New Stadium Fallout

There are many things to consider with a new stadium on the horizon for the Marlins. There are effects that are going to spring forward from the events of Thursday that will create many changes.

Let's start with the immediate. Now the Marlins and us fans have hope and expectation. We covered that in the last blog here at MarlinsNation. But what is more interesting is to see how this affects the team and its players. Now, young players will have a future to look forward to that is more tangible. If they like living and playing in Miami, they will want to stay. They will reach out to the community and put forth more effort on the field. They will take more pride in their work since now, the Miami Marlins, are a legit MLB franchise. They are playing for their future contracts here, in south Florida.

This has Hanley Ramirez saying the right things and for the first time in a very, very long time, there is hope that a player can actually stay here. "I hope I can stay here for my career, they know how to treat people," Ramirez said. "They know how to treat players. It's a good organization. Hopefully, I can be here for Opening Day [2011]."

Hanley Ramirez doesn't begin arbitration until 2009, and the Marlins will lose control over his rights (he will be a free agent) after the 2011 season. That means, after the first season in the new digs.

Will payroll increase? Not likely in the immediate future. But fan interest will most undoubtedly change as they see this team is here to stay. Fans will start investing in the future of this franchise - something that was very tangible back in the '93 season, it's first ever.

Not only do the fans and the players see a future ahead, but some others have to change their business structures as a result. For example, Wayne H. Huizenga, whom yours truly refers to as H-bomb, is now basically forced to see the Dolphins franchise. Why? Because after 2010, that stadium will be losing its biggest tenant - the Florida Marlins - as they move into their new home.

And you better believe that the Marlins are an integral part of the Dolphins franchise. Without the Marlins and their rent money, H-bomb would be losing lots of money as the facility went unused for almost 7 months out of the year. That is a lot of lost revenue.

Coincidentally, H-bomb is selling the franchise. Remember, this is the same situation that drove Joe Robbie to sell the Dolphins to Wayne Huizenga in the first place. The cost of the stadium was strangling the finances of running the team and its revenue.

Ironic it is that the Marlins are moving to the original home of the Dolphins and tearing it down to build their new home. The Dolphins, in some ways, are seemingly being banished from outside of Miami left to reside in a lonely stadium that will serve only football games.

The fate of the franchise had definitely shifted.