Marlins Will Increase Payroll, But Not Until New Ballpark Opens

Maybin Says New Ballpark First Step Toward Keeping More Players With Marlins

ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS? Marlins Owner Jeffrey Loria yesterday said, "Eventually when we're situated in the new stadium, revenues will be spent on increasing the payroll." But in Ft. Lauderdale, Juan Rodriguez notes fans should not "look for the Marlins to change their business model," as the team "still won't offer multi-year contracts that don't buy out at least one free-agent year." Samson: "The long-term contract issue has never really been ballpark related. A new ballpark does not give us the ability to not operate a sound, financially viable ball team. We can't afford mistakes in free agency at all" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 3/25). MLB Network’s Sean Casey said the Marlins are “going to be able to move forward (and) sign players to long-term deals now with the revenue the new stadium brings. My question is this: … Is that going to bring in the fans here with the new stadium in Florida?” (“MLB Tonight,” MLB Network, 3/25).

MLB Will Award All-Star Game To New Marlins Ballpark "Within A Few Years" Of Its Opening

HURDLES REMAIN: In Ft. Lauderdale, Sarah Talalay reports the Marlins' "next challenge is whether Miami-Dade County will be able to sell construction bonds in one of the most difficult credit markets in years." County officials "plan to fast-track the sale" of about $300M in bonds so that construction of the venue can begin in July. Miami-Dade County Manager George Burgess: "We would then go forward and meet with the rating agencies, meet with the rating underwriters and hopefully price and sell the bonds as soon as humanly possible, because we'd like to know the results of that certainly before July 1." Talalay notes the ballpark agreement "can be terminated by July 1 for a major issue, for instance if the county is unable to sell bonds." Under the current plan, bond owners would be repaid by county revenue that includes $297M in hotel bed taxes (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 3/25).

PARTY ON THE BEACH: In Ft. Lauderdale, Mike Bernardino writes the ballpark approval "changes ... so much" for baseball in South Florida, as it "removes the embarrassment we have felt as a sports market at finishing last in major league attendance year after year." The Marlins "won't ratchet up the payroll overnight, but I'd be very surprised if it didn't climb to more than $40[M] next season and eventually return to the $60[M] level by the time the new stadium opens." There may "even come a day when the Fish threaten the $100[M] mark," and the team "should be able to settle into a lengthy run of annual contention" in the NL East. Meanwhile, Bernardino notes Samson "must be taken seriously," as he cannot be "dismissed as a mere stepson of a major league owner, someone whose sometimes-abrasive manner has a tendency to place the organization in a negative light." Samson "got the deal done, and for that he should be commended" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 3/25).

DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME: In West Palm Beach, Frank Cerabino writes under the header, "Ballpark's Move A Snub To Half Of Marlins Fans." A large portion of the team's fan base comes from Broward and Palm Beach counties, and when the team joined MLB in '93, "its viability was hitched to the idea that it was a regional team." But by building a new ballpark in the "clogged heart of Miami-Dade County," the team is "essentially kissing off much of [their] easily distracted market." Cerabino writes South Florida residents are "not very devoted sports fans to begin with," and the region is "basically a haven for fair-weather transplants who will cheer a hometown team when it's winning, but find a reason to be apathetic most other times" (PALM BEACH POST, 3/25).

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