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

[TheGreenTBer]

Are they moving out of the metropolitan area as a whole or are the just moving to the suburbs?

Both.

 

[HisIceness]

Tampa has one of the worst corporate base’s in MLB there might not be one that exists in the area.

Rays couldn't find a location in Tampa. St. Petes won't let the Rays leave and no billionaire will spend their own money to build a stadium. Rays will stay in Tampa until 2027 and then relocate. This split city will never happen, St. Pete's won't let it happen until 2028 and when the Rays are free to go anywhere, not sure why they'd do a Tampa/Montreal split.

I guess this is fair enough but I just want the sports talk people in this town to knock off the ridiculous narrative that "Charlotte should get the Rays it would be a success!". It wouldn't be, at all. In fact I'd argue it would be worse than the Rays situation now.

That's why I want the Rays to get their shit together, it would maybe put an end to this insane talking point around town.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Are they moving out of the metropolitan area as a whole or are the just moving to the suburbs?

Both. The big insurance companies are leaving town (the main and really only big industry in the city).

Hartford is like the rust belt cities, dying a slow death brought on from overspending and overtaxing

 

[These Are The Days]

Nice little article shitting on Stu's terrible idea

Former Marlins president says two-city solution has 'zero chance' | wtsp.com

 

[John Price]

Rays will tout Montreal plan during postseason with sign

Under the plan, which includes new open-air stadiums being built in both markets, the Rays would hold spring training and play roughly into early June in the bay area, then shift to Montreal for the rest of the season. Team officials said postseason games would likely be rotated by year.

“We believe in our sister-city plan; Major League Baseball believes in it fully,’’ Silverman said. “It’s the best and possibly only chance for baseball to be here for generations. That’s been our sole focus. It’s never been about other markets and relocation overtures. It’s always been about how we can make it work here.’’

 

[John Price]

Announcement about the return of the Montreal Expos to be made this fall

 

[MMC]

 

[Blitzkrug]

The league really approved this?

God they're dumb. It's clear what Rays management is trying to do here.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

The league really approved this?

God they're dumb. It's clear what Rays management is trying to do here.

They haven't, this makes no real sense. Rays have a lease where all home games are to be played in Tampa through 2027, why are they advertising a dual team for 6 years from now?

 

[John Price]

If you want the Expos back fine but give them a whole season, not half

splitting a team between two cities is very stupid and should be reserved only for pandemics. Toronto it made sense. Not this move.

 

[Mightygoose]

Reads to me it's not an announcement of Montreal getting a team at this time. I think it's more likely an update on the stadium plans

 

[Sticksandsun]

Reads to me it's not an announcement of Montreal getting a team at this time. I think it's more likely an update on the stadium plans

Why are they doing a 2 city team? I don't understand it. Tampa's lease runs through 2027, the city won't let them play elsewhere until 2028. So in 2028, why not just relocate them?

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I'd love the Expos back, but this plan is ludicrous.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Fans in both cities should not support this nonsense

 

[TropicalFruitGirl2]

**Yawn**

Media needs something to write about....

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Let's just say this 2 team nonsense got approved (it won't but humour me).... unless you are a replacement level or worse player just trying to stay in the league, why would you ever sign a contract to play for this Mickey Mouse Tampreal Rayspos franchise?

 

[JianYang]

I really doubt this is going to work.

- MLBPA will freak if their players now have to buy/rent homes in two different cities, especially ones that are in different countries.
- They aren't even remotely close.
- Two different ways of living
- Do they switch team names in MTL? Or are the Exporays?
- If I live in TB/ST. Pete why on earth would I buy season tickets if I know all the "good games" will be in another country.

There is precedent for this. The expos actually played a chunk of games in Puerto Rico back when they were on life support.

The part that seems most bizarre to me out of this however is that Montreal is now proposing to build a scaled version of a new ball park designed for a split season.

I mean, if that's the plan, then what will you do when there is no longer any team available to share the facility with? I think one thing we can all agree on is that a team sharing scenario won't last forever.

Maybe the endgame is to get a AAA team in Montreal at some point, because you just don't make a new scaled back ballpark based on such a short scenario.

 

[Mightygoose]

There is precedent for this. The expos actually played a chunk of games in Puerto Rico back when they were on life support.

The part that seems most bizarre to me out of this however is that Montreal is now proposing to build a scaled version of a new ball park designed for a split season.

I mean, if that's the plan, then what will you do when there is no longer any team available to share the facility with? I think one thing we can all agree on is that a team sharing scenario won't last forever.

Maybe the endgame is to get a AAA team in Montreal at some point, because you just don't make a new scaled back ballpark based on such a short scenario.

What were they proposing before? I've never seen any firm plans for a ball park so what would they be scaling back from?

 

[JianYang]

What were they proposing before? I've never seen any firm plans for a ball park so what would they be scaling back from?

I'm speaking relative to the infancy of this expos movement when the idea was still to bring back the expos full time. At that time, it was more just a feasibility study though.


This is just a clipping from an article from earlier this year:

"Splitting the city between the two markets would eliminate the need for a full-size stadium in Montreal or a retractable or non-retractable roof in Florida, thereby greatly reducing costs".

By eliminating the need for a full size stadium, I interpret that the stadium is being designed specifically for split season, and bronfman has already apparently said that a full season in Montreal doesn't work.

I'm just really skeptical that an investment in a new ballpark is worth the risk of no longer having a team to share with during its life cycle.

 

[Mightygoose]

I'm speaking relative to the infancy of this expos movement when the idea was still to bring back the expos full time. At that time, it was more just a feasibility study though.


This is just a clipping from an article from earlier this year:

"Splitting the city between the two markets would eliminate the need for a full-size stadium in Montreal or a retractable or non-retractable roof in Florida, thereby greatly reducing costs".

By eliminating the need for a full size stadium, I interpret that the stadium is being designed specifically for split season, and bronfman has already apparently said that a full season in Montreal doesn't work.

I'm just really skeptical that an investment in a new ballpark is worth the risk of no longer having a team to share with during its life cycle.

Good to know.

Part of me wonders if this is just Bronfman touting the party line that MLB and the Rays are talking as well selling the split city plan.

I don't see how this plan can work and how building stadiums for part time teams in both markets makes any sense.

Hope to see the details on this project soon. It's getting overdue

 

[KevFu]

Let's just say this 2 team nonsense got approved (it won't but humour me).... unless you are a replacement level or worse player just trying to stay in the league, why would you ever sign a contract to play for this Mickey Mouse Tampreal Rayspos franchise?

None of their players do now. Well, except Chris Archer, but he probably didn't have better offers.

The whole two-city thing is a ploy.

The Rays want movement on a stadium, they're not getting any because their lease is long-term thru 2027. Most of this stems from the fact that the Rays 30-year lease and the stadium's opening don't start at the same time. The stadium was designed in 1983 and built from 1986-1989, and during that time, Camden Yards revolutionized stadium design and team in-game revenue and 23 other teams got modern stadiums. The Trop was an outdated relic BEFORE the Rays moved in, and yet, they had to sign a 30-year lease!

If they had waited until they got a team in 1995 to start building a stadium, for the Rays, the situation would be totally different. People MIGHT commute further to go to a Rays game at a GOOD ballpark, but the double-whammy of location and bad stadium are too much.

The Rays are trying to make a relocation threat with no chance of relocation, because their lease says they can't go yet.
The politicians have no reason to act until the Rays are approaching the end of the lease free agency that allows them to move;
But the Rays don't want a deadline deal new stadium, because it will open in 2032. They need to be in a new stadium in 2028 at the latest. So they're doing whatever they can to try and make it happen.

And MLB is saying "We think a Montreal/Tampa plan can work" solely because MLB always backs teams vs cities, and the faster the Rays have a new stadium plan finalized, the faster they can charge $4.5 billion for two expansion teams and offset COVID losses.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Find it hard to believe the PA would sign off on that but still. Brunt is about as sterling as it gets reputation/source wise too

 

[Voight]

There is precedent for this. The expos actually played a chunk of games in Puerto Rico back when they were on life support.

The part that seems most bizarre to me out of this however is that Montreal is now proposing to build a scaled version of a new ball park designed for a split season.

I mean, if that's the plan, then what will you do when there is no longer any team available to share the facility with? I think one thing we can all agree on is that a team sharing scenario won't last forever.

Maybe the endgame is to get a AAA team in Montreal at some point, because you just don't make a new scaled back ballpark based on such a short scenario.

They played 22 games a year for two years. Thats doable because its only a handful of series. PR is also a US territory which made things easier. The players also didn't have to move there, which they will (at least part time) in this debacle.

Let's just say this 2 team nonsense got approved (it won't but humour me).... unless you are a replacement level or worse player just trying to stay in the league, why would you ever sign a contract to play for this Mickey Mouse Tampreal Rayspos franchise?

Not only that but a player with an existing contract will freak out. I'm sure some guys sign there so they can live in Tampa Bay so imagine if now you have to rent a place in Montreal for half the year and had 0 intention of doing that when you signed your contract.

What a clown show.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Find it hard to believe the PA would sign off on that but still. Brunt is about as sterling as it gets reputation/source wise too

Yeah, but he's not really claiming any source or inside knowledge on this. He very much would like baseball to return to MTL so I think this is more hoping than reporting on his part.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Is this a way to relocate to Montreal eventually full time without having to buyout the lease?