ORLANDO, Fla. — The Braves announced they are abandoning Turner Field following the 2016 season for a 42,000-seat stadium in Cobb County, Ga.
The Mets should take notice.
The Braves, their NL East brethren, have been operating on what many in the industry believe is the worst local TV contract in the sport, and are just seven years into a 20-year deal. That has forced the Braves to be consistent in keeping their payrolls in the $90 million range, having exceeded $100 million just twice in their history.
But the projected $672 million complex that will open in 2017 should provide a financial boost to the franchise to become bolder with its payroll.
The new stadium will be financed jointly between the Braves and Cobb County, team officials said. This is just another reminder how judicious municipalities should be about going into the stadium-building business, because the life expectancy of these facilities is not good.
I covered the Olympics in 1996, and the main stadium was subsequently transformed into Turner Field. At the time, it was believed — naturally — the Braves were moving into a state-of-the-art facility that would house them for a significant period. Instead, the stadium will have been used for two decades before the Braves flee.