Spring Training baseball at Disney

Newliskeardfamily · Aug 27, 2016

I have heard various rumours about Spring Training at ESPN resort. I have heard that the Braves are leaving. I have also heard that the Blue Jays might be taking their place. Any ideas about whats going on?

rteetz · Aug 27, 2016

Yes the Braves are moving but there is no word on if anyone is replacing them. The WWoS is kind of out of the way for many teams to travel to. The Braves want to be closer to other baseball teams for spring training.

http://ballparkdigest.com/2016/06/14/braves-spring-training-move-pushed-to-2019/

Newliskeardfamily · Aug 28, 2016

Jays are negotiating w their current stadium. I really hope they slide in Disney. They are a natural fit given the number of Canadians that visit in Spring.

wilkeliza · Aug 28, 2016

Braves are leaving but not until 2019. They are trying to leave because Houston and Washington left the central Florida area this leaving no teams to play against on a regular basis with out long bus rides. I think had they stayed the Braves would have negotiated longer term contracts.
I believe it is possible to have two teams do spring training at ESPN because there are smaller practice fields. There are some teams who already do share spring training facilities so it wouldn't be unheard of.

bama_ed · Aug 30, 2016

The Braves will be at WDW thru the 2018 spring training season.

Technically 2017 is the last year of the Braves-Disney contract but Atlanta couldn't get a new deal worked out on either coast of Florida in time for 2018 so they asked Disney if they could extend the contract a year and Disney was agreeable (but as far as I know the deal has not been worked out yet.)

I was at WDW this past March 2016 and tried to see 3 spring training games during our visit with the Braves at WDW, the Tigers at Tigertown in Lakeland, and the Astros in Kissimmee. There was rain at all 3 games and I never saw a complete 9 inning game. The Braves went 3 innings , the Tigers went 6, and the Astros never pulled the tarp off the field to start the game (last game of spring training).

Go see a spring training game in Central Florida while you still can.

Bama Ed

lockedoutlogic · Aug 31, 2016

No teams in the area...so logistically it makes no sense to have the braves in orlando...

5-10 years ago when all the franchise's were negotiating new stadiums would have been the time for the Orlando area to step and draw a couple more in...guaranteeing a pocket of teams for the long term.

Florida towns never seem to be proactive on anything...no tax base beyond tourists tends to do that...

woodleygrrl · Aug 31, 2016

There are actually several teams in the area: Astros, Tigers, and in Tampa there is the Yankees. You are right that the Nats left for West Palm but that had little to do with the travel and more to do with getting a new stadium.

wilkeliza · Aug 31, 2016

woodleygrrl said:
There are actually several teams in the area: Astros, Tigers, and in Tampa there is the Yankees. You are right that the Nats left for West Palm but that had little to do with the travel and more to do with getting a new stadium.

The Astros left as well or least they were suppose to. They are sharing the same facility as the Nats. Both are moving to West Palm Beach. So really after this season it will be just the Braves, Yankees, and Tigers in that general area. The Braves wills till have several days of the season where the guys are on the bus for 3 hours each way.

lockedoutlogic · Aug 31, 2016

woodleygrrl said:
There are actually several teams in the area: Astros, Tigers, and in Tampa there is the Yankees. You are right that the Nats left for West Palm but that had little to do with the travel and more to do with getting a new stadium.

Astros are gone...

Tigers are the closest...Yankees the next but they are on the west side of downtown Tampa so it's difficult.
Phillies and blue Jays hard to get too...all the coastal teams minimum 2.5-3 hour haul.

Just not enough to function

https://www.google.com/amp/www.orla...florida-20150308-story,amp.html?client=safari

cranbiz · Aug 31, 2016

Red Sox and Twins are in Ft Myers. It's a 3 hour ride but works for split squad games.

lockedoutlogic · Aug 31, 2016

cranbiz said:
Red Sox and Twins are in Ft Myers. It's a 3 hour ride but works for split squad games.

They play everyday...

Professional players are not interested in 6 hour round trips 3-4 times a week

jpeden · Sep 4, 2016

rteetz said:
Yes the Braves are moving but there is no word on if anyone is replacing them. The WWoS is kind of out of the way for many teams to travel to. The Braves want to be closer to other baseball teams for spring training.

http://ballparkdigest.com/2016/06/14/braves-spring-training-move-pushed-to-2019/

The Braves also want someone to build them a new stadium a la Cobb Coubty here in GA. If WDW would build them a new stadium, they'd stay - but the braves are a cheap organization and follow the free money. It's one of the reasons they're leaving downtown Atlanta. They'll go to whatever town in FL gives them the most money and the shiniest new stadium. The reality is, it won't be WWOS.

lockedoutlogic · Sep 4, 2016

jpeden said:
The Braves also want someone to build them a new stadium a la Cobb Coubty here in GA. If WDW would build them a new stadium, they'd stay - but the braves are a cheap organization and follow the free money. It's one of the reasons they're leaving downtown Atlanta. They'll go to whatever town in FL gives them the most money and the shiniest new stadium. The reality is, it won't be WWOS.

Granted...the braves are cheap...that's well documented...

Many of the southern franchises are - notably the Marlins, DEVIL rays, and Carolina Panthers...

But there are no other teams near Orlando anymore...they're not going down the Atlantic coast to play...not will they the gulf coast. They are in the wrong spot. It's a shame too...because Orlando could have positioned itself as a spring training hotbed with natural travel appeal 20-30 years ago...

...but they waste time on things like Osceola parkway instead.

DOOM1001 · Sep 4, 2016

When the Braves do move for Disney to get spring training baseball again there will likely have to be two teams move into WWoS.If you look at the Marlins/Cardinals in Jupiter they only really had the Mets in Port St.Lucie nearby,aside from them all the other teams are close to 2 hours away or longer.With Houston and Washington in West Palm Beach that's 2 more teams that they can play more frequently being closer.If you look at the schedule for the Marlins/Cards they played each other very frequently with so many other teams far away.If two teams can move to WWoS at least they would have a similar situation and Lakeland and the other teams around the bay area are far but still not a horrible drive away.I have no idea if the Osceola heritage park stadium in Kissimmee will be able to get a new team,I don't know how great or not great a complex it is but if they can it will obviously improve the chances of a new team or teams in Disney.The stadium in Viera where the Nat's played was a nice place but with so many teams on the west coast or south its definitely the most isolated stadium and the one that had the players spending the longest time on buses.

jimmytammy · Sep 5, 2016

jpeden said:
The Braves also want someone to build them a new stadium a la Cobb Coubty here in GA. If WDW would build them a new stadium, they'd stay - but the braves are a cheap organization and follow the free money. It's one of the reasons they're leaving downtown Atlanta. They'll go to whatever town in FL gives them the most money and the shiniest new stadium. The reality is, it won't be WWOS.

Not intending to dispute what you are saying here, but
the Braves organization, If I understand correctly, are funding the new stadium in Atl. They tried to get the city to build them a new stadium, but it didn't pan out. It was a 2 fold move for them, they wanted a new stadium, and in a better area. The lease was up, so it was time to move on. Like most stadiums in big cities, Turner Field is surrounded by a scary neighborhood. Granted, I feel for folks who live in these type environments. But the folks who pay big bucks(including myself)don't feel comfortable, especially once the sun goes down, being there. We have encountered thugs who meant to do harm in the parking lots there. I, for one, am looking forward to the move. Now them staying at WDW seems like a great fit, though the travel is the pits for them. Time will tell

jpeden · Sep 5, 2016

jimmytammy said:
Not intending to dispute what you are saying here, but
the Braves organization, If I understand correctly, are funding the new stadium in Atl. They tried to get the city to build them a new stadium, but it didn't pan out. It was a 2 fold move for them, they wanted a new stadium, and in a better area. The lease was up, so it was time to move on. Like most stadiums in big cities, Turner Field is surrounded by a scary neighborhood. Granted, I feel for folks who live in these type environments. But the folks who pay big bucks(including myself)don't feel comfortable, especially once the sun goes down, being there. We have encountered thugs who meant to do harm in the parking lots there. I, for one, am looking forward to the move. Now them staying at WDW seems like a great fit, though the travel is the pits for them. Time will tell

You're right about the neighborhood and Turner Field is a dump no doubt. But Atlanta wanted no part In rehabbing the stadium or area so yes the braves left for greener pastures.

Now, the braves are kicking 55% of the money, but Cobb County is still kicking in 45% of the money (and with the overruns and ever-growing cost of the pedestrian bridge that is vital to the project, I expect the $300 million investment to balloon).

Regardless, the Braves got a great deal when their owners could afford to build their own stadium without taxpayer support. Now it's coming out Cobb County redirected money allocated for parks to this project and no wonder the commission chair lost his re-election bid. Needless to say, the Braves got what might have been the best deal ever in stadium building at the expense at the Cobb County, GA taxpayer.

bama_ed · Sep 5, 2016

Yeah I am going to miss spring training baseball in Central Florida.

The Braves tickets were very expensive compared to others in the area. Guess it was based on all the potential customers at WDW and the easy access to see a game.

Communities in central Florida are NOT going to subsidize MLB spring training facilities that are over the top for 6 weeks of games from mid-February to late March. They get hotel and tourism tax revenue driven by theme park attendees and other markets. Communities on either FL coast are more likely to subsidize a spring training facility since they DON'T have the major theme parks. Of course, most of Florida has retirees and snow birds and basic Florida tourism to drive revenues. The more the the coastal communities can get multiple teams in "pods" or clusters in an area the more they can save some expense.

The Cleveland Indians left Winter Haven about 10 years ago and the exodus is nearly complete. The Tigers have been in Lakeland since the 1940s or some ridiculously long time and I wonder how long their deep roots will hold them there. The Astros are gone from Kissimmee, the Nationals are gone from the Space Coast, and the Braves will eventually be gone from Disney.

It was nice while it lasted.

Bama Ed

woodleygrrl · Nov 3, 2016

We have been coming to Central Florida for the past 8 seasons for Spring Training and it is going to be truly sad to not be able to combine my two most favorite things in the world, Disney and Nationals Baseball. Space Coast was such a lovely park and the area was getting more developed every season! I guess Disney trips are going to have to be a fall thing now.

Spring Training baseball at Disney

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