In recent years, the topic of expanding Major League Baseball to 32 teams has grown. In more than one interview with me, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said that he sees the league as a “growth industry” and stated that arrive at eight divisions of four teams each is a goal.
While Manfred said such a move wouldn’t happen until the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays get approval for new stadiums, the topic of expansion has sparked discussions in the market which could accommodate teams. Montreal and the returning Expos continue to come back due to repeated years of successful exhibition games right before the start of the regular season, and that will continue this year.
On the West Coast, Portland has resurfaced as a possible destination and, as I reported, there is a group working quietly behind the scenes to concoct some sort of rough solution if necessary.
Any expansion into the United States comes with issues to resolve. You can’t place a team anywhere in the country without impacting others, what creates problems largely around the creation of a distribution territory which overlaps with existing franchises.
So when John Stanton, CEO and chairman of the Seattle Mariners, arrived in Portland as part of a speaking engagement hosted by the Portland Business Journal, the topic of how an MLB team in the largest market outside of Seattle that the Mariners call their “home turf” “It was an interesting thing.
Stanton said the expansion was Manfred’s decision and didn’t see it as something that would happen anytime soon. “I don’t see (expansion) on the immediate agenda, but it looks like the league is going to look at what other leagues are doing in terms of expansion.” He then mentioned that expansion fees will certainly be part of the league’s consideration of potential expansion.
“We have to look at what is in the best interest of baseball, not the best interest of individual franchises,” Stanton said. “In the 40 years the Mariners have been involved in the league, we have always supported what is in the best interests of the league, and we will continue to do so.”
As for whether not just Portland, but any other market could host an expansion team, Stanton took the long view.
“Success and a sustainable position depend to a large extent on the size of your market,” he said. “Seattle is already one of the smallest markets by population and the smallest market in the AL West, adding that San Diego was the smallest market in the NL West and that “Portland would be smaller than both”.
“If I were in Portland’s shoes, I would look at what it would take to generate the revenue necessary for us to be successful, and that’s a challenge,” Stanton said.
But while there were logistical issues with the market around revenue, Stanton saw upside.
“One of the stats I hate, because we’ve led the league for 40 years, is miles driven,” Stanton said, pointing out Seattle’s geographic distance from other markets in which the team must play . “An I-5 rivalry with Portland would have the benefit of reducing miles traveled for players and staff.
As for the financial results of a Portland club, Stanton referenced league leadership.
“This is a problem for the commissioner.”
MORE FROM STANTON
On future naming rights to Safeco Field, which expires this year:
“It’s a two-part process. Prior to naming rights, we are in the process of extending our lease with the (Washington State Major Lease Baseball Stadium Public Facilities District). Once that’s complete, we can properly address the naming rights, but I can tell you that we’ve had a lot of interest and we look forward to announcing it when the time is right.
On Bob Bowman leave MLB Advanced Media (also known as BAM) and the future of MLB’s growth in the media landscape:
“I’m on the Business and Operations Board of Directors, which used to be called the BAM Board of Directors, and I can tell you that there are a lot of creative and talented people within MLBAM, from the commissioner’s office and the teams. We continue to review opportunities given all of the competing interests in the media landscape that include other leagues and forms of entertainment. We must continue to make our product more attractive to consumers and more available, especially to the younger generation. I think that’s what MLBAM was able to do with apps like “At Bat”; integrating content from team writers and MLB.com editors is a big part of that. We have rich content, both in terms of the number of games and the diversity of our players, and I believe we can continue to be successful. We have to be at the forefront and we cannot continue to do what we have done in the past. I think Commissioner Manfred was fabulous in articulating before and after the changes in the MLBAM organization.
On the 2017-18 free agency moving so slowly:
“This is only my second season as CEO of the Mariners, so it’s hard to say. But whether it’s clubs looking to sign extensions with their own prospects or addressing salary arbitration, you dedicate resources to those aspects from the start. You know a talented player like Yu Darvish has to land somewhere. But with hitters, there is now competition with younger players, and it is a question of whether clubs are looking to move towards them rather than hitters in their 30s.
When asked if the problem with free agency was that the ability to pay for past performance was ineffective or ineffective, Stanton rejected that answer.
“Whether it’s picking stocks or buying companies, no one is looking to pay for past performance. Past performance is an indication of the ability to succeed in the future. I think that’s always been true in baseball and everything else. No one wants to sign a player just because he has had a lot of success in the past. This is what tells you that he will be successful in the future.
