I use the 500 with the sigma and a 1.4 it's a great combo for sports. My sigma is the older version with sports your shutter speed eliminates the need for vr.
The majority of MLB players make the league minimum which is close to 180 a year. I have a son playing college baseball right now and he grew up working with current and former MLB players to get there. I personally don't believe in mouthing off to umpires when you realize the players are very good judges of balls and strikes and the umpire takes the bat out of their hands it keeps them from being the million dollar player. More times than not the replay of the strike in question is questionable on which way it could go at best and the pitcher gets the call. Now the problem with that is the pitcher already has the benefit because the batter has to hit something moving at 90 mph and has to guess what pitch and location it is going to be in. Also when you figure a 26 year old that can successfully hit often has been working on it for 22 years and is one of a few hundred in the world that can do it and field a baseball at a level to get to the MLB you see why they get paid well to do it. Just my two cents.
I live in Wilmington. Travel to fort fisher (the rocks and sea oaks). The marina area of Carolina beach, south port, topsail island up 17. Greenfield lake and wade park. Airlie gardens but they might charge a fee for taking pictures depending on what you are doing. Areas and parks along river road. Carolina beach state park. River front of Wilmington but walk the streets downtown lots of interesting thing to shoot.
That's because most countries have a high price all the time and a short supply of everything it's called socialism. As far as hotel rooms they fluctuate based on season and demand so it doesn't fall into a price gouging category. I personally will watch from my front yard. I'm sure somehow the libera media will make this a global warming issue and it will be trumps fault.