Rays have explored becoming 2 city team (with Montreal) (upd: rejected by MLB)

[blueandgoldguy]

The Lease would allow them to play half their games in another city?

 

[BigFatCat999]

My favorite part of the story is they want new buildings in BOTH cities.

What uniforms do they wear? What’s the team called? Where do the ticket reps work? I’ve got so many questions.

Can they et the Expos brand from the Nats?

 

[TBLightningFan]

How can sharing a team with a city that is a division rival in another sport even work? Lightning visiting the Canadiens, while the part time Rays play a “home” game in the same city.

Maybe if Dallas ever loses a team Philly can share with them too.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Just move the Rays to Montreal so they can become the Montreal Expos, No one even goes to see the Rays play: 2019 MLB Attendance - Major League Baseball - ESPN
2nd to last in attendance despite holding the #1 wildcard spot right now.

 

[ecemleafs]

This will end with the montreal expos being reborn. Never worked in Tampa st pete. They were an expansion team 21 years ago and they still play in a convention center.

 

[Terry Yake]

Just move the Rays to Montreal so they can become the Montreal Expos, No one even goes to see the Rays play: 2019 MLB Attendance - Major League Baseball - ESPN
2nd to last in attendance despite holding the #1 wildcard spot right now.

because montreal proved itself as a baseball hotbed right?

 

[LeHab]

Can they et the Expos brand from the Nats?

MLB owns Expos related trademark rights.

 

[BigFatCat999]

MLB owns Expos related trademark rights.

Ah!

 

[LeHab]

Ah!

Except for Youppi! who now belongs to Habs.

 

[BigFatCat999]

Except for Youppi! who now belongs to Habs.

Was there a trade? What was the return?

 

[LeHab]

Was there a trade? What was the return?

From what I recall rights were "traded" for cash. First ever mascot move between leagues.

If Expos were to be back, Youppi! would be brought back for sure. He is very low profile with Habs.

 

[BigFatCat999]

From what I recall rights were "traded" for cash. First ever mascot move between leagues.

If Expos were to be back, Youppi! would be brought back for sure. He is very low profile with Habs.

What, he can't be the mascot for Montreal?

 

[Bjorn Le]

The Lease would allow them to play half their games in another city?

Leases can be broken. It'll cost money, but it's not an impossible barrier.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Jacksonville doesn't have the attendance issues the Rays have...

98.3% capacity 2018 (16th overall)
95.6% capacity 2017 (18th overall)
92.2% capacity 2016 (26th overall)
91.5% capacity 2015 (27th overall)
93.7% capacity 2014 (25th overall).

The Jags are nowhere close to being as bad as the Rays.

Jacksonville also put a tarp on like 20k seats.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Just move the Rays to Montreal so they can become the Montreal Expos, No one even goes to see the Rays play: 2019 MLB Attendance - Major League Baseball - ESPN
2nd to last in attendance despite holding the #1 wildcard spot right now.

IIRC, Montreal didn't average above 25k in any of their seasons from 83-02.

 

[IslesFan2017]

What a terrible idea and other posters have already mentioned the reasons why. Hopefully this idea is scrapped and somehow the Rays can get a new stadium in Tampa and if Montreal were to get a team, it would be through expansion.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

Just move the Rays to Montreal so they can become the Montreal Expos, No one even goes to see the Rays play:

14,970
17,589
16,037
14,643
15,393
12,660
11,213
7,984
17,701
17,617
26,277
27,261
28,418
28,621
28,650
19,957
18,665
14,025
22,844
18,255
22,019
16,952
11,612
20,607
20,265
22,390
18,189
19,959
18,489
11,295
9,540
11,435
7,935
10,031
12,662
9,356

I like how certain posters just completely ignore how horrendous the Expos attendance was for the vast majority of their history.

 

[EpochLink]

14,970
17,589
16,037
14,643
15,393
12,660
11,213
7,984
17,701
17,617
26,277
27,261
28,418
28,621
28,650
19,957
18,665
14,025
22,844
18,255
22,019
16,952
11,612
20,607
20,265
22,390
18,189
19,959
18,489
11,295
9,540
11,435
7,935
10,031
12,662
9,356

I like how certain posters just completely ignore how horrendous the Expos attendance was for the vast majority of their history.

Playing in a dump like Olympic Stadium will cause fans to turn away.

For real, that elephant of a stadium was horrible and the Expos had no choice to move into that monstrosity

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

Playing in a dump like Olympic Stadium will cause fans to turn away.

For real, that elephant of a stadium was horrible and the Expos had no choice to move into that monstrosity

But Tropicana Field is a palace in a great location?

 

[Anaheim4ever]

IIRC, Montreal didn't average above 25k in any of their seasons from 83-02.

The Rays average 14K fans at home in 2019
2002 was 17 years ago, population of Montreal is higher now than then, they'd have more fans there now than back in 2002 as well as the short term boost of baseball being back in their city.
Montreal population: 1.5mil people in 2001, 1.7mil people in 2019.
The Expos only made the playoffs once in their existence in 1981, in 2002 they had the missed the playoffs for 21 years in a row, people don't want to go watch that.
The Rays have made the playoffs 4 times: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 yet people still didn't go to their games even during their good seasons.

 

[MMC]

Good article by Passan on this

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...l-tampa-montreal-home-answering-key-questions

 

[vanarchy]

This is one of the most wildly moronic things I’ve ever heard.

They have my full support.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Ha...check out the strategy here...

 

[robert terwilliger]

the "hottest florida months" go from april to september.

you need a roof in this state you f***ing idiots.

 

[Harry22]

14,970
17,589
16,037
14,643
15,393
12,660
11,213
7,984
17,701
17,617
26,277
27,261
28,418
28,621
28,650
19,957
18,665
14,025
22,844
18,255
22,019
16,952
11,612
20,607
20,265
22,390
18,189
19,959
18,489
11,295
9,540
11,435
7,935
10,031
12,662
9,356

I like how certain posters just completely ignore how horrendous the Expos attendance was for the vast majority of their history.

Read this and educate yourself. Real Reasons why Expos Fans Stopped showing Up - ExposNation