Richmond Sports

[I miss RVA]

9 minutes ago, eandslee said:

Would love to see it, but not sure Richmond is there yet. 

We're not - and I don't see us being there in our lifetimes. Plus, Washington won't allow it - they already have enough competition (in a manner of speaking) from Baltimore, just a few miles up the road - although Baltimore-Washington CSMA is far-and-away large enough to easily support two NFL franchises.

9 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

I just don't see how you lump Richmond and HR together as one sports market, or how Washington would ever allow it.

Coupe: Spot on -- on both points, sir!

Richmond-HR didn't work with the ABA (admittedly that was 50 years ago and both markets were a LOT smaller) - but even combined - maybe 3.5 million? And it's too spread out. Where do you put a team that half the market doesn't have to schlep almost as far as going to Washington to see a game? Whose team would it really be anyway? (meaning - Richmond's - or HR's?)

Plus - you hit on the biggest point - NFL owners would need only Dan Snyder's objection to kibosh any proposal. No way Washington would be on board.

Edited November 19, 2020 by I miss RVA

[rjp212]

Stared at this for a while until I figured out where it had been planned.  Looks like it would've been the redevelopment of Belmont Golf Course.

https://www.odell.com/portfolio/henrico-indoor-athletic-complex/?portfolioCats=86

[eandslee]

7 hours ago, rjp212 said:

Stared at this for a while until I figured out where it had been planned.  Looks like it would've been the redevelopment of Belmont Golf Course.

https://www.odell.com/portfolio/henrico-indoor-athletic-complex/?portfolioCats=86

Yeah - would have been nice, but it looks like they’re going to keep it as a golf course.

Interesting to see this rendering though...and just look at that horrendously long parking lot to the right of the rendering. I’d hate to have parked on the far side of that lot and have to walk a mile to get to where I needed to go. Wow!

[Icetera]

4 hours ago, eandslee said:

Interesting to see this rendering though...and just look at that horrendously long parking lot to the right of the rendering. I’d hate to have parked on the far side of that lot and have to walk a mile to get to where I needed to go. Wow!

I always love the people that complain about parking a block away in the city and yet have no problem parking at the end of a sea of parking like that at Walmart, the mall, etc.  Some how a two block long walk on asphalt dodging cars is more pleasant than a city sidewalk for suburbanites.

[Icetera]

BFG in the Norfolk forum dug up trademarks for a new Professional Collegiate League basketball team in Norfolk and mentioned Richmond also building a team.  As reported in RTD on Friday, the first season (2021)  would potentially play in VA Beach (or another single venue) with games in individual cities starting in 2022 due to COVID-19.
https://richmond.com/sports/college/richmond-scheduled-as-one-of-eight-cities-for-pro-college-hybrid-hoops-league-forming/article_79bae502-8218-5cb0-b467-41e07574de79.html

Quote

Richmond is scheduled to be one of eight cities affiliated with the Professional Collegiate League, which will offer a new model for top-tier basketball prospects who want to simultaneously be paid to play and attend college, while preparing for NBA opportunities.

According to the league, Richmond will be joined by Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Raleigh, and Washington. Because of the global health crisis, the PCL is projecting competition at one venue this year, if possible. The Virginia Beach Sports Center is a potential site for 2021 games, according to Volante.

An eventual home facility for the Richmond team could be VCU’s Siegel Center, the University of Richmond’s Robins Center, or another arena in the area, according to [PCL CEO Ricky] Volante.

  

13 hours ago, BFG said:

So I decided to look up a few trademarks, just for fun. Something caught my eye.

http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4804:6de9yq.8.1

The Norfolk Neptunes, filed by PW Branding, which I’m guessing is Pharrell Williams, one half of the music duo The Neptunes. My first thought is they’re indeed putting an NBA plan together, but I’m leaning more towards something involving the Professional Collegiate League, which plans to challenge the NCAA. Norfolk and Richmond are getting teams, and the DC and Carolina team names were recently unveiled. 

https://thepcleague.com

EDIT: the search expired, but this was the result.

 

[wrldcoupe4]

Where would a Professional Collegiate league play in Richmond?  What incentive would UofR or VCU have to cooperate with them as it seems like they would be trying to draw away talent from the NCAA.  Can't imagine we could roll out the Coliseum in its current state at this point. Green City if that ever happens?

[Icetera]

10 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Where would a Professional Collegiate league play in Richmond?  What incentive would UofR or VCU have to cooperate with them as it seems like they would be trying to draw away talent from the NCAA.  Can't imagine we could roll out the Coliseum in its current state at this point. Green City if that ever happens?

I was wondering that as well.  Perhaps PCL is actually drawing from a different athletic pool while encouraging student enrollment, leading to less competition than suggested.  The VA Center sports complex could be an option until our regional arena is determined.
 

Quote

The PCL could be the destination for one-and-done NCAA players, or those who now compete as pros internationally following high school.

I did miss this critical piece:

Quote

He estimated that the PCL’s annual budget in the single-venue setup will be between $12 and $18 million, would increase significantly in subsequent years, and said the league is looking at establishing headquarters in Richmond.

 

[BFG]

25 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Where would a Professional Collegiate league play in Richmond?  What incentive would UofR or VCU have to cooperate with them as it seems like they would be trying to draw away talent from the NCAA.  Can't imagine we could roll out the Coliseum in its current state at this point. Green City if that ever happens?

The Ashe Center, maybe? I know they played high school basketball tournaments there.

[Icetera]

1 hour ago, BFG said:

The Ashe Center, maybe? I know they played high school basketball tournaments there.

If I recall correctly, the Arthur Ashe Center is destined to be demolished with the Diamond area redevelopment.  Assuming things move forward in the near future, perhaps it would be around for the 2022 season but not likely afterwards.  Henrico's sports center could be built by then.

[BFG]

Gotcha. 

Reading that richmond.com article, I didn't realize the VB complex was proposed to host all eight teams. Kinda like a bubble system, which is what I'd been hoping to see happen with that venue in one way or another.

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, BFG said:

The Ashe Center, maybe? I know they played high school basketball tournaments there.

Nice! Believe it or not, I played high school basketball tournaments at the old, long-ago razed, Richmond Arena.

[I miss RVA]

The Squirrels weigh in on the need for a new ballpark. From the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

https://richmond.com/sports/professional/squirrels-lou-dibella-we-need-to-be-playing-in-a-new-stadium-no-later-than/article_d28ef1ce-fa45-5c7e-a874-8e6c4188855d.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

[eandslee]

I think we might need to create a Green City/Green City Arena thread now that Green City is a thing (though construction hasn't started yet).  Anyway, thought I'd mention here that the RTD just did a piece on the Green City Arena and the possibility of the NCAA using it for March Madness as well as other conference basketball tournaments.  There was no groundbreaking information presented in the piece, but it just re-emphasized that the Green City developers have had direct conversations with the NCAA and they are aware of the new project and find the project to be of interest to them.  Really, until dirt moves there probably won't be any other conversations with sports organizations because the developers have done what they can up to this point.  Now, it's all about getting to where ground can be broken.  When that happens, I can see things moving fairly quickly - more sports organizations will join discussions on using the facility for their tournaments...to include the NCAA.  Usually, those high-profile tournaments choose venues up to 3 and 4 years before they even take place.  As soon as ground is broken, those discussions need to be initiated again.  I assume they'd have to break ground on the arena this year (by the end of the year) in order to deliver the arena by 2024 (~2-year construction timeline to build it).  I sure hope it stays on schedule!

https://richmond.com/sports/college/no-formal-pitches-delivered-yet-but-henricos-planned-greencity-arena-keeps-march-madness-in-mind/article_0bd1e2a4-0484-5c7a-93ef-032233647174.html

 

[I miss RVA]

57 minutes ago, eandslee said:

I think we might need to create a Green City/Green City Arena thread now that Green City is a thing (though construction hasn't started yet).  Anyway, thought I'd mention here that the RTD just did a piece on the Green City Arena and the possibility of the NCAA using it for March Madness as well as other conference basketball tournaments.  There was no groundbreaking information presented in the piece, but it just re-emphasized that the Green City developers have had direct conversations with the NCAA and they are aware of the new project and find the project to be of interest to them.  Really, until dirt moves there probably won't be any other conversations with sports organizations because the developers have done what they can up to this point.  Now, it's all about getting to where ground can be broken.  When that happens, I can see things moving fairly quickly - more sports organizations will join discussions on using the facility for their tournaments...to include the NCAA.  Usually, those high-profile tournaments choose venues up to 3 and 4 years before they even take place.  As soon as ground is broken, those discussions need to be initiated again.  I assume they'd have to break ground on the arena this year (by the end of the year) in order to deliver the arena by 2024 (~2-year construction timeline to build it).  I sure hope it stays on schedule!

https://richmond.com/sports/college/no-formal-pitches-delivered-yet-but-henricos-planned-greencity-arena-keeps-march-madness-in-mind/article_0bd1e2a4-0484-5c7a-93ef-032233647174.html

 

I'd still ilke them to beef up the seating by a couple thousand - having a 19,000 or 20,000-seat facility would make the venue and the region a much more attractive draw for larger-scale events. It would be really sweet to see the new arena host the A-10 or CAA tourneys or heck - why not even at least TRY to get the ACC tournament!  And of course, the first-second rounds of the NCAAs. What's the rule for regional rounds? Is it arena size? Market size? Number of hotel rooms? Something that, if I recall, we said would STILL shut RVA out of hosting the regional round of the NCAAs even with a significantly larger arena.

[wrldcoupe4]

I’m so over this lame sports team.  Please don’t come back so we can do something great on this site. “Not financially equitable” - from one of the richest sports franchises around. Pitiful. 
https://richmond.com/sports/professional/commanders-training-camp-may-not-return-to-richmond-coach-says-one-week-trip-is-not/article_88587c27-8f31-549a-a8a2-632b045acf86.html#tracking-source=most-popular-homepage

[I miss RVA]

32 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

I’m so over this lame sports team.  Please don’t come back so we can do something great on this site. “Not financially equitable” - from one of the richest sports franchises around. Pitiful. 
https://richmond.com/sports/professional/commanders-training-camp-may-not-return-to-richmond-coach-says-one-week-trip-is-not/article_88587c27-8f31-549a-a8a2-632b045acf86.html#tracking-source=most-popular-homepage

Don't get me started on Diaper Danny as he was known when he bought the team 24 years ago (Jesus - I can't believe that this clown has owned the team for this long). "Not financially equitable" - yeah, leave it to ol' Nickel & Dime Dan -- who will find a way to squeeze every possible dollar out of every possible aspect of this club -- all the while putting utter garbage on the field for a quarter century -- to claim this isn't financially feasible. Really, Danny Boy?

I'm with you, Coupe - good riddance. I wish the NFL owners would gang up on this Bozo and force him to sell the team, given all the allegations of wrongdoing at all levels of the organization that have surfaced in the past year or two. I won't go as far as to say they were a "model" organization back in the days when the Cooke family owned the club (and they were winning Super Bowls) but they had a knack for doing things right when Jack Kent Cooke was the primary owner. I had a foreshadowing feeling of doom when he passed away - but never in my worst nightmares did I dream it would get THIS bad.

Commanders... puh!!!  (And I say this despite the fact that I've always said - 'cut me and I bleed Burgundy and Gold' ...) 

[ancientcarpenter]

59 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

I’m so over this lame sports team.  Please don’t come back so we can do something great on this site. “Not financially equitable” - from one of the richest sports franchises around. Pitiful. 
https://richmond.com/sports/professional/commanders-training-camp-may-not-return-to-richmond-coach-says-one-week-trip-is-not/article_88587c27-8f31-549a-a8a2-632b045acf86.html#tracking-source=most-popular-homepage

I was looking forward to my newborn and I having a team together. So happy to be a warhogs, redhogs, or redtails...or almost anything else. They chose Commanders? Can't overcome the nonsense that is that owner. And for that reason, I'm out.

 

That field needs to be a park + high density living. Was such an old school RVA thing to do and was a huge waste of space.

[I miss RVA]

18 minutes ago, ancientcarpenter said:

That field needs to be a park + high density living. Was such an old school RVA thing to do and was a huge waste of space.

100% agreed! 

Edited March 31, 2022 by I miss RVA

[Icetera]

1 hour ago, ancientcarpenter said:

That field needs to be a park + high density living. Was such an old school RVA thing to do and was a huge waste of space.

The property is used for a lot of other events so I doubt it is going any where anytime soon.  Good riddance to the non-champion team from the District.

[I miss RVA]

Sad, but true.

[Downtowner]

18 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

Don't get me started on Diaper Danny as he was known when he bought the team 24 years ago (Jesus - I can't believe that this clown has owned the team for this long). "Not financially equitable" - yeah, leave it to ol' Nickel & Dime Dan -- who will find a way to squeeze every possible dollar out of every possible aspect of this club -- all the while putting utter garbage on the field for a quarter century -- to claim this isn't financially feasible. Really, Danny Boy?

I'm with you, Coupe - good riddance. I wish the NFL owners would gang up on this Bozo and force him to sell the team, given all the allegations of wrongdoing at all levels of the organization that have surfaced in the past year or two. I won't go as far as to say they were a "model" organization back in the days when the Cooke family owned the club (and they were winning Super Bowls) but they had a knack for doing things right when Jack Kent Cooke was the primary owner. I had a foreshadowing feeling of doom when he passed away - but never in my worst nightmares did I dream it would get THIS bad.

Commanders... puh!!!  (And I say this despite the fact that I've always said - 'cut me and I bleed Burgundy and Gold' ...) 

Sadly I see them becoming like the lions were for 60 plus years the culture with us has been awful for that long. Finally the ford family daughter is changing that and even dropped her last maiden name of ford to only her married last name hamp because she is upset the damage her mom and dad has caused the lions in Detroit. I hope Dan has a child that feels that way or sadly a grandchild hopefully if it takes that long. The Detroit lions have finally turned the ship around and the culture with owners who care and not the original who just let the team decay for years. Be prepared my fair Washington commanders fans. I would hate to see it but I could see it happen with the Snyder family. Lions fans would complain about ownership more than anyone.

[Wahoo 07]

19 hours ago, ancientcarpenter said:

That field needs to be a park + high density living. Was such an old school RVA thing to do and was a huge waste of space.

Well said.  Looking at a Google Maps satellite image of Leigh Street between AA Blvd and Dinneen Street, Leigh has the potential to be a major boulevard-esque street.  There are slews of surface parking and otherwise underutilized land that should be high density development.  Doing this will help connect growth in SA/Diamond to Carver, Jackson Ward, and the CBD.  Hopefully, the powers that be recognize this too.

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, Wahoo 07 said:

Well said.  Looking at a Google Maps satellite image of Leigh Street between AA Blvd and Dinneen Street, Leigh has the potential to be a major boulevard-esque street.  There are slews of surface parking and otherwise underutilized land that should be high density development.  Doing this will help connect growth in SA/Diamond to Carver, Jackson Ward, and the CBD.  Hopefully, the powers that be recognize this too.

AMEN! From your keyboard to God's eyes, my friend! 

[DowntownCoruscant]

22 hours ago, ancientcarpenter said:

I was looking forward to my newborn and I having a team together. So happy to be a warhogs, redhogs, or redtails...or almost anything else. They chose Commanders? Can't overcome the nonsense that is that owner. And for that reason, I'm out.

 

That field needs to be a park + high density living. Was such an old school RVA thing to do and was a huge waste of space.

Well said.

My son, who is 10 and more charitable than I am, still sits on edge every Sunday. But this has him pissed. The ability to see stars like McLaurin and Young from a few feet away can’t be matched. And Ashburn or whatever is no substitute.

Also, this spoils my pastime of walking out of the Omni in shirt and tie and fooling fans outside into asking for my autograph on the belief I’m team-related. I’ve signed at least half a dozen times over the years.

[I miss RVA]

4 minutes ago, DowntownCoruscant said:

Well said.

My son, who is 10 and more charitable than I am, still sits on edge every Sunday. But this has him pissed. The ability to see stars like McLaurin and Young from a few feet away can’t be matched. And Ashburn or whatever is no substitute.

Also, this spoils my pastime of walking out of the Omni in shirt and tie and fooling fans outside into asking for my autograph on the belief I’m team-related. I’ve signed at least half a dozen times over the years.

LOVE IT!! 

Edited April 1, 2022 by I miss RVA