Tampa Bay Rays want to become two city team

[Alsacs]

Rays to explore splitting games with Montreal

The Rays have received permission from MLB's executive council to explore a plan in which they would play early season home games in the Tampa Bay area and the rest of the year in Montreal, commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday.

www.espn.com

I said previously the Rays should just move to Montreal. They would have the Toronto-Montreal rivalry and then multiple visits from the Yankees and Red Sox. People up there might actually give a crap unlike the garbage Trop Dome.

 

[MSOrange]

Sounds like a good idea. Montreal fans seem to actually want a team. Tampa Bay can't get a decent stadium and the fans don't show up even when they are good like this year.

 

[two3zone]

Im for it, unless the other option is them moving to Vegas, in that case give me a Vegas team.

 

[bevosu]

Florida doesn't deserve MLB, except for spring training

 

[OrangeDW]

As someone who used to go to Montreal pretty much every year to watch baseball, this would be awesome.

And if the franchise is smart, they switch the name to Expos so they can bring back one of the best uniforms and hats in baseball.

 

[donniesyracuse]

And if the franchise is smart, they switch the name to Expos so they can bring back one of the best uniforms and hats in baseball.

I suspect the Washington Nationals retained the rights to the Expos name.

 

[chugg21]

I live in Tampa and there is just no chance of survival here for the Rays without a new stadium. The Trop is absurd. I can't imagine what opposing players think when they come to town and have to play in that terrible place with no fans in the seats. The stadium is in the middle of St Pete with no population close by. The drive from Tampa is a pain on weekdays because of traffic on the bridges to get over the bay.

 

[jncuse]

The big problem in Tampa is backing out of the lease that extends until 2027. The termination penalties are absurd at what I have heard as between $100-$200 million annually of the remaining term. From what I heard from Eric Macramella (a lawyer who comments on sports) there is a specific clause in the agreement with further penalties if they move some games to another city for a part of a season.

I think baseball is just telling Tampa it's now time to do something and also trying to keep the momentum up and appease fans in Montreal. The two city interim solution will never happen, but that's not really what they are trying to accompish eithher.

 

[jncuse]

I suspect the Washington Nationals retained the rights to the Expos name.

Probably.. but their price to sell might not be that high, especially if the commissioner gets involved. Long way to go before we even get to a team.

I'm a hardcore Expo fan. Made a special trip from Toronto to go watch the final home game with my Dad. Went to the first game that exhibition baseball returned to Montreal in March 2014.

My name itself "JN" cames from the name of a scrub I used as my first message board name on a site called "FanHome". The "JN" stands for Junior Noboa. It would be the equivalent of a board member here calling themselves Mookie Jones.

 

[Bayside44]

Nats will wear Expos throwbacks

For one night only, Nationals will flip the Curly W upside down!

thefandc.radio.com

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Probably.. but their price to sell might not be that high, especially if the commissioner gets involved. Long way to go before we even get to a team.

I'm a hardcore Expo fan. Made a special trip from Toronto to go watch the final home game with my Dad. Went to the first game that exhibition baseball returned to Montreal in March 2014.

My name itself "JN" cames from the name of a scrub I used as my first message board name on a site called "FanHome". The "JN" stands for Junior Noboa. It would be the equivalent of a board member here calling themselves Mookie Jones.

why not Rowland Office?