Could Expos return to Montreal?
 

Pretty much every other city that is rumoured to get a pro sports team gets its own thread, so here is one for the Expos.

As of now, it looks as though there is nothing serious on the table yet. I would prefer an AL team, since games against the Red Sox, Yankees and even Blue Jays will be guaranteed to draw more than Expos games against the Phillies, Mets and Braves.

I'm not a big fan of using the Hippodrome's location though. That area isn't exactly easy to get to.

I think a good spot would either have to be very close to downtown, or in a western/south-western neighbourhood. There are not many baseball fans in the east end or northern areas of the city.

Here are a few sites I like:
-Griffintown
-Montreal Technopark (the area in between the Champlain and Victoria Bridges)
-Peel Bassin (where that Casino project was supposed to go a few years back)

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/...#ixzz1TRXLf2ni

Why did The Expos leave in the first place? It's my understanding that the games were sparsely attended then so what's different now?

Love to see the Xpros come back.:cheers: Another reason to go to Montreal. Hey I heard they have shoes stores on St Cathrine St!

As a diehard Jays fan, I would love love love to see a team back in Montreal. A new stadium would be a must, though. I don't know Montreal well enough to talk about location, but a smallish stadium (30-35K capacity) would be ideal. The Big O, even if everything else like location and atmosphere were ideal, is still a HUGE stadium to fill.

It would be neat to have them in the AL East, although it would require some pretty major realignment of the divisions. I think Tampa Bay would be the obvious odd team out. If Oakland ends up moving (and I really don't think they will), the AL West would be down to 3 teams unless they move to San Jose or somewhere on the west coast. Move TB to the AL Central, KC to the West maybe?

I think the dollar being high and the confidence that it'll stay high would really make a difference to Montreal's ability to be successful. Even the Jays, with a much larger local and TV market, had a lot of trouble with the low dollar. Now that things are better on that front, I see no reason why Montreal couldn't be successful. It's a good baseball town, it was just the victim of a bunch of unfortunate circumstances...

Wow, great news!:psycho:

It's still a longshot, but at least there is some interest. A team in the AL would be awesome - I think that Tampa Bay would be the team most likely to move. Their plans for a new stadium in St. Pete fell through, and attendance has been weak in the past few years even though they have an outstanding team.

Sorry for the long post.

The Expos left for a bunch of reasons. Poor attendance was one reason, but it wasn't the only one, and it certainly wasn't always the case.

For one, they were the smallest market team in the league.

Second, the Canadian dollar became quite weak during the 1990s (back then 1 Canadian dollar was only worth about $0.62 US. To put things in comparison, 1 Canadian dollar is today worth $1.05 USD, and 0.73 Euros)

Third, the team was greatly mismanaged after Charles Bronfman sold the team in the early 1990s. Claude Brochu was the next owner, and he kept threatening to move the team to places like Arizona or Washington. In 1994, the Expos had the best record in a season cut short by a baseball strike. The following year the Expos became known for fire sales. Brochu sold his portion to a New York art dealer named Jeffrey Loria.

This sums up well what Jeffrey Loria did (among many things):
The games tended to be sparsely attended mostly after 1998. Prior to 98 they retained a certain degree of respectability (18,000+ on average almost every year prior to 1998). At their peak in the mid 1980s, the Expos managed to draw in the high 20,000s on average. They were at one time squarely in the middle of the pack, and even near the top in terms of attendance some years. http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/1...attendance.htm

In the 1980s, teams like Cleveland, Atlanta, Texas and Pittsburgh all had pretty similar attendance figures to the Expos in the 2000s. They all received new stadiums in the 90s (Pittsburgh in the early 2000s) and their attendance improved to respectable levels.
http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/attendance.htm

I'm pretty confident that a new outdoor stadium (that was a little on the smaller side, maybe 35,000 seats) and well located would draw people to the games. I'd seriously consider being a season ticket holder! As long as the Canadian dollar remains strong compared to the US Dollar (no signs it won't), and MLB imposes some sort of salary cap, Montreal might just be able to thrive. It is not like this city has no history with baseball. Of course it will take some clever marketing to remind people how fun it used to be to go to the park and watch a ball game.

From what I have read, enrollment in youth baseball in Montreal and Quebec has surprisingly increased in the past few years.

I hope they do. I loved the Expos very much they were the first baseball team I was exposed too back in the early 90's :)

2 things would have to happen IMO for this to even be a possibility.

A. Firm money for a Stadium
B. No more Bud Selig

I couldn't see Selig caving in like Bettman in letting a team come back across the border.

What would be some teams that would be in trouble? This financial fiasco in the states could sink some over-extended (exposed) owners. If the Dodgers can go broke, any team can!

Right of the bat Oakland and Tampa if they can't get new stadium builds up would be prime for the pickings.

The Washington Nats owner Ted Lerner is worth a crap load but he made all his money in Real Estate. He has a heavy portfolio still weighted in RE, he might be taking heavy haircuts lol. You know I'd love for a Phoenix/Winnipeg type situation to brew up with the Nats and Expos. haha

I believe that a return of Expos is possible with a new stadium. When I lived in Montreal, I attended a few games at the Big O. This stadium was designed for athletic events. It's fine for huge concerts but the baseball and soccer experiences for the fans was a cold one.

The new management should look carefully at what the CFL franchise did to built the team and fan base. Simplicity combined with baby steps.

NL over AL anytime!

I totally agree with your choices of locations (especially the last 2 ones).

I'm not a baseball fan but from what I've read, the 1994 strike was the beggining of the end for the Expos.

How were they the smallest market in the league? For market size they would have been a top 15 market putting them right in the middle of the pack.

Would love to see the return of baseball to Montreal but certain things have to happen first in order for this to occur.

1) New Ballpark
2) Cost certainty (i.e. Salary Cap)
3) Move to the American League thereby assuring large crowds whenever Toronto, Boston, or New York came to town.

However, the cost of a ballpark & acquiring a team would mean an investment of $700 million or so (and that's being generous), making it an extremely expensive and unlikely proposition.

With that all being said, bring back "Nos Amours!!!"

I'd love to see this, but I don't have much hope.

I do think a team could be more successful in Montreal now than the Expos were.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ik37etS5tT...rter_expos.jpg
http://thediamondking.blogspot.com/2...some-love.html

soyont expositifs!!!

I don't think it will work for the simple reason BASEBALL IS DEAD IN CANADA! Look at the jays they can only draw fans when the yankees or red sox come to town other than that no one shows. Look at minor league ball in Canada and in the past 15 years how many AAA clubs have left Canada ie:Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver. Then the expos themselves for their last 10 years had horrific attendance. People will point out the 94 strike but in 1996 the expos had a chance at the wildcard spot with a week to go and no one showed up their fans just were not that good. Montreal is habs town through and through and then a little bit for the alouettes but baseball is dead in Canada.No young people are watching or playing baseball in Canada anymore.

Edmonton was forced to sell because once Calgary and Vancouver folded it was deemed to expensive by the league to travel up here for just one series...thanks assholes....

http://www.stadiumpage.com/blog/labatt1.jpg
http://www.taylornoakes.com/wp-conte...11/labatt3.jpg
http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/national/monbpk01.jpg

This is such a dumb post. First I've been to four games so far, none of them being against the Yanks or Red Sox, and the lowest attedance was mid 20,000s. Three years ago in 2008 they averaged nearly 30,000 for the season. On top of that Jays games on TV have been averaging nearly 500,000 viewers a game with many games reaching into the mid to high 600,000. If baseball was dead half a million people wouldn't watch it on TV. Finally the number of Canadians in the show is at all time highs and the number of Canadians in the minors and being drafted is also at all time highs provign that your statement about no one playing is just wrong. In conclusion you really don't have a clue what you're talking about.

Here is to hoping Montreal gets a team.

Those renders of the new stadium are beyond sick

I don't know if baseball is dead in Canada overall but in Quebec (where I live) and Montreal (which is two hours away), I almost never hear people talking Major League Baseball.

At barbecues, over the water cooler, on public transit, etc. Never.

I am in the prime MLB demographic and none of my friends follow baseball. They follow hockey, soccer, Formula 1, NFL/CFL, tennis, Tour de France, etc., but not MLB.

I never hear anyone talk about MLB in Ontario either, except for the guys on my ball team, 1/3 of whom live in Quebec. I think it mostly has to do with the social circles I'm exposed to (highly educated, don't talk sports much).

I hate to embarrass you but....... ahem...:koko:

Quebec City Eh?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Municipal.JPG

Les Capitales are one of the most successful PROFESSIONAL teams in Canada, and they play in one of the most storied and beautiful ballparks in the country. I've been to a few games with my father, and the atmosphere was great. :)

:previous: Great shot of the Stadium!!!! I attended a Capital's game recently and as usual, the crowd was loud and cheerful!! It is a cute little stadium set in a beautiful and historical environment: the Victoria park.

Such an ill-informed post. You're from Winnipeg so you should know that the Goldeyes are one of the most successful minor leaugue teams in Canada with a beautiful downtown stadium. Secondly, I don't think the level of attendance at AAA baseball correlates with the level of interest in baseball as a whole. When the Cannons were here I would attend the occasional game, but I would watch top quality product (MLB) regularily. I don't beleive your third point is correct either. Perhaps it's an east/west thing, seeing as I split my time between Calgary and Van, but baseball is easily the third most popular spectator sport among my group of friends. Anecdotal evidence I know, but I am in my early 20s which is a prime demographic.

I don't live in the Quebec City area but I am aware of the success of Les Capitales... but this is a localized micro-phenomenon limited to Quebec City and suburbs. Pro baseball is still off the radar in the rest of the province, including, most importantly, Montreal.

Perhaps the Quebec City phenom of Les Capitales will spread to the rest of the province (as it did with the college football success of the Laval Rouge et Or, that sparked programs in Montreal and Sherbrooke), or maybe it will remain a strictly Quebec City thing like, er... Jeff Fillion's "radio-poubelle"...

And BTW - I am not embarrassed in the slightest! :)

A more pessimistic viewpoint:

Anyonce care to speculate on potential ownership? I'm not too familliar with Quebec media, but I've heard Peladeau's name mentioned due to the new Quebecor sports channel that is launching. Without the rights to Habs games, they will be looking for content for the network. This group will certainly need to be well capitalized to set up an MLB team.

Not sure if everyone is aware but Péladeau will be the team owner if the NHL ever returns to Quebec City. He is counting on the reborn Nordiques to power his new sports network.

Not sure if Péladeau has deep enough pockets for both an NHL and an MLB team, and if the two leagues would allow it.

and yet his media empire is the biggest opponent of any sort of sort of public money going to the oilers new barn....Just cause his names envloved I hope it fails.

The expos left montreal? :D

Could? Yes.
Imminent? No way.

As has been mentioned a downtown stadium would make this team viable... I remember when Serge Savard was trying to put a group together to build one downtown, when that fell through it was the beginning of the end.... I pretty much lost interest in baseball after that, the team was a lame duck franchise.... that team was so close soo many times, I loved that team... if someone would build that downtown stadium where you could attract the business crowd to afternoon games that team would be a success imo....

Look I have followed the expos for a long time as a kid and was a huge spos fan but to say I am misinformed is wrong. The jays never drew close to 30,000 in 2008 it was 22,000 here is the link :http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance
The Expos highest attendance for their glory years in the early 80's was 28,000 a game ok but nothing special. Montreal just isn't a great baseball town watching the french sports telecasts on RDS there is little to no mention of baseball interest in Quebec.As to the Winnipeg Goldeyes,yes the Goldeyes are a good draw but it has more to do with our nice little ballpark downtown than any real interest in the sport. The eyes used to sellout at 7,000 a game now it's around 5,200 a game.No one talks about Baseball in the peg only Jets, Bombers, some golf and NFL.

[QUOTE=thurmas;5363823]Look I have followed the expos for a long time as a kid and was a huge spos fan but to say I am misinformed is wrong. The jays never drew close to 30,000 in 2008 it was 22,000 here is the link :http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance
QUOTE]

Just checked your link... and.....
29,626 for 2008 just behind Chicago...:shrug:

Considering the Jays haven't made the playoffs, hell haven't even been in a real playoff race since 1993 I think they actually draw decently well.

If any of the top teams in the league went on a playoff drought like the Jays have I guarantee none of them would average over 30,000. That includes the likes of the Red Sox and Yankees.

First I'm not a huge baseball fan, but to me the Montreal Expos were by far the coolest baseball team ever. They're the MLB equivalent of the Hartford Whalers with such a cool logo, team name. It was a shame to see all the crap that happened to the expos since 1994 and ultimately leading to their demise in 2004.

Having said all that, what makes anybody think anything will be different? No downtown stadium, still a joke of a system in terms of not having any sort of hard cap, there's also still a prevailing attitude toward MLB in Montreal that I think most people simply quit following the sport and are still very upset with MLB. I just don't see what has changed in 7 years to indicate that a baseball team in Montreal would be a success after the debacle that occurred.

Bud Selig, Jeff Loria, the consortium and the Big OWE can all be credited with the expos death, but at some point people in Montreal decided to let them go too, by no longer supporting them.

Hey buddy your link goes to 2011 attendance numbers. Click on it then change the year to 2008 and take a look at the number and you will find 29,626. Please don't make me come back and hold your hand.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance/_/year/2008

Your friends follow Tour de France? (giggles to self)

I don't know about Montreal but baseball is a solid 3rd place in Canada based on ratings and such after hockey and football. The Jays are much more popular nationwide than the Raptors, though my generation (I'm 16) probably follows basketball more than baseball, though hockey and football are also king for us teens from my experience

You've summed it up well. I was a huge fan (of baseball in general and the Expos in particular) until the lockout. After following the team for 25+ years and seeing them finally hit the top.. on to the World Serious against the Yanks!!!!.. only to watch the dream fizzle over a dispute between the millionaires and the billionaires... it was too much. To have to wait another 25 years (if ever) for the team to reach that point.. most people in Montréal couldn't do it and felt cheated. I don't blame them for deserting the team.

MLB would have to come up with a revenue sharing plan that would give all teams a reasonable shot at winning it all. They would have to institute a video replay that would eliminate the controversy over missed calls. Montréal would have to build a baseball-specific stadium, downtown (35, 40 thousand in Griffintown) with good transit access, and they'd have to be called the EXPOS again!

I'm a baseball fan but I'm not an MLB fan. Unless they clean up their act, I won't be interested in another Montréal team.

I'd almost rather see Jeff Loria (and his stepson David Samson) publicly tortured, drawn and quartered, than have MLB return to my hometown. Those assholes destroyed my love for the game

Yes. I don't but I know people who do. There is a TV network in Quebec that broadcasts every single day's "stage" in its entirety, so there must be an audience for it.

Besides, what's so funny about following cycling? Geez murphy, they're a lot tougher than baseball players let me tell you. What's more strenuous and impressive: standing in the middle of a field for 2 1/2 hours waiting for the occasional ball to catch, or cycling up a mountain in the Alps at full speed without stopping? :shrug:

Tour de France is probably the toughest major sporting event in the world to win or even complete. A lot of people giggle at how many teeth hockey players are missing and how the sport is so sad the NHL has to allow fighting to keep ratings from sinking even lower.

I cant see a team returning to Montreal. There wont be anymore expansion and a relocation is impossible without a new stadium. A new baseball specific stadium is quite the luxury in Montreal. Gone are the days of the multi-purpose baseball parks.

On a side note. There's quite the Renessaince with the Jays right now. I see so many Jays caps and Jerseys around like its early 90's all over again. The Jays have finally emerged from a very, very long dark couple decades. Robbie's Hall of Fame induction just added fuel...

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/sports/.../alomar584.jpg
cbc.ca

http://nationalpostsports.files.word...bbie.jpg?w=620
nationalpost.com

I agree....Maybe its cause they are hovering around .500...maybe its because you want to see Bautista knock them out of the park...whatever it is, i'm watching a ton of them.

edit: whatever.

Agreed.

• Video Link

Gawd...thats just plain goofy.

The only way the Jays were able to survive the past 15 years is because:

a) Rogers bought them to fill in their regional programming during dead summer months.

b) East Division with the Yankees and Red Sox ensured atleast minimal attendance spikes. They wouldve been toast if they were in the Central.

It's a little annoying always hearing people unwilling to accept their lack of support for the Expos as the deciding factor in them relocating.
Stop blaming the league. Stop blaming Selig. Stop blaming Loria. Stop blaming everyone else. Start blaming yourselves. Montrealers never supported the Expos. The attendance never surpassed 30,000 and you dare refer to them as "Nos Amours". The only time they averaged higher then the league average was the 5-year period of 79-83. Even when they were the best team in the league they were still averaging less fans then the average MLB team.

And stop blaming the MLB because teams have been mismanaged for over a decade. Tampa has been successful. Milwaukee is quickly improving as is Pittsburgh. Cincinnati has been competitive in the past decade. Cleveland was one of the best teams in the AL in the 90s. Minnesota has been competitive and so has Seattle and Oakland. The Cubs and Astros who have good funding suck this year. The Red Sox have been able to develop a lot of their star players.

And whoever said Montreal was the smallest market team must have forgotten about: Cleveland, Kansas City, Seattle, Milwaukee, St-Louis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, San Diego.

If the Jays were in the AL Central, I think it would actually help since that would ensure they'd be in a pennant race every year. I'm a Tigers fan and even with mediocre clubs, it's at least an exciting finish to our season each year.

I wish the Jays were still in the same division as the Tigers because they had such an intense rivalry back in the '80s and early '90s.

In Toronto or the GTA itself the Jays are far more popular than the Argos.