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My Take

Baseball

Mark McGee
Posted 12/3/22

It seems like everyone wants to be a part of Nashville.  

As a baseball fan, I am hopeful Major League Baseball will make speculation a reality and name Nashville as one of two new venues …

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My Take

Baseball

Posted

It seems like everyone wants to be a part of Nashville.  

As a baseball fan, I am hopeful Major League Baseball will make speculation a reality and name Nashville as one of two new venues in the next couple of years.  

Dave Stewart, a four-time winner of 20 or more games for the Oakland A’s and a three-time World Series Champion, is spearheading the effort to bring another major sports team to Nashville.  

Now don’t get me wrong. The Nashville Sounds, a Triple-A franchise, offer a lot of fun in an amazing minor league stadium.  

However, we’re talking about Major League Baseball, and it appears no matter who you talk to Nashville is in the top two among possible cities such as Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Las Vegas, Nevada and Portland, Oregon.  

Two new teams would expand the Majors to 32. The last time Major League Baseball expanded was in 1998 when the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now the Tampa Bay Rays) were added.  

The Nashville franchise already has a name - the Stars. The name has nothing to do with country music and everything to do with paying homage to the Negro League team based in Nashville.  

Stewart, a former player, coach, assistant general manager and general manager in Major League Baseball is heading the effort to put together an ownership group. The goal for the potential franchise is to become the first majority minority owned MLB team.  

In an interview with me last week, Stewart said his group has agreed with Tennessee State University to evaluate 100 acres on campus as a possible stadium site. The Sounds stadium cannot be used because its design does not allow for expansion of seating.  

In addition to TSU, other potential sites discussed have been in Williamson County and possibly along the Cumberland River.  

The goal for the Stars is to have entertainment and shopping areas around the stadium similar to The Battery, which is anchored by Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.  

The expansion process isn’t going to happen overnight. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred wants to expand, but he has to make sure the A’s have a new home in Oakland, or a new stadium in Las Vegas.  

Tampa Bay has talked of moving and Nashville has been mentioned in those conversations. Nevertheless, Manfred is insistent the Rays stay where they are.  

Music City Baseball wants to have a stadium ready for play in 2025, but speculation is it could be a longer wait until all these other items are settled.  

A new team is going to need money, not only for a stadium, but also for a franchise purchase. The total price for the package could exceed $3 billion.  

The Major League Baseball Meetings are set for next week in San Diego, California. Stewart said he has already met with many owners who like Nashville. The meetings offer the opportunity for potential franchise cities to promote themselves.  

Stewart said he plans to be there to spread the Nashville Stars story. I, for one, am counting on Music City Baseball to hit a home run