Asian Expansion

[Brewtacular]

Food for thought at the very least....

 

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/20080619TDY20301.htm

[bullox]

I like how they mention the Milwaukee Brewers. I thought that was neat.

[eanelson4]

I hope not. I have no desire to see MLB expand to Asia

[TooLiveBrew]

It's a crazy (not meaning bad, just kinda wild) idea, but I have to imagine the flight/travel times put the nix on this from the very start.

 

 

"Teams can get used to it, largely because it will be a massive money maker. If two North American squads swing through Asia at one time, while one team from Japan and one from either Taiwan or South Korea visit North America, the television revenues will make the trips worthwhile."

 

I think this really glosses over the whole 'it takes a day by plane to get there' stuff. MLB isn't exactly hurting for cash.

[bullox]

I hope not. I have no desire to see MLB expand to Asia

Care to expand? What is your reasoning for not wanting to see MLB teams in Asia?

I would like to see expansion as was mentioned in the article's first proposal - teams from separate continents would not meet until the playoffs or the World Series at the earliest. That would really make the travel issue a much smaller one. As far as once the playoffs and/or World Series start is another matter. I would propose a two day layoff allowing for travel between continents. That would give them a full day for travel and a full recovery day.

 

[sbrylski]

I hope not. I have no desire to see MLB expand to Asia

I think it would be neat, and very interesting. Down the line we'll probably have a team or three south of the border too.

Thinking way ahead, there maybe could expand to a third North American League - 3 leagues of 12, plus one Asian league of 12 - to make the playoffs work.

 

Its all fantasy right now, but I think there will be a point somewhere in the future when the MLB globalizes.

[kiwi brewer]

well if it ever happens, it will be interesting to watch the progress of the idea unfold.

 

maybe then the WORLD series would actaully mean, well, just that. until then i will still refer to it as The Series.

[endaround]

I could see MLB setting up a separate minor league system in Korea and Taiwan (maybe China), places where baseball is big but not on the level of moneymaking Japan is. No posting fees makes MLB very, very happy.

[sbrylski]

I really don't think travel will be that huge of an issue. Sure, its a pretty long flight, but a team would stay over there, say, 2.5-3 weeks to play 6 of the teams, or something like that. So two road trips pushed together to make one big one, and each team would only do it once a season.

[endaround]

The travel issues are just too big for it to work on a major league level. Not to mention time differences killing TV revenue.

[logan82]

Those road trips seem brutal enough as it is right now. Imagine your team not being home for almost a whole month. I know we would still get the same number of home games, but I think it is better to space them out as opposed to blocking them all together.

[Prince James]

I really don't think travel will be that huge of an issue. Sure, its a pretty long flight, but a team would stay over there, say, 2.5-3 weeks to play 6 of the teams, or something like that. So two road trips pushed together to make one big one, and each team would only do it once a season.

Man, could you imagine how brutal that type of raod trip could have been for past Brewer teams? We had enough trouble with 6-9 games being played on the West Coast.

[bullox]

until then i will still refer to it as The North American Series.

fixed ^^

 

[SeriesFinale]

I like how they mention the Milwaukee Brewers. I thought that was neat.

That'd be the ultimate Brewers road trip for me...forget San Diego or St. Louis!

[sbrylski]

The travel issues are just too big for it to work on a major league level. Not to mention time differences killing TV revenue.

8 PM in Chicago is 10 AM in Tokyo. That's really not that bad.

However, 8 PM in Tokyo is 6 AM in Chicago, and that's probably not going to fly.

 

So I'm not sure Japanese teams want a 3 week road trip where all their games are broadcast at 10 AM.

[TooLiveBrew]

I could see MLB setting up a separate minor league system in Korea and Taiwan (maybe China), places where baseball is big but not on the level of moneymaking Japan is. No posting fees makes MLB very, very happy.

 

Now this I could see happening. It makes a lot of sense in addition to saving MLB cents. The game is very big with a rich history in Asia, and in that sense expansion is very exciting. Imho there are just so many potential troubles with trying to have MLB teams nearly as far apart (on Earth) as possible playing each other.

[sbrylski]

It sounds like something for OOTP9 to me!

[logan82]

I hope it would lead to a true draft where all players had to be drafted to play in baseball.

 

I really like the idea in theory, but it just doesn't seem practical. I know I would be very upset if my team had to play at 10 AM. I get upset with the West Coast road trips where the games start at 9PM.

[dadofandrew]

Unrealistic, to say the least. However, I would say a couple teams in Tokyo and another population center in that part of the word is very realistic, though most of us will probably never see it.

[brewers19]

I really don't think travel will be that huge of an issue. Sure, its a pretty long flight, but a team would stay over there, say, 2.5-3 weeks to play 6 of

the teams, or something like that. So two road trips pushed together to make one big one, and each team would only do it once a season.

 

I dunno. I was in China for two weeks in May and more than a week after I got back I was still waking up at 2 AM each morning. The jet lag coming back is pretty horrendous.

[owbc]

I like the idea of a 3rd league.

The league could start with around 10 team, all of which would have the same status as MLB teams. The only time that MLB teams would play the Asian teams would be during interleague play. This would allow for exposure but not constant travel to Asia the entire year. The NL and AL could take turns going over to play or something like that.

As for the playoffs, I would expand to a 12 team playoff system using the NFL system. This would include the top 2 Asian teams and a 2nd wildcard from the AL and NL. The top 2 division winners in the AL and NL would recieve a bye.

Obviously, the Asian teams would not be on the same level to begin with, but they could definitely compete and I don't see why there couldn't be playoff upsets like when mid-major teams win games in the NCAA basketball tournament. Then, it could truly be the World Series.

Clearly, this is 10-20 years off, but Bud Selig has helped with the addition of the WBC. I also would like to see expansion to other places--the DR, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Venezula, and eventually Cuba. They probably could financially only support minor league teams, though.

[Blindcheck]

I would like to see more teams in more areas....I am in favor of expansion within the United States and outside of the US....although I would prefer expansion to happen in this hemisphere, though.

[liveforoctober]

I'm going to approach this from a different angle as to why I think, if done responsibly both fiscally and logically, this could be a revolutionary idea. I'm a big "world peace" kind of fellow... one of those guys who doesn't understand war and fighting and all of that jazz... why we can't all "get along" ... and the thought of the expansion of one our biggest and oldest leagues into a world league, I think, would go a long way in "uniting" some people around this globe.

 

Think about it. When the olympics come around, I cheer hardcore for the USA, as I should. But I can respect any of these athletes, no matter where they are from when they are competing for and earning the same things we are. It doesn't matter if they are from Sweden or Germany or Iraq and Bahrain or Cuba... wherever. Competing for a common cause or goal puts everyone on an even "platform" if you will... and it makes everyone equal.

 

Obviously this is years and years and years away from occuring... but don't you think our relations with Cuba would improve if, let's say, the Florida Marlins had a Cuban minor league team? Or don't you think Taiwan and South Korea would love the thought of profit sharing (and us in return) with a joint MLB?

 

Also remember, how many kids in North Korea (this is just an isolated example) are going to see a professional baseball league in South Korea and suddenly want to defect, or "hope" for that life. Maybe that is the start of the change in opinions towards us in some of these countries... or the start of better relations between feuding countries elsewhere.

 

If the MLB did it... the NFL and NBA would follow suit ... the MLS and NHL shortly thereafter.

 

I'm not sure how it could or would all work... but I think the benefits would go so far beyond just the individual leagues themselves.

 

I dunno, just an opinion.

[bullox]

the MLS

Just sayin...the MLS expanding elsewhere would be like minor league baseball expanding to other countries. There are much better football (soccer) leagues in other countries.

[liveforoctober]

Absolutely... actually, when I mentioned the MLS... I meant for them to expand to us. I think it would be great for this country if soccer became more important... and us getting swallowed by their leagues would be a good step.