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Old 06-20-2019, 11:40 AM   #1
sureLoss
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Default Tampa Bay Rays to explore becoming a two-city team: Tampa and Montreal

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...aying-montreal

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The Tampa Bay Rays received permission from Major League Baseball's executive council to explore a plan in which they would play early-season home games in the Tampa Bay area and the remainder of the year in Montreal, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN.

While the plan is in its nascent stages, the Rays have embraced the two-city solution as the most feasible to saving baseball in the Tampa Bay area after years of failed attempts to build a new stadium in the region, according to sources.

The return of baseball to Montreal, which lost the Expos when they moved to Washington, D.C., and became the Nationals before the 2005 season, has long been speculated and has significant support among power brokers in the city, including Stephen Bronfman, the private-equity magnate whose father, Charles, was the Expos' original owner.

Under the plan, the Rays would play in new stadiums in both the Tampa Bay area and Montreal, according to sources. The ability to play games early in the season in Florida would preclude the need for a domed stadium, cutting the cost of a new building. A month ago, Bronfman -- who along with Montreal businessman Mitch Garber has expressed interest in taking a minority stake in the Rays alongside owner Stuart Sternberg -- reached an agreement with a developer on a site in Montreal's Point-Saint-Charles neighborhood to potentially build a new stadium. The number of home games each city would receive has not been determined, according to sources.

Last edited by sureLoss; 06-20-2019 at 11:43 AM.
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Old 06-20-2019, 11:42 AM   #2
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The Montreal Bay Expo Rays.
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Old 06-20-2019, 11:42 AM   #3
Senator Clay Davis
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The Tampa Bay Rays of Montreal? The Montreal Expos of Tampa?
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Old 06-20-2019, 11:47 AM   #4
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Next: The Quebec Nordiques of Carolina/Phoenix.
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Old 06-20-2019, 12:14 PM   #5
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Nothing like building 2 separate stadia to save a franchise.
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Old 06-20-2019, 12:14 PM   #6
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Interesting idea, but I struggle to see how it would work. Both Montreal and Tampa Bay would need to build stadiums in order for this to work. I'd have to think the money saved in TB by building a stadium without a roof would be less than the cost to build another stadium in Montreal. Unless the plan is for Montreal the city just build the stadium for them - then it might work?
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Old 06-20-2019, 12:16 PM   #7
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Interesting idea, but I struggle to see how it would work. Both Montreal and Tampa Bay would need to build stadiums in order for this to work. I'd have to think the money saved in TB by building a stadium without a roof would be less than the cost to build another stadium in Montreal. Unless the plan is for Montreal the city just build the stadium for them - then it might work?
A stadium in Tampa probably wouldn’t be very big, if it’s only intended for a few early season games.
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Old 06-20-2019, 12:19 PM   #8
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I mean they might as well ask the Yankees to use their spring training home. Seats over 11,000 as I recall, perfect for the Rays.
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Old 06-20-2019, 12:40 PM   #9
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There's no chance on earth this works for the long term. Seems like two plans in one:

First, a power play to build new ballparks in Tampa-St. Pete and Montreal. And if only one of the two builds one, move to that market permanently.

Second, If both markets build facilities, split the organization into two then expand to Portland, Vegas or Virginia and move to a 32 team league.
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Old 06-20-2019, 12:46 PM   #10
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Interesting idea as it will create a geographical rivalry with the Jays instantly with the Rays being in the same division. It definitely lays the groundwork for a move back to Montreal for the MLB too. I shudder to think who will end up footing the bill for a new stadium in Montreal though. If it does indeed go in that direction.
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Old 06-20-2019, 12:47 PM   #11
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What kind of fan is going to be happy purchasing season tickets for only half a season? Who would get the playoffs and how could the city that misses out on the playoffs be happy? I can't believe this is even being tabled as it's just a terrible idea. Also how many players would sign on for having to live in two different cities during the season?
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Old 06-20-2019, 01:00 PM   #12
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Players are going to outright hate this idea. Are they going to have to move their families for half the season. That'll go over like a rock
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Old 06-20-2019, 01:01 PM   #13
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What kind of fan is going to be happy purchasing season tickets for only half a season? Who would get the playoffs and how could the city that misses out on the playoffs be happy? I can't believe this is even being tabled as it's just a terrible idea. Also how many players would sign on for having to live in two different cities during the season?
Without a dome, there is no way Montreal would get playoff games.
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Old 06-20-2019, 01:02 PM   #14
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I would assume an MLB would be a knockout blow to the CFL in that City.
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Old 06-20-2019, 01:08 PM   #15
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The Montreal Bay Expo Rays.
The obvious choice here is ExRays.

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Old 06-20-2019, 01:26 PM   #16
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This is awesome (for an expos fan not living in MTL)!! They gotta use the Expos as the name though, so OG!!
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Old 06-20-2019, 01:34 PM   #17
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Fans in Tampa must love this idea.........if the team is good they get early season games that mean nothing. Then when the games mean something down the stretch the games are in Montreal. Wow, sign me up.
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Old 06-20-2019, 01:58 PM   #18
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Without a dome, there is no way Montreal would get playoff games.
The same could be said for Tampa.

The weather is Montreal in early October is more-likely to be nicer than the hurricane and humidity hellscape of central Florida in early October.


Maybe they'd do the first two rounds in Montreal to avoid the worst of hurricane season, then the World Series in Tampa to avoid any potential late-October cold snaps.
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Old 06-20-2019, 02:25 PM   #19
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Fans in Tampa must love this idea.........if the team is good they get early season games that mean nothing. Then when the games mean something down the stretch the games are in Montreal. Wow, sign me up.
All three of them?
I get that their stadium sucks and is in a bad location, but what exactly do they expect when nobody shows up to the games?
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Old 06-20-2019, 02:51 PM   #20
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Interesting idea as it will create a geographical rivalry with the Jays instantly with the Rays being in the same division. It definitely lays the groundwork for a move back to Montreal for the MLB too. I shudder to think who will end up footing the bill for a new stadium in Montreal though. If it does indeed go in that direction.
From what I have heard, most fans there would want the team to be in the National League if a team moves there permanently.
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