Survey says Morgantown becoming a baseball town

Before we get into Morgantown’s ranking, let us say that the top 5 teams in a way were somewhat surprising, although no one could quibble with Pittsburgh being flanked by No. 1 St. Louis and No. 3 Cincinnati, but to have Atlanta at No. 4 and — sit down, please — Cleveland at No. 5 while such baseball metropolises New York (tied for 37 with Philadelphia) and Chicago (45), each with two teams, and Boston (27) certainly could be questioned.

More shocking, perhaps, was that No. 6 on the list was Stanford, Calif., and absolutely beyond belief is the No. 7 city, Cullawhee, N.C., which you probably have never heard of but is home to Western Carolina University and has a population of just 9,428 and not even a minor league team and no nearby major league team.

Now, having been a full-time major league beat writer in each of the top 5 cities for a major daily during my career, I can attest to the rankings, although when I took the Pittsburgh beat in 1984 the city might have ranked somewhere below Providence, R.I., which is No. 272.

Times change, franchises change and I think Morgantown’s ranking is a sign that we in this area are changing with the times.

It doesn’t mean that football is no longer king nor that basketball has slipped that badly, either, but one wonders if a similar study were done in those sports where Morgantown would rank.

Now you may wonder what metrics were used by the distinguished panel to come to its decision and it’s broken down into two area — Teams & Performance first and then Costs and Fan Engagement. A total of 11 key items were looked at from average ticket and minimum season ticket prices to stadium accessibility to fan friendliness and engagement to number of championships won, be it major league or Division 1.

Interestingly, the addition of the new stadium and minor league affiliation could shoot WVU up among cities which are home to Big 12 universities.

Currently, Big 12 cities ranked this way:

• Norman, Okla. 52
• Manhattan, Kan. 61
• Stillwater, Okla. 65
• Morgantown 68
• Lubbock, Tex. 104
• Waco, Tex. 111
• Austin, Tex. 152
• Lawrence, Kan. 155
• Fort Worth, Tex. 185

Perhaps the best part of the survey, at least for fans here in Morgantown who eagerly anticipate the start of the Black Bears’ season, was what was said by some of the experts when asked the following question:

What is the best way to enjoy a baseball game on a budget?

“Minor league games are a great option and cater to families and young fans in special ways,” said Rodney Paul, professor of Sports Management at Syracuse University. “Most teams/stadiums have something unique and interesting about them and attending a minor league game can bring a high level of enjoyment for a low price.”

“I’m all about the minor league experience,” said Mary Hums, Professor of Sports Administration at Louisville. “It offers options for all types of fans. There is no better family entertainment experience than a day in a minor league park, complete with mascots, promotions, affordable concessions and fireworks. For baseball fans like me, there is a chance to see some very entertaining professional baseball and see players both on their way up and their way down in their careers. (Yes — I actually go to minor league baseball games for the baseball).”