Like A Mofo Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 Expos moving to Wa$hington So Washington has had TWO teams move outta of there, and they deserve a 3rd? What an absolute disgrase this is, and what a joke Bud Selig and the rest of MLB was during this whole process. The Captials never draw, the Wizards, when Jordan was there was about the only time it mattered...why couldnt Buffalo ever get their shot to have a MLB team? TV Market, I hope this team sucks and they fail again in Washington Expos announcement might come Thursday By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer September 28, 2004 NEW YORK (AP) -- Washington's wait is almost over. Exactly 33 years after the Washington Senators played their final game, the nation's capital could learn Thursday that major league baseball plans to return next season. Several baseball officials said Monday that's the most likely day for an announcement that Washington, D.C., has been selected as the new home for the Montreal Expos, although there was a slight chance the timetable could be moved up. After a meeting of the sport's executive council last Thursday, a high-ranking baseball official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said major league baseball would attempt to finalize negotiations with Washington within a week. It would be the first franchise relocation in the major leagues since the expansion Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers after the 1971 season. The deal to move the Expos to Washington would be subject to government approval of funding for both a $13 million refurbishment of RFK Stadium and a new ballpark costing slightly over $400 million, which would be built along the Anacostia River in the southeast section of the city. A move also must be approved by three-quarters of major league owners and survive legal challenges by the Expos' former limited partners and possibly by Baltimore owner Peter Angelos, who objects to having a team just 40 miles from the Orioles. Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, went to Baltimore on Friday to negotiate a compensation arrangement with Angelos. The Orioles owner told The (Baltimore) Sun that he could be persuaded to drop his opposition if he could be assured that his team and the state of Maryland's investment in Oriole Park at Camden Yards could be protected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thailog80 Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 Peter Angelos better flex his muscle and quash this from happening. He should.....40 miles from his ball club is too damn close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like A Mofo Posted September 28, 2004 Author Share Posted September 28, 2004 And I cannot spell, if someone can change it Montreal, I appreciate it thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spun Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 And I cannot spell, if someone can change it Montreal, I appreciate it thanks 48651[/snapback] No big deal. You have the spelling of Montreal wrong but as some of the Quebec locals would tell you, pronouncing it without the "t" is the only way to say it! It is sad to see the demise of the Expo franchise that once was very popular. MLB execs wakeup, you are losing fans in the smaller markets. As for bringing in the D.C. crowds, here is one way: http://www.redskins.com/cheerleaders/ Wow! Weren't they the show last night? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Typical TBD Guy Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 Peter Angelos better flex his muscle and quash this from happening. He should.....40 miles from his ball club is too damn close. 48648[/snapback] No it's not. The greater DC-Baltimore area has plenty of people and plenty of $$$ to support two teams. Look at football with the Skins and Ravens. Both franchises are doing excellent financially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njsue Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 Some people will do just about anything for an extra buck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh_564 Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 as an expos fan this freaking sucks damn you players strike of 94 :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soljc Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 I will truly miss going up to Montreal for baseball......it was fun to sit among 4,900 fans, eating poutin and drinking Labatts, all for the price of admission at most other parks. I wonder what the city plans to do with that stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 No it's not. The greater DC-Baltimore area has plenty of people and plenty of $$$ to support two teams. Look at football with the Skins and Ravens. Both franchises are doing excellent financially. 48710[/snapback] Yeah right, football sells tickets, but the Skins have lots of empty seats. People don't go if they aren't winning. As far as other sports, hell they can't give Caps or Bullets tickets away most nights. I usually go t the Sabres game every year and there are always more Sabres fans then Cap fans there. Baseball will not survive here, in 10 years they will want to move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spun Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 as an expos fan this freaking sucks damn you players strike of 94 :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: 48729[/snapback] My condolences. The Expos had some great players and could have continued to thrive if MLB had made a long term commitment to repair the damage of the strike and weak ownership. It sucks for the long time fans and the newest ones, the kids. Not having a new stadium was the final dagger. I remember how in the 70's, the NBA owners jobbed Buffalo, leading the way to the Buffalo Braves leaving for San Diego. The owner of the Braves sold off the best players and the league and owners let it happen. So then the fans stopped going to the games, the owner put an ultimatum to the fans to buy more tickets and wham the Braves were dust. I never was an NBA fan ever again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF Bills Fan Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 The fans in Montreal got shafted by MLB. The league has wanted to get this team out of there for a while. They ran it into the ground. Could baseball compete there anyway? Not in that have vs. have not league. It'll be a tough winter up there- no hockey and the Expos gone. My sympathies. --------- Go Bills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 Montreal didn't support the team and DC has the money and the people to do it! It is one of the most wealthy areas in the country and most populated. They will probably do quite well there--they will actually have some money now to go get some talent. It is too bad for Montreal, but it is just not a baseball town anymore. The strike in the mid-90s killed them. They would haver likely gone to the World Series that year. I think they had the best record in baseball, but the players apparently did not make enough of guaranteed money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spun Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 This did not have to happen. It is a sad story for Montreal and a happy one (maybe) for D.C. Interesting story: http://www.canada.com/sports/baseball/expo...47-876b20f1f87d Editorial Cartoon (Aislin): http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgaz...islin/0925.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30dive Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Its always very sad when a community loses one of its own. Especially a pro sports franchise. However I think this might be the best thing for the Baltimore community...Now Angelos will be forced to put a winner at Camden Yards. That putz has done nothing but make money and bring that once proud baseball community to the lowest levels...If he can't keep the Balto-DC fans at Camden Yards because they prefer to see the "new" Expo's then he needs to sell the team to an owner who wants to put a winner in Balto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Expos moving to Wa$hington So Washington has had TWO teams move outta of there, and they deserve a 3rd? What an absolute disgrase this is, and what a joke Bud Selig and the rest of MLB was during this whole process. The Captials never draw, the Wizards, when Jordan was there was about the only time it mattered...why couldnt Buffalo ever get their shot to have a MLB team? TV Market, I hope this team sucks and they fail again in Washington Expos announcement might come Thursday By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer September 28, 2004 NEW YORK (AP) -- Washington's wait is almost over. Exactly 33 years after the Washington Senators played their final game, the nation's capital could learn Thursday that major league baseball plans to return next season. Several baseball officials said Monday that's the most likely day for an announcement that Washington, D.C., has been selected as the new home for the Montreal Expos, although there was a slight chance the timetable could be moved up. After a meeting of the sport's executive council last Thursday, a high-ranking baseball official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said major league baseball would attempt to finalize negotiations with Washington within a week. It would be the first franchise relocation in the major leagues since the expansion Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers after the 1971 season. The deal to move the Expos to Washington would be subject to government approval of funding for both a $13 million refurbishment of RFK Stadium and a new ballpark costing slightly over $400 million, which would be built along the Anacostia River in the southeast section of the city. A move also must be approved by three-quarters of major league owners and survive legal challenges by the Expos' former limited partners and possibly by Baltimore owner Peter Angelos, who objects to having a team just 40 miles from the Orioles. Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, went to Baltimore on Friday to negotiate a compensation arrangement with Angelos. The Orioles owner told The (Baltimore) Sun that he could be persuaded to drop his opposition if he could be assured that his team and the state of Maryland's investment in Oriole Park at Camden Yards could be protected. 48645[/snapback] You have no idea how much of a joke this is. For the most part, the city doesn't want the team (three district councilmen lost their seats in this month's election for supporting baseball in DC. Friggin' Marion Barry was elected in one ward on a "no baseball" platform.) One of the reasons they're announcing the move now is because if they wait much longer, all the new anti-baseball councilmen will start their terms, and the $440M stadium construction bill will never pass the DC council. And the league had to literally pay off Angelos (Orioles owner) to get this through...a guaranteed floor on the Orioles' sale price, should he choose to sell, a dedicated cable TV station, and some sort of cash deal. And worst of all...it's the Expos. Pro baseball's STILL not coming to DC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Screw Peter Angelos. He is an evil little man. He thinks his precious Orioles have annexed the Washington D.C. market....therefore he has the right to block the move. Good for him for getting a sweet deal but I don't like the guy. Those two markets are as separate as Buffalo & Toronto. There's plenty of room for two teams in that region. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Typical TBD Guy Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 Yeah right, football sells tickets, but the Skins have lots of empty seats. People don't go if they aren't winning. As far as other sports, hell they can't give Caps or Bullets tickets away most nights. I usually go t the Sabres game every year and there are always more Sabres fans then Cap fans there. Baseball will not survive here, in 10 years they will want to move. 48757[/snapback] Even so, the Expos franchise will make more money in DC than in Montreal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like A Mofo Posted September 29, 2004 Author Share Posted September 29, 2004 Even so, the Expos franchise will make more money in DC than in Montreal. 48867[/snapback] But why not the Carolinas? Even Buffalo??? Washington has had 2 CHANCES....do they really deserve a 3rd?? Di$gra$eful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted September 29, 2004 Share Posted September 29, 2004 But why not the Carolinas? Even Buffalo??? Washington has had 2 CHANCES....do they really deserve a 3rd?? Di$gra$eful 48926[/snapback] Nope they really don't and I live here now. I would love to go watch the series against the Mets every year, but, I am not sure the area really would support them. Plus it will be a drain on the O's. I thought they might put the team in Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. Even though it is spread out they have a lot of people and would draw some from NC. Who knows still could happen. The other place I thought would have been Portland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like A Mofo Posted September 29, 2004 Author Share Posted September 29, 2004 Nope they really don't and I live here now. I would love to go watch the series against the Mets every year, but, I am not sure the area really would support them. Plus it will be a drain on the O's. I thought they might put the team in Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. Even though it is spread out they have a lot of people and would draw some from NC. Who knows still could happen. The other place I thought would have been Portland. 48932[/snapback] Good points, and I bet what factored into their decision was geography as well, Portland would have to go the West division, how would MLB align everything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts