Quote:
Originally posted by sycamore
San Fran/Oak/SJ has a huge TV market, as does Anaheim (since they're part of the LA market)...although I don't know how many LA folks would be on the Angels' bandwagon and Oak/SJ folks on the Giants'.
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Therein lies the rub. Anaheim has _always_ been the weak sister of the California teams, fan support-wise. Quick -- ask a casual fan to name three Angels players. How about two? One? Does Gene Autry count?
The LA Clippers are in a large market, but you don't see them competing for that TV-and-merchandising dollar, do you?
San Fran-Anaheim would be an all-California matchup with exactly one marquee player -- Barry Bonds, who has a history of vanishing when October arrives and the personality of an eggplant.
Atlanta would bring three things -- post-season credibility (they're ALWAYS in the NLCS), familiar faces (due to all those post-season appearances) and an East Coast presence to the Series. Without them, it's a cast of thousands in a battle between California and/or the Heartland of America, and millions will explore their cable-TV options.
That having been said, I hope the Giants boot their tomahawk-chopping asses halfway to Calcutta tonight. But that's just me...