Good morning, all and happy Thursday!
The NFL draft launches tonight with the first round starting at 8:00 ET. ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes and the NFL Network will all carry the event. Coverage of the draft has grown from a cottage industry to must-see television, while serving as an economic boom for the host city. I break it all down in the video and audio podcast, as well as remember what the draft once was.
A couple of other draft notes:
The second and third rounds of the draft will be held Friday, April 24, starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Rounds 4-7 of the draft will be Saturday, April 25, starting at noon ET.
Royals announce new stadium plans
I am old enough to remember when the Kansas City Royals played at Municipal Stadium in downtown Kansas City, then opened their brand new Royals Stadium in 1973. Watching a game on TV from Kansas City always brought the “Wow” factor for me, such as: “Wow, what a sparkling new stadium,” “Wow, look how clean everything looks,” “Wow look how pristine the artificial surface is.”
Royals Stadium is now Kauffman Stadium, named after the late owner of the franchise, Ewing Kauffman. And the stadium is no longer new, although it looks pretty nice to me, whenever I watch a Royals game.
Nice no longer matters. These days, it’s how can a MLB club maximize revenue? If it means a new ballpark with more luxury boxes, then build a new ballpark. After months of stories that next door state Kansas was trying to lure the Royals with a new stadium, the way they attracted the Kansas City Chiefs, the team announced yesterday they are staying put, but building a new stadium just southeast of downtown KC.
The stadium will be designed along the lines of Dodger Stadium, according to officials, in that fans will enter the park through the upper deck, then look down on the stadium, with “striking” views of the city skyline. The location will be on the site of Hallmark Cards, which will be working with the club on the project. Coincidentally the location is also near the old Municipal Stadium site, which was home to the Kansas City Athletics, before the expansion Royals played there, while the new Royals Stadium was being constructed in the city outskirts.
Again, what is wrong with the “old” ballpark?
To repeat, it is all about maximizing revenue, which is why I wonder…
How much longer can the Red Sox call Fenway Park home?
Ownership has done a superb job of renovating MLB’s oldest ballpark, but one has to ask have the Red Sox become prisoners of their own historic venue?
At what point does reality intersect with nostalgia and the Red Sox make the inevitable decision to build a new ballpark? My guess is not in my lifetime, especially since ownership announced last season plans to build a 250,000-square-foot complex across from the Green Monster on Landsdowne St. to house team headquarters and retail. That doesn’t sound like an organization that has designs on a new ballpark in my lifetime.
But while others build new, it leaves one to wonder how much money the Red Sox are leaving on the table? I suspect, with the Royals the latest team to get new digs and the Athletics new Vegas ballpark slated to open in 2028, others will be asking the same question.
That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Enjoy the draft and as always, thank you for subscribing and have a terrific day!
DAN
