Stomping their feet.

[PICHARDO]

The DR hosting a WBC anytime soon? Why?
Let's cut to the grain here:

The WBC was the brainchild of MLB to export the franchise to other countries and gain new would be spenders to the label. The DR is beisbol crazy already and I doubt it can get any hotter than that.

Santiago or Santo Domingo as a host to an initial phase of the elimination is not something we're ready for yet as cities. Santiago lacks too much in that field to accommodate a heavy influx of foreigners for such event (if in fact it was to be a commercial success) in any category as of now...

Santo Domingo is way too congested to have any better luck as well; I think that the DR can still play great baseball and export our image to other countries more effectively than hosting and becoming a disaster.

Down the road? A rotund "Aye" will be expected to serve as hosts, but for now we're not in any shape to host yet.

As expected MLB will "consider" the DR as a host for the 2013 classic, if we can shape up until then. Better get that new metro line to nick the Quisqueya stadium and have Santiago's Estadio Cibao on par to a MLB field and seating. Much work needs to be completed to get there...

Btw: The local beisbol big shots representing the DR to MLB already gave their OK to attend the 2009 classic...

[el fino]

There was all this Fuss for nothing, If I would have known that they would give in so easily I wouldn't have even bothered posting on this thread.

[Opusculum]

Originally Posted by el fino

If I would have known that they would give in so easily I wouldn't have even bothered posting on this thread.

So, had you known in advance what they would do, you wouldn't have done what you did.

[el fino]

Originally Posted by Opusculum

So, had you known in advance what they would do, you wouldn't have done what you did.

Yeah, Basically

[Chip]

Originally Posted by el fino

There was all this Fuss for nothing, If I would have known that they would give in so easily I wouldn't have even bothered posting on this thread.

I wonder why they gave in so easily - however, if they were somehow going to be paid, well that would explain it, eses tigueres.

[el fino]

Originally Posted by Chip

I wonder why they gave in so easily - however, if they were somehow going to be paid, well that would explain it, eses tigueres.

Thats what I think happened, the right people got paid (or were promised to get paid) and everybody falls in line. It just makes them look like pushovers.

[Musicqueen]

It's all their OWN doing...they are pushovers...and they just wanted MONEY...

They got what they deserved...but I sure hope it wasn't MONEY...maybe just a promise of 'next time'...

[Chip]

I think I should reword it, "they were going to lose money if they took the stance". It would seem only proper that mlb would make some contribution to the participating countrie's teams.

Given that the DR team owners were going to lose money the decision was made easy for them, btw how else are they going to pay for that new house in Windermere, haha???

[Musicqueen]

The Official Site of Major League Baseball: News: Miami hopes to host '09 Classic games

I for one AM VERY HAPPY today, after reading this...

WE might be able to watch SOME of those games up close and personal!!! Woohoo!!!

Anyone like to visit Sunny South Florida?

Cleef?

[Cleef]

Thanks MQ. There are very few things that would draw me to Florida, but sipping - or gulping - Mojitos and catching a game with you would be one.

I'm not sure if I understand a few of the previous posts.

Is there a belief that baseball officials were paid off to quiet down about the subject of the DR being a future host?

I don't see how the DR officials would have a leg to stand on in any protest.

If MLB is paying the bills, how could - or would - the DR baseball officials have any say in that whatsoever? If anything was exchanged between MLB and the DR consigliere it was this: "shut up, stand down".

Based on the history of organized baseball in the DR - the most recent Caribbean Series event for example - what ability has been demonstrated that would entice MLB to stage a major event there?

There isn't a market - a large enough one - in the DR that could or would pay the price to go to a MLB game. Take the Sox and A's in Tokyo for example. That's an 18 hour flight for teams in Florida, yet MLB has been there twice this decade. It's a huge (and wealthy) market for baseball - Japanese are fanatical about whatever it is they're interested in (ping pong, snowboarding or baseball).

There's no shortage of fanatics of baseball in the DR, but the vast majority are low-income households that simply can't afford such an event and would be just as happy listening to it on the radio or watching it at the local colmado.

In fact, if I was still living in SD that's where I'd rather entertain myself as well. Or at the banca de portiva watching some highly spirited games of dominoes during the commercial breaks - that seem to get longer and longer every season.