Say no to baseball in Montréal

[Augustin_"Gus"]

On December 29th, La Presse newspaper and a couple of it's affiliates, ran stories about two groups trying to bring a Can-Am league (independant A ball) to the Montréal area, on the front page (a slow news day, mind you... The again, they couldn't talk about that in the front page of the sports section since La Presse as a very strict policy: No talking about baseball in the sports pages. So I guess they had no choice...). One of them would like to build a stadium in St-Lambert (suburb south of Montréal, as previously mentionned on this board) is spearheaded by former Expos minority owner Paul Delage Roberge, and another group, would like to take the team to Boisbriand, north of the city. League commisionner Miles Wolff would like to have a team in montréal and one in Ottawa in 2008. Here's what they had in La Presse, for the benefit of those who read french.

<$TI>Deux groupes souhaitent amener du baseball de la Ligue Can-Am à Montréal
<$ST>La rivalité sportive avec Québec pourrait renaître sur le losange
<$AUT>Godin, Marc Antoine

<$LEAD>Il ne faut pas s'attendre à revoir de sitôt le baseball majeur à Montréal. Mais deux groupes tentent d'attirer une concession de la Ligue Can-Am dans la métropole.

La Ligue Can-Am, dont font partie les Capitales de Québec, rêve en effet d'effectuer une expansion à Montréal et Ottawa. Cette ligue indépendante, composée de joueurs qu'on associe au calibre AA, veut bâtir sur le succès des Capitales en s'établissant dans deux villes qui deviendraient du coup les plus grosses du circuit.

On saura dans les prochaines semaines si c'est sur le losange, plutôt que sur la glace, que revivra la rivalité Montréal-Québec.

" Si l'on pouvait intégrer Ottawa et Montréal en même temps pour la saison 2008, et ainsi créer un axe intéressant avec Québec, ce serait idéal pour la ligue ", explique Miles Wolff, le commissaire de la Ligue Can-Am et propriétaire des Capitales.

La candidature d'Ottawa ne pose pas trop de problème car la ville possède un stade qui hébergera cette année la filiale AAA des Phillies de Philadelphie. Selon toute vraisemblance, cette équipe s'en ira à la fin de la saison 2007, laissant le Lynx Stadium à la disposition de la Ligue Can-Am.

La candidature de Montréal pose un plus grand défi. Non pas que personne ne veuille allonger la somme d'environ 750 000 $ pour l'achat des droits d'une nouvelle équipe. Mais il n'y a aucune infrastructure dans la région montréalaise prête à accueillir une équipe professionnelle et des foules de 5000 personnes.

Pour pallier ce manque, deux groupes concurrents peaufinent leurs projets. L'un est piloté par Robert Poirier, l'ancien maire de Boisbriand (voir autre texte). L'autre est soutenu par l'homme d'affaires Paul Delage Roberge, fondateur des Ailes de la mode, ancien actionnaire minoritaire des Expos et fondateur du Vert et Or de l'Université de Sherbrooke. C'est Marc Griffin, autrefois analyste aux matchs des Expos, qui s'occupe du démarchage.

" Les gens de Montréal se sont écoeurés du baseball à cause des Expos, admet M. Griffin. Dans les dernières années, on ne parlait de baseball que de façon négative. Nous, on veut le faire revivre en tant que sport familial. Il faut recommencer à la base. On veut que les gens puissent être près des joueurs et qu'ils les regardent jouer dans un stade extérieur de 5000 places.

" Le site qu'on préfère est sur la Rive-Sud, sur le terrain du Collège Champlain. C'est tout juste à côté du métro Longueuil et du pont Jacques-Cartier. Le problème, c'est qu'on n'a pas encore le terrain en question. Ça fait longtemps qu'on négocie avec le Collège Champlain et on espère en arriver à une entente. "

Au cégep anglophone, on tient un discours optimiste. " On est rendu à la neuvième manche et j'ai bon espoir que ça puisse se régler de façon positive au début de janvier ", affirme Don Shewan, directeur du cégep Champlain Saint-Lambert. " Il faut juste que cette entente réponde aux besoins de notre collège. Le terrain actuel nous permet de tirer des revenus de stationnement. Si le projet se concrétise, il faudra qu'on trouve d'autres moyens de se financer. On envisage un bail à long terme, entre 35 et 50 ans. Et c'est sûr qu'on réclamerait un accès au terrain pour nos équipes sportives. "

<B+>D'abord pour les jeunes<B->

En plus d'une équipe de la Ligue Can-Am, Marc Griffin souhaite faire de son nouveau stade le quartier général de Baseball-Québec. " On est dans une ère où le Québec développe de plus en plus de joueurs professionnels. Depuis Éric Gagné, le réseau québécois a plus de visibilité. Et puis, la seule académie de baseball au Canada se trouve à Montréal.

" La construction de ce stade ne serait pas pour nous une occasion de faire un coup d'argent, mais d'aider Baseball-Québec à se doter d'infrastructures qui lui permettraient un jour d'accueillir les championnats canadiens ou même mondiaux. La Fédération contrôle la grande majorité de ce qui se fait en matière de baseball amateur au Québec, et ce projet-là est appelé à devenir le leur. "

Sauf que la Ligue Can-Am attend toujours une offre officielle de la part de MM. Roberge et Griffin. Les deux clans discutent sur une base mensuelle, mais parlent de " plusieurs étapes à franchir avant la première pelletée de terre ". Or, compte tenu des hivers montréalais, la construction d'un stade devra débuter en avril ou en mai. Une infra-structure de 5000 places pourrait prendre de neuf à 12 mois à être érigée. Qu'il s'agisse de la proposition Boisbriand ou de celle de la Rive-Sud, le temps commence donc à presser si Montréal veut se joindre à la Can-Am en 2008.

<$TI_ENCADRE><B+>Qu'est-ce quela ligue Can-Am ?<B->

<$ENCADRE>La Can-Am est une ligue de baseball indépendante, en ce sens qu'elle n'héberge aucune équipe affiliée à des organisations du baseball majeur. On compare son calibre de jeu à celui du AA. Il y a déjà eu une Ligue Can-Am dans les années 40 qui incluait à l'époque des formations de Québec et de Trois-Rivières. La structure actuelle a porté plusieurs noms avant de revenir, en 2004, au terme Can-Am. Pourtant, à ce jour, Québec est la seule ville canadienne au sein de ce circuit qui compte 10 équipes. Les autres proviennent de villes modestes du Nord-Est américain telles qu'Atlantic City, New Haven et Nashua. Les Capitales de Québec sont champions en titre et leur succès ne s'estompe pas depuis leur création, en 1999.


<$TI>Le vieux rêve de Boisbriand
<$AUT>Godin, Marc Antoine

<$LEAD>Robert Poirier caresse depuis plus de 15 ans le rêve d'amener le baseball à Boisbriand. De concert avec Marc Boucher, président du futur Complexe de baseball Métropolitain Laurentides, l'ancien maire de cette municipalité a déposé une demande formelle auprès de la Ligue Can-Am. Les deux hommes n'attendent qu'un signal pour commencer, dès le printemps, la construction d'un stade évalué entre huit et 10 millions de dollars.

" On a transmis à Miles Wolff des plans de stade conçus par la firme d'architectes Thibodeau ainsi qu'un montage financier pour nous porter acquéreurs de l'équipe, explique M. Poirier. Qu'on obtienne ou non une équipe de la Ligue Can-Am, le Complexe pourra voir le jour et accueillir une équipe junior. "

Le hic, c'est que le montage financier de ce nouveau stade est basé sur la location de 20 loges pour 20 000 $ chacune par année. Ces loges ne trouveront pas preneur si l'on n'y présente que du baseball junior!

Tout comme MM. Roberge et Griffin, le groupe de Boisbriand entend profiter d'un programme sur les infrastructures sportives lancé l'an dernier par le gouvernement Charest. En vertu de ce programme, le ministre Fournier propose un partenariat 50-50 avec le privé pour le financement de nouvelles constructions.

Pour l'instant ne serait-ce que parce qu'il a déjà soumis officiellement sa candidature et qu'il se dit prêt à entreprendre la construction dans les prochains mois le groupe de Boisbriand fait figure de meneur.

" On n'a jamais fermé la porte à ce que les deux groupes s'associent, prétend M. Poirier. L'important, c'est qu'on amène une équipe de la Ligue Can-Am à Montréal au plus vite. "

Le commissaire de la Ligue, Miles Wolff, est conscient de l'impact qu'aurait Montréal sur son circuit. Et il verrait d'un bon oeil la relance de la rivalité Montréal-Québec au sein d'une ligue qui pourrait compter sur plusieurs joueurs professionnels québécois. Néanmoins, jusqu'à ce qu'un stade soit mis en chantier, M. Wolff affiche un optimisme prudent.

" Je ne me commettrai pas à l'égard de quiconque pour le moment, mentionne M. Wolff. Dans les prochaines semaines, je devrai me pencher sérieusement sur la question et déterminer qui sera en mesure de fournir un stade convenable.

" Les deux groupes ont des plans en marche, mais il reste à voir jusqu'à quel point ça peut se concrétiser. Comment vont-ils financer la construction de leur stade? C'est la grande question. Car il est clair qu'un club des ligues mineures ne peut financer l'érection d'un stade par lui-même. Il ne génère tout simplement pas assez de revenus. "

[Augustin_"Gus"]

OK, I gave this Can-Am baseball in the Montréal metro area thing a lot of tought. And I'm ready to take a stand on the issue. I say NO. In a big way. We should laugh at the idea that the Montréal area would get a franchise in that dog and poney show of a league. The reason is simple.

Montréal is supposed to be an international city. We host major international gatherings of all kinds. We had the olympics. We have formula 1. All kinds of stuff. We like to consider ourselves as a major league city. And as far as baseball is concerned, two years ago , we competed with cities like New York, L.A. and Chicago. We went to the stadium to see the Barry Bonds, the Pedro Martinez's of this world in action. And now, we'll get all worked up when Sussex county or Brockton will come to town? We're gonna fill the stands to watch Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd and Eddie Lantigua? I don't think so.

That league is beneath us, plain and simple. You want to know how I know? It's a little statistical mesure I call "the St-Hyacinthe factor". St-Hyacinthe is a city of close to 80 000, located about an hour south east of Montréal. And St-Hyacinthe is big enough to have a Can-Am league team. If St-Hyacinthe is big enough, than it's beneath us. Heck, Québec (the city) is too big for that league. So Montréal is just way to big to have a franchise. We have no business in that circuit. Frankly, if we get a team in that league, it will be tough to argue with those who say Montréal isn't a major league city.

I don't believe we are starved for baseball to a point were we need pro ball, no matter the caliber. So I say to Mr Delage Roberge, Mr Griffin, Mr Poirier, all the others: Please, don't do that. Don't get a Can-Am league team for Montréal. How about St-Hyacinthe? It's a lovely place, and they've been waiting for a pro team for a long time.

[Spazz]

I've never been to an indy league game, but I've been to many minor league games. If indy is anything like MiLB, trust me, you want a team there. Minor league games are more fun to attend than major league games. You may not get to see present day "stars" but you get to see players that have passion and fever. It's like seeing twenty Pete Roses play in their youth. The stadium atmosphere is much more relaxed and beer and food is cheaper. Between innings there is always something going on that the wife is trying to take pictures of.

But again, I don't know if outlaw baseball is anything like MiLB. But look at it this way, Montreal's chances of ever getting a Major League team again is laughable. You are going to have to settle for what you can get. :o

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

OK, I gave this Can-Am baseball in the Montréal metro area thing a lot of tought. And I'm ready to take a stand on the issue. I say NO. In a big way. We should laugh at the idea that the Montréal area would get a franchise in that dog and poney show of a league. The reason is simple.

Montréal is supposed to be an international city. We host major international gatherings of all kinds. We had the olympics. We have formula 1. All kinds of stuff. We like to consider ourselves as a major league city. And as far as baseball is concerned, two years ago , we competed with cities like New York, L.A. and Chicago. We went to the stadium to see the Barry Bonds, the Pedro Martinez's of this world in action. And now, we'll get all worked up when Sussex county or Brockton will come to town? We're gonna fill the stands to watch Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd and Eddie Lantigua? I don't think so.

That league is beneath us, plain and simple. You want to know how I know? It's a little statistical mesure I call "the St-Hyacinthe factor". St-Hyacinthe is a city of close to 80 000, located about an hour south east of Montréal. And St-Hyacinthe is big enough to have a Can-Am league team. If St-Hyacinthe is big enough, than it's beneath us. Heck, Québec (the city) is too big for that league. So Montréal is just way to big to have a franchise. We have no business in that circuit. Frankly, if we get a team in that league, it will be tough to argue with those who say Montréal isn't a major league city.

I don't believe we are starved for baseball to a point were we need pro ball, no matter the caliber. So I say to Mr Delage Roberge, Mr Griffin, Mr Poirier, all the others: Please, don't do that. Don't get a Can-Am league team for Montréal. How about St-Hyacinthe? It's a lovely place, and they've been waiting for a pro team for a long time.

I don't think it is a bad idea. Just like the article says: It is a good way to bring baseball back at the level of a family sport. The way to bring it back to that level is to start at the basis.
In this way you can bring the people back to the baseball field again. And then later on, Montreal can make a bid for a MLB franchise again.

[cutchemist42]

I get your from Montreal and that you guys are used to international events, but minor league is fun. My city has the Winnipeg Goldeyes and it is a fun atmosphere. Another thing is alot of gamesrun between 2 to 2.5 hours because of no commercial breaks. It's amazing how quick a baseball game can actually be played with no commercials.

[EvanAparra]

I mean, really, you are saying no to baseball in your city?

[Mad Guru]

You're absolutely right in that a city the size of Montreal is far too big for anything but a AAA minor league team. But unless you have the millions to get a team there yourself, don't you pretty much have to take what you can get?

What I wouldn't mind seeing is an entire minor league housed in a large city. Now that would be something.

[cubaxpos]

Well, I don't have the benefit of reading french and the altavista translator blows. Therefore, I couldn't read the article.
However, based on both your summary of what the article says and the general idea I don't think this is a bad idea at all.
I mean, is a way of bringing back baseball to the city and perhaps the start of Montréal's way back to MLB or higher levels of MiLB. I guess that having MiLB is better than not having any baseball. Moreover, this can be the first stepping stone in the ladder that leads to MLB again in Montréal.

[cutchemist42]

Another thing is sure you start at this level, but it could grow. For example, my Winnipeg Goldeyes went from a football field that was modified for baseball but wasn't the best but because of success, moved up to beautiful CanWest Global park.

http://mysite.verizon.net/charliesballparks/stadiums/winni.htm -Winnipeg Stadium for baseball

http://www.goldeyes.com/ballparkopener.html -Can West Global

In fact.....I could see Winnipeg getting AAA baseball before Montreal.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

Another thing is sure you start at this level, but it could grow. For example, my Winnipeg Goldeyes went from a football field that was modified for baseball but wasn't the best but because of success, moved up to beautiful CanWest Global park.

http://mysite.verizon.net/charliesballparks/stadiums/winni.htm -Winnipeg Stadium for baseball

http://www.goldeyes.com/ballparkopener.html -Can West Global

In fact.....I could see Winnipeg getting AAA baseball before Montreal.

That is exactly what I mean. If you start at this level and prove that people will come again, you can take a step to affiliated ball and perhaps later on to MLB again.

If these two groups that want to start a Can-Am team in Montreal work together, maybe even more is possible.

[JordanDL3891]

Can-am is a fun league, I have watched it grow through the past few years, it is a LOT like MILB. I use to go to games, (Idk it it was the Northeast League at the time, but they ended up becomming can-am) I watched A-C Diamond Dogs games all the time, most of the players are young, and some do get sold to MLB teams, but the main dif from indy ball to MILB ball, is that the players stick around for more seasons, you will see your favorites again, its more family style game. Now don't get me wrong, the guys (or kids even) in Can-am CAN play, your acting like they SUCK cause they arent in MLB. But these ppl are true ball players, they play because they want to just play baseball, not earn a ton of money.

It sounds a little spoiled of you to say that your city is too good for indy baseball. Some is better than none, I say yes to baseball in Montreal.

Can-am is a fun league.

http://www.canamleague.com/

i've watched this league grow, when I saw it, there were only three teams currently in it now that were in it then, the Jackles, Rox, and Quebecs team. but they seem to add more (and replace others of course) each year, like last year, they got Nashua (w/e) and sussex (im still not use to either of them or there logos) and now we got this team called the Surf for 07, and an away team (the grays) which we hope can land a full time spot in Montreal.

[Augustin_"Gus"]

I tend to disagree with a lot of you who said that having (very) minor baseball in Montréal could be the first stepping stone to having a major league franchise back. Thing is, we had major league baseball 27 months ago. And we lost it beaucuse no one was ready to step up and put some major bucks in the franchise (à la Ted Rogers). Fan support wasn't there, but that's cyclical. Had the 2004 Expos lead the East wire to wire, they're would have been 30 000-35 000 people every night from late june on.

Now, I could be wrong about this, but I don't believe that no one who had his heart broken by the departure of the team has made a billion $ in the last two years. That's the key. Someone with a lot of dough. In 1972, a couple of businessman put 215 000$ together and bought what would become the Québec Nordiques, now the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL, (net worth according to Forbes magazine: 219 millions US$). They played in the old Colisée in Québec, wich had undergone a few hundred thousand bucks worth of upgrades. Back then, a lilttle money and a lot of fan support could get you a major league franchise. Not anymore. Even buying the Kansas City Royals to move them here would set us back at least 200 M$. Plus a brand new state-of-the-art stadium, that's half a billion right there. Major league baseball will remain out of reach as long as we don't have someone ready to invest half a billion for a baseball team. The success or failure of Boisbriand-St-Lambert Expos would have very little to do with us having major league baseball back in this town.

Plus, all the media types who were impatiantly waiting for the Expos to leave, they're still here. Still lurking, ready to give us the old "I told you so; no one likes baseball in this town anymore" if the Can-Am adventure fails. If the team succeed, the media will probably ignore it, if it fails, they will be all over that poor club. Baseball in Montréal has a lot to loose, and very little to gain, out of that whole deal.

And by the way, I'm not saying Montréal is too good for Indy baseball. I'm simply stating the obvious: Montréal is too big (in size) for indy baseball. I'm sure the product is good, I have nothing against the Can-Am league personally. But for a city to go from the National League of baseball to a league that as bored 3 different names in the last 10 years or so makes no sense whatsoever.

So, in retrospect, Say no to baseball in Montréal. For now.

[JordanDL3891]

I tend to disagree with a lot of you who said that having (very) minor baseball in Montréal could be the first stepping stone to having a major league franchise back. Thing is, we had major league baseball 27 months ago. And we lost it beaucuse no one was ready to step up and put some major bucks in the franchise (à la Ted Rogers). Fan support wasn't there, but that's cyclical. Had the 2004 Expos lead the East wire to wire, they're would have been 30 000-35 000 people every night from late june on.

Now, I could be wrong about this, but I don't believe that no one who had his heart broken by the departure of the team has made a billion $ in the last two years. That's the key. Someone with a lot of dough. In 1972, a couple of businessman put 215 000$ together and bought what would become the Québec Nordiques, now the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL, (net worth according to Forbes magazine: 219 millions US$). They played in the old Colisée in Québec, wich had undergone a few hundred thousand bucks worth of upgrades. Back then, a lilttle money and a lot of fan support could get you a major league franchise. Not anymore. Even buying the Kansas City Royals to move them here would set us back at least 200 M$. Plus a brand new state-of-the-art stadium, that's half a billion right there. Major league baseball will remain out of reach as long as we don't have someone ready to invest half a billion for a baseball team. The success or failure of Boisbriand-St-Lambert Expos would have very little to do with us having major league baseball back in this town.

Plus, all the media types who were impatiantly waiting for the Expos to leave, they're still here. Still lurking, ready to give us the old "I told you so; no one likes baseball in this town anymore" if the Can-Am adventure fails. If the team succeed, the media will probably ignore it, if it fails, they will be all over that poor club. Baseball in Montréal has a lot to loose, and very little to gain, out of that whole deal.

And by the way, I'm not saying Montréal is too good for Indy baseball. I'm simply stating the obvious: Montréal is too big (in size) for indy baseball. I'm sure the product is good, I have nothing against the Can-Am league personally. But for a city to go from the National League of baseball to a league that as bored 3 different names in the last 10 years or so makes no sense whatsoever.

So, in retrospect, Say no to baseball in Montréal. For now.


so, you need someone like bill gates to come back you up :laugh

yea, its not like there will be a lot of media attention from cam-am like MLB, just local.

but how would gettting cam-am hurt your chances at MLB in the long run?

I agree with the fact that if the expos lead their league, they would get a big turnout of fans.

[Augustin_"Gus"]

but how would gettting cam-am hurt your chances at MLB in the long run?



If that team is successful, the baseball bashing media will ignore the phenomenon completely. If it doesent work, they will give it a exaggerated coverage, seeing that as another proof that baseball in Montréal is dead and that we should convert every single diamond in town into a soccer field. It's a no-win situation for the sport.

[JordanDL3891]

If that team is successful, the baseball bashing media will ignore the phenomenon completely. If it doesent work, they will give it a exaggerated coverage, seeing that as another proof that baseball in Montréal is dead and that we should convert every single diamond in town into a soccer field. It's a no-win situation for the sport.


you mean a hockey rink right? lol j/k

yea, but not everyone in the media in Monteral is against the idea of baseball in monteral right?


and you don't really know if it will work or not, i'd ask local people if they would be interested before just plugging a team in. I would also make sure they secure a lot of funds to make a NICE stadium (no one wants to go watch a game at a junky one) that is if they do get a cam-am team.


im not really sure if im for baseball in monteral or not anymore.

Maybe you can turn this thread into a poll (under thread opts.) and ask what people think about Baseball in Monteral or not.

[Alomar93]

Those guys that say "see no one cares anymore, the strike killed baseball in Canada" lurk in Toronto too, but they shut up this season after the Jays had supurb ratings. Clearly people still care... we like most American markets too want something competitive on the field and not some team that gets trampled on day in and day out.

[JordanDL3891]

Those guys that say "see no one cares anymore, the strike killed baseball in Canada" lurk in Toronto too, but they shut up this season after the Jays had supurb ratings. Clearly people still care... we like most American markets too want something competitive on the field and not some team that gets trampled on day in and day out.


yea, look at kansas city or the devil rays.........

[Ontarioguy]

Now I'm not living in Montreal anymore but I keep wondering, why are all these proposed teams being set up off of the island? Why not somewhere close to downtown? Wouldn't that be better for everyone? It doesnt have to right downtown but maybe some place like Verdun or heck even out in the east end near Olympic Stadium. Atleast get it near the Metro. I know if I were still living there, and a park was built somewhere on a Metro, I would probably stop by on a nice sunny day. When I lived there last year, I would take my radio, a blanket and head to the park lie out in the sun and listen to the Yankee game from a station in Vermont. It was enjoyable. If it were off the island, I would never go.

[JordanDL3891]

why not just put them in olympic stadium? if it is not being used that is - lol, it would be way to big for them, but they can tarp off a LOT of seats, (like all but most of the 1st level) that would be pretty cool, and a pretty cool feel for indipendent baseball. It would give them the edge on intiminating the away team :D

[Augustin_"Gus"]

The guys in Boisbriand are really serious. Read in the paper yesterday that they will get the stadium construction underway in april, this coming april, if everything goes according to plan. The team would start playing in 2008, and they will be named the Royals (les Royaux). Wich I think is a shame.

Les Royaux de Boisbriand. Makes little sense. They named the team "the Royals" beacuse of Mount-Royal. The lilnk between that municipality that isn't even on the island of Montréal and mount Royal isn't that obvious if you ask me.

And I say NO to baseball in or around Montréal. I havent changed my mind on this.

[JordanDL3891]

Royals? people will think they are part of the KC Royals farm system.

[Augustin_"Gus"]

Actually, Royals is the historic name for baseball clubs in Montréal. Been in use from early in the 20th century until 1960. The Expos were, I believe, the first real professional baseball club in this city not to be named "The Royals", beacuse of the KC team of the same name.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

Actually, Royals is the historic name for baseball clubs in Montréal. Been in use from early in the 20th century until 1960. The Expos were, I believe, the first real professional baseball club in this city not to be named "The Royals", beacuse of the KC team of the same name.

Why were they not named the Royals? I think that, historically, they had the rights to be named the Royals.

[Augustin_"Gus"]

The KC Royals were already in the major leagues when Montréal was awarded a franchise. And MLB probably didn't want to follow the lead of the Canadian football league and have a couple of teams named the same.

But if the St-Louis Browns came to Montréal in 1954 instead of going to Baltimore as they came close to doing, you'd have to believe they would have been named the Royals. And history could have been different for the franchise. But we'll never know how that would have turned out, will we?

[BlueBird]

OK, I gave this Can-Am baseball in the Montréal metro area thing a lot of tought. And I'm ready to take a stand on the issue. I say NO. In a big way. We should laugh at the idea that the Montréal area would get a franchise in that dog and poney show of a league. The reason is simple.

Montréal is supposed to be an international city. We host major international gatherings of all kinds. We had the olympics. We have formula 1. All kinds of stuff. We like to consider ourselves as a major league city. And as far as baseball is concerned, two years ago , we competed with cities like New York, L.A. and Chicago. We went to the stadium to see the Barry Bonds, the Pedro Martinez's of this world in action. And now, we'll get all worked up when Sussex county or Brockton will come to town? We're gonna fill the stands to watch Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd and Eddie Lantigua? I don't think so.

That league is beneath us, plain and simple. You want to know how I know? It's a little statistical mesure I call "the St-Hyacinthe factor". St-Hyacinthe is a city of close to 80 000, located about an hour south east of Montréal. And St-Hyacinthe is big enough to have a Can-Am league team. If St-Hyacinthe is big enough, than it's beneath us. Heck, Québec (the city) is too big for that league. So Montréal is just way to big to have a franchise. We have no business in that circuit. Frankly, if we get a team in that league, it will be tough to argue with those who say Montréal isn't a major league city.

I don't believe we are starved for baseball to a point were we need pro ball, no matter the caliber. So I say to Mr Delage Roberge, Mr Griffin, Mr Poirier, all the others: Please, don't do that. Don't get a Can-Am league team for Montréal. How about St-Hyacinthe? It's a lovely place, and they've been waiting for a pro team for a long time.

So you rather have nothing? How snobby do you have to be?

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

So you rather have nothing? How snobby do you have to be?

Hey, hey. Take it easy friend.

Everyone has the right on his own opinion. Even though you don´t agree with it.

Calling each other names, it is not the way how we deal with each other overhere.

Please keep that in mind.

[Augustin_"Gus"]

So you rather have nothing? How snobby do you have to be?

Yes. I would rather have nothing at this time. That's the whole point of the thread. And it has nothing to do with being snobby and everything to do with realizing that you don't go from the Majors to Indie A-ball in three years. Makes no sense.

Now, Blue bird, if you have actual arguments in favor of having a low minor team in Montréal starting next year, i'd like to hear them. Maybe I could have a change of heart about this, who knows?

[EvanAparra]

I understand the arguments against it, I just dont understand why someone wouldnt want at least some sort of baseball to be able to watch. Why you wouldnt want to go to the ballpark and watch a game. I'd take any ballteam here no matter what the conditions/history of baseball in the city.

[JordanDL3891]

I understand the arguments against it, I just dont understand why someone wouldnt want at least some sort of baseball to be able to watch. Why you wouldnt want to go to the ballpark and watch a game. I'd take any ballteam here no matter what the conditions/history of baseball in the city.


For some reason, though it won't happen, if the Yankees left NY today, or the red sox left boston, and the next day and Indi league wants to replace them, would you like that?

[JordanDL3891]

Yes. I would rather have nothing at this time. That's the whole point of the thread. And it has nothing to do with being snobby and everything to do with realizing that you don't go from the Majors to Indie A-ball in three years. Makes no sense.

Now, Blue bird, if you have actual arguments in favor of having a low minor team in Montréal starting next year, i'd like to hear them. Maybe I could have a change of heart about this, who knows?


I tried giving you a change of heart but it didn't work :laugh


I have a question for BlueBird, did you read any of the posts other than the 1st? because I basicly already asked this question.

[Williamsburg2599]

Sorry to drag this thread back into the light, but would putting the team just outside Montreal (maybe 20-40km) protect the team from the press while still allowing the people of Montreal to get thier baseball fix?

[JordanDL3891]

you couldn't call them the Montreal Royals then, at least not the Montreal part. What would you call them?

[Williamsburg2599]

you couldn't call them the Montreal Royals then, at least not the Montreal part. What would you call them?
The Quebec Royals? You still technically could call them the Montreal Royals, as many pro sports team don't actually play in the City there named after.

[Augustin_"Gus"]

Well Boisbriand, where they want to put the team, isn't in Montréal, it is on the outskirts. But I would be surprised if they called it "The Boisbriand Royals".

As far as the baseball fix is concerned, could we get our baseball fix from a league of that caliber, after being treated to MLB for 36 years? Frankly, I don't see myself having more than a passing interest in an A-ball team. Maybe after it's been 10, 15 years without baseball in or around the city. But those images of Guerrero, Pujols, Maddux, Clements et al. are still too fresh in my mind.

[Erik Bedard]

This is an excellent point. If I lived in Montreal, I know I wouldn't want poor-quality baseball to be played on the same field where legends such as Clemens, Maddux, Guerrero, and Raines once played.

That said, AG, would you oppose AAA or AA baseball in Montreal?

P.S: Aberdeen, MD, is basically on the outskirts of Baltimore, yet the team there is called the Aberdeen IronBirds. Fun stuff to watch, too.

[Augustin_"Gus"]

I honestly think that, as a baseball market, we can't settle for anything below AAA. We had a AAA ball club in the 1930's. I don't see why we should have been downgraded to indy 75 years and a major league ballclub later.

I would most definetely become a fan of a AAA ballclub in Montréal. If of course I could get there. Since I don't have a car, Boisbriand is pretty much out of reach for me.

[Cleanup]

I agree with Augustin gus. i'd rather not have this indy team as planned.

My heart still bleeds for what happened here. I don't think Montreal could ever get a Major league team back here.

An important point for those who do not have the fortune of living in montreal is that life in this city is not a marketing statistic but a poetic adventure. Alot happens in the summer, our interests vary with every passing beautiful girl. I think many montreal baseball fans rather observe baseball from afar. I think this "amours" hurt us too much.

I would get into a dynamic tripple a team, hesitantly i'm sure (hoping it would be downtown, competitive, had character, etc). but it would never get the loyalty i gave my spo's. Then again maybe some Jackie Robinson type will show up to win our love and break racial barriers in the US (Now batting Jackie Muhammed?)

This proposal might be fun for locals of boisbriand and the wanderers, but its no stepping stone, and it shouldn't be.

....no, I don't believe the expos should have left, what other baseball team ever had people singing in the stands like we did. everybody with me now; "Val-De-Rie, Val-De-Ra-Ha-Ha-Ha....

[Augustin_"Gus"]

Well, it's official. The group from Boisbraind has officially made the request to get a Can-Am league franchise.

Oh brother.

They're planning on naming them: Les Royaux de la Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (Les Royaux of the Montréal metropolitan community. Wich is an admninistrative body for matters that are of concern to the cities around Montréal). You you'd have to believe they'll end up not really calling it that. It's kind of ridiculous.

[cutchemist42]

Indy ball can be ok baseball, I love the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the Northern League. I also wish though our weather allowed us to support affiliated baseball again (I've heard when we had AAA, players found it way too cold at the start and end of season) It can still be good baseball but I get what your saying.

Winnipeg is nowhere close to Montreal though, and had I lost an MLB but still had an AAA history before MLB, I'd expect only AAA or nothing if I lived in Montreal.

Also, that name is even worse then the LA Angels of Anaheim

[Calif_Eagle]

Just poking around through the Forums & I happened on this thread, last previous post on it was 3 months ago but I had some thoughts on the topic. I think Montreal could one day again see MLB return to the city. I think the way to start is by getting at least a team within Organized Ball, (i.e. the "real" minor leagues) even in Class "A". There is a model Montreal can follow, of sorts. Its the Buffalo NY model. (I know, Buffalo doesnt have MLB & may never have it.) But what Buffalo did was build Pilot Field (name since changed, naming rights deal) to Triple-A specifications, but with a design that would allow easy expansion from an approximate original capacity of 20 - 25,000 to an MLB acceptable capacity of around 40 - 45,000, should the goal of getting a team ever be realized. Building a Triple-A ball park is a lot cheaper than trying for an all out MLB park from scratch; the idea is to be ingenious & careful with the design, so that a later expansion onto the park can be accomplished cheaply & effectively if need be. (IF, the goal is realized & a team is persuaded to move, or an expansion team is ever won.)


A little known fact is that Dodger Stadium itself was ordered to be built in Los Angeles by Walter O'Malley with a design specification that seems to be about totally forgotten. This was that Dodger Stadium be readily & easily expandable to a capacity of 60 to 80,000 if the need or desire to do so ever arose. Presumably by eliminating the outfield bleacher pavilions & continuing the decks all the way around. I would suggest that Montreal and the fans making up the "Expo Nation" adopt & extend this plan. Build a Park to Class A or AA standards & have a plan in place to extend first to AAA & then on to MLB standards.

I am NOT an architect or a construction engineer, but believe it can easily be done. The question is, would enough people get behind this? I see a re-entry into Class A baseball, not as a step down, but as the thin edge of the wedge, to pushed in ever farther until the day an MLB team is re-acquired.


Anyone think this idea has any merit? Or is it a pipe dream? Or is "Expo Nation" just not big or strong enough to get the ball rolling with this? (No shot at the city or its fans intended, I just think if enough people really WANT baseball, & WANT MLB back some day, you have to start somewhere, somehow. I think this idea-plan is a good way to go, something worth looking into.) Indy ball is fun, but its outside the pale of Organized Baseball. An impressive show of interest by the fans in an OB team goes a lot farther in my view to re-awakening interest in Montreal by the baseball powers that be.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

Just poking around through the Forums and I happened on this thread, last previous post on it was in April but I had some thoughts on the topic. I think Montreal could one day again see MLB return to the city. I think the way to start is by getting at least a team within Organized Ball, (i.e. the "real" minor leagues) even in Class "A". There is a model Montreal can follow, of sorts. Its the Buffalo NY model. (I know, Buffalo doesnt have MLB & may never have it.) But what Buffalo did was build Pilot Field (name since changed, naming rights deal) to Triple-A specifications, but with a design that would allow easy expansion from an approximate original capacity of 20 - 25,000 to an MLB acceptable capacity of around 40 - 45,000, should the goal of getting a team ever be realized. Building a Triple-A ball park is a lot cheaper than trying for an all out MLB park from scratch; the idea is to be ingenious & careful with the design, so that a later expansion onto the park can be accomplished cheaply & effectively if need be. (IF, the goal is realized & a team is persuaded to move, or an expansion team is ever won.) A little known fact is that Dodger Stadium itself was actually ordered to be built in Los Angeles by Walter O'Malley with a design specification that seems to be all but totally forgotten. This was that Dodger Stadium be readily & easily expandable to a capacity of 60 to 80,000 if the need or desire to do so ever arose. Presumably by eliminating the outfield bleacher pavilions & continuing the decks all the way around. I would suggest that Montreal and the fans making up the "Expo Nation" adopt & extend this plan. Build a Park to Class A or AA standards & have a plan in place to extend first to AAA & then on to MLB standards. I am NOT an architect or a construction engineer, but believe it could be done. The question is, would enough people get behind this? I see a re-entry into Class A baseball, not as a step down, but as the thin edge of the wedge, to pushed in ever farther until the day an MLB team is re-acquired. Anyone think this idea has any merit? Or is it a pipe dream? Or is "Expo Nation" just not big or strong enough to get the ball rolling with this? (No shot at the city or its fans intended, I just think if enough people really WANT baseball, & WANT MLB back some day, you have to start somewhere, somehow. I think this idea-plan is a good way to go, something worth looking into.) Indy ball is fun, but its outside the pale of Organized Baseball. An impressive show of interest by the fans in an OB team goes a lot farther in my view to re-awakening interest in Montreal by the baseball powers that be.

I agree with you. I also think that minor league baseball can be a step on the way back to Major League baseball.

[Calif_Eagle]

In all the years since 1901, I believe that every city that has lost their MLB team over this span has eventually regained membership, via expansion or a move. Of the "teams of the past" Forums on Baseball Fever, Montreal is the only city that has lost baseball & hasnt (as yet) gotten it back. I think the "Buffalo" Plan I outlined in my previous post in this thread (building a stadium for a lower classification with an eye toward expanding it upwards, getting an A or AA team and moving back to AAA ball first, poising the city for the jump back to MLB.) has merit. I also think the Expo fan base should assemble & unite, form a formal organization to promote the return first of OB (Organized Baseball); then move onto the real goal, the eventual return of MLB. I think it can be done. The people have to start somewhere, somehow; why not in this way? Comments or opinions from the "Expo Nation" ?

[Augustin_"Gus"]

I've said all along that we need to go slowly on this. People in this towm are still interested in baseball. Russell Martin, the Ontario born, Québec raised all-star catcher for the Dodgers as gotten a lot of press in Québec lately with it's great performances. Baseball has very deep roots in theese parts and I don't believe it'll go away. We just need to take some time, let people snooze at soccer games for a while, work the grassroots level and then we can start thinking about bringing the Royals to town.

Plus we would need someone with a ton a money.

Unfortunately (in my opinion) we have two groups who decided to jump into that Can-Am business way too early and that story keeps getting more complicated. The Boisbriand group would'nt build a stadium in Boisbriand but in Lac Mirabel . Hum, let me see, we moved all the flights back from Mirabel to Dorval beacuse the airport was too far off from the core of the city, now, they want to have a baseball team play there. Hey, I heard Chibougameau has some unused land in the downtown area :rolleyes:

And the St-Lambert group now, they don't think St-Lambert is such a good idea. They're looking at Verdun. Now, that would be on the island, but there has been a number of minor level hockey teams in Verdun thru the years. I don't know if any of them lasted ten years. That is not a good idea.

[morepepper]

Minor league baseball is underrated and worth watching. It isn't as small time as you think. New York has minor league baseball too!

[Augustin_"Gus"]

New York has minor league ball, in addition to the two major league clubs, not instead of the major league clubs. 4 years after the Dodgers and Giants left they got the Mets. Had someone come up and suggested that they replace their major league teams by an indy club that plays againt, among others, a travelling team that has no home port (they have one of those in the can-Am league), I'm not sure New Yorkers would have been thrilled.

[Calif_Eagle]

I'm not a Montreal or area resident & dont have a "dog in the fight". But I do have some points to make though. First of all, the Can-Am League is independent ball, aka "Indy Ball". It is NOT genuine "Official" (i.e. part of the official framework of Organized Ball) Minor League Baseball. I wouldnt spend a dime of Government money at any level from local to Federal for a Park in any Indy league except for possibly the Northern League, which Montreal is nowhere close to geographically.

But, if I could attract a team in the Class "A" NY-Penn League or, even better; a team in the Class "AA" Eastern League I would do it. Because thats part of official Organized Baseball & attendance & team support there is going to be noticed. If Montreal had a long streak of sellouts in A or AA, showed strong continuing interest, someone is going to want to put a Triple A team there, probably in the IL. If Montreal can keep showing a strong interest with each level up the ladder, as minimum Stadium capacity requirements increase & it takes more & more fans to lead its league or even hopefully its Class (A, AA or AAA) in attendance, its going to start to develop a feeling that maybe they deserve another shot at MLB ball. By carefully designing an A or AA Stadium, it's cheaper at the outset. So, as the city climbs the classification ladder it becomes an issue of expansion onto a pre-existing well designed baseball-only stadium, instead of having to build another expensive palace from scratch ala' what was done with Olympic Stadium.

Im not from Montreal & dont know what the "Expo Nation" thinks, or how it feels. But I would hope there is a large enough critical mass of fans that simply enjoy baseball to solidly back a Class A club to leading its league & even its entire Classification in attendance. I see that as a crucial starting point. I understand the feeling of bitterness over losing your MLB team & feeling that you shouldn't need to take any steps down.

I grew up in Cleveland in the 60's & 70's when we were *always* on the verge of losing our Indians, to Seattle, to San Diego, to New Orleans. We were in a constant state of apprehension we would lose our team. It was just pure luck that something always happened to make the moving deals fall apart. I just dont think anyone is bringing MLB back to Montreal without some sort of recent track record of success & interest in baseball within the OB structure. It's going to take action on the part of those that care.

A formal organization would help a lot too, with Public Relations, baseball related activities, fundraising events, campaigning for a franchise & financing a 10- 20,000 seat Class A or AA Stadium, with an easily expandable design. If the people dont make at least these first few steps happen, no one else will, either. Buffalo wants a team, New Orleans has wanted one for years (not too likely that NOLA is ever getting one anymore though). Indianapolis & Louisville draw very well in Triple A ball & are probably both interested. Nashville & Charlotte probably want a club or will one day also. Maybe Orlando. I hope the baseball fans of the Montreal area make the decision to fight their way back to the ranks of MLB. I will be pulling for you!

[morepepper]

New York has minor league ball, in addition to the two major league clubs, not instead of the major league clubs. 4 years after the Dodgers and Giants left they got the Mets. Had someone come up and suggested that they replace their major league teams by an indy club that plays againt, among others, a travelling team that has no home port (they have one of those in the can-Am league), I'm not sure New Yorkers would have been thrilled.

The difference is that baseball worked in New York. It clearly failed in Montreal. We can debate the reason, but I wouldn't expect to see MLB in Montreal if the next 30 years, if ever.

[Ontarioguy]

Calif Eagle, Welcome to our little corner of the board. Your posts on this subject have been a fresh of breath air and have gotten the wheels turning in my head.

AG, Living out here in Belleville, I don't see any Quebec newspapers anymore. Are they really serious about putting a team/stadium in Mirabel?? Ayoye!
Hey, I heard Chibougameau has some unused land in the downtown area

This made me laugh.

Back to the 'Buffalo plan', I think of the Alouettes. They were stuck in the Big O, and it wasn't working, they moved over to Molson Stadium and we now have every game sold out. I really believe the Alouettes are the model. Ugh if only Labatt stadium had gone throught. But let's not go down that road.

I'm just wondering if you build a stadium, it HAS to be downtown. No other way to go. I'm just trying to think where it could go? Everything is being built up. Maybe around Saint-Laurent, clean that area up, revitalise it?? I don't know, haven't been in town since May, don't know how things look these days.

Anyways, good topic guys.

[Calif_Eagle]

Calif Eagle, Welcome to our little corner of the board. Your posts on this subject have been a fresh of breath air and have gotten the wheels turning in my head.


Back to the 'Buffalo plan', I think of the Alouettes. They were stuck in the Big O, and it wasn't working, they moved over to Molson Stadium and we now have every game sold out. I really believe the Alouettes are the model. Ugh if only Labatt stadium had gone throught. But let's not go down that road.



Anyways, good topic guys.

Tyvm for the kind words Ontarioguy. Like I said earlier, I feel for all the fans in the Montreal area. Many were the years in the 60's & 70's when the Indians drew poorly, had no money in the till, had the worst Stadium in all of MLB, & the few hard-core fans who attended felt powerless, just waiting for the ax to fall on more than one occasion. By some miracle it never did, a local money man or men always stepped up at the 11th hour to save us, (usually just to be civic minded, not really expecting to make money but rather just hoping not to lose too much).

I think if its going to get done in Montreal now, since you didnt have the good fortune of a wealthy savior swooping in when you needed one, like we did more than once, the fans are going to have to get the comeback started, at the very least. Washington DC had a public association of fans & civic leaders, businessmen etc. for many years after the Senators left for Texas, the goal being to bring MLB back. (Sorry, if thats hitting too close to home, since they did eventually succeed, but at your expense.) But, that IS a successful model to follow nonetheless.

While I called my idea the "Buffalo Plan", Ontarioguy pointed out something that I can scarcely believe I missed. Right in your own city, when the Alouettes left the Olympic Stadium for the right ballpark, (or at least closer to the right one, I feel the capacity of Molson Stadium is still a little too small for a city of Montreal's size for CFL football.) they at least started succeeding. This is something that baseball can do also with the right park plan. I think (view from an outsider, I may not be right) that Olympic Stadium did more to kill baseball in Montreal than anything else. So, call it the Alouette Plan, if you prefer.

Another possible idea, is there a wealthy man or corporation, or even a wealthy woman, that would step up out of being civic minded? (Maybe not, in today's baseball world. In our times of need in Cleveland, the economics of the game WERE a lot different than they are today, admittedly. It was just plain cheaper to both buy & operate a team back then, by a huge magnitude.) Baseball & Beer have been partners since the 19th Century. Montreal has, I believe, at least a couple of large Beer Corporations along the lines of the American Beer Giants, Anheuser-Busch, Coors and Miller. AB owns or owned the Cardinals (Busch Stadium in St Louis.) Also there is Coors Field in Denver and Miller Park in Milwaukee. You would think Labatt's or someone else (Does O'Keefe still exist as an independent brewery? Perhaps not, I dont really know.) would see the marketing advantages from owning or at least contributing to & being associated with, a baseball team. My purpose in these posts, has solely been to fire enthusiam among the fans that the game doesnt have to be over yet. I think a return of MLB ball is do-able, it may not be happening anytime in the immediate future, but I believe it CAN be done!

[Ontarioguy]

A couple of things...
I think (view from an outsider, I may not be right) that Olympic Stadium did more to kill baseball in Montreal than anything else.
It didn't help but I'd say we had bigger problems than the Big O. Terrible Owners, 1994 to name just a couple. Big O wasnt that big of a disaster, I didn't mind it really, but I guess I was hardcore.

Baseball & Beer have been partners since the 19th Century. Montreal has, I believe, at least a couple of large Beer Corporations along the lines of the American Beer Giants, Anheuser-Busch, Coors and Miller. AB owns or owned the Cardinals (Busch Stadium in St Louis.) Also there is Coors Field in Denver and Miller Park in Milwaukee. You would think Labatt's or someone else (Does O'Keefe still exist as an independent brewery? Perhaps not, I dont really know.)

This is a great idea, cudos to you for thinking outside the box, but this idea is a no-go, and here's why.

Molson Brewery (they now own O'keefe by the way) are the big brewery in town. From the 50's or 60's anyways they owned the Montreal Canadiens. (Don't need to tell you that they're the biggest thing in town) Well, in 2000 I think, they got out of it and sold the team. They didn't want to be part of the Canadiens. They have the largest building in the league, rabid fans, and they still opted out, AND it took them a while to find someone to sell it to. Quite a while.

I feel like such a downer...

[Ontarioguy]

Oh and one more thing. We did have a relation with alcohol. Our team was created by a rich fellow by the name of Charles Bronfmann. He owns Seagrams. They got out too, in the 80s. That was the beginning of the end.

[Augustin_"Gus"]

The difference is that baseball worked in New York. It clearly failed in Montreal. We can debate the reason, but I wouldn't expect to see MLB in Montreal if the next 30 years, if ever.

New York lost two teams, but got another one. So did Washington. Seattle, Kansas City both lost clubs before getting new ones. In football, Baltimore, Houston, Cleveland all lost their franchises but are back in the league. In hockey, the NHL club in Denver is a huge success despite the fact that a previous attempt failed miserably in the late 70's early 80's. Bottom line is, when your city is a good market, you can always get a second chance. And Montréal is a good sports market, especially with a strong canadian dollar. A better place to put a major league team than New Orleans, better than Indianapolis, Buffalo or Portland (and I mean no disrespect to any of those cities, obviously). We will get a new team at some point. But the idea raised by Calif_eagle to cut costs by building small and expanding makes perfect sense. But I wouldn't suggest trying to get the ball rolling before 2-3 years from now.

Altough, after he tries, and fails, in trying to move every single NHL team to Kitchener, perhaps Jim Balsillie (a.k.a. the Blackberry guy) could be interested in bringing baseball back to Montréal. That would be way simpler than putting a popular campaign together to try to gradually claw our way back into MLB, he's stinkin rich.

[Calif_Eagle]

A couple of things...

It didn't help but I'd say we had bigger problems than the Big O. Terrible Owners, 1994 to name just a couple. Big O wasnt that big of a disaster, I didn't mind it really, but I guess I was hardcore.



This is a great idea, cudos to you for thinking outside the box, but this idea is a no-go, and here's why.

Molson Brewery (they now own O'keefe by the way) are the big brewery in town. From the 50's or 60's anyways they owned the Montreal Canadiens. (Don't need to tell you that they're the biggest thing in town) Well, in 2000 I think, they got out of it and sold the team. They didn't want to be part of the Canadiens. They have the largest building in the league, rabid fans, and they still opted out, AND it took them a while to find someone to sell it to. Quite a while.

I feel like such a downer... Oh and one more thing. We did have a relation with alcohol. Our team was created by a rich fellow by the name of Charles Bronfmann. He owns Seagrams. They got out too, in the 80s. That was the beginning of the end.
No need to feel like a "downer" in my view. I think the Molson Brewery was crazy to let the Canadiens go. And I think they missed a nice opportunity with the Expos too. It's a shame Bronfmann sold the Expos. An owner like that would have staying power beyond belief. I think if Montreal had had a better Stadium for baseball, the owners would have worked a lot harder than they did to try to keep the team there. A rich owner like Bronfmann, who I seem to recall came out here to LA and invested heavily in the movie biz (him or a close relative, son maybe?) couldnt have been moved against his will and might have had enough political clout to get a baseball only Stadium built. If the city COULD get "Jim Balsillie (a.k.a. the Blackberry guy)" interested in bringing baseball back to Montréal it would sure be a lot faster than the ideas I advanced. My ideas were/are primarily based on the idea that no one with power or influence or money is going to ride to the rescue. But, money and political clout definitely have a way of making things happen, and happen quickly; when someone that has them decides he wants to use them that way. Maybe someone should whisper in his ear ! :p

[Augustin_"Gus"]

I do believe that it was Edgar, one of Charles Bronfman nephews, who ventured into the movie business (Universal), with limited success. And it was rumored for some time that Stephen Bronfman, one of Charles sons, was about to buy the team. But, obviously, he never did.

[morepepper]

If the city COULD get "Jim Balsillie (a.k.a. the Blackberry guy)" interested in bringing baseball back to Montréal it would sure be a lot faster than the ideas I advanced. My ideas were/are primarily based on the idea that no one with power or influence or money is going to ride to the rescue. But, money and political clout definitely have a way of making things happen, and happen quickly; when someone that has them decides he wants to use them that way. Maybe someone should whisper in his ear ! :p

There are a dozen other cities that would qualify for baseball before Montreal is even considered for another franchise.

[Augustin_"Gus"]

There are a dozen other cities that would qualify for baseball before Montreal is even considered for another franchise.

You're setting the bar pretty high for yourself there. Go ahead. What are they?

[JordanDL3891]

I've said all along that we need to go slowly on this. People in this towm are still interested in baseball. Russell Martin, the Ontario born, Québec raised all-star catcher for the Dodgers as gotten a lot of press in Québec lately with it's great performances. Baseball has very deep roots in theese parts and I don't believe it'll go away. We just need to take some time, let people snooze at soccer games for a while, work the grassroots level and then we can start thinking about bringing the Royals to town.

Plus we would need someone with a ton a money.

Unfortunately (in my opinion) we have two groups who decided to jump into that Can-Am business way too early and that story keeps getting more complicated. The Boisbriand group would'nt build a stadium in Boisbriand but in Lac Mirabel . Hum, let me see, we moved all the flights back from Mirabel to Dorval beacuse the airport was too far off from the core of the city, now, they want to have a baseball team play there. Hey, I heard Chibougameau has some unused land in the downtown area :rolleyes:

And the St-Lambert group now, they don't think St-Lambert is such a good idea. They're looking at Verdun. Now, that would be on the island, but there has been a number of minor level hockey teams in Verdun thru the years. I don't know if any of them lasted ten years. That is not a good idea.

I didn't read any post after this one, so I don't know if this has come up, but that traveling team would be the one that would go to Montreal. Can-Am got a new team this year (Atlantic City Surf) from another Indy league, and to make it an even number of teams they added a road team the grays, which they are trying to land somewhere (like Motreal) The same thing happend a few years ago, I think it was Allentown's team, and they became a road team but later became the Aces and the following year found a home in Worchester MA to become the Worchester Tornado's. They went on to win the championship in their 1st season I belive.

[Ontarioguy]

And it was rumored for some time that Stephen Bronfman, one of Charles sons, was about to buy the team. But, obviously, he never did.

This was always being mentioned but was it really true? It always just seemed like a romantic dream cooked up by the press. 'Son of original owner comes out of no where to buy and sdave the team'...I was always quite skeptical.

[D6+]

The difference is that baseball worked in New York. It clearly failed in Montreal. We can debate the reason, but I wouldn't expect to see MLB in Montreal if the next 30 years, if ever.




From my perspective, the New York Mets aren't an acceptable replacement for the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Mets play in the same city as the Brooklyn Dodgers. However, they don't represent the Borough of Brooklyn, which was an independent city until 1898. Brooklyn has around 2.5 million people and is the most populated of the 5 Boroughs of NYC. The Dodgers were the most profitable MLB franchise in the combined period between 1952 and 1956. Yet, the Dodgers were hijacked out of Brooklyn by then team owner Walter O' Malley after the 1957. It took 44 years to even get an " A " Ball team back in the Borough. Though it's a significant step in the right direction, Brooklyn still has a MLB void mainly because of the territorial restrictions obstacle.


I would be thrilled to see both Brooklyn and Montreal, the only two places since the early 1900's that haven't received a replacement team, be awarded expansion teams. If Montreal builds a classic outdoor ballpark, I'm confident that a MLB team would be supported.

[bringemback]

I've said all along that we need to go slowly on this. People in this towm are still interested in baseball. Russell Martin, the Ontario born, Québec raised all-star catcher for the Dodgers as gotten a lot of press in Québec lately with it's great performances. Baseball has very deep roots in theese parts and I don't believe it'll go away. We just need to take some time, let people snooze at soccer games for a while, work the grassroots level and then we can start thinking about bringing the Royals to town.

Plus we would need someone with a ton a money.

Unfortunately (in my opinion) we have two groups who decided to jump into that Can-Am business way too early and that story keeps getting more complicated. The Boisbriand group would'nt build a stadium in Boisbriand but in Lac Mirabel . Hum, let me see, we moved all the flights back from Mirabel to Dorval beacuse the airport was too far off from the core of the city, now, they want to have a baseball team play there. Hey, I heard Chibougameau has some unused land in the downtown area :rolleyes:

And the St-Lambert group now, they don't think St-Lambert is such a good idea. They're looking at Verdun. Now, that would be on the island, but there has been a number of minor level hockey teams in Verdun thru the years. I don't know if any of them lasted ten years. That is not a good idea.


The best place by far for a minor league team in Montreal is La Ronde.The Brooklyn Cyclones play out of a lovely park in Coney Island and its a big success... I think the same thing would work with the Six Flags park right there...maybe somebody should approach Six Flags as a sponsor/ part owner???

[Augustin_"Gus"]

I'm not too sure that it would be doable. The Casino is trying to move out of Île Notre-Dame beacuse they can't build a hotel either on Notre-Dame or Ste-Hélène beacuse of regulations and zoning and things like that. So unless there's room on the grounds of La Ronde per say, and I assume they use pretty much all the space they have (I havent been there in many years), I don't believe that it could be done.

[Calif_Eagle]

Thread Bump to go with similar new thread started on the most current page. If *Oklahoma City* !! ?? could buy the Seattle Supersonics and thereby get an NBA team over a countless number of better choices from the list of American cities, there is no reason why MLB cant come back to Montreal.

But... it's either going to take a lot of hard work from the local fan community, or a megabucks angel to come riding to the rescue or both.

[Imgran]

There is only one franchise right now that I could see moving -- Loria Trainwreck #2, the Florida Marlins. I could very easily see them leaving Floirida to the centrally-located Rays.

If baseball re-expands into Montreal, it will probably be as an AL franchise to give it a natural rivalry with Toronto and the support of marauding Boston and New York fans who routinely flood the Tampa Bay stadium when they're bad and thus would surely cross the relatively insignificant hurdle of distance and a friendly border to inflate the turnout for Montreal games.