Mayor’s plan puts pressure on MLB

At the heart of the debate over putting a major league baseball team in the District is this question: Can two teams co-exist and prosper at opposite ends of the Baltimore-Washington corridor?

A decade of rampant growth has pushed the population of the region far beyond that of California’s Bay area and made it much wealthier on a per capita basis than that of Chicago — markets that support two clubs each.

The Baltimore-Washington region is home to about 8million people, making it by far the largest metropolitan area in the country with only one major league team.

However, the Baltimore Orioles argue that a second team in the area would cripple the club economically, and their opposition has been the one constant in Washington’s 33-year pursuit of a team since the expansion Senators moved to Texas after the 1971 season.

Baseball boosters in Washington and Northern Virginia say the region can support two teams, especially given the demographic changes of recent years.

Now the debate is approaching a critical juncture.

District Mayor Anthony A. Williams recently proposed to fully fund with tax dollars a $340million ballpark on the grounds of 43-year-old RFK Stadium, satisfying the key demand of Major League Baseball. Baseball appears intent on making a decision on the relocation of the Montreal Expos by midsummer, two years behind schedule.

“Our proposal on this issue has been and remains very consistent: There will be no meaningful, detrimental effect on the Orioles from a Washington team whatsoever,” said Mark Tuohey, chairman of the D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission. “Both franchises can and will thrive and prosper under this scenario.”

Orioles objection

But is it really that simple? Can the region support two baseball teams in the same passionate way that has made the Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens economic pillars of the NFL?

The Orioles and owner Peter Angelos, of course, say no, and there is anecdotal evidence to back their case.

Major League Baseball currently has four markets that support two teams: New York, Chicago, San Francisco/Oakland and Los Angeles. In each, there historically has been a strong club that dominates economically and in on-field success.

The New York Yankees dominate the Mets, just as the Chicago Cubs do the White Sox, the San Francisco Giants do the Oakland Athletics, and the Los Angeles Dodgers do the Anaheim Angels. Last year the White Sox and A’s drew fewer fans than the MLB average, and the Mets barely exceeded it.

The Yankees, Cubs, Giants and Dodgers have an average franchise value of $489 million, according to Forbes magazine, and have made 17 playoff appearances since 1995.

The Mets, White Sox, A’s and Angels have an average value of $279 million and eight total playoff appearances in the same span.

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