It's official: Expos are moving to D.C.

[DBear]

From Fox News

excerpt

WASHINGTON — Major League Baseball has chosen Washington to be the new home of the Montreal Expos, a decision that returns the national pastime to the nation's capital for the first time in 33 years, The Associated Press has learned. A city official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington was notified Tuesday that it was chosen over six competing areas, including one in neighboring northern Virginia. ...Baseball has been looking for a new home for the Expos since the financially troubled team was bought by the other 29 major league owners in 2002. The Washington official said the bidding group had been told that baseball has reached an understanding with Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos, who had threatened legal action if a team relocated just 40 miles from his franchise. Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, has been negotiating a compensation arrangement with Angelos. Terms of the deal were not immediately available.... Las Vegas; Norfolk, Va.; Monterrey, Mexico; Portland, Ore.; and northern Virginia had been competing for the Expos, but Washington took the lead during negotiations over recent weeks, strengthened by its large and wealthy population base and a $440 million financial package that includes building a new stadium primarily with taxpayers' money. Plans call for the new ballpark to be built along the Anacostia River about a dozen blocks south of the Capitol. The package also includes a $13 million refurbishment of RFK Stadium, where the team would play for three seasons while the new facility is being built.... The Rangers retain ownership of the name "Washington Senators," baseball spokesman Carmine Tiso said after consulting with Ethan Orlinsky, a lawyer for Major League Baseball Properties, the sport's licensing division.

So whaddaya think?

I think it's about time MLB did SOMETHING with the Expos...shoulda moved 'em last year. DC looks to be the best deal of the bunch. But for Gawdsakes, DON'T call 'em the Senators again! :cringe:

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

::reads only topic:: The Expos? Does that mean Manatoba will be without a basketball team for much longer?

[ 09-29-2004, 01:08 AM: Message edited by: Illumina Drathiran'ar ]

[Ziroc]

Performance won't improve!

[SpongeBobTheDestoyer]

Originally posted by Ziroc: Performance won't improve!

It better, because it can't get any worse can it. [img]smile.gif[/img]


If they can finally keep all the players they lose to free agency they will be a really good team. Their farm system produces some of the best players around and then they can't resign them. Some of the ones I'm thinking about - Vladamir Guerrero, Larry Walker, Moises Alou, Pedro Martinez, and a bunch of others I can't remember right now.

[Gab]

What a shame. I know some people from Montreal who are very dispointed by this.

[ 09-29-2004, 11:17 PM: Message edited by: Gab ]

[aleph_null1]

The best -- or worst -- part is that nobody around here even cares. Everyone, if they like baseball at all, are big Orioles fans within at least 100 miles of the D.C. / Baltimore area...

[johnny]

And being an Orioles fan, isn't much reason for joy either.

[Klorox]

Originally posted by Gab: What a shame. I know some people from Montreal who are very dispointed by this.

Well, they should have shown up at Olympic Stadium to show that there are fans in Montreal! This team is moving because nobody shows up, and they're losing money all the time.

I'm glad they're moving. I'm a Mets fan, and I'd like to take a short road trip next year to DC and Philadelphia to see my Mets in these parks.

[Jotin]

Are they goign to change their name from the expos?

[Klorox]

There isn't any official announcement yet, Jotin, but they really should change their names.

"The Expos" is a title centered around an event in Montreal. It just isn't right to use the same name for a franchise now located in Washington, D.C..