July 17, 200323 yr MLB considering plan on Expos' home schedule -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press CHICAGO -- The Montreal Expos could play their entire home schedule in Puerto Rico next season under a plan being considered by major league baseball. To raise revenue, the commissioner's office moved 22 of the team's 81 home games this season to Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan. Baseball still hasn't come up with a permanent solution for the Expos, who were bought by the other 29 teams before the 2002 season. While baseball's goal is to have a decision by September, the sport's top officials say they don't feel bound by any deadline. "Puerto Rico has made a proposal to play all 81 home games in Puerto Rico, and it has not been rejected,'' Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said before the All-Star game Tuesday night. Northern Virginia; Portland, Ore.; and Washington, D.C., are all trying to land the Expos on a permanent basis, but baseball owners want to have a complete financing plan for a new ballpark in place before making a decision. DuPuy said no particular plan was a front-runner at this point, either for a long-term solution or for 2004. "They could play 81 games in any one of a number of locations,'' he said. Montreal players have complained of their constant travel this season. They were 32-18 on May 25, then went 8-14 on a trip that ended June 19. They entered the All-Star break 49-45, four games behind Philadelphia, the NL wild-card leader. "It's been very hard,'' said second baseman Jose Vidro, the NL starter in the All-Star Game. "Me being Puerto Rican, I would love it to be in Puerto Rico, but to tell you the truth, I don't care where we play next season as long as we play 81 games in the same place'' Approval of the players was necessary for baseball to move the 22 home games, and it may be more difficult for management to gain consent for two different home sites next year. Gene Orza, the No. 2 official of the players' association, declined comment. The Expos are averaging 12,206 for home games, the lowest in the major leagues. They are averaging 11,133 in Montreal and 14,216 in Puerto Rico, where they have played 16 games.
July 17, 200323 yr Author Monday, July 14 Relocation committee still waiting on officials -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press CHICAGO -- Baseball hopes to make a decision on the future of the Montreal Expos by September but won't be bound by any deadlines. "The sooner we can get the team in a different owner's hands and not owned by the league, in a different location, the better everyone in baseball will feel,'' Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said Monday. Montreal, which joined the National League for the 1969 season, was purchased by the other 29 teams before the 2002 season when its then-owner Jeffrey Loria, bought the Florida Marlins. Baseball originally hoped to make a decision by this week, but it's relocation committee still is waiting for government officials to act. Owners would like financing for a new ballpark in place before making a decision, and all three of the areas that want the Expos -- Northern Virginia; Portland, Ore.; and Washington -- have not put complete financing in place. DuPuy said he and other officials involved in the Expos' relocation talks will consult with commissioner Bud Selig before taking their next steps. "We're going to try to meet with Bud in the next week-to-10 days,'' he said. Selig said he wasn't disappointed by the slow pace of the committee's work. "They'll get it done when they can,'' he said. The Expos have the lowest home attendance average in the major leagues at 12,206. To raise revenue, baseball moved 22 home games to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the first 16 averaged 14,216. At Olympic Stadium in Montreal, the Expos have averaged 11,133. DuPuy wouldn't say whether the Expos would return to Puerto Rico next season if a permanent solution isn't found. Puerto Rican officials have said they would be interested in having the Expos come back, perhaps for even up to half their schedule. "Being prudent, we've looked at all options,'' DuPuy said.
July 17, 200323 yr Author Follow the Expos' Saga at these sites: http://www.baseballindc.com/ http://www.baseballinva.org/ http://www.oregonbaseballcampaign.com/
July 17, 200323 yr I personally would love to see teams in Latin America. Canada gets two teams, why doesn't the cradle of baseball get any teams? There should be one team each in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and (once Fidel falls, of course) Cuba. The Big 3 deserve teams.
July 17, 200323 yr I personally would love to see teams in Latin America. Canada gets two teams, why doesn't the cradle of baseball get any teams? There should be one team each in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and (once Fidel falls, of course) Cuba. The Big 3 deserve teams. Because those nations can't financially support a team for 81 games.
July 17, 200323 yr Author Because those nations can't financially support a team for 81 games. It is true. Puerto Rico is having trouble drawing well for the Expos. Bring America's Past Time to America's Capital. They had 2 AL teams and did pretty well. I think an NL team would be nice and spark a good Rivalry between the Phillies, Braves, and Marlins and Washington can support this team.
July 17, 200323 yr It is true. Puerto Rico is having trouble drawing well for the Expos. Bring America's Past Time to America's Capital. They had 2 AL teams and did pretty well. I think an NL team would be nice and spark a good Rivalry between the Phillies, Braves, and Marlins and Washington can support this team. The Washington Senators were one of the worst teams in the history of baseball! And the countries would financially support baseball, trust me. If poorer countries in South America and Central America can support soccer then the Big 3 can support baseball.
July 17, 200323 yr Author The Senators had good teams as well. Team History Of the original eight AL teams, perhaps only the St. Louis Browns suffered more than the Washington Senators. The Senators won three pennants (1924, 1925, 1933), winning the World Series in 1925 against the New York Giants. However, they finished last ten times, and 6th or 7th on 23 occasions. That accounts for more than half of their years in the Capitol. The Senators first posted a winning record in 1912. Not accidentally, that coincided with the emergence of Walter Johnson (the greatest right-handed pitcher in AL history) and manager Clark Griffith.
July 17, 200323 yr Author Sorry, but I'm a Cuban-American and I want my nation's past time in Washington, my nation's capital. Cuba, Puerto Rico, etc. can't support a team. Soccer is played once a week like football so it is easier to support financially than baseball.
July 17, 200323 yr Sorry, but I'm a Cuban-American and I want my nation's past time in Washington, my nation's capital. Cuba, Puerto Rico, etc. can't support a team. Soccer is played once a week like football so it is easier to support financially than baseball. Soccer is not played once a week, FYI.
July 17, 200323 yr Author How often is it played then? The MLS teams play once a week, right? BTW here is the link to the Post's MLB DC section. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/sport...mlb/washington/
July 17, 200323 yr How often is it played then? The MLS teams play once a week, right? BTW here is the link to the Post's MLB DC section. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/sport...mlb/washington/ MLS doesn't count, and I believe even they play at least twice a week most times. Real leagues (English and Spanish Premierships, the Italian Premierships, the South American leagues) play two or three times a week, sometimes as many as four since they are involved in leagues and tournaments simultaneously.
July 18, 200323 yr Author DC also has shown the commissioner the money. The roadblock right now is that DC officials want to have the team awarded to them before they will pass the stadium bill and MLB wants the stadium bill passed before it will award the team. BTW, Cal Ripken, Jr. is interested in owning part of the team if they give him control over baseball operations. "The Washington group is beautifully financed, I must say." Bud Selig MLB Commissioner Remember when the Orioles left for New York, Washington had a team and Baltimore didn't.
July 18, 200323 yr Author Washington and Baltimore Are Two Separate Markets "I hope you [Washington, DC]get a baseball team. Fair is fair." Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley "Revenue from Camden Yards' 72 suites likely would hold strong, Joe Foss (Vice Chairman / Chief Operating Officer, Baltimore Orioles) said, because the club has a waiting list of 50. Media revenue is also insulated for the time being, he said, because the Orioles signed a 10-year cable deal only a year ago. But the long-term effect on that contract is difficult to predict. Rights fees for over-the-air television and radio broadcasts are based primarily on the Orioles' immediate market, so Foss doesn't anticipate a significant slip there. Signage revenue likely would drop slightly as competition brought prices down, but Foss said he expects the Orioles would keep most of their sponsors, since the club maintains a high national profile." Bill King Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal "Angelos whines that the White Sox are poor cousins to the Cubs, that the A's are poor cousins to the Giants. He ignores some important facts: That the Chicago ball clubs are located nine miles from one another and that the two Bay Area teams are located about 15 miles apart. Angelos would rather you not know that it takes as long to drive from Reston to Baltimore on a weeknight as it does from Philly to Baltimore. His campaign is one of misinformation." Michael Wilbon The Washington Post "Why has baseball lost a full generation of baseball fans in the Washington area? Recently, the Washingtonian Magazine did a study of sorts, sending out three adventurers to discover the fastest way to get from Washingtonian headquarters to Camden Yards. By train, the trip took 2 hours and was astoundingly expensive. Via car, the trip is an hour and a half, assuming traffic is not too heavy. This means that for a family to go to a game from the Washington area, they have to get home from work, pick up the kids, eat dinner and leave the area at 6pm, only to be embroiled in endless lines of beltway traffic. After the game, the hour-long drive back to the Washington area means that kids will be in bed by midnight at the earliest." 19 year-old David Ellis Washington Post Op-Ed "And make no mistake: you don't develop the baseball habit by making once-or-twice a year treks to Camden Yards. That's a major production, not a night at the ballpark, and a huge segment of the area's burgeoning population just isn't up to it." Washington Post Editorial "One conventionally would view Washington and Baltimore as separate marketplaces. We were operating on the more conventional interpretation." David Modell President, Baltimore Ravens "I think Washington deserves a baseball team. I don't think it's a threat to Baltimore at all and I think the team belongs in Washington." Admin King CNN
July 18, 200323 yr Author Here are the raw numbers for the Proposed Washington Baseball Market http://www.baseballindc.com/wbc_and_dc/via...ability_1.shtml
July 18, 200323 yr Um, I am talking about this in the other thread and I think going back and forth is redundant. Lets finish this over there shall we?
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