One aspect of European sport absent in the US is relegation. A team’s performance in any given season could result in it being tossed — not completely, but demoted to a lesser cadre. Sometimes a team’s final record makes the determination; in other cases, the bottom team in one division plays the top team in the lower division and the match’s outcome decides the next season’s standing.
In the US, we often see players called up or sent down, but it’s rare for teams to move; when they do, it’s typically because the league has decided they’ll earn more money elsewhere. One could argue that poor performance leads to low revenues, but as us Rockies’ fans know, it doesn’t always work out that way.
I would love to see a game pitting the Rockies against the reigning leaders of the minor leagues, the Tacoma Rainiers. Let’s even make it a three-game series. If the Rainiers best the Rockies, I’d welcome them to the Mile High City. With their mountain-inspired name, no re-branding is needed!
Might that finally get Dick Monfort to take some action on the history-making Colorado Rockies dumpster fire?
Some have called for fans to boycott the games — but why should fans lose out on a nice day at the ballpark because of ownership? Even if the baseball isn’t good, I love going to Coors Field. No matter how bad the ball, you’ll always see a home run or two.
There’s also the matter of money; four of us attended a Rockies game for the price of a single Avalanche ticket in the same level. Baseball is still affordable, which is ironic considering baseball’s lack of a salary cap has led to the largest disparities across any major US sports league.
From that point of view, I kind of get Montfort, as well as the other owners whom fans want MLB to force to sell. What’s the point of investing in the Rockies if the Dodgers, Yankees and other super teams will always win the pennants?
The MLB is a metaphor for our current socioeconomics; the rich are getting richer and the poor, poorer. The middle is disappearing. It’s a topic for a different column but often I wonder how far off we really are from the masters and serfs of yesteryear.
The MLB will have the opportunity to institute a salary cap after December, 2026. The players, of course, are opposed. But if unrestricted spending stays in place, baseball in cities like Denver will continue to degrade. Will the owners and players have the guts to do what’s best for the fans?
Shana Goldberg may be reached at shana@ijn.com
© IJN 2025
