Baseball Allegiance Map

[iastfan112]

Roughly what I would've expected in Iowa(except weird Yankees presence, not sure what that's about). One step the Twins could take to help expand that presence further south is some better radio coverage, difficult to get a night game as far south as Highway 20.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/04/23/upshot/24-upshot-baseball.html

[edavis0308]

Eh, I feel like the Twins just punt anything south of the northern most counties to the other 5 teams in the blackout area for the state.

 

It really is too bad - when they were promoting Target Field they seemed to be making an effort to expand Twins Territory further south towards Des Moines. That seems to have went away by now though, even with one of their minor league teams playing in the state again. I really don't get it.

[JB_Iowa]

What comes first, the chicken or the egg?

 

Is the allegience born because it is what we see on TV or do we see what we see on TV as a result of the allegiences already in place?

 

When it comes to "free" TV, it always kills me that Sioux City is a "Cubs" market. Now by the map, I see Woodbury County (Sioux City) is marginally Cubs and south of there tends to be Cubs as well whereas to the north, it is a Twins market.

 

Sioux Falls is historically a Twins market -- and many places north of Sioux City get Sioux Falls stations.

 

But to the south, let's face it, a lot of people have gotten WGN for a long time. How much effect does that have on allegiences?

 

 

The other thing that surprises me about Iowa is that the Cards haven't made bigger inroads.

[Steven Buhr]

Roughly what I would've expected in Iowa(except weird Yankees presence, not sure what that's about). One step the Twins could take to help expand that presence further south is some better radio coverage, difficult to get a night game as far south as Highway 20.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/04/23/upshot/24-upshot-baseball.html

 

Just thought I'd mention that KGYM in Cedar Rapids is carrying some (but not nearly all) of the Twins games on one of their FM frequencies (107.5) this year. Had been carrying WSox games the past few years but switched to the Twins this year.

 

I doubt we'll see Twins games on free TV until the cable industry goes bust. Can't happen too soon, for my tastes.

[JB_Iowa]

I doubt we'll see Twins games on free TV until the cable industry goes bust. Can't happen too soon, for my tastes.

 

I was really think of it in the context of the Fox games of the week. When the Twins were good, it irked me that I could watch most games on FSN but if there was a game on Fox, I wouldn't get to see it because Sioux City is a "Cubs Market" and the Sioux Falls Fox signal is pretty weak.

 

Surprising how that hasn't bothered me much the last few years.

[Badsmerf]

I find it odd that the Twins don't try to expand into Iowa too. Completely unfair that some parts are considered blackout areas yet don't carry the Twins. Same happens with the Vikings.

[Steven Buhr]

I was really think of it in the context of the Fox games of the week. When the Twins were good, it irked me that I could watch most games on FSN but if there was a game on Fox, I wouldn't get to see it because Sioux City is a "Cubs Market" and the Sioux Falls Fox signal is pretty weak.

 

Surprising how that hasn't bothered me much the last few years.

 

Honestly, since the Twins and Kernels hooked up on an affiliation, the blackout of Twins games hasn't bothered me as much, either. I simply spend much more time watching the Kernels than I used to.

 

I just think it's absolutely stupid of the Twins to allow the situation to continue. But then, the Twins do a lot of stuff I find stupid and one could certainly argue that they know their business better than I do.

[JB_Iowa]

The map is fun -- it looks to me that even outside their core market, the Yankees have 5-15% of market share just about everywhere. And higher when the area doesn't have a strong allegience to another team. Red Sox also have a pretty strong national following.

 

Also looked at northern Nebraska -- have to wonder if WNAX hasn't had some nice benefit for the Twins over the years.

[Monkeypaws]

Twins Territory is one of the larger ones geographically speaking.

 

Thanks for posting that.

[cattlefeeder]

I'm over in Eastern Iowa and WNAX comes through loud and clear as long as the sun's up. Getting a part-time Cedar Rapids FM station is a great addition, but I'm still more familiar with South Dakota implement dealers and Nebraska tornados than I need to be.

[twinsnorth49]

Nothing outside the United States?........oh right, nevermind.

[edavis0308]

Over the past couple years, it has seemed pretty evident through the Twins Winter Caravan that wherever they stop is where they prioritize. They came to Des Moines a few years ago (2010?) and finally came back this last winter. Too bad this most recent one was a private event and the public couldnt even go. Probably a promotion to businesses to try and sell tickets for the suites or something?

 

I would think that as the luster of your new ball park wears off, you would try to come to places like Des Moines MORE, not less.

[Taildragger8791]

What comes first, the chicken or the egg?

 

Is the allegience born because it is what we see on TV or do we see what we see on TV as a result of the allegiences already in place?

 

When it comes to "free" TV, it always kills me that Sioux City is a "Cubs" market. Now by the map, I see Woodbury County (Sioux City) is marginally Cubs and south of there tends to be Cubs as well whereas to the north, it is a Twins market.

 

Sioux Falls is historically a Twins market -- and many places north of Sioux City get Sioux Falls stations.

 

But to the south, let's face it, a lot of people have gotten WGN for a long time. How much effect does that have on allegiences?

 

 

The other thing that surprises me about Iowa is that the Cards haven't made bigger inroads.

 

I grew up in Sioux City and lived in Sioux Falls and both get FSN North as well as almost all Vikings games on the standard cable package. Once you start going south and east that falls off pretty quickly though. When I lived in Cedar Rapids I was able to get FSN North on DirecTV, but it was part of an extra $12/month sports package. I wish that wasn't the only option.

 

Now I'm in California and I can finally use the MLB.TV package to see Twins games from anywhere. Although now I have to deal with grief from Verizon for the privilege, because apparently it's taboo to actually use the internet bandwidth I pay for.

[JB_Iowa]

I grew up in Sioux City and lived in Sioux Falls and both get FSN North as well as almost all Vikings games on the standard cable package. Once you start going south and east that falls off pretty quickly though. When I lived in Cedar Rapids I was able to get FSN North on DirecTV, but it was part of an extra $12/month sports package. I wish that wasn't the only option.

 

Now I'm in California and I can finally use the MLB.TV package to see Twins games from anywhere. Although now I have to deal with grief from Verizon for the privilege, because apparently it's taboo to actually use the internet bandwidth I pay for.

 

I've lived in both, too and got FSN North in both places but going back even further than that, I remember a number of Twins games on broadcast TV out of Sioux Falls -- for some reason it strikes me as Channel 13. (This was before the prevalence of cable and other regional sports networks). I don't remember seeing the same kind of Twins coverage out of Sioux City. I grew up in northwest Iowa then moved away for a number of years and then moved back so I can't pinpoint exactly when the regular season coverage was on broadcast TV but I have some memory of it.

 

That Twins connection was just always a lot stronger out of Sioux Falls (and WNAX out of Yankton for radio) than it ever was with the Sioux City stations.

[iastfan112]

I'm over in Eastern Iowa and WNAX comes through loud and clear as long as the sun's up. Getting a part-time Cedar Rapids FM station is a great addition, but I'm still more familiar with South Dakota implement dealers and Nebraska tornados than I need to be.

 

WNAX is what I listen to when I head to the parents in Fort Dodge as well. Night games are more problematic, especially if the Twins are on the west coast.

[MC23]

In Ames we get Fox Sports Midwest, which means Cardinals and Royals games. I have gotten lucky twice so far this season with the Fox Sports Plus channel televising the Twins on Fox Sports North. I'm not sure why we don't get more games, especially since most of the Timberwolves games were on the Plus channel this season.

[biggentleben]

My brother was actually on air for WNAX a few years back, and he just recently turned down a job with them to take another Ag Journalism job in DC. He was wanting to be a sports broadcaster, but found out how poor that pays in comparison.

[Thrylos]

Interesting to see that. Back before the last expansion (and the Rockies,) the Twins dominated the Montana and Wyoming markets and parts of Colorado, Idaho and Utah markets. That's were most of the erosion has been, not in IA If anything, the Cubs have been losing ground there the last few years.

[Hawkeye12]

I've lived in both, too and got FSN North in both places but going back even further than that, I remember a number of Twins games on broadcast TV out of Sioux Falls -- for some reason it strikes me as Channel 13. (This was before the prevalence of cable and other regional sports networks). I don't remember seeing the same kind of Twins coverage out of Sioux City. I grew up in northwest Iowa then moved away for a number of years and then moved back so I can't pinpoint exactly when the regular season coverage was on broadcast TV but I have some memory of it.

 

That Twins connection was just always a lot stronger out of Sioux Falls (and WNAX out of Yankton for radio) than it ever was with the Sioux City stations.

 

Sioux City has gotten the Twins going back to when we picked up Midwest Sports Channel in 1992, minus September 1995 thru August 1996 when they replaced MSC with Classic Sports (pre-ESPN buyout). Only other time they weren't available regularly was the ill fated Victory Sports Network to start 2004. Before 1992 though it was WGN Cubs/Sox (and I really don't remember the Sox then, but I was in elementary school so might've just forgotten), TBS Braves, some channel that got the Yankees because I remember Deion Sander's debut game, and whatever was on ESPN.

[jimv2]

I lived in both Davenport and Des Moines, IA. Davenport is very much a National League city, with the vast majority of allegiance being to the Cubs, and most of the rest to the Cards. Not much interest in White Sox, even though they're technically the closest team, and Twins are an afterthought (and, I think) geographically more distant than those other three teams. Even back in the day when Davenport was the Twins' low A affiliate--Mauer played there, nobody really cared about the Twins.

 

Des Moines is the long-time home of the Iowa Cubs--the AAA affiliate. Putting a AA team in CR isn't going to change their loyaties. And it may be a blip, but Drake is in Des Moines, and Drake has a much larger proportion of North SIde of Chicago residents than it does Minnesotans.

 

Somebody mentioned HIghway 20. My expereince is that once you get NOrth of 20, there's far more interest in things Minnesota than anywhere else in the state. And I think it goes well beyond sports.

[edavis0308]

I lived in both Davenport and Des Moines, IA. Davenport is very much a National League city, with the vast majority of allegiance being to the Cubs, and most of the rest to the Cards. Not much interest in White Sox, even though they're technically the closest team, and Twins are an afterthought (and, I think) geographically more distant than those other three teams. Even back in the day when Davenport was the Twins' low A affiliate--Mauer played there, nobody really cared about the Twins.

 

Des Moines is the long-time home of the Iowa Cubs--the AAA affiliate. Putting a AA team in CR isn't going to change their loyaties. And it may be a blip, but Drake is in Des Moines, and Drake has a much larger proportion of North SIde of Chicago residents than it does Minnesotans.

 

Somebody mentioned HIghway 20. My expereince is that once you get NOrth of 20, there's far more interest in things Minnesota than anywhere else in the state. And I think it goes well beyond sports.

 

While I get your point, referencing the out of state students at a 5,000 enrollment Drake probably isn't the best way to validate what you are saying. Having went to Iowa though, I can vouch for you that eastern Iowa is more or less NL country thanks to all the Chicago transplants in Iowa City.

 

That being said, I don't get the idea behind only trying to promote south of 20 some of the time for the Twins. Even though the Iowa Cubs are here, there is a very high number of people in the area that are not Cubs fans. It seems to me that when attendance starts to dip is when they would want to promote more to get people outside of the Minneapolis area to come to a game.

[Reider]

I wonder how large the Blue Jays allegiance map would be..

[TKGuy]

Just thought I'd mention that KGYM in Cedar Rapids is carrying some (but not nearly all) of the Twins games on one of their FM frequencies (107.5) this year. Had been carrying WSox games the past few years but switched to the Twins this year.

 

I doubt we'll see Twins games on free TV until the cable industry goes bust. Can't happen too soon, for my tastes.

 

I didn't know that, I can listen to day games at work

[TKGuy]

Interesting to see that. Back before the last expansion (and the Rockies,) the Twins dominated the Montana and Wyoming markets and parts of Colorado, Idaho and Utah markets. That's were most of the erosion has been, not in IA If

anything, the Cubs have been losing ground there the last few years.

 

Think that had anything to do with Harmon being an Idaho boy?

[Steven Buhr]

Think that had anything to do with Harmon being an Idaho boy?

 

May have also had something to do with the Twins having AAA affiliates in the area for some time. Both Denver and Portland at various times. But, honestly, before the Rockies and Mariners, the Twins were the closest geographic MLB team for folks in Wyoming, Montana, etc.

[Longdistancetwins]

Interesting to see that. Back before the last expansion (and the Rockies,) the Twins dominated the Montana and Wyoming markets and parts of Colorado, Idaho and Utah markets. That's were most of the erosion has been, not in IA If anything, the Cubs have been losing ground there the last few years.

 

Interesting, too bad I hadn't noticed that. The only time I wasn't living on the east coast was when I lived in Colorado and Wyoming. The Denver Bears were a Montreal AAA club at the time, and they were great (Tim Raines, etc.)!

[wxman91]

I recognize that it is probably due to the La Crosse market, but the fact that Winona and La Crescent are in Brewers territory does not sit right.

[BigTrane]

Where's China on this map? I'll give you a big 'ol blue spot on that map...

 

Saw this on FG and loved the details; liked the 'hoagie' line and lack of A's fans anywhere.

[oldguy10]

I grew up in Winona way, way back when and just about the whole town followed the Cubs, that is until the Braves moved from Boston to Milwaukee, the games were broadcast on a La Crosse station and everyone switched their allegiance to the Braves simply because the Cubs' games were no longer available on the La Crosse station because of the Braves taking over that entire market. It only made sense and I am sure many baseball fans in Minnesota simply kept following the Brewers instead of switching to the Twins. On the other hand many Wisconsin baseball fans that live East of the Twin Cities attend the Twins' games instead of driving to Milwaukee and I am sure they listen to their broadcasts as well.