Oceanside, NY (MPN) - In 2004, the MLB approved a plan which allowed the Montreal Expos to relocate to Washington, D.C. The Team, Now known as the Washington Nationals, has enjoyed some success as well as a shiny new ballpark located near the Anacostia River and the Washington Navy Yard. Almost Ten Years have passed and since than, Montreal has had no baseball team.
In March of 2014, The Olympic Stadium in Montreal hosted two exhibition games between the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Mets, Montreal's former division rival. It will be the first time Baseball has been played in Montreal since the relocation of the expos and for many Montreal fans, It will be a chance to see the sport they once enjoyed for 162 days a year.
Right Now, Most of the MLB's teams are playing in shiny new stadiums or are committed to long-term leases with their cities. There are however two teams right now that are struggling to strike deals for new stadiums, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Oakland Athletics. The Athletics are presently seeking a stadium deal in Oakland while the Rays have been looking around the area. At this point, it may be safe to say that the Athletics are staying where they are but that same statement cannot be said about the Rays.
Tropicana Field was originally built in the late 1980s to lure the Chicago White Sox, who at the time were trying to build a new stadium. The White Sox have since made a deal with the state of Illinois to build what is now US Celluar Field.
Finally in 1995, the MLB announced that it would be putting an expansion team in Tampa Bay to begin playing in the 1998 season.
The Rays have been searching for a new stadium since 2007 with little luck. Attendance in Tampa Bay has never been good, even during the 2008 season when the team made a run for the World Series.
In March of 2014, The Olympic Stadium in Montreal hosted two exhibition games between the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Mets, Montreal's former division rival. It will be the first time Baseball has been played in Montreal since the relocation of the expos and for many Montreal fans, It will be a chance to see the sport they once enjoyed for 162 days a year.
Right Now, Most of the MLB's teams are playing in shiny new stadiums or are committed to long-term leases with their cities. There are however two teams right now that are struggling to strike deals for new stadiums, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Oakland Athletics. The Athletics are presently seeking a stadium deal in Oakland while the Rays have been looking around the area. At this point, it may be safe to say that the Athletics are staying where they are but that same statement cannot be said about the Rays.
Tropicana Field was originally built in the late 1980s to lure the Chicago White Sox, who at the time were trying to build a new stadium. The White Sox have since made a deal with the state of Illinois to build what is now US Celluar Field.
Finally in 1995, the MLB announced that it would be putting an expansion team in Tampa Bay to begin playing in the 1998 season.
The Rays have been searching for a new stadium since 2007 with little luck. Attendance in Tampa Bay has never been good, even during the 2008 season when the team made a run for the World Series.
If the MLB Chooses not to expand, the City of Montreal should look to lure the Rays. The team itself is not having any success attracting fans in St. Petersburg and probably won't see that success with a new stadium.
The Rays relocating to Montreal may not be an issue (assuming the Blue Jays are on board)
This is my proposal for The Rays
Tampa Bay Rays:
* Name, Colors, Logo, History., Uniforms..etc remain in Tampa
* The Franchise is placed in a state of suspended Operations
* Players and Personnel head to Montreal
Montreal Expos
* Receives Rays Owners, Players, Personnel and Minor League Affiliations
* Gains Expos' Names, Colors, Logo, History, Uniforms, Retired numbers etc... back from the Nationals
* Record book will state that the team has been in a state of suspended operations since 2004
Washington Nationals
* Gives the Expos' Names, Colors, Logo, History, Uniforms, Retired numbers etc... to new franchise
* Establishment date goes from 1969 to 2005
* Become Youngest Franchise in Baseball
Miami Marlins
* Switches Divisions (and leagues) with the Rays/Expos
New Divisions
NL East
NY Mets
Philadelphia
Atlanta
Washington
Montreal
AL East
NY Yankees
Boston
Baltimore
Toronto
Miami
This move would have to be dependent on their being a proposal for a new stadium because without it, this proposal cannot happen. So far, there has been no active movement to bring baseball back to Montreal. That has been an roadblock preventing anyone from even considering Montreal.
The Rays relocating to Montreal may not be an issue (assuming the Blue Jays are on board)
This is my proposal for The Rays
Tampa Bay Rays:
* Name, Colors, Logo, History., Uniforms..etc remain in Tampa
* The Franchise is placed in a state of suspended Operations
* Players and Personnel head to Montreal
Montreal Expos
* Receives Rays Owners, Players, Personnel and Minor League Affiliations
* Gains Expos' Names, Colors, Logo, History, Uniforms, Retired numbers etc... back from the Nationals
* Record book will state that the team has been in a state of suspended operations since 2004
Washington Nationals
* Gives the Expos' Names, Colors, Logo, History, Uniforms, Retired numbers etc... to new franchise
* Establishment date goes from 1969 to 2005
* Become Youngest Franchise in Baseball
Miami Marlins
* Switches Divisions (and leagues) with the Rays/Expos
New Divisions
NL East
NY Mets
Philadelphia
Atlanta
Washington
Montreal
AL East
NY Yankees
Boston
Baltimore
Toronto
Miami
This move would have to be dependent on their being a proposal for a new stadium because without it, this proposal cannot happen. So far, there has been no active movement to bring baseball back to Montreal. That has been an roadblock preventing anyone from even considering Montreal.
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