When will Reno ever get a sports team?

[teentails]

When do you think the city of Reno will ever get a major semi pro sports team? Aren't they going to get a triple aaa team next year. Do you think Reno will get any sports team sometime in the future like in baseball, basketball, football, or hockey?

[Pounder]

Part of the issue is that they HAVE three of those teams, all named "University of Nevada."

The other part is, naturally, not being able to correct the cranial-rectal infarction that seems to crop up whenever a stadium or arena proposal bubbles to the surface. There's no good baseball stadium despite the huffing, and there's no good arena option (other than paying beaucoup rent to the convention center folk) coming anytime soon.

OTOH, they're already being speculated as preparing a Winter Olympic bid for 2018... my problem is that I expect the accompanying cranial-rectal issue to arise. Also, Denver and Salt Lake City are preparing bids.

[teentails]

so Reno may not get a sports team for a while? Aren't they building a baseball stadium up there? That's what I heard when I saw on the internet on the Reno newspaper (I think its called the Reno Gazette Journal or something like that I think)

P.S. Too bad the Reno Rockers basketball team wasn't able to establish themselves for the ABA!

[Pounder]

There was a lot of huffing about a PROPOSAL to build a ballpark in Sparks.

Nothing's going up. The bigwigs there can't get it done.

Even university ADs can wield some power. I have no evidence, but wouldn't be surprised if they threw some weight around to protect "their" turf.

[BruceB]

One factor is that Reno is historically a terrible sports city. There has never been a pro sports team there that has made it there, be it baseball, basketball, football or hockey. The ballpark issue is legit, too. There was talk a few years ago of a group buying Tacoma's PCL franchise and putting it into a proposed stadium in Reno, but nothing came of it. What remains is Moana Park, a substandard facility even back when I caught a Babe Ruth regional tournament game there nearly 30 years ago. Maybe things have changed, but I can't think of a single city in the US that has sent more pro sports franchises to the graveyard than Reno. You look at the population and think "Hmmmm...maybe a sports team could work here if..." But the reality is you have a better chance in the casinos.

[teentails]

What's the Golden Baseball? Is that a baseball league?

[oldfatguy]

You ask if Reno will ever get a sports team... how long have you lived there? Reno has had more sports teams than I would have time to research. All have failed, some for lack of visionary management and some for the fact that people in Reno don't support minor league sports.

Reno is a town that people come to in order to gamble, not go to baseball games - owners of teams there make that common mistake of not knowing your crowd. Las Vegas in the PCL has never drawn what it should based on population for the same reason.

The population mainly works in the casino and gaming support industry, and therefor works long, irregular hours for not much money. There's not enough of a population outside the gaming industry to support advertising, ticket sales, etc.

Odd that the GBL is giving up on Mesa and not Surprise - Mesa's population base is much, much larger than the west Valley in the Phoenix area. Though... someday someone will figure out that it's just too freakin' hot to play baseball outdoors in the summer in Phoenix. That's why little leaguers don't do it.

Anyway... good luck to Reno, hope they break the trend.

[Pounder]

Yes, Reno's in the Golden League. Oddly enough, instead of Moana, they'll be playing at the University's ballpark.

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051021/SPORTS01/510210432/1018/SPORTS

BTW, I say oddly enough because I suspect the Silver Sox paid a pretty penny to the school to get in there. That usually causes problems.

The article says that they're team #9, but that they'll play with 8 or 10, not 9. I wonder why someone here mentioned Mesa as the moving candidate when the all-road Samurai team really looks to be the odd one out.

You'll also note that the article references proposals to build a park to attract AAA. I'm not holding my breath.

One thing I'll say in response to oldguy... that describes Las Vegas to a tee. The Reno area has a bit more of a financial presence and a mining background... maybe even a ski bum culture. That's not MUCH more than what you described, and we can easily say that it hasn't supported a team to this point, but I think there's a bit more nuance to this equation. One wonders what would happen if a hockey team and a new Reno arena get married.

[teentails]

If the Reno Silver Sox get a .500 record next season I'll be very happy cause I don't think any pro team in Reno has ever had a winning record before in any sport and the University of Nevada college team sports don't count.