|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Aug 31, 2002 13:38:22 GMT -5
Was just on the CBC sports site and picked up this story cbc.ca/pcgi-bin/templates/sportsView.cgi?/news/2002/08/30/Sports/expos_exposIt actually suggests that the team, if not disbanded entirely, could be moved. Some say to the Washington area. Too bad really. I was hoping they'd stick around for a few more years. But, as you suggested yesterday, BC, they aren't out of the woods. After reading this, I have to say, not out of the woods by a longshot. Cheers. |
|
|
|
Post by MPLABBE on Aug 31, 2002 13:59:14 GMT -5
I am going out on a limb right now, there is NO WAY the Expos will move anywhere for 03. There is not enough time. Plus, whoever would move them to DC would have to buy the club which would lead to a bidding war.
Then you have the Baltimore Orioles who would be severly pissed off because they consider Washington as their territory.They would go to court against MLB.
After 03? who knows...but they will be in MTL for 03.
|
|
|
|
Post by GARB08 on Aug 31, 2002 14:09:32 GMT -5
I was reading an story on sportsnet a ways back i wonder if anyone else read it.
The writer's idea was to move the expo's to toronto and mold the two teams together. It would be a good team and move them to the NL east where they would have a chance to make the playoffs.
It was a good idea. I'll try to find the story and post it.
|
|
|
|
Post by KR on Aug 31, 2002 14:27:17 GMT -5
The lawsuit launched by the former minority shareholders gets it's first hearing shortly. If the judge believes there is enough evidence to support the claim, an injunction will be issued preventing the team from being sold or moved until after the trial. I don't see them going anywhere next season. It would be a sad day for Montreal, but I'll continue to support them elsewhere. Washinton and Northern Virginia are the most oft-mentioned destinations, but there's a reason they don't have a team now. One, no adequate stadium and two, the Baltimore Orioles have always opposed the idea.
|
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Aug 31, 2002 15:32:19 GMT -5
That actually makes a lot of sense KR. I'm behind those who are launching the law suit and I'll be watching to see how it unfolds. I missed an earlier opportunity to start a scrapbook on this, but I intend on starting one nonetheless. It's history afterall.
I'd love to get down to Olympic Stadium to see one last game. I don't know if we'd be able to make that happen, but as the article suggests, the last home game will no doubt be sold out.
But as you say, I too will continue to support them from eslewhere. AND support those in the law suit. Fingers crossed that they can get it done successfully.
Cheers
|
|
|
|
Post by MPLABBE on Aug 31, 2002 16:26:05 GMT -5
Hey Dis, here's a tip when you come down: don't park under the Big Owe. It costs more to park than to buy a general admission ticket  (12$ vs 8$) Another thing I forgot to mention about DC...RFK stadium is old and falling apart. Like KR said they have no stadium ready to have baseball. Deep down, something tells me a white knight will come out of nowhere, save the team and keep them in Montreal. This saga has been going on since 1997 and it seems the unexpected always happens. |
|
|
|
Post by MPLABBE on Aug 31, 2002 16:27:36 GMT -5
I was reading an story on sportsnet a ways back i wonder if anyone else read it. The writer's idea was to move the expo's to toronto and mold the two teams together. It would be a good team and move them to the NL east where they would have a chance to make the playoffs. It was a good idea. I'll try to find the story and post it. I remember it well..it was in mid June after the Expos swept the Jays. The guy had done the potential lineups and pitching staffs of the 2 teams combined. |
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Aug 31, 2002 19:00:33 GMT -5
Hey Dis, here's a tip when you come down: don't park under the Big Owe. It costs more to park than to buy a general admission ticket (12$ vs 8$) Another thing I forgot to mention about DC...RFK stadium is old and falling apart. Like KR said they have no stadium ready to have baseball. Deep down, something tells me a white knight will come out of nowhere, save the team and keep them in Montreal. This saga has been going on since 1997 and it seems the unexpected always happens. Yeah, I remember parts of the support beams crumbling off in the past. Thank goodness nobody was underneath them when it happened. Didn't know that about JFK in DC. Maybe someone should tell the reporter. But I saw the Expos play at Jerry Park way back when. I think it was against the Cubs. The Expos won 10-3, or something close to that. I was lucky because Steve Rogers was pitching. Other than not having enough seats there wasn't too much to complain about at Parc Jerry. In a perfect scenario I guess there will be a white knight. I am really hoping someone can do something positive about this. They've been around so long that I just can't imagine Montreal without the Expos. It doesn't seem right. Ah well, have to wait it out I guess. Cheers. |
|
|
|
Post by Pam on Sept 1, 2002 17:01:18 GMT -5
When I was in Toronto last September/October, I was listening to SportsNet Ontario. They were talking about a possible retraction of a couple of baseball teams and a couple of hockey teams. I waited to hear more on it. When I got home the Expos were one of the teams named. That surprised me. Then they talked about moving the Expos to DC instead of disbanding them. Then the Commish said he would wait until after the 2002 season before he decided what he would do about retracting teams. I would hate to see the Expos moved from Montreal but it would be better than disbanding them. But I hope it isn't to DC. DC is 0 for 2 with Baseball. The original Washington Senators moved to Minnesota and became the Twins. The next Washington Senators moved to Texas and became the Rangers. If the Expos move to DC, they might suffer the same fate of being relocated again and their name changed. I guess that is better than disbanding them, but it would be nicer if Montreal would begin to support the Expos better so they wouldn't be moved or disbanded. (I never did hear any more about retraction of any NHL teams. Maybe they were waiting to see what the MLB did or maybe it was only a rumour regarding the NHL.)
|
|
|
|
Post by KR on Sept 1, 2002 20:53:25 GMT -5
When I was in Toronto last September/October, I was listening to SportsNet Ontario. They were talking about a possible retraction of a couple of baseball teams and a couple of hockey teams. I waited to hear more on it. When I got home the Expos were one of the teams named. That surprised me. Then they talked about moving the Expos to DC instead of disbanding them. Then the Commish said he would wait until after the 2002 season before he decided what he would do about retracting teams. I would hate to see the Expos moved from Montreal but it would be better than disbanding them. But I hope it isn't to DC. DC is 0 for 2 with Baseball. The original Washington Senators moved to Minnesota and became the Twins. The next Washington Senators moved to Texas and became the Rangers. If the Expos move to DC, they might suffer the same fate of being relocated again and their name changed. I guess that is better than disbanding them, but it would be nicer if Montreal would begin to support the Expos better so they wouldn't be moved or disbanded. (I never did hear any more about retraction of any NHL teams. Maybe they were waiting to see what the MLB did or maybe it was only a rumour regarding the NHL.) The trouble is Pam, the problem goes much deeper than fan support. The city desperately needs a new stadium. The Big Owe, as it is known locally, was a joke from the time construction began prior to the '76 Olympics. The whole project was neck deep in debt due to cost overruns, shabby construction and labour strife. The city was saddled with that debt for many years. In the meantime, the structure has deteriorated to the point where even a major overhaul would not be enough. It was built before the age of luxury suites and corporate sponsorship. It simply can't generate enough of a revenue stream to remain viable today. Add to that the fact that it is somewhat out of the way in that it's not downtown and the parking is a disaster and....well. you see where I'm going with this. It is extremely difficult to attract a Canadian buyer because of the exchange on the dollar. Finally, unlike our neighbours to the south, pretty much every level of government is reluctant to spend public money to support a pro sports franchise becuase of the voter outrage over cuts to social programs, health care and education. It would be political suicide to bail the team out or build them an expensive stadium. I'm afraid the best case scenario would be an American investor with very deep pockets in conjunction with a consortium of Canadian owners that wopuld keep the team in Montreal and build a new facility. That sounds familiar:) There was nothing wrong with the Loria led consortium. The problem was that Loria is a pauper by pro sports owner standards and an unconscienable snake-oil salesman as well. |
|
|
|
Post by MPLABBE on Sept 1, 2002 21:25:49 GMT -5
Mr Gillette, are you reading? ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by KR on Sept 1, 2002 22:11:07 GMT -5
I said "deep" pockets:)
Whatever happened to the Bronfman's? Following the big Seagram's sale to Vivende, I read that Edgar (I hope I have the right one) Bronfman's personal wealth was estimated to be in the billions. Does he simply have no interest in the game? With money like that he could lose money by the millions every year and never bat an eye. He is a local and his family was responsible for bringing the team to Montreal in the first place.
|
|
|
|
Post by Pam on Sept 1, 2002 22:37:12 GMT -5
That's too bad. I didn't know it was that bad. The most we hear down here is the team wasn't supported and the attendance isn't that good, and that they needed a new ball park. The MLB has harped on the lack of fan support, so I was going by that.
|
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 2, 2002 11:53:39 GMT -5
The trouble is Pam, the problem goes much deeper than fan support. The city desperately needs a new stadium. The Big Owe, as it is known locally, was a joke from the time construction began prior to the '76 Olympics. The whole project was neck deep in debt due to cost overruns, shabby construction and labour strife. I still remember the contractors striking and delaying construction. Meanwhile time was running out fast. It was rather embarassing showing the rest of the world our "nearly completed" Olympic stadium. The arial photos of the uncompleted tower stick out the most. That aside, I think we became the only nation to that point to not have taken an Olympic gold medal. Greg Joy was our only medal winner that year I believe. A silver in the high jump. I think the city of Montreal is still paying off quite a chunck of change on that old place. It might have been last year or even the year before where I read on canoe or CBC that the city was still making interest payments on the d*%n thing. Incredible but sad at the same time. Cheers. |
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 2, 2002 12:07:19 GMT -5
That's too bad. I didn't know it was that bad. The most we hear down here is the team wasn't supported and the attendance isn't that good, and that they needed a new ball park. The MLB has harped on the lack of fan support, so I was going by that. Unfortunately, Pam, most of the US sports world hangs on Jim Rome's every word. While I think his show can be entertaining (when I have the chance to listen to it that is) I really didn't support his, "... what's up with baseball in Montreal ... someone get that team outta there ..." stance. Though, as KR pointed out, the Expos are victims of much more than Jim Rome or a lack of fan support. As a native Montrealer, BC has followed the plight of the team for quite some time now. He pointed out to me a few things I hadn't heard before. But, to be honest, I don't have the time to put it all down ... there's just too much. I think Doc also pointed out that a lack of corporate sponsorship may have killed the Expos as well. I know I never followed the team like I used to when they sold off Larry Walker, Marquis Grisson, Kenny Hill, and John Wettland after the stike in '95 (was it '95 guys?"). Unquestionably, they had the very best team in baseball, and to be frank I felt betrayed. Not by the organization mind you, Pam, but by MLB. The Jays were coming off back-to-back World Championships at the time. The perception shared by many Canadian baseball fans was that, there was no way in hades that another Canadian-based team was going to be permitted to win a 3rd consecutive title. I don't know if was going to be bad for baseball in the states, or what, but I, like many others, felt betrayed. Baseball wasn't the same for me after that, Pam. In fact I have to be honest with you, I feel a sense of personal satisfaction I guess. Just knowing now that MLB is going to have to answer in a court of law to justify some of their questionable actions. The satisfaction comes from watching a group of Canadian investors who are now fed up with the way business has been conducted in MLB and are showing the guts to do something about it. Cheers. |
|
|
|
Post by MPLABBE on Sept 2, 2002 12:15:53 GMT -5
I think Doc also pointed out that a lack of corporate sponsorship may have killed the Expos as well. I know I never followed the team like I used to when they sold off Larry Walker, Marquis Grisson, Kenny Hill, and John Wettland after the stike in '95 (was it '95 guys?"). Unquestionably, they had the very best team in baseball, and to be frank I felt betrayed. Not by the organization mind you, Pam, but by MLB. . The strike cancelled the last 2 monts in 1994, was settled in May 1995 and that's when those stars left for peanuts(Walker was a free aget, but the others were traded). Expos had a 72-40 record(or something like that),an 8 game lead over the Braves,were playing DOMINATING BASEBALL, had the best outfield in the game,a great rotation, a great 1-2 punch to end the games in Rojas-Wetteland, all kinds of minor league talent waiting for a chance(White, Floyd, Vlad, to name a few), a packed stadium down the stretch and it all came undone because of the strike and the cheap local owners. Alot of people thought they would win the world series.(Imagine that back-to-back years of world championships for the city of Montreal in 2 different sports). It makes me sick and it makes me want to cry  |
|
(12$ vs 8$)