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

[blueandgoldguy]

maybe in the next few years tampa ownership will play a few regular season games against the Blue Jays or some close regional team at Olympic stadium?

 

[Bjorn Le]

maybe in the next few years there will tampa ownership will play a few regular season games against the BLue Jays or some close regional team at Olympic stadium?

I think there's a good chance of this. Especially if the reports about Sternberg giving up on Tampa are true.

 

[Tecumseh]

Except Montreal is full of young, good looking Quebecois. Phoenix is full of old, dying Quebecois.

Let's be fair. Phoenix is full of old, dying people in general.

 

[Pelle Lindbergh]

77 500 tickets are sold at the moment for the games, next week, so hoping they will sell 15 000 tickets more. Its not easy the sell with the Pirates it was easier versus Boston. It should have been the dodgers for the anniversary of the first game of Jackie Robinson , but they said that LA asking too money to go here....

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

As much as I would love to have the Expos back, I don't see it happening.

We would need a new ball Park downtown, we don't have much space or anyone that would financially step up to build and buy a team. And that team would probably have to be the Rays, us in that division would definitely work as many fans would travel down.

I don't see it happening, it's just mayor Coderre trying and making people believe since he loves baseball.

 

[Pelle Lindbergh]

The site of the new stadium is a locked
Cromartie said that hey have the money and owners
they just wait after MLB

 

[Mightygoose]

The site of the new stadium is a locked
Cromartie said that hey have the money and owners
they just wait after MLB

When did Cromartie say this? Is there a link to the interview?

Curious to know where the stadium site is.

 

[Pelle Lindbergh]

He had an interview last week on 91.9 fm, and the site is griffintown

 

[Peter Skudra]

I'm not saying it's likely going to happen, but the posts on the first page saying 0 chance is just silly. http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/new...c-stadium-32-teams/1ilmc3ty5r1vy10k7xo0nd4sqt

 

[Melrose Munch]

How many people thought Las Vegas would get an NFL anytime soon. This can happen too.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

77 500 tickets are sold at the moment for the games, next week, so hoping they will sell 15 000 tickets more. Its not easy the sell with the Pirates it was easier versus Boston. It should have been the dodgers for the anniversary of the first game of Jackie Robinson , but they said that LA asking too money to go here....

The Pirates were a much easier sale for me than the Red Sox. I am a Yankees/Pirates fan.

 

[Bjorn Le]

I'm not saying it's likely going to happen, but the posts on the first page saying 0 chance is just silly. http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/new...c-stadium-32-teams/1ilmc3ty5r1vy10k7xo0nd4sqt

For sure. And notice one of the conditions isn't build a stadium in Montreal first...

 

[katatoniak]

When did Cromartie say this? Is there a link to the interview?

Curious to know where the stadium site is.

http://www.lapresse.ca/sports/baseball/201703/29/01-5083445-retour-des-expos-le-groupe-montrealais-est-pret.php

Says the group are ready, the money is there. They have 5 potential locations for a new stadium

 

[Scandale du Jour]

http://www.lapresse.ca/sports/baseball/201703/29/01-5083445-retour-des-expos-le-groupe-montrealais-est-pret.php

Says the group are ready, the money is there. They have 5 potential locations for a new stadium

I like the timing of the article... they still have 20-30 thousand tickets to sell for this weekend

 

[Pelle Lindbergh]

On the radio they just said, that the group is waiting for the call of the mlb and its done. Rumors said that it could be the last year of the rays in tampa, and in november if they get the call, they are ready to conclude the dealm and the rays will play in the big o for 2 or 3 seasons, and they will start building the new stadium in november so i dont think it will be expansion, it will be relocation if the rays. We will see

 

[Scandale du Jour]

On the radio they just said, that the group is waiting for the call of the mlb and its done. Rumors said that it could be the last year of the rays in tampa, and in november if they get the call, they are ready to conclude the dealm and the rays will play in the big o for 2 or 3 seasons, and they will start building the new stadium in november so i dont think it will be expansion, it will be relocation if the rays. We will see

If the Expos come back to the AL East, I might [MOD]. But let's be realistic, the Rays aren't that close to moving.

 

[jason2020]

Tampa to Montreal
Triple a team to Ottawa
Double a team to Quebec City

Don't laugh if Montreal gets a team Ottawa many think will be the home of there triple a team and Quebec City could get a double a club.

 

[Mightygoose]

The Rays lease still runs through the 2027 season and they only have permission to look in the 2 adjacent counties. My understanding is that arrangement with St. Pete's runs until January 2019 so I can't see the Rays moving this quick.

Mind you, the Rays getting their stadium issue settled fast would be good news more Montreal as well. With the Raiders heading to Vegas, they no longer stand in the way so the A's should be resolved soon.

With those 2 done hopefully in short order, expansion can start.

 

[Hackett]

On the radio they just said, that the group is waiting for the call of the mlb and its done. Rumors said that it could be the last year of the rays in tampa, and in november if they get the call, they are ready to conclude the dealm and the rays will play in the big o for 2 or 3 seasons, and they will start building the new stadium in november so i dont think it will be expansion, it will be relocation if the rays. We will see

I just heard this on TV as well, except that source basically said that its relocation or nothing. They don't seem to be prepared to foot an expansion fee.

 

[Mightygoose]

An English article for those interested.

https://www.thestar.com/sports/base...team-as-investors-meet-conditions-source.html

In terms of expansion or relocation I don't see how anyone can say they're prepared for relocation only. They would still need to buy the Rays, assuming they move. I can't see Sterberg moving the team himself. Even with low attendance in a dated stadium, the Rays are still profitable from what I understand so there won't be a firesale on the price.

The group would have to ay a relocation fee anywyas in addition to the sale price so I don't see much of a difference.

 

[Pelle Lindbergh]

The penalty to leave tampa ,before the end of the lease :42 millions, its peanuts when you think about it.
I dont remember how long it took the last time the mlb had an expansion before the team start to play. If manfred is sure that tampa and oakland wil be save, they can announce really quickly an expansion, hut im not sure that he can announce a 1 team expansion, because i dont think there is anothercity ready yet to receive a team like montreal can as soon as next year.

 

[le_sean]

Tampa to Montreal
Triple a team to Ottawa
Double a team to Quebec City

Don't laugh if Montreal gets a team Ottawa many think will be the home of there triple a team and Quebec City could get a double a club.

That would be ideal. It used to be that way with the Ottawa Lynx. The Can-Am team in Ottawa gets a good outing every now and then. I would hope a Triple-A team would generate more interest. The ballpark is decent with a bridge over the highway that makes it easier to get there by foot (it actually connects the ballpark to the train station).

I also believe Québec gets good attendance for their baseball team. Keeping two farm teams in the same vicinity as Montreal would boost popularity.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

That would be ideal. It used to be that way with the Ottawa Lynx. The Can-Am team in Ottawa gets a good outing every now and then. I would hope a Triple-A team would generate more interest. The ballpark is decent with a bridge over the highway that makes it easier to get there by foot (it actually connects the ballpark to the train station).

I also believe Québec gets good attendance for their baseball team. Keeping two farm teams in the same vicinity as Montreal would boost popularity.

A farm team for a Montreal-based club will never work in Quebec City. Les Capitales (CAN-AM) works because it is our thing, just like the Remparts and Rouge & Or. A AA team would fail miserably here.

Putting AA in Trois-Rivières or Laval would be a better idea. Quebec City? Nope.

 

[Bjorn Le]

If the Expos come back to the AL East, I might [MOD]. But let's be realistic, the Rays aren't that close to moving.

They honestly are very close to moving.There is no stadium option in Tampa, and Sternberg seems to have given up on finding one.

The Rays lease still runs through the 2027 season and they only have permission to look in the 2 adjacent counties. My understanding is that arrangement with St. Pete's runs until January 2019 so I can't see the Rays moving this quick.

Mind you, the Rays getting their stadium issue settled fast would be good news more Montreal as well. With the Raiders heading to Vegas, they no longer stand in the way so the A's should be resolved soon.

With those 2 done hopefully in short order, expansion can start.

2019 is two seasons away, that's really not that long away. I doubt it'll be expansion.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Tampa to Montreal
Triple a team to Ottawa
Double a team to Quebec City

Don't laugh if Montreal gets a team Ottawa many think will be the home of there triple a team and Quebec City could get a double a club.

That would be ideal. It used to be that way with the Ottawa Lynx. The Can-Am team in Ottawa gets a good outing every now and then. I would hope a Triple-A team would generate more interest. The ballpark is decent with a bridge over the highway that makes it easier to get there by foot (it actually connects the ballpark to the train station).

I also believe Québec gets good attendance for their baseball team. Keeping two farm teams in the same vicinity as Montreal would boost popularity.

A farm team for a Montreal-based club will never work in Quebec City. Les Capitales (CAN-AM) works because it is our thing, just like the Remparts and Rouge & Or. A AA team would fail miserably here.

Putting AA in Trois-Rivières or Laval would be a better idea. Quebec City? Nope.

You're overlooking a few fundamentals here. To do this, ownership in Ottawa or any of the potential AA markets you suggest would have to purchase an extant International League and Eastern League franchise and relocate them. Many MLB teams, including Tampa, don't own their Double-A or Triple-A affiliates but instead rely on player development contracts with independently owned MiLB teams. Since you're talkinga bout the relocation of the Rays, they only own their Advanced-A team (the Florida State League's Charlotte Stone Crabs) and their Rookie team (the Appalachian League's Princeton Rays). Triple-A (Durham Bulls), Double-A (Montgomery Biscuits), Low-A (Bowling Green Hot Rods), and Short Season A (Hudson Valley Renegades) are all owned by different, independent ownership groups. So either you have ownership in Ottawa and QC/Laval/Trois-Rivieres purchase a team and relocate them or you have this new Montreal ownership purchase those teams and relocate them. Not an easy ask as, last I've heard, there are no teams in either League with owners really interested in selling. The Richmond Flying Squirrels are in a stadium conundrum but, last I heard, were still engaged in active talks with the city of Richmond to replace The Diamond.

Second, the three AA leagues (the Eastern, Southern, and Texas Leagues) are bus leagues. The cities you're talking about would be closest in proximity to the Eastern League. All but Laval would represent a significant increase in average distance to the rest of the League and would likely meet with some amount of resistance from the rest of the League. At present, the cities in the EL average 329.85 miles apart with Reading, PA having the lowest average distance to the rest of the League (249.05 miles) and Portland, ME having the highest (468.13 miles). On average QC is 587.83 miles from the rest of the League, Trois-Riviers is 524.75 miles, and Laval is 467.08 miles. The mileage from QC is darned near undoable given the travel rules MLB requires on MiLB for bus trips (the rule exists that if a team travels more than 500 miles in one trip, they have to have a day off.) Here's your mileage from QC, Trois-Rivieres, and Laval to the rest of the Eastern League. I'll still include Richmond just for the sake of arguing in case another team's ownership has them on the market.

| Akron, OH | Altoona, PA | Binghamton, NY | Bowie, MD | Erie, PA | Harrisburg, PA | Hartford, CT | Manchester, NH | Portland, ME | Reading, PA | Richmond, VA | Trenton, NJ Quebec City, QC |765|690|495|721|645|661|429|347|270|618|840|573
Trois-Rivieres, QC |682|607|405|656|562|597|379|297|274|554|776|508
Laval, QC |606|531|329|592|486|509|348|278|281|489|712|444

So at best, your closest city to any of them is going to be either Portland or Manchester and that's anywhere from 270 to 280 miles away. The present edges of the League, Richmond, Akron, and Portland, all have another team no more than 130 miles away.

At any rate, long-winded way of saying talks of relocating a AAA or AA franchise (especially AA) to QC is more fantasy than reality.