When news spread Monday that the Chattanooga Lookouts are on a list of teams that Major League Baseball wants to eliminate, the Twitter hashtag #SavetheLookouts popped up.
“It’s hard for us to see a world in which professional baseball doesn’t stay in Chattanooga,” Lookouts co-owner Jason Freier said Monday.
Wait, what’s happening with the Lookouts?
⚾ Major League Baseball is considering reducing its minor league teams from 160 to 120.
⚾ The Lookouts are on the list, possibly because AT&T Field is an older stadium.
⚾ From the MLB perspective, leaders want to overhaul the lower minor leagues’ “inadequate standards” and improve working conditions for players.
⚾ If this plan goes forward, teams like the Lookouts would join a “lower-quality Dream League,” consisting of undrafted + released players.
⚾ Freier said this idea is preliminary and “not anywhere near written in stone.”
OK, well, what about a new stadium?
Freier said that he and his co-owners have been patient on the issue of the stadium, but the MLB move is forcing their hand and discussions on that are likely going to accelerate now.
One Lookouts owner, John Woods, said last year that he hopes a public-private partnership would support a new stadium, but not everyone is on-board with an idea that involves tax-payer money. You can read more about that here from the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
Reasons Freier said the Lookouts shouldn’t go
- The local market is thriving + despite an aging stadium, the Lookouts are in the top half of its league for attendance.
- MLB noted geography as one of the issues taken into consideration about these cuts. In part, leaders want to reduce player travel. Freier said Chattanooga is in an ideal geographic location, close to many other teams.
- Chattanooga has 125 years of history in baseball.
- The team was the Southern League organization of the year in 2019 + team president Rich Mozingo was the league’s executive of the year.
- The team adds to the quality of life for area residents and is “by far the most popular specialty sport in Chattanooga.”
Reader reaction
We asked: What do you love about the Lookouts?
You said:
“Watching the joy your kids have watching games with the stars of the future.” – @trewhitt_cox
“Location and great weekly deals!” – @Fletcherfasho
“Star Wars Night!” – @alextanish
“It’s so nice to go to a Lookouts game with the family! I’m not even a true baseball fan, but I enjoy it because it’s relaxed; you’re close to the action; parking is a breeze; the scenery is nice... I’ll never go to a larger stadium game again (ATL Braves).” – @fitgirlexploring
