MLB2MTL?

[Dojji]

http://ballparkdigest.com/201108014063/major-league-baseball/news/return-of-mlb-to-montreal-draws-debate

 

First of all, it's really silly to declare that there's zero chance something can happen, unless it's actually physically impossible, like pigs flying. We remember naysayers declaring for decades that baseball would never return to Washington, that it was a salted and bad market, and yet it happened because some powerful folks in and out of baseball decided it could happen.

 

Second, the elements to make a move happen are developing. Rodger Brulotte, the former French-language broadcaster for the Expos, says a serious group is in place to explore the possibilities, and we'll accept him at his word. At some point we'll see a resolution of the Oakland Athletics situation, and given how long it's taken already, it's hard to be optimistic that the Giants will suddenly back off on their opposition to a San Jose ballpark plan and all will be sunshine and light. It's not hard to see a day where Lew Wolff throws in the towel and there's a MLB team on the market. Right now there's opposition to any public funding of a new ballpark; that certainly could change once there's an actual possibility of MLB returning, especially with local owners willing to put up some serious money.

[CanadianSox]

I really doubt that baseball will come back to Montreal. They need a new stadium and it will most likely not come from public funding. So unless someone wants to build a new ball park that would meet MLB standards this isn't happening.

[Dojji]

They have a couple options for the short term though. The O is still there. So for that matter is Jarry Park, although it would require extensive renovations. The big thing is that there's a much richer media presence in Montreal, in both languages. The big thing that killed Montreal was their archaic outlook on the subject of media rights.

 

They do have an uphill battle in terms of media presence since they'd be the only team that broadcasts in French, and they need to do about a thousand times better about cultivating their English language media presence. IF they do that though, Montreal is not a small market. It played small because it was hideously mismanaged. Tap into Montreal properly as a revenue stream, they could be the kind of market Baltimore or Colorado are, easily.

 

Especially if they're in the American League. So that they can play Boston on a regular basis. I can think of a lot of Bruins fans that would like to see that. I imagine that more than a few Canadiens fans would feel the same way.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

Shouldn't happen. It failed in the past. People there don't care about baseball. No one went to Expos games before. Why would they now? Although whatever, give them a team that no one will show up to watch and will be consistently bad and put them in our division to boost our wins

 

 

If they do make en expansion team I'd like to see it in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Still part of the U.S, but in a different area of it, where people really love baseball. If there was a MLB team there it would get a lot of attendance.

[boston22407]

I hope not,I hate that city

[BornToRun]

I hope not' date='I hate [b']Canada[/b]

 

Join the club.

[CanadianSox]

Join the club.

 

<_>

[Dojji]

I hope not' date='I hate that city[/quote']

 

That's what would make it fun. I hate New York, but it'd be a poorer league without the Yankees in it. Both financially and in terms of the interest in the league. The fact that we hate Montreal is all the more reason to want them in IMHO.

 

That's why I want 'em in the AL East. Unbalanced schedule and all that. We see them more, we hate them more, they hate us more. Their fans start living to beat Boston, and we start having to put down the upstart Montreal squad every year, they start going nuts when they win a few, and we fall back on history whenever they do.

 

Part of the problem with Montreal in the NL is that they had no true permanent rivals, which breeds disinterest when combined with mediocre teams. Put them in the AL East that changes real fast. Get a good healthy rivalry going, so we can hate 'em all we want, they can hate us right back, and we can try to domiante their park and they can try to dominate ours, and we'll both get good raitings watching our teams play each other. That's how baseball teams make money.

[BornToRun]

<_>

 

Just kidding, I have nothing against Canada. Bryan Adams kicks ass.

[Palodios]

If this is going to happen, can we please move one of teams from the oversaturated Florida market instead of Oakland please?

[Dojji]

Not until the Rays cool down a bit and the Florida stadium deal has a chance to fail.

 

Florida is the nation's third most populous state. Two teams isn't really oversaturated. They just aren't attracting fans for some reason.

[Palodios]

Not until the Rays cool down a bit and the Florida stadium deal has a chance to fail.

 

Florida is the nation's third most populous state. Two teams isn't really oversaturated. They just aren't attracting fans for some reason.

 

We went over this in another thread. They have 9 teams from major sports leagues, a handful of exceptional college sports teams, a ton of spring training games, the 5th most prestiguous tennis tournament all year... and a ton of beaches, theme parks, along with s*** poor demographics for sporting events.

 

"Large Population= large attendance" is a good idea in theory, but not in practice.

[Dojji]

Hmm. I do see your point, especially since Florida kinda sells its soul to college sports, especially college football.

 

If the Rays moved to Montreal I wouldn't object in the slightest. I think the A's are the next team to move though. Maybe when they're done that, the Rays move out west. Or maybe the league simply decides that every one of their expansion teams has at least BEEN to the world series (all of the Rockies, Marlins, DBacks and Rays have been in the last 8 years, which is actually pretty remarkable), and it may be time for another round of expansion to bring both leagues up to 16 teams.

 

My vote would be for Montreal and Austin.