of up to 1,000 for big events) and I don't know if anyone in the local media even realizes it.

It's one of the highest rated shows in the key demos out there, even beating the NBA playoffs some nights, and TNT just gave them a nearly $200 million extension of their television deal.

You watch the show, and they namedrop Jacksonville about a hundred times every episode. Daily's hit the jackpot with the naming rights deal, as Daily's Place legitimately has gained national recognition because of the AEW program with the 18-44 crowd.

I think the most interesting part of the story is actually Tony Khan, and comparing his handling of AEW to Shad Khan's handling of the Jags. Guy is clearly very passionate and hands on with the product. He's out doing the media rounds. He's making himself available. And he's talking about how he literally loses sleep and makes major changes if AEW loses a night on cable to the competition. And, unlike his Dad at times, I've never once heard Tony talk about Jacksonville through a pinched nose. Every show opens with "Welcome to Jacksonville, home of the Jags." He talks really positively in the media about Jacksonville as AEW's homebase. His company is constantly doing fundraisers for local gun violence, women's shelters, etc.

Just seems like a good dude. If the Jags end up in Tony's hands one day, I think people would really like him (assuming we turn things around on the field, obviously).

There seems to be a lot of Jags (and Fulham) fans who cite Tony Khan's interest in his wrestling company to be at the expense of the other roles he has with those teams.

Although I totally agree AEW has been a success story for Jacksonville that we hear little about. Are they using the stadium for office space/operations?

[Tacachale]

Ask and you shall receive.

A pending realignment of minor league baseball has led to speculation that the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp could be promoted from class Double-A to Triple-A, the highest level in the minors. Could it happen?

Read more: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/could-the-jumbo-shrimp-be-headed-for-triple-a/

[fieldafm]

MiLB officially announced the Jax AAA move this morning.

[Steve]

This is really, really cool!

[Charles Hunter]

A not so favorable take on the contraction of the Minor Leagues from Mother Jones

Paying lots of people to play baseball was a problem, in developmental and financial terms, to be solved by paying substantially fewer people to play less baseball, in substantially fewer places. It’s a testament to the almost religious levels of self-absorption among Major League owners and executives that they didn’t think (or perhaps just did not care) about just how awful it sounds to tell people, publicly, that baseball games are a wasteful byproduct of professional baseball, as opposed to the entire point of professional baseball.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/12/monsters-of-2020-the-people-who-gutted-minor-league-baseball/?utm_source=pocket&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pockethits

[fsu813]

Related, good short piece on the Pros & Cons:

https://www.axios.com/minor-league-baseball-watch-2021-6121f637-4e7a-446c-995b-3ae79ec77132.html

[Steve]

It's kind of a mess right now in my eyes. Jacksonville was really one of the few "winners" in this as there were a lot more losers than winners.

Now, I say Winners in quotes as there are some considerations with the Shrimp going to AAA:

1. Ticket Prices will almost certainly increase. This is for a few reasons, but the biggest reason is that AAA teams generally fly to away games, versus AA teams who would usually take the Bus (though that may change a little going forward with more spacing)
2. There will be a bill for stadium improvements. 121 Financial was one of the nicest AA stadiums in America when built in 2003. Further, it was built to the minimum AAA standards. That was almost 20 years ago and there hasn't been a major renovation on the stadium since. My belief is we're probably in at least the bottom half of AAA parks (if not further down). Additionally, a big part of the MiLB restructuring is around more benefits for players in terms of training, etc. I could definitely see some renovations needed for players.

Overall I'm glad to see that we're moving up, but this isn't a free move so to speak.

[jaxlongtimer]

^ I am always amazed that stadiums are never "good enough."  When one looks back at stadiums from decades or more ago, it's amazing our ancestors could "put up" with just hot dogs and a Coke, sitting outdoors on hard bench seating, with "inadequate" bathrooms, no WIFI, no fancy scoreboards, etc. .

What kinds of upgrades would you think the Baseball Grounds would need?  I actually was OK with the old Wolfson Park so the current arena looks like a Rolls Royce stadium to me.  Not that I don't appreciate the changes, just don't think all of them are "must haves" as a fan.  I gather the owners like them for attracting "modern" and more "diverse" audiences and for providing added sources of revenue.  Of course, the players probably enjoy some added amenities in the locker rooms and training facilities.

The real question is where does this "arms race end?

[Steve]

I mean I think it's for a few reasons - for one, AAA stadiums just simply tend to have more facilities for the players. A lot of that comes from the parent club (remember, players are under contract with the Miami Marlins, not the Shrimp). A friend told me as well that MLB might mandate some things like locker facilities for Female Umps, which sounds like that may have been coming regardless of the AAA move.

I don't see this being like an upgrade where we'll need to add a ton of luxury boxes, etc, though I could see more "group" areas.

In terms of Wolfson Park.....yea we can agree to disagree. I don't need the ballpark to be a palace but I'm good not using a Trough in the Mens Room.

[Peter Griffin]

The current stadium is really quite nice, and almost seems to have been built and designed in anticipation of a AAA team. Fan experience is great, I've really enjoyed my visits there, even at the rained-out Raines Ribault game last Friday. Plus, tickets getting more expensive is not a huge deal when the prices now are like $6 for the bleachers.

Bringing more talent to the field and actually getting to see your home team WIN once in a while would be more than worth the price of admission.

[Tacachale]

^The stadium was built so that it could meet Triple A specifications with a modest investment. IMO it's one of the best minor league stadiums at any level. I'm not sure all tickets will go up. Part of it will be just selling more tickets overall. The bigger marketing budgets that Triple A teams tend to have should help with that.

[Wacca Pilatka]

I don't think it would take much to meet AAA standards with the stadium.  I've been to AAA parks in several other cities (Norfolk, Scranton) that are equal to or worse than the Baseball Grounds.  There are a couple of newer AAA parks that are comparative palaces, resembling mini-MLB parks and centered in the heart of downtown areas.  Charlotte and Memphis come to mind.  But I think the Baseball Grounds are nice by any standard.

[WarDamJagFan]

I just want my Thursty Thursdays back. Is that too much to ask? If I were to guess, I haven't watched a baseball game on TV since the 90s. Suns to Jumbo Shrimp games though? Let's get it.