🚨 𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐍'𝐒 𝐉𝐞𝐟𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚'𝐬 𝐛𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐋𝐁 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡 With MLB set to expand to two more cities, @JeffPassan, ESPN's senior MLB insider, listed Raleigh as one of six serious candidates to land one of those franchises. Here is that 10-min conversation, with an abbreviated recap below👇 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧: 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞? - No market on either coast that has what Raleigh does. - Larger population than all expansion contenders - 22nd largest media market in the US,  - 2nd fastest-growing metro - Soon to be 7th most populous state in the US (largest without MLB). -The current Stanley Cup champion owner Tom Dundon involved, with interest from former Bucks owner Marc Lasry. - Approved entertainment district being built and rights to 80+ acres of land. -Bi-partisian political support is ready for future talks. 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧: 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬? -It's a full go. -Tom was the first to step up and is popular here because of the work he's done with the Canes. The fact that other billionaires want in and want to work together, shows that Raleigh is the place to be. 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐋𝐁 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮? -Our research said Raleigh was the best path for NC's MLB -Wake County (Raleigh) is larger than Mecklenberg Count (Charlotte) - Charlotte has NFL, NBA, MLS, NASCAR...Raleigh only has NHL. State government wants more balance. Charlotte has entertainment spend overlaps that Raleigh wouldn't. -Raleigh does not have a downtown AAA ballpark it'd have to move. Charlotte does. Durham Bulls, 26 miles from Raleigh, fits with MiLB/MLB structure of farm teams within driving distance of parent teams. 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐧: 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐌𝐋𝐁 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦? -All the heavy lifting has been done. -This started with the community carrying the torch. It's organically grown to the point where there is an ownership group and politicians ready to make it happen. This is authentically a market that is SHOWING that it wants baseball. -We've been under the radar, and that was by design. - We have all the pieces needed to get MLB in Raleigh. 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞, 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐎𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨, 𝐏𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲? Watch the full podcast here ⬇️ piped.video/watch?v=4Db2aGpV…

ESPN’s Jeff Passan says Raleigh is “A dark horse that could have some real heft to it.” @JeffPassan, the lead MLB analyst for @espn, slotted Raleigh as one of the Top-5 markets for MLB expansion and noted its many advantages. Check it out ⬇️ espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/4986…

I promise no amount of explaining will prepare you for how bad this play is

This week is the biggest of our eight year journey. Head to MLB2NC.com to see what we’ve been up to. Be loud, be ready. #RaleighOnDeck #MLB2NC

Twenty years later. Just as iconic.

THE #CANES WIN THE CUP 
 THE #CANES WIN THE CUP  THE #CANES WIN THE CUP  THE #CANES WIN THE CUP  THE #CANES WIN THE CUP  THE #CANES WIN THE CUP

The time is now.

The stage is set

For the past 8 years, the Raleigh community has been building a baseball movement from the ground up. But make no mistake, as the real battle to win a franchise begins (and it is about to), our strongest position will be to unite together as North Carolina's team. We have the history, the people, and the passion. This has always been a baseball state, and now it's time that the rest of the nation finds that out. We are the largest state in America without MLB. We are one of only 5 states to boast 3 separate Top-50 media markets; the other 4 all have multiple MLB teams. Phase 1 was to create the groundswell in Raleigh. Phase 2 will be to welcome every market in this great State to become a part of what you helped build. In the coming weeks, we'll be shifting to highlighting not only our capital city, but the entire state of North Carolina. Raleigh's case has been made. The pieces are in place. Now it's time to bring all of those pieces together, and bring MLB to OUR state once and for all. #MLB2NC #StateofBaseball #RaleighOnDeck

Who would you rather have as Raleigh’s MLB expansion team? @MLBRaleigh please retweet this for reach, as we want this to be as accurate of a poll as possible.

piped.video/ZlsVr1ykBqQ?si=tA4q… Mets need Wally Backman as interim Manager ASAP

Never forget when this teddy bear got absolutely smoked by a foul ball 😂

13 GAMES 13 LOSSES 13 $1,000 BONUS BETS The Mets could get to (unlucky) number 13 tonight, and now's your chance to get in on the losing streak! For a chance to win $1,000 in bonus bets: 1⃣ REPOST 2⃣ REPLY with any athlete who wore No. 13 Rules: go.fanduel.com/FDNYM

Let's have some more fun. 82% of ML bets are on the Mets. So for every run they score tonight, we're going to give away ANOTHER $1,000 in bonus bets! For a chance to win, just reply with a baseball emoji ⚾️

Reason no. 7,618,419 why I love baseball. Last night, Pete Alonso (nicknamed 'Polar Bear') hit a go-ahead 2-run homer in the 7th and it landed on the chest of the only fan in the stadium wearing a polar bear costume.

And here is the catch synced up with "I Believe I Can Fly" 🎶

Let’s go Mets!

The poor Bat Boy got booed so hard until the Coach came in to save the day! I think he learned his lesson.🤣🤣 @DurhamBulls @MattBarrie @espn @MiLB @GoPro @RaysBaseball #espn #batdog #oops

#LGM #openingday

Another Friday, another giveaway ⚾️ 6 weeks until Opening Day & we’re giving away a baseball signed by Frank Viola; former Brooklyn Cyclones pitching coach & New York Met! Like + follow for your chance to win, and keep your eyes out every Friday til Opening Day on April 3rd!