Good Bye Florida, Hello Miami...

Yea, that's right. Say goodbye to the Florida Marlins and welcome the Miami Marlins of 2012. After 16 years of being named after the state, the Marlins must pay their respect to the city that "bailed them out" of their stadium crisis - The City of Miami and Miami-Dade County. Had it not been for them we probably would be talking about "Hello Las Vegas" or some other state interested in a major league baseball team. On behalf of the true Marlins fans, I would like to say, Thank Goodness. 

Now we can begin a grassroots effort in creating a team following beginning at youth. As a Mario Signorello, the Marlins Special Events Coordinator, once put it, "there are three things you don't change in your life: your name, your social security number, and your childhood baseball team." I'm sure some can argue that you can change your name legally, but you get the point.

By starting at the youth level, the Marlins can begin to establish a loyal and sustainable following that will be there in the late game wins and the early game blowouts. If we want to start somewhere, we got to start at the childhood stage.

As for the Marlins in Miami, now there is a closer relationship between the team and the actual location it's placed in. Before, I'm sure that nobody in Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, and the greater north Florida considered themselves "Florida Marlins Fans." They have the Tampa Bay Rays over there and they are a much closer team to follow. Thus, the Marlins can actually relate to their constituents with their new name and begin promote the City of Miami as opposed to the state in general. 

This stadium deal may not be successful in the first few years, but if things go right I expect a positive outcome in anywhere from five to ten years after establishment. We'll see where the Marlins will go from now on as Loria and Samson now have to live up to their promises and dish out some money to get high-quality players via trades and signings in the upcoming future. For now you may want to take a look at the early spring training battles that are going on between the Marlins' players and see who will be the likely starters come Opening Day.