A sad graphic for sure. But years from now we'll be able to look back... well hopefully that's the case!
So maybe I won't have to purchase the MLB package this year? That is good news! But I will tell you the discount for veterans is significant; so PSA "if you're a vet, MLB Network is cheap!"
"I can only speculate as to his reasons he would do this (although I am extremely confident in my speculation)"... I'm a Royals fan in FL - tell me more!
Coach, there’s just so much history between the Royals and White. And then given how he’s performed as county executive…It’s just a mess. It’s going to take both sides checking their egos to get something done. If that’s the desired solution.
Frank White can't win, so he might as well do what he thinks is best for the people who elected him.
People are so agitated over property taxes, and so willing to ascribe every move in the stadium negotiations to White's personal vendetta, that it sure looks like they're going to roll over for a billionaire just to spite White.
If White were truly intent on killing a deal, he'd be proposing a use tax (aka ticket tax), which would spread stadium costs equitably across the metro, rather than giving affluent fans in Joco and the Northland a free ride. That'd be an easy sell in Jackson County, where regressive sales taxes leave residents with less discretionary income for things like baseball tickets.
It's too logical, but it's a poison pill given the scorn Sherman would face from fellow oligarchs by even allowing such a measure to go on a ballot, and risk setting a precedent. Even activists who oppose any subsidy are afraid of the ramifications of talking much about the use tax idea.
Based on my most recent look at local economic/demographic data, the best outcome for KCMO, Jackson County, and the state of MO is for the Royals to move to Kansas.
What outcome do you think White actually wants to see?
The story I make up is that if White actually wanted the Royals to leave the KC metro entirely, he'd have conditioned his support of a downtown move on the team agreeing to a use tax (and emboldened folks inclined to support that approach). Which they could do, they just won't.
I also disagree that White created this mess.
Sherman acted in bad faith from the outset by falsely declaring Kauffman obsolete and treating a move downtown as a fait accompli with zero public input, and no legitimate effort to engineer a bi-state funding solution.
Sherman should not have bought the team if he couldn't afford to operate it without a subsidy from an adjoining real estate development. There is zero evidence the KC economy can support the type of development attached to the new Braves stadium, which is the supposed model.
I don't think White wants the Royals to leave KC. I can't imagine anyone in government wanting the Royals to leave.
I just think he's happy to be the guy to make this difficult for the Royals. Ultimately, something is going to happen to move this forward. Yes, this has been more of a mess on the part of the Royals. The whole thing on their end has been half-baked from the start. And that's probably giving them too much credit.
I'm not sure that a bi-state solution would ever be on the cards. There's no way that would happen while the Royals are in the dumps. Even with the Chiefs' coattails.
Can Sherman not afford to operate without his vision for a "ballpark village?" I've always seen this ask as just gravy on his investment. I'm sure you've seen the news out of Chicago with the White Sox...everyone is modeling themselves after the Braves these days.
I just don't see White's endgame, unless he believes he can squeeze them hard enough that they'll stay at the K. Which, good for him for trying, Mr. K would be proud.
If true, though, White should be pushing for a separate ballot measure for the Chiefs vs. letting the Royals ride their coattails.
In general, whatever his history with the team, it's still his job to make it uncomfortable for monied interests to reach into the pockets of everyone who makes a purchase in Jackson County over the next 40 years, including those who will never be able to afford to attend a game (many/most of whom don't vote). If he doesn't, who will? He hasn't done it very skillfully, but he's done it, and it appears 4 legislators have agreed with his position rather than exercise their option to override his veto. He ain't a lone wolf here.
At this point, after 3 years of this crap, it's a joke that Sherman tried to force the timeline only to decide to bail on the east village site at the 11th hour. There are WAY too many unknowns about the downtown/crossroads site(s), including whether he can even assemble enough land, whether it'd require eminent domain, and what it would mean for the existing agreements regarding P&L. It's a MUCH more complicated deal than east village, and at the rate he's worked this far, that could easily be another year of work.
Yet, in order to keep intact his backroom handshake deal with Parson for state money, which Sherman refuses to acknowledge publicly, he's asking KC voters to just trust him that those specifics will be there by April (at which point there is no way to remove the measure from the ballot if he doesn't come through). Unless I'm missing something, he has not earned that trust.
I have a hard time faulting Frank White for his veto, given the scarce details the Royals have put forward so far (and I'm sure for him, the fact he gets to tell the Royals to go screw themselves is a nice bonus), but I agree this does seem like the sort of thing that the public should get to vote on. Meanwhile, I continue to operate on the assumption I will need MLB.tv and my trusty VPN to watch the Royals this year. A blackout here certainly makes sense, as I am a mere 6.5 hour drive from Kauffman Stadium.
I think the Royals have bungled this every step of the way. And while I certainly don't agree with using public funds to line the pockets of private enterprise, asking for an extension of an existing tax (if that's what it really is) seems like it should be up for a vote. Even with limited (or no) details on how that money would be put to use. Let the public demand the answers and then make a decision based on that.
I think your VPN/MLB.tv subscription is still your way to go. As long as the VPN works, it's possible it's a less expensive way to watch the games as well. MLB's blackouts are insanely dumb.
A sad graphic for sure. But years from now we'll be able to look back... well hopefully that's the case!
So maybe I won't have to purchase the MLB package this year? That is good news! But I will tell you the discount for veterans is significant; so PSA "if you're a vet, MLB Network is cheap!"
"I can only speculate as to his reasons he would do this (although I am extremely confident in my speculation)"... I'm a Royals fan in FL - tell me more!
Coach, there’s just so much history between the Royals and White. And then given how he’s performed as county executive…It’s just a mess. It’s going to take both sides checking their egos to get something done. If that’s the desired solution.
Frank White can't win, so he might as well do what he thinks is best for the people who elected him.
People are so agitated over property taxes, and so willing to ascribe every move in the stadium negotiations to White's personal vendetta, that it sure looks like they're going to roll over for a billionaire just to spite White.
If White were truly intent on killing a deal, he'd be proposing a use tax (aka ticket tax), which would spread stadium costs equitably across the metro, rather than giving affluent fans in Joco and the Northland a free ride. That'd be an easy sell in Jackson County, where regressive sales taxes leave residents with less discretionary income for things like baseball tickets.
It's too logical, but it's a poison pill given the scorn Sherman would face from fellow oligarchs by even allowing such a measure to go on a ballot, and risk setting a precedent. Even activists who oppose any subsidy are afraid of the ramifications of talking much about the use tax idea.
Based on my most recent look at local economic/demographic data, the best outcome for KCMO, Jackson County, and the state of MO is for the Royals to move to Kansas.
I agree that White is in a difficult spot. But he kind of created that spot himself.
A use tax is interesting, but I agree…it’s a non-starter given the politics around that.
Move to Kansas? What a mess.
I'm curious:
What outcome do you think White actually wants to see?
The story I make up is that if White actually wanted the Royals to leave the KC metro entirely, he'd have conditioned his support of a downtown move on the team agreeing to a use tax (and emboldened folks inclined to support that approach). Which they could do, they just won't.
I also disagree that White created this mess.
Sherman acted in bad faith from the outset by falsely declaring Kauffman obsolete and treating a move downtown as a fait accompli with zero public input, and no legitimate effort to engineer a bi-state funding solution.
Sherman should not have bought the team if he couldn't afford to operate it without a subsidy from an adjoining real estate development. There is zero evidence the KC economy can support the type of development attached to the new Braves stadium, which is the supposed model.
I don't think White wants the Royals to leave KC. I can't imagine anyone in government wanting the Royals to leave.
I just think he's happy to be the guy to make this difficult for the Royals. Ultimately, something is going to happen to move this forward. Yes, this has been more of a mess on the part of the Royals. The whole thing on their end has been half-baked from the start. And that's probably giving them too much credit.
I'm not sure that a bi-state solution would ever be on the cards. There's no way that would happen while the Royals are in the dumps. Even with the Chiefs' coattails.
Can Sherman not afford to operate without his vision for a "ballpark village?" I've always seen this ask as just gravy on his investment. I'm sure you've seen the news out of Chicago with the White Sox...everyone is modeling themselves after the Braves these days.
I just don't see White's endgame, unless he believes he can squeeze them hard enough that they'll stay at the K. Which, good for him for trying, Mr. K would be proud.
If true, though, White should be pushing for a separate ballot measure for the Chiefs vs. letting the Royals ride their coattails.
In general, whatever his history with the team, it's still his job to make it uncomfortable for monied interests to reach into the pockets of everyone who makes a purchase in Jackson County over the next 40 years, including those who will never be able to afford to attend a game (many/most of whom don't vote). If he doesn't, who will? He hasn't done it very skillfully, but he's done it, and it appears 4 legislators have agreed with his position rather than exercise their option to override his veto. He ain't a lone wolf here.
At this point, after 3 years of this crap, it's a joke that Sherman tried to force the timeline only to decide to bail on the east village site at the 11th hour. There are WAY too many unknowns about the downtown/crossroads site(s), including whether he can even assemble enough land, whether it'd require eminent domain, and what it would mean for the existing agreements regarding P&L. It's a MUCH more complicated deal than east village, and at the rate he's worked this far, that could easily be another year of work.
Yet, in order to keep intact his backroom handshake deal with Parson for state money, which Sherman refuses to acknowledge publicly, he's asking KC voters to just trust him that those specifics will be there by April (at which point there is no way to remove the measure from the ballot if he doesn't come through). Unless I'm missing something, he has not earned that trust.
I have a hard time faulting Frank White for his veto, given the scarce details the Royals have put forward so far (and I'm sure for him, the fact he gets to tell the Royals to go screw themselves is a nice bonus), but I agree this does seem like the sort of thing that the public should get to vote on. Meanwhile, I continue to operate on the assumption I will need MLB.tv and my trusty VPN to watch the Royals this year. A blackout here certainly makes sense, as I am a mere 6.5 hour drive from Kauffman Stadium.
I think the Royals have bungled this every step of the way. And while I certainly don't agree with using public funds to line the pockets of private enterprise, asking for an extension of an existing tax (if that's what it really is) seems like it should be up for a vote. Even with limited (or no) details on how that money would be put to use. Let the public demand the answers and then make a decision based on that.
I think your VPN/MLB.tv subscription is still your way to go. As long as the VPN works, it's possible it's a less expensive way to watch the games as well. MLB's blackouts are insanely dumb.