Well, first things first, the new Spring Training site in Palm Beach is now a reality. Pitchers and catchers report on the 20th. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Palm Beach County commission votes 6-1 to approve land swap for Astros/Nationals new Spring Training site, the final major hurdle.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/562651801275469824">February 3, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Astros general counsel Giles Kibbe says, "This is final approval. This is culmination of everything we’ve been doing last three years."</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/562652034638151681">February 3, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Astros hope to break ground by end of year and be in new Spring Training site with Nationals by January 2017. "Great day for us," Kibbe said</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/562652138489139202">February 3, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Astros/Nats new spring site will be on 160 acres between Haverhill Road and Military Trail, about two miles west of I-95, in W. Palm Beach.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/562653868538859520">February 3, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Awesome that they'll be getting new facilities in a much better/desirable location. Kissimmee is a dump (been there twice for ST and made the most of it, but was pretty unimpressed)... and there's very few other facilities close by, unless you want to see the Braves at disney. Also much more to do along the east coast as Miami is just a short drive south.
When players are sent to Extended Spring Training, I am assuming they will head back there? Who works these extended spring trainings. So many questions.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>TV news: <a href="https://twitter.com/ROOTSPORTSSW">@ROOTSPORTSSW</a> will broadcast four <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpringTraining?src=hash">#SpringTraining</a> games March 17, 20, 22, 23. Games start at 12 noon CT.</p>— Houston Astros (@astros) <a href="https://twitter.com/astros/status/563063679076548608">February 4, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
That's what I thought... I guess the new channel is choosing to get what they pay for. I'd have thought they'd try and drum up as much interest as possible in this team... and given all the young talent in the system, ST games are an excellent way to actually see some of these guys first-hand.
Because they have so much other programming to show at noon in March? 4 is kind of pathetic. Hopefully they'll be on MLBN some, too.
Yes. The spring training facility is used for spring training in February and March. In April, May, and early June it is used for extended spring training, which is for minor-league players who weren't able to make a full-season club or who are rehabbing injuries. In late June, July, and August, it is used for the Gulf Coast League games. In September and October it is used for instructional league. Then November through January is mostly quiet at the spring training complex before the cycle begins again. Extended spring training is run by the coaching staffs of the short-season teams, which for the Astros is the NY-Penn League Tri-City Valley Cats, the Appy League Greeneville Astros, and the Gulf Coast League Astros. Once the draft happens in June, those teams break camp, and the players from extended spring training join the newly drafted players at the affiliates.
Last time I was in Orlando, I drove right past the stadium. Unfortunately it was right between the end of extended ST & the start of the GCL.
For comparison's sake with the other teams on ROOT, the Mariners will have 16 games televised. The Pirates get 5. The Rockies get 6.
Yeah, I just don't get this sort of crap...Do they think ratings will be better with re-runs of poker tournaments ala FSNSW?
If they thought enough people would watch to justify the cost of the broadcast, they would show more games.
As frustrating as it is this is the truth. They have no interest in hurting their product by not showing the games. Putting together a TV production isn't free, they obviously feel the programming will be cheaper than broadcasting all the games. With the Astros finally available to the entire city, and what should be a better product, ratings should skyrocket from their comically low numbers last year and we probably get more games next spring.
But they are getting a bargain rate for the rights to the games thanks to the CSN snafu (far cheaper than any other MLB team).... and you'd think they'd try to jump-start the interest in the Astros with more overall coverage up front in order to ensure people know there is actually an MLB team in this city. On the flip-side, CSN showed 10-12 games each year with little to zero revenue coming in from other subscribers.
