THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 24, 1996 TAG: 9601240521
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
When it comes to tapping into the growing big-league sports market, perhaps no state of similar size and resources does less, and with more conviction, than Virginia.
The most attractive area still available for major league baseball is heavily-populated, well-heeled Northern Virginia. The Houston Astros almost committed to moving there. They might still. If not the Astros, then the Montreal Expos might make the leap into Virginia.
Only one small problem.
``If we don't have a stadium,'' says Brian Wishneff, economic development consultant for the Virginia Baseball Club, ``we won't get a team.''
Four Northern Virginia municipalities are vying for the right to be home to a team. The site selection has been put off until summer. Why?
``Because if there's no financing plan, there's no point in picking a site,'' Wishneff said Tuesday.
His comments suggest that the powers that be in Richmond can't come together on the question of baseball any better than Hampton Roads cities can agree on their own fledgling sports efforts.
A baseball team would not play its first two seasons at RFK Stadium without assurances of a new playpen. Virginia has until mid-summer to create a financing plan or risk falling out of the franchise derby, at least for the time being. As for the General Assembly, it has agreed only to commission a study.
In addition to leading the free world in small, inadequate municipal arenas, Virginia is recognized as the land of the sports marketing study.
``We have,'' explained Wishneff, ``no leadership'' at the state level.
Meanwhile, Greensboro, N.C. - Greensboro!? - has moved into the major-league baseball picture.
In the last six months, Wishneff said, ``they've gone from an also-ran to a contender.''
This is stunning news. But Greensboro hired someone full-time to romance baseball. And the effort moved into high gear when North Carolina Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. lent his support. It's called leadership.
A graduate of Norfolk's Granby High and Virginia Tech, and president of Brian Wishneff & Associates of Roanoke, Wishneff says, ``I hate to see how North Carolina always seems to pull together to beat Virginia.''
Two North Carolina assets, the NBA Hornets and the NFL Panthers, were created, in part, by state unity.
And Virginia? Virginia's big-league, large-arena aspirations are buried under an avalanche of studies.
``Some team is going to be available this year,'' said Wishneff, whose group thought it had an agreement to buy the Astros last year. ``At some point, the state will have to decide if this is important or not.''
In this game within the game of baseball, Northern Virginia offers a veritable Murderers Row of economic and demographic inducements.
A market of 4.67 million people, fifth largest in the country, combines with hundreds of large companies, law firms, and national associations to give Northern Virginia's business community deep depth.
All that's missing, apparently, is leadership at the state level.
Meanwhile, the Astros struggle in Houston. Despite enlisting the help of Barbara and George Bush in an advertising campaign, the Astros, as of Monday, had sold only 6,200 season tickets, about one-third of their goal.
``If the season-ticket drive fails and they don't find local ownership,'' said Wishneff, ``the team would be in play sometime after the All-Star break.''
Northern Virginia should be a major player - if not the major player - in any franchise shift. The state's big-league potential will never be realized, though, as long as procrastination is seen as a virtue by Virginians of power and influence. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
BILL TIERNAN/The Virginian-Pilot
``If we don't have a stadium,'' says Brian Wishneff, economic
development consultant for the Virginia Baseball Club, ``we won't
get a team.'' One major problem, adds Wishneff, is ``We have no
leadership'' at the state level.
by CNB