While I am 100 per cent in favour of Major League Baseball returning to Montreal, the latest proposal that is making waves right now might be one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard.
The Tampa Bay Rays have received permission from Major League Baseball to investigate playing what would amount to a split season in Montreal. One idea being tossed around would see the team play games early in the season in Florida before playing the second half in Quebec.
Now before anyone gets ahead of themselves and starts looking into the cost of season tickets — or, I guess, half-season tickets — for the new Tampa Bay-Montreal Ex-Rays franchise, this is in the extremely early stages of development. Like, the prehistoric stage.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred made the announcement at the end of the two-day owners’ meetings in New York, amping up the excitement level of Expos fans who continue to hold out hope that baseball will one day return to their city.
The Expos played in Montreal’s Jarry Park, and later, Olympic Stadium, from 1969-2004 before the franchise moved to Washington and became the Nationals. Stephen Bronfman, the son of Expos original owner Charles Bronfman, has an agreement with a developer to potentially build a new stadium for the Expos in Montreal.
The split season, two city (two country, really) option is being considered as Rays principal owner Stu Sternberg continues to look for a new stadium for the Rays, although, in a statement, he said he is “committed to keeping baseball in Tampa Bay for generations to come.”
The Rays are averaging 14,546 fans per game this season, ahead of the Miami Marlins who moved into their new ballpark in 2012. Last month, Tampa drew its tiniest crowd ever when only 5,786 people showed up watch the Rays face the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field.
On the surface, Sternberg’s move looks like a power play for a new venue, and if he doesn’t get what he wants, he could potentially move the franchise to Montreal — or elsewhere. Another wrinkle in this plan is the Rays’ lease agreement with the City of St. Petersburg that doesn’t expire until 2027.
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The holes in this plan don’t stop there. Would the Rays/Expos have two administrative staffs based in each city? Two marketing departments? I can’t imagine the players being too thrilled about playing one half of the season in Tampa Bay and the second half in Montreal. What about their families?
If the Rays, who despite their rather small payroll ($65 million this season) remain a competitive team, make the playoffs, would they split their home playoff games? If this plan somehow flies and it continues for a number of years, would a superstar player who makes it to the Hall of Fame sport a split baseball cap on their Cooperstown plaque?
Now I’m getting ahead of myself.
At the end of the day, bringing Montreal back into the discussion of hosting big league games is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a great thing. The Expos are back in the conversation — on the front burner, if you will — and perhaps it will snowball and Manfred will realize the value of doubling Canada’s baseball contingent of teams.
For now, however, this plan remains a pipe dream.