PawSox Nation Unhappy with Teams Plan to Move

Since the new owners of the Pawtucket Red Sox announced plans to move the team to a privately financed stadium in Providence, there has been an uproar in Pawtucket concerning the move. Being a longtime Pawtucket resident and fan of the PawSox for many years, I was upset to hear the disturbing news. How could the new owners possibly think that the baseball fans that attend the games in Pawtucket now would go along with this venture? They believe this stadium will help Providence, Rhode Island’s capital city, by becoming an engine for its economic growth as well as serve as a catalyst for the area’s development and boost citizen morale.

Join Petition to Stop this Move

Please join “Keep the PawSox at McCoy Stadium” petition circulating online which already has 6,923 signatures. The petition states the following: Rhode Island wants and needs the PawSox to stay in Pawtucket, RI. McCoy Stadium is the best AAA ball park in the league. Let the Red Sox owners know that it would be a BIG MISTAKE to move them. This petition will be delivered to Governor Gina Raimondo, The Rhode Island State House, and The Rhode Island State Senate. This is the link to petition: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/keep-the-paw-sox-at-mc

Why It Won’t Work

The PawSox, winners of two of the last three International League championships, have played at the city-owned McCoy Stadium since the 1970s. Attendance for PawSox games has gone down by 25 percent over the last decade, according to the league. But, under the ownership of Ben Mondor, who passed away in 2010, the PawSox became one of the most valuable franchises in minor league baseball, valued at $19 million with an annual revenue of $8 million.

Moving the PawSox to Providence doesn’t make sense on so many levels. Above all, for us Rhode Islanders, McCoy Stadium and the PawSox have become a part of our unique culture. This stadium is a remnant of the golden era of baseball. The city of Pawtucket is the biggest losers, not just economically, but also in terms of culture, tradition and pride. Residents of Pawtucket have been watching baseball at the McCoy Stadium for 70 years. That experience and longevity is invaluable to the community. The other problem is taking a team that is well established in one city and transplanting it to a completely new place where there is no pride or allegiance to the team.

The PawSox franchise should not be moved to Providence. While building a new ballpark may or may not bring about an uptick to the fortunes of the city of Providence, linking this to the uprooting of an established and winning team with a loyal fan base seems ill conceived and short sighted. Such moves always lead to higher ticket prices and additional parking costs, which might deal a deathblow to the franchise.

Move to Providence Seems Likely

The new owners would reportedly pay for the stadium. However, they would require the state of RI to give them the land at no cost. The owners are looking specifically at the vacant I-195 land downtown, which the state bought back in 2013 after borrowing $38.4 million. The state is counting on selling the land in order to pay back that money with interest. The owners have reportedly spent $200,000 over the month or so for a feasibility study for the 10,000-seat stadium, which they hope, will open in April 2017.

The new owners said they decided to move the team to Providence because making improvements to the Stadium in Pawtucket would be expensive. McCoy stadium was built in 1942 and renovated in the late 1990s. “The problem is the infrastructure isn’t there anymore,” Skeffington said. “Times have changed, ballparks have changed.” Skeffington also said he would like to rename the team the Rhode Island Red Sox.

Don’t Forget it’s the Fans that Make the game great!

The reality of this situation is that these new owners, Jim Skeffington, Boston Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino, Tom Ryan and Terry Murray believe that the best way to grow their 20 million dollar investment is to move to a new stadium in Providence. And, even if you agree or don’t agree with their business savvy, the fact is that the Fans are what makes the game great. If you lose the fan base, this venture will be unsuccessful. You have a stadium and fan base established in Pawtucket. Why not build on an already successful organization with a tremendous fan base and make it better?

Written by Tom d’Oliveira