Do not forget your Rome Braves tickets next season
Touching All Bases
By Bobby Moore
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Sports Columnist
 Just like their big league counterpart, the Rome Braves are champions.
As the Rome Braves were winning the South Atlantic League championship, there was a lot of excitement throughout Rome and Floyd County.
Despite the fact that Romey and company are currently the toast of the town, there are a few concerns that come to my mind.
The first concern is that the newness of State Mutual Stadium might wear off. Not only did the season bring about a new pastime to Rome, it also brought another good excuse to ride a trolley in the form of our beautiful, new stadium. The stadium, the end result of your tax dollars whether you voted for it or not, is one of the nicest in the minor leagues.
Similarly, the Atlanta Braves introduced Turner Field as their home in 1997. According to www.baseball-almanac.com, the average attendance at a Braves home game in 1997 was 42,771.
Every year since then, attendance numbers have dropped substantially despite the impressive records the Braves have posted over the past six seasons. By the 2002 season, average attendance had plummeted to 32,142. No wonder Atlanta is considered a horrible sports town by the media and by free agents.
Another concern is the fact that the team's lineup will be entirely different next season because a lot of talented players will move up in the farm system. Despite the fact that we will still have an excellent coaching staff, there is no promise that the voids left by major stars will be filled. I wonder if there will be 5,000 people in the stands if there is no Brian McCann or Jeff Francoeur driving in runs.
The fans need to understand that every year, new young players will come through town with big league aspirations.
Two or three years from now, we may see the 2003 SAL champions with a roster that will resemble a minor league version of the 2003 Detroit Tigers. Even if Rome does miss the playoffs next season, as long as the players are developing and gaining the skills to cut it at the next level, then the team is serving its purpose.
In good times and bad, do not forget your Rome Braves tickets. Let's give Rome a reputation as a baseball town and leave the embarrassment of being a horrible sports town to our friends in Atlanta.
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