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

[LeHab]

Being in the same division as Jays, Yankees, Red Sox would guarantee strong attendance.

When Bronfman was asked about playing in AL with Jays, NY & Boston he stated - we want to win sometimes.

 

[hockey20000]

chances the expos come back?

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

chances the expos come back?

depends on if the Nationals release the history when that occurs

 

[LeHab]

depends on if the Nationals release the history when that occurs

MLB owns expos TM for name and logo design.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

MLB owns expos TM for name and logo design.

The nats also do not honor the retried numbers of the expos like the hurricanes and avalanche of the nhl.

 

[le_sean]

No subway access, how is that going to work

It’s a 15 min walk from the metro and it’s close to downtown where plenty of people can just walk after work.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

MLB owns expos TM for name and logo design.

I DON'T THINK THEY Do, because several Expos Hall of Famers and Washington has had said logo at Nationals Park.... notably Dawson and Tim Raines never played in Washington....

 

[LeHab]

I DON'T THINK THEY Do, because several Expos Hall of Famers and Washington has had said logo at Nationals Park.... notably Dawson and Tim Raines never played in Washington....

I'm sure they have permission from MLB.

TM details from Canada but should be the same in US

Current owner
BASEBALL EXPOS, L.P.
c/o Office of the Commissioner of
Baseball
245 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10167
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Canadian Trademarks Details 339060 - Canadian Trademarks Database - Intellectual property and copyright - Canadian Intellectual Property Office - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Canadian Trademarks Details 0318652-0 - Canadian Trademarks Database - Intellectual property and copyright - Canadian Intellectual Property Office - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

 

[Fenway]

I'm curious on who the other teams are - Cleveland? White Sox????

Jack Todd: With Stephen Bronfman in charge, Expos' return is closer than ever

Bronfman indicated that he’s ready to move and move quickly, first by acquiring the $50 million parcel of Griffintown land in the Peel Basin that has been targeted as the future home of the Expos. Bronfman would not be pinned down to a time frame as narrow as a month for an announcement on the land, but he did say that he hopes to have something on the land within a few months.

Even if the ballpark and the return of the Expos never becomes a reality, Bronfman said, there is room for a spectacularly successful development in the Peel Basin — but he made it crystal clear that he wants a new ballpark to be the centrepiece of that development.

Once the Bronfman group gains control of the land in Griffintown, it’s largely up to Major League Baseball and Commissioner Rob Manfred. “They watch every potential market very closely,” Bronfman said. “They know what’s going on.”

Bronfman said the potential markets include San Antonio, Nashville or Portland, none of which has the population or the history of Montreal — and the Major League Baseball Players Association, he said, would block any attempt to move to Mexico City or Monterrey.

The biggest hold-up that remains is that Manfred is waiting to see if stadium issues are resolved in Oakland and Tampa Bay and MLB is also, according to Bronfman, “keeping an eye on one or two other teams” that are a concern.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

I'm curious on who the other teams are - Cleveland? White Sox????

Jack Todd: With Stephen Bronfman in charge, Expos' return is closer than ever

Bronfman indicated that he’s ready to move and move quickly, first by acquiring the $50 million parcel of Griffintown land in the Peel Basin that has been targeted as the future home of the Expos. Bronfman would not be pinned down to a time frame as narrow as a month for an announcement on the land, but he did say that he hopes to have something on the land within a few months.

Even if the ballpark and the return of the Expos never becomes a reality, Bronfman said, there is room for a spectacularly successful development in the Peel Basin — but he made it crystal clear that he wants a new ballpark to be the centrepiece of that development.

Once the Bronfman group gains control of the land in Griffintown, it’s largely up to Major League Baseball and Commissioner Rob Manfred. “They watch every potential market very closely,” Bronfman said. “They know what’s going on.”

Bronfman said the potential markets include San Antonio, Nashville or Portland, none of which has the population or the history of Montreal — and the Major League Baseball Players Association, he said, would block any attempt to move to Mexico City or Monterrey.

The biggest hold-up that remains is that Manfred is waiting to see if stadium issues are resolved in Oakland and Tampa Bay and MLB is also, according to Bronfman, “keeping an eye on one or two other teams” that are a concern.

Cleveland is FAR from a problem child, I would think. I would say the Marlins but they just got a new stadium. Can't see them going anywhere.

 

[Fenway]

Cleveland is FAR from a problem child, I would think. I would say the Marlins but they just got a new stadium. Can't see them going anywhere.

Jeter has done the impossible - fans in Miami miss Loria

 

[Centrum Hockey]

Jeter has done the impossible - fans in Miami miss Loria

If the marlins relocate someone whould probably have to take there place in Marlins park or mlb will have a ton of taxpayer lawsuits

 

[Fenway]

If the marlins relocate someone whould probably have to take there place in Marlins park or mlb will have a ton of taxpayer lawsuits

Tampa Bay moves to South Florida and has the statewide TV contract all to themselves?

I suspect MLB is looking very hard at Nashville as well

 

[Centrum Hockey]

Cleveland is FAR from a problem child, I would think. I would say the Marlins but they just got a new stadium. Can't see them going anywhere.

Blue jays ? Rogers center is one of the last muti purpose parks left

 

[Mightygoose]

Tampa Bay is still locked into the Trop through the 2027 season. The Marlin's lease goes well beyond that.

Oakland runs through 2024 so I don't see anything immediate as a relocation possibility.

Only shorter leases are the Angels which runs through 2020 but they'll get something done, they're not going anywhere. D Backs can get out after the 2022 season with fees but I can't see them being a candidate either.

 

[Mightygoose]

Blue jays ? Rogers center is one of the last muti purpose parks left

Wouldn't that be funny. They'll still be Canada's team!

Major renovations are planned in Rogers Ctr. though no news has surfaced for a while.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

Tampa Bay is still locked into the Trop through the 2027 season. The Marlin's lease goes well beyond that.

Oakland runs through 2024 so I don't see anything immediate as a relocation possibility.

Only shorter leases are the Angels which runs through 2020 but they'll get something done, they're not going anywhere. D Backs can get out after the 2022 season with fees but I can't see them being a candidate either.

Chould mlb buy out the lease at the trop and have the rays take over Marlins park under new ownership

 

[Mightygoose]

Chould mlb buy out the lease at the trop and have the rays take over Marlins park under new ownership

I was under the impression the buyout expired at the end of 2018. That was the 3 year agreement but it only allowed the Rays to look in Hillsborough or Pinellas Counties.

I guess there's still time to work out a new agreement in lieu of having St. Pete's have all of the development rights on the Trop sight.

Still if the Marlins to move to Montreal (via Rays swap), I hope it's done via a sale. Don't think anyone wants Jeter and co. running Expos 2.0

 

[Fenway]

Tampa Bay is still locked into the Trop through the 2027 season. The Marlin's lease goes well beyond that.

Oakland runs through 2024 so I don't see anything immediate as a relocation possibility.

Only shorter leases are the Angels which runs through 2020 but they'll get something done, they're not going anywhere. D Backs can get out after the 2022 season with fees but I can't see them being a candidate either.

The White Sox could be the joker. Their lease expires in 2024 and while they are rumored to be very profitable because they have NO DEBT but Reinsdorf is going to cash out or pass away at some point. A new owner will then have gigantic debt service and have to deal with a stadium that has issues starting with location and accessibility. There is a perception that the area around the ballpark is dangerous but that is untrue and while there is a L station and commuter rail nearby they still have problems drawing on weekdays.

However, starting next year they will have an even more generous TV contract and access to all cable and satellite homes in Chicagoland - The Cubs new channel could be a bigger fail than the Dodgers.

 

[SkalbaniasGhost]

I'm curious on who the other teams are - Cleveland? White Sox????

Jack Todd: With Stephen Bronfman in charge, Expos' return is closer than ever

Bronfman indicated that he’s ready to move and move quickly, first by acquiring the $50 million parcel of Griffintown land in the Peel Basin that has been targeted as the future home of the Expos. Bronfman would not be pinned down to a time frame as narrow as a month for an announcement on the land, but he did say that he hopes to have something on the land within a few months.

Even if the ballpark and the return of the Expos never becomes a reality, Bronfman said, there is room for a spectacularly successful development in the Peel Basin — but he made it crystal clear that he wants a new ballpark to be the centrepiece of that development.

Once the Bronfman group gains control of the land in Griffintown, it’s largely up to Major League Baseball and Commissioner Rob Manfred. “They watch every potential market very closely,” Bronfman said. “They know what’s going on.”

Bronfman said the potential markets include San Antonio, Nashville or Portland, none of which has the population or the history of Montreal — and the Major League Baseball Players Association, he said, would block any attempt to move to Mexico City or Monterrey.

The biggest hold-up that remains is that Manfred is waiting to see if stadium issues are resolved in Oakland and Tampa Bay and MLB is also, according to Bronfman, “keeping an eye on one or two other teams” that are a concern.

Arizona DiamondBacks.
MLB is waiting to see the progress on the potential stadium near the Wildhorse motorsports park.
Pay attention to San Antonio.It's the leverage to get out quickly for both the A's and Diamondbacks.
Alamodome can be the temporary location while the new stadium is built in the business district.

This will all start making sense in regard to Montreal by June.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Blue jays ? Rogers center is one of the last muti purpose parks left

When a club wants a new stadium, its not really about how old the stadium is, but rather how profitable it is. I think Blue Jays are ok with Rogers Centre, for now.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Tampa Bay moves to South Florida and has the statewide TV contract all to themselves?

I suspect MLB is looking very hard at Nashville as well

Rays "history" goes to Montreal, former Rays org receives Marlins uniform, logo and history, a la Cleveland Browns.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Rays "history" goes to Montreal, former Rays org receives Marlins uniform, logo and history, a la Cleveland Browns.

I DON'T BELIEVE it works that way, BKI, Montreal has no current franchise, nor history, since the Expos are 'celebrated' in DC, as the Nationals so the Expos franchise has to deal with the Nationals IF they want their 'history', IT HAS nothing to do with either Miami or the Rays

 

[Centrum Hockey]

Rays "history" goes to Montreal, former Rays org receives Marlins uniform, logo and history, a la Cleveland Browns.

Montreal can keep the rivalry with the Mets if they inherent the Marlins slot in the NL East. Plus If the nats go to Quebec for multiple series a year it whould create a intense environment.

 

[Fenway]

Montreal can keep the rivalry with the Mets if they inherit the Marlins slot in the NL East. Plus If the nats go to Quebec for multiple series a year it whould create a intense environment.

Montreal has a far better chance for success if they are in the AL East as they would draw Red Sox, Blue Jays and Yankee fans.