Dodgers looking to move spring home to Arizona

[rwperu34]

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This could be huge news for the Cactus League.

[MicroBob]

this is about the zillionth time the Dodgers have been courted by AZ it seems.

In either 99 or 2000 a lot of people were CERTAIN they had just seen the last Dodgers spring-training game in Vero Beach and that they would be in Arizona the following season.

Some fans even had signs wishing them farewell, "Bye Dodgers. We'll miss you." and stuff like that.


But the Dodgers stayed in VB and got some kind of state-funding to add some necessary amenities to Dodgertown which was feeling more and more antiquated (in a not as 'quaint' way) all the time compared to the modern complexes some other teams had.


I think they eventually signed a 20 year lease or something to stay at Dodgertown when they turned down the AZ courtship.
But perhaps it was only a 10-year when it was all said and done. And I'm sure there are ways to break such leases.


Having previously worked for the Dodgers in Vero Beach for 5 years (97-01) I know frighteningly little about the details of the deal that kept them there.


Mostly though I think it had as much to do with the proposal from Arizona starting to have some holes in it as anything VB put together for them.


It's still a huge hike back and forth across the country for the Dodgers of course. And I wouldn't blame them for wanting to break their traditional Vero Beach ties and set up shop in AZ.

But after previously thinking they were practically 100% gone when they never went anywhere I've learned to take an attitude of "I'll believe it when I see it."

So if you're in AZ and are looking forward to some Dodgers spring-games I wouldn't get TOO excited just yet.

[JasonK]

They should be in AZ so their fans can go see a few games. It's only 5-6 hours drive from LA.

[samjjones]

[ QUOTE ]
They should be in AZ so their fans can go see a few games. It's only 5-6 hours drive from LA.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. The Dodgers have great history in Vero Beach, but this move makes a lot of sense.

[MicroBob]

Actually, I agree.

The Dodgers mean a lot to Vero Beach...but there's a significant percentage of people even in that area who couldn't care less.


If the Dodgers were in AZ I have no doubt there would be a LOT of fans making the drive from SoCal to go see them in pre-season (especially over college spring-breaks, etc).

Still lots of Dodger fans in AZ I presume dating back to the days when they were the closest team.

7k-8k fans per game (with a large enough stadium) seems entirely realistic for the Dodgers if they had spring-training in AZ.

In VB they get decent crowds but not THAT great.
Dodgertown is the traditional spring-facility that is supposed to be a 'must-see'.
There are some Dodgers fans coming down to that area but certainly more Braves. Mets and Cards fans on that side of the state.


That native-american tribe was VERY close to getting the Dodgers 7 or 8 yrs ago but it just wasn't the right deal.

I have to believe it will happen eventually (maybe the proposal mentioned in the article, maybe not) and I have to believe that it's what a large percentage of Dodger fans want.

[By-Tor]

i will support any idea to move any portion of said doGers out of The Great State Of California.