Latest on MLB ambitions for the Triangle

[BenSherman]

A billionaire investor in multiple major U.S. sports teams wants to bring a Major League Baseball team to Raleigh.

The news? It’s not Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon, who has long professed his desire to bring a team to the area.

Marc Lasry, the co-founder and chief executive of Avenue Sports Fund, told WRAL in an exclusive interview that he wants to make a bet — a big one — on Raleigh. And it could boost the region’s odds in its bid for a big-league ballclub.

Major sports investor wants to bring MLB to Raleigh. Is it competition or collaboration with Dundon?

Marc Lasry’s Avenue Sports Fund is already invested in the NC Courage. He now wants to invest in big-league baseball in Raleigh, telling WRAL he’s willing to partner with Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon, who also has MLB ambitions.

www.wral.com

 

[Pogo_ka]

A billionaire investor in multiple major U.S. sports teams wants to bring a Major League Baseball team to Raleigh.

The news? It’s not Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon, who has long professed his desire to bring a team to the area.

Marc Lasry, the co-founder and chief executive of Avenue Sports Fund, told WRAL in an exclusive interview that he wants to make a bet — a big one — on Raleigh. And it could boost the region’s odds in its bid for a big-league ballclub.

Major sports investor wants to bring MLB to Raleigh. Is it competition or collaboration with Dundon?

Marc Lasry’s Avenue Sports Fund is already invested in the NC Courage. He now wants to invest in big-league baseball in Raleigh, telling WRAL he’s willing to partner with Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon, who also has MLB ambitions.

www.wral.com

Interesting it is Raleigh instead of Charlotte with 2 pro teams already.

 

[TarHeelColby10]

Interesting it is Raleigh instead of Charlotte with 2 pro teams already.

Yeah, Charlotte one of the worst sports cities in the country, maybe the globe.

 

[floridahighschoolcoach]

I don't see it ? The Braves are such a part of the culture in North Carolina and the Nationals are not that far away but wow.

 

[oldwell]

I don't see it ? The Braves are such a part of the culture in North Carolina and the Nationals are not that far away but wow.

It will be interesting to see how allegiances change if/when it does happen.

I’m a Braves fan but I think I would have to make the switch.

NC is projected to become like the 7th or 8th most populated state in the next decade so I completely get why we’re next up.

 

[oldwell]

Interesting it is Raleigh instead of Charlotte with 2 pro teams already.

Because Dundon has a team in Raleigh and wants to keep growing the sports culture.

 

[unc80]

Great news. One of the VERY few disadvantages to living in NC is no major league team. I've had a personal rule that if I ever moved away from Chapel Hill, it would be to be near a major league city. I've been to a few I like, but this is home. Turns out I may not need to anyway.

 

[camelheelfan]

Because Dundon has a team in Raleigh and wants to keep growing the sports culture.

It's not just that. It's the simple fact that Raleigh has a billionaire who wants the team here (apparently two, now that this Lasry fellow joins Dundon in having an interest), while Charlotte does not. Tepper has no interest in a baseball team from what I've read and heard.

 

[TheManitowocManiac]

I’d make the switch in a heartbeat

 

[topoftheheel]

Ask Bucks fans how it went with Lasry.

 

[mpaer]

Ask Bucks fans how it went with Lasry.

https://www.reuters.com/sports/ex-bucks-owner-marc-lasry-subject-sexual-misconduct-suit--flm-2025-05-09/

Lasry is the largest shareholder of Amplify Energy, an energy company responsible for an October 2021 oil spill in Orange County, California. Amplify was charged by a federal grand jury in December 2021 for criminal negligence in connection with their role in the oil spill. The 25,000-gallon oil spill was “in a quantity that may be harmful to the public health, welfare and environment of the United States

Okay
Name a Billionaire that is is an altruistic Saint Come on down Marc

 

[Unc12003]

I don't see it ? The Braves are such a part of the culture in North Carolina and the Nationals are not that far away but wow.

I wonder how much that is changing over time though. The braves were definitely the “home team” here in the tbs hay day but that’s been gone for a while and Raleigh isn’t even included in the coverage area for braves games anymore. I’m guessing braves affinity among younger fans in the triangle is much lower than it was 10-15 years ago.

even so, the Raleigh dma is among the largest without an mlb team and is projected to continue growing at a rapid rate. Raleigh definitely makes sense as a target for expansion. Much more so than Charlotte who already have two pro teams and committed to a minor league stadium in downtown that can’t be expanded to mlb size

 

[PonsterM]

Raleigh and Charlotte went head to head for an MLS team, but Charlotte had a billionaire backer (Tepper) and Raleigh didn't, so CLT got the team. We could be seeing the reverse here.

Re: NC being Braves territory: I can remember when everyone in NC was either a Cowboys or Redskins fan, but the Panthers are now pretty beloved in the state. An MLB team in NC would be adopted quickly and passionately.

Raleigh's biggest problem is that it doesn't have a dense urban core, so an MLB team here would be reliant on lots of people driving 20+ miles to games. That's fine on weekends, but there would be a lot of empty seats during weekday games. Any decision to bring MLB to Raleigh is based on the hope that there will be a lot of urban in-fill over the next 20 years, I would think.

 

[topoftheheel]

https://www.reuters.com/sports/ex-bucks-owner-marc-lasry-subject-sexual-misconduct-suit--flm-2025-05-09/

Lasry is the largest shareholder of Amplify Energy, an energy company responsible for an October 2021 oil spill in Orange County, California. Amplify was charged by a federal grand jury in December 2021 for criminal negligence in connection with their role in the oil spill. The 25,000-gallon oil spill was “in a quantity that may be harmful to the public health, welfare and environment of the United States

Okay
Name a Billionaire that is is an altruistic Saint Come on down Marc

That's not at all what I was referring to lol although he sounds like he'd fit in perfectly with the energy folks around here

 

[AntNews?]

As long as they aren’t red/black/white and lean full in with Moo like the Canes have the past few years then I’ll be good with it.

 

[AntNews?]

Raleigh and Charlotte went head to head for an MLS team, but Charlotte had a billionaire backer (Tepper) and Raleigh didn't, so CLT got the team. We could be seeing the reverse here.

Re: NC being Braves territory: I can remember when everyone in NC was either a Cowboys or Redskins fan, but the Panthers are now pretty beloved in the state. An MLB team in NC would be adopted quickly and passionately.

Raleigh's biggest problem is that it doesn't have a dense urban core, so an MLB team here would be reliant on lots of people driving 20+ miles to games. That's fine on weekends, but there would be a lot of empty seats during weekday games. Any decision to bring MLB to Raleigh is based on the hope that there will be a lot of urban in-fill over the next 20 years, I would think.

Raleigh’s other biggest problem is it’s a college sports hub and it’s a front runner market for anything other than college sports. UNC, dook and state will always get support even if they suck but the Canes spent a decade in the dumpster of the NHL for attendance when they were below average. Charlotte, for what it’s worth, still supports the Panthers and Hornets even when they are not good.

 

[tardog08]

Orioles are fairly close as well, actually closer than the braves

 

[premn]

A lot of people in the central and eastern part of the state with a lot of experience going to minor league games, so the pro baseball habits are there already.

 

[AntNews?]

A lot of people in the central and eastern part of the state with a lot of experience going to minor league games, so the pro baseball habits are there already.

Indeed but that’s the other side of the coin. MLB in Raleigh will likely hurt the Bulls and minor/collegiate league as sponsor and fans jump to MLB.

 

[premn]

Indeed but that’s the other side of the coin. MLB in Raleigh will likely hurt the Bulls and minor/collegiate league as sponsor and fans jump to MLB.

sure but the MLB franchise owners wouldn’t care about that

 

[mpaer]

Raleigh's biggest problem is that it doesn't have a dense urban core, so an MLB team here would be reliant on lots of people driving 20+ miles to games. That's fine on weekends, but there would be a lot of empty seats during weekday games. Any decision to bring MLB to Raleigh is based on the hope that there will be a lot of urban in-fill over the next 20 years, I would think.

I always have wondered who fills baseball stadiums on a Wednesday afternoon? In giant cities with lots of Businesses I always assumed it was a lot of Busines expense sales type guys bringing clients And of course retired folks many who bring their Grandkids?

 

[premn]

Raleigh would probably get a good boost in attendance of fans of other teams who have moved to the triangle

 

[unctar2001]

I live right outside of Charlotte and have been in the area the majority of my life. Raleigh would be the right location for this in my opinion. Seeing how the support of the Hurricanes has been has convinced me that they could do it. Meanwhile, I think Charlotte is a little tapped out with Panthers, Hornets, MLS to keep dipping into the well for an 81 game home baseball slate. I just don't see where the support would come from.

 

[PonsterM]

I always have wondered who fills baseball stadiums on a Wednesday afternoon? In giant cities with lots of Businesses I always assumed it was a lot of Busines expense sales type guys bringing clients And of course retired folks many who bring their Grandkids?

And tourists.

That said, I drive by Angel Stadium in Anaheim all the time, and you can see right into the stadium from the freeway. That stadium is rarely full, regardless of the day of the week, even in the middle of one of the biggest urban areas in America. It still takes a winning team to bring in fans.

 

[topoftheheel]

I live right outside of Charlotte and have been in the area the majority of my life. Raleigh would be the right location for this in my opinion. Seeing how the support of the Hurricanes has been has convinced me that they could do it. Meanwhile, I think Charlotte is a little tapped out with Panthers, Hornets, MLS to keep dipping into the well for an 81 game home baseball slate. I just don't see where the support would come from.

The energy for the Panthers playoff game and Hornets late season stretch are comparable to what I've seen for the Canes FWIW

 

[PonsterM]

Raleigh’s other biggest problem is it’s a college sports hub and it’s a front runner market for anything other than college sports. UNC, dook and state will always get support even if they suck but the Canes spent a decade in the dumpster of the NHL for attendance when they were below average. Charlotte, for what it’s worth, still supports the Panthers and Hornets even when they are not good.

What are you talking about? Charlotte ranked dead last in attendance in 2023-2024 during the beginning of the current rebuild. No pro sports franchise is immune to attendance problems.

 

[Imatarheel79]

I don't see it ? The Braves are such a part of the culture in North Carolina and the Nationals are not that far away but wow.

Kind of like the Falcons and the Commanders? and the Wizards and the Hawks?

 

[DavePuddy]

Raleigh and Charlotte went head to head for an MLS team, but Charlotte had a billionaire backer (Tepper) and Raleigh didn't, so CLT got the team. We could be seeing the reverse here.

Re: NC being Braves territory: I can remember when everyone in NC was either a Cowboys or Redskins fan, but the Panthers are now pretty beloved in the state. An MLB team in NC would be adopted quickly and passionately.

Raleigh's biggest problem is that it doesn't have a dense urban core, so an MLB team here would be reliant on lots of people driving 20+ miles to games. That's fine on weekends, but there would be a lot of empty seats during weekday games. Any decision to bring MLB to Raleigh is based on the hope that there will be a lot of urban in-fill over the next 20 years, I would think.

Echoing this opinion, it's hard to see the Triangle uniting around an MLB team sufficiently enough for an 81-game home schedule. That said, I would make it a point to attend Cubs games.

 

[HeWhoIsFondOfTheTarHeels]

MLB Raleigh – A movement to bring Major League Baseball to Raleigh, NC

mlbraleigh.com

 

[UNC76]

Orioles are fairly close as well, actually closer than the braves

Yep... officially the Orioles and Nats are our "home" teams. I say that because whenever my Yankees play either of those teams, I'm forced to watch their broadcast on MLB Extra Innings, instead of getting to watch the Yankees broadcast.

 

[jsim596]

I live right outside of Charlotte and have been in the area the majority of my life. Raleigh would be the right location for this in my opinion. Seeing how the support of the Hurricanes has been has convinced me that they could do it. Meanwhile, I think Charlotte is a little tapped out with Panthers, Hornets, MLS to keep dipping into the well for an 81 game home baseball slate. I just don't see where the support would come from.

I agree. I’m in Charlotte and a native, baseball is my favorite sport, but Raleigh is the better choice right now. Charlotte would only work if you moved one of the current pro teams out, IMO. We should all unite around Raleigh as it has a much stronger natural case than Nashville if it can catch up to the Nashville group organizationally.

 

[HeWhoIsFondOfTheTarHeels]

Echoing this opinion, it's hard to see the Triangle uniting around an MLB team sufficiently enough for an 81-game home schedule. That said, I would make it a point to attend Cubs games.

There’s higher population within an hour of Raleigh than Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Kansas City. As well as Charlotte and Nashville, the other eastern-US contenders.

NC is the biggest state in the country without an MLB team.

 

[PonsterM]

There’s higher population within an hour of Raleigh than Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Kansas City. As well as Charlotte and Nashville, the other eastern-US contenders.

NC is the biggest state in the country without an MLB team.

That may be true, but folks from Fayetteville aren't going to regularly drive up to Raleigh for a Tuesday afternoon baseball game.

 

[HeWhoIsFondOfTheTarHeels]

That may be true, but folks from Fayetteville aren't going to regularly drive up to Raleigh for a Tuesday afternoon baseball game.

The other 35,000 of us who are there will miss them.

And they wouldn't need to regularly anyway, as fewer than 10 of 81 home games would be weekday afternoon ones.

 

[HighPointHeel24]

It will be interesting to see how allegiances change if/when it does happen.

I’m a Braves fan but I think I would have to make the switch.

NC is projected to become like the 7th or 8th most populated state in the next decade so I completely get why we’re next up.

Been a Braves fan for almost 60 years so I could never switch, but it would be nice to get 3-4 Braves games a year in Raleigh!

 

[PonsterM]

The other 35,000 of us who are there will miss them.

And they wouldn't need to regularly anyway, as fewer than 10 of 81 home games would be weekday afternoon ones.

You can puff your chest out as much as you like, but if Raleigh doesn't get a team, one of the big reasons will be its lack of a dense urban core. The Triangle is a fast growing area, but that growth is still very spread out. The whole "lots of population within an hour drive" thing matters a whole lot less than "population within a short subway ride." Every city you mentioned except Charlotte has a subway system. Dense urban development matters to baseball.

 

[HighPointHeel24]

As long as they aren’t red/black/white and lean full in with Moo like the Canes have the past few years then I’ll be good with it.

AMEN! The Baseball team will be a regional team much like the Braves drawing fans from all over NC and southern VA.

 

[maxmrnb1]

I'd love Raleigh to get an expansion team in the al east!

 

[6string]

They would have to build a new stadium and my logic says to put in the Research Triangle in the middle of the metro area with access from Durham etc. Hey, I’ve got an idea. Build it at Carolina North.

 

[TarHeelColby10]

Raleigh and Charlotte went head to head for an MLS team, but Charlotte had a billionaire backer (Tepper) and Raleigh didn't, so CLT got the team. We could be seeing the reverse here.

Re: NC being Braves territory: I can remember when everyone in NC was either a Cowboys or Redskins fan, but the Panthers are now pretty beloved in the state. An MLB team in NC would be adopted quickly and passionately.

Raleigh's biggest problem is that it doesn't have a dense urban core, so an MLB team here would be reliant on lots of people driving 20+ miles to games. That's fine on weekends, but there would be a lot of empty seats during weekday games. Any decision to bring MLB to Raleigh is based on the hope that there will be a lot of urban in-fill over the next 20 years, I would think.

The thing is, other New York, Boston and Maybe LA what MLB stadium fills the seats every night?