Montreal Expos, what's next? UPDATE 3/25 - Stephen Bronfman says “I think we’re close.”

[Brodie]

My only question with expansion would be where the other city would come from. I could see MLB initiating an expansion feeler process and, if Montreal is the only place to express serious interest, shifting the Rays in that general direction.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

My only question with expansion would be where the other city would come from. I could see MLB initiating an expansion feeler process and, if Montreal is the only place to express serious interest, shifting the Rays in that general direction.

Well, if you wanted to try an expansion in another direction internationally, Monterrey's Mexican League team draws in the top 5 of MiLB markets. I don't remember how they drew last season but for awhile they had the greatest attendance by average and only got knocked off of their perch after the Charlotte Knights opened their new park.

 

[Bjorn Le]

Monterrey would be great. It's as rich as any major city in Canada or the US, and it's very safe. I just don't know if they could cobble together ownership to fund a MLB caliber stadium. It would be a huge story if expansion happened to two cities outside the US.

Though to be honest, my top three markets without a team are all outside the US. Montreal, Monterrey, then Vancouver

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Monterrey would be great. It's as rich as any major city in Canada or the US, and it's very safe. I just don't know if they could cobble together ownership to fund a MLB caliber stadium. It would be a huge story if expansion happened to two cities outside the US.

Though to be honest, my top three markets without a team are all outside the US. Montreal, Monterrey, then Vancouver

Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey, where the Sultanes play, has hosted MLB games before in the mid-late '90s. At a capacity of 27,000 it'd be the smallest park in MLB (about 4,000 seats fewer than the Trop), though. I wonder if it's expandable at all.

 

[Bjorn Le]

Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey, where the Sultanes play, has hosted MLB games before in the mid-late '90s. At a capacity of 27,000 it'd be the smallest park in MLB (about 4,000 seats fewer than the Trop), though. I wonder if it's expandable at all.

Looking at the stadium, it looks like they could expand it a little bit. Though it would likely be costly and it certainly isn't equipped for Major League Baseball. It would have to be replaced rather quickly. If you could expand it for under $25 million and then build a new stadium in the next 3-4 years, it could work.

Problem is it's likely Mexico City that's on the leagues radar. Would they be willing to go to Monterrey instead, even though players would much rather live/work in Monterrey than the polluted and violent Mexico City.

 

[Bjorn Le]

Florida Senate "killed" a bill that would have ended any chance of subsidies for the Rays. Killed is in quotations because it only failed due to a tie vote. If it would have passed, the Rays chances of staying in Florida would have dropped to virtually nil. I still think the chances are low, but at least there is some hope. If it passed, to be honest I wouldn't have been surprised if the Rays moved to Montreal for 2018. Sternberg would have had zero hope at finding a new home in Tampa, so my as well sell the team to the Montreal ownership group for $1 billion or whatever it would cost and cash out.

 

[BLONG7]

Florida Senate "killed" a bill that would have ended any chance of subsidies for the Rays. Killed is in quotations because it only failed due to a tie vote. If it would have passed, the Rays chances of staying in Florida would have dropped to virtually nil. I still think the chances are low, but at least there is some hope. If it passed, to be honest I wouldn't have been surprised if the Rays moved to Montreal for 2018. Sternberg would have had zero hope at finding a new home in Tampa, so my as well sell the team to the Montreal ownership group for $1 billion or whatever it would cost and cash out.

If they move North, could they play at the Big Owe for 1-2 seasons, while the new downtown stadium was built??

 

[Bjorn Le]

If they move North, could they play at the Big Owe for 1-2 seasons, while the new downtown stadium was built??

I think so but I don't have any particular inside information why.

 

[Pelle Lindbergh]

They should give them a deadline date

If the rays stayed good, start the expansion , but if they dont, relocation asap

 

[Melrose Munch]

 

[Oscar Acosta]

Would still like to see baseball back in Canada, go figure as a Canadian. But I still think they'd be far more viable if the Rays ever moved to Virginia or North Carolina.

Montreal isn't going to get a cut of the Rogers Canada money. Most people across the country already have their allegiance to the Jays or in BC/AB to the Mariners. What cut is Montreal getting?

 

[donghabs98]

Would still like to see baseball back in Canada, go figure as a Canadian. But I still think they'd be far more viable if the Rays ever moved to Virginia or North Carolina.

Montreal isn't going to get a cut of the Rogers Canada money. Most people across the country already have their allegiance to the Jays or in BC/AB to the Mariners. What cut is Montreal getting?

To be fair though, many people either are diehard Jays fans, bandwagon Jays fans (fans because everyone else is) or are Jays fans because it's the only Canadian team. Would the Expos quickly eat a big chunk away at the Jays support around Canada? No but they will have a loyal base of fan support that could grow if the team does well and Jays falter.

One can't forget how just a few years ago Jays support wasn't as mainstream and broad. At one point during the early 80's Expo fever was huge but over time things change. Another factor is if Bell Media is a partner with the Expos, they will no doubt try and push the Expos for the sake of ratings.

 

[Fenway]

If they move North, could they play at the Big Owe for 1-2 seasons, while the new downtown stadium was built??

I think so but I don't have any particular inside information why.

MLB will only agree to playing at the Big Owe IF a stadium is actually being constructed.

Stade Olympique has to rank as one of the worst venues for baseball ever. The Kingdome in Seattle was the worst hands down and Cleveland Stadium was right behind it.

 

[Bjorn Le]

MLB will only agree to playing at the Big Owe IF a stadium is actually being constructed.

Stade Olympique has to rank as one of the worst venues for baseball ever. The Kingdome in Seattle was the worst hands down and Cleveland Stadium was right behind it.

Well yeah that's a given. It would be new levels of dumb to move a team there/expand just to put them back in the O.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Don't really have a choice for now. If the Rays or A's would be moved to Montreal it would have to be at the Big O for the time of a new Ballpark being built.

No way MLB moves a team back to Montreal without a promise of a new stadium, that would be dumb.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Would still like to see baseball back in Canada, go figure as a Canadian. But I still think they'd be far more viable if the Rays ever moved to Virginia or North Carolina.

Montreal isn't going to get a cut of the Rogers Canada money. Most people across the country already have their allegiance to the Jays or in BC/AB to the Mariners. What cut is Montreal getting?

To be fair though, many people either are diehard Jays fans, bandwagon Jays fans (fans because everyone else is) or are Jays fans because it's the only Canadian team. Would the Expos quickly eat a big chunk away at the Jays support around Canada? No but they will have a loyal base of fan support that could grow if the team does well and Jays falter.

One can't forget how just a few years ago Jays support wasn't as mainstream and broad. At one point during the early 80's Expo fever was huge but over time things change. Another factor is if Bell Media is a partner with the Expos, they will no doubt try and push the Expos for the sake of ratings.

Expos had a large fanbase until they lost TV territory they can easily come back and win fans. 10 years ago the Jays were drawing flies. Anything can happen.

MLB will only agree to playing at the Big Owe IF a stadium is actually being constructed.

Stade Olympique has to rank as one of the worst venues for baseball ever. The Kingdome in Seattle was the worst hands down and Cleveland Stadium was right behind it.

Just need the Quebec gov to step up now.

 

[BigMac1212]

If a team moves to Montreal, the whole Washington Nats history is going to burn MLB to the ground. Everyone head to the hills!

 

[garnetpalmetto]

If a team moves to Montreal, the whole Washington Nats history is going to burn MLB to the ground. Everyone head to the hills!

Would it? I'd assume that it'd be treated like most cases in baseball where a new team pops up where an old team existed - franchise records are kept with the team that relocated. For instance, the Seattle Pilots franchise records belong to the Brewers, not the Mariners.

 

[Mightygoose]

Manfred on expansion

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/mlb-expansion-hold-oakland-tampa-bay-get-new-stadiums/

Nothing really new. Won't happen until stadium issues in Tampa Bay and Oakland are resolved.

Continues to mention Montreal would be a good candidate. Also mentions Charlotte. Likes Mexico City or somewhere in Mexico.

 

[Spectaculard]

Who gets their team back first? Quebec or Montreal?

 

[Bonzai12]

Charlotte really seems to be budding as a hot new area in the US and an upcoming sports town. I think they're an underdog for expansion but definitely an up and comer that could move to the top of the list very quickly.

 

[Bjorn Le]

Problem is Charlotte just renovated their AAA stadium. It's far too small as a stop gap and it can't be reasonably expanded. The front runner will always be the place closest to building a stadium, no matter if it's the best market.

Who gets their team back first? Quebec or Montreal?

Probably Montreal. QC might be heading to Hamilton territory when it comes to getting a team.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Problem is Charlotte just renovated their AAA stadium. It's far too small as a stop gap and it can't be reasonably expanded. The front runner will always be the place closest to building a stadium, no matter if it's the best market.



Probably Montreal. QC might be heading to Hamilton territory when it comes to getting a team.

Correction, they built a new one. Not a renovation. BB&T Ballpark was built in downtown (or as they call it in Charlotte, uptown) Charlotte. Their old park, Knights Castle, was located some 15 miles away in Fort Mill, SC. You are correct, however, in that it's not built to expand and couldn't really house an MLB team. The Castle, on the other hand, was built to expand to suit MLB should a team have relocated there.

Frankly I'm a little surprised to see Charlotte referred to as a "hot new area." For most of the '90s through the '00s the city was the #2 banking city on the East Coast...it's not like it's some podunk that just hit a boom period.

 

[Bjorn Le]

Correction, they built a new one. Not a renovation. BB&T Ballpark was built in downtown (or as they call it in Charlotte, uptown) Charlotte. Their old park, Knights Castle, was located some 15 miles away in Fort Mill, SC. You are correct, however, in that it's not built to expand and couldn't really house an MLB team. The Castle, on the other hand, was built to expand to suit MLB should a team have relocated there.

Frankly I'm a little surprised to see Charlotte referred to as a "hot new area." For most of the '90s through the '00s the city was the #2 banking city on the East Coast...it's not like it's some podunk that just hit a boom period.

Very true. Embarrassed I forgot about that lol.

 

[Bonzai12]

Frankly I'm a little surprised to see Charlotte referred to as a "hot new area." For most of the '90s through the '00s the city was the #2 banking city on the East Coast...it's not like it's some podunk that just hit a boom period.

I guess when I referred to it as that, it's because I've heard a lot of millennials that are interested in Charlotte. Wasn't supposed to be a slap in the face but rather a compliment.

I've always loved the KY/TN/Carolina areas.