The demolition of Tiger Stadium has become a spectator sport of sorts. Each day since the demo started, a contingent of stadium fans can be seen in the center field area and on the nearby pedestrian bridge watching the stadium come down piece by piece.
Many are eager to get their hands on a souvenir of their beloved ballpark. Dozens of people each day inquire about stadium seats, pieces of concrete, bricks — anything — that they can take home as a memento.
Last fall, a company from St. Louis conducted a sale of Tiger Stadium seats and other items from the ballpark. Fans were able to purchase stadium seats in sets of two for around $299. The understanding between both buyers and seller was that the remaining seats that were not sold by a certain date would be destroyed. That’s what’s taking place right now — and the destruction of the seats has many upset.
But it would be a breach of contract to reverse course and sell the remaining seats now. Buyers who purchased with the understanding that supply was going to be limited to a quantity equal to a demand based on a certain price at a certain date would be double-crossed if, all of a sudden, thousands of extra seats were now offered for sale.
In essense, the value of the seats already purchased would diminish greatly. Keep in mind that most of the folks camped outside the park are looking for something for free. My guess is that almost none of them would be willing to shell out the pre-established market price. The city is doing the right thing by not reneging on its prior commitments.
Security guards at the site have been fighting a constant battle trying to keep onlookers out of harm’s way. Make no mistake: Tiger Stadium is a demolition site full of danger — and the spectators have become somewhat of a hazard to themselves.
The plain fact is no one is going to save Tiger Stadium by harassing the demolition workers. I wish everyone would redirect their energies to helping Ernie Harwell who represents the only viable plan of action for historic preservation. You can contribute to the cause at his web site www.savetigerstadium.org.
