Pro baseball in Canada

[Jaybird]

Although I want to congratulate Washington, DC in their efforts to have Major League Baseball to come back to the Nation's Capital for the first time since 1971, I hate it that the city of Montreal is losing the Expos. I think the factors are the rising salaries of baseball, decreased fan support, the weak Canadian Dollar, and the inability of the Quebec and Canadian governments in helping get a new stadium built. Some have said that the Quebecois Party led government was against the Expos and anything that was Anglophonic and American. (If I said anything wrong or offended anyone, I'm very sorry).

While I am on this subject, why is pro baseball not doing well in Canada? With the Edmonton Trappers moving to Round Rock, TX (suburb of Austin, the capital city of Texas), it leaves only the Toronto Blue Jays, the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League (Short Season A) the Ottawa Lynx of the International League (AAA), and the independent Winnipeg Goldeyes of the Northern League as Canada's only pro baseball teams. (Note: If there are any current Canadian minor league teams, let me know). It seems the Expos' move is just another link in the chain reaction of baseball teams leaving Canada for the US or leagues failing. (I think Edmonton is getting a Northern League team). Here are some examples:

Calgary Cannons (AAA): Moved to Albuquerque, NM, became the Isotopes.

Vancouver Canadians (AAA): Moved to Sacramento, CA, became the RiverCats.

Edmonton Trappers (AAA): Moving to Round Rock, TX to become the Express.

The Expos have left Canada. Do you think that the Blue Jays, along with the Lynx and the Canadians be far behind?

[Stampman]

Calgary is getting a Northern League team too...

[LMU]

I highly doubt that the Blue Jays will leave. They've always had more Canadian support than the Expos, and they still have a relatively state-of-the-art ballpark, which will only improve with FieldTurf. Besides, even with the Grizz leaving, the Raptors are still staying in Toronto. I just think that Toronto might be the only city in Canada without enough of a population base to support a major sports franchise of the scale of MLB or the NBA.

[CaolinaJoe]

Although I want to congratulate Washington, DC in their efforts to have Major League Baseball to come back to the Nation's Capital for the first time since 1971, I hate it that the city of Montreal is losing the Expos. I think the factors are the rising salaries of baseball, decreased fan support, the weak Canadian Dollar, and the inability of the Quebec and Canadian governments in helping get a new stadium built. Some have said that the Quebecois Party led government was against the Expos and anything that was Anglophonic and American. (If I said anything wrong or offended anyone, I'm very sorry).

While I am on this subject, why is pro baseball not doing well in Canada? With the Edmonton Trappers moving to Round Rock, TX (suburb of Austin, the capital city of Texas), it leaves only the Toronto Blue Jays, the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League (Short Season A) the Ottawa Lynx of the International League (AAA), and the independent Winnipeg Goldeyes of the Northern League as Canada's only pro baseball teams. (Note: If there are any current Canadian minor league teams, let me know). It seems the Expos' move is just another link in the chain reaction of baseball teams leaving Canada for the US or leagues failing. (I think Edmonton is getting a Northern League team). Here are some examples:

Calgary Cannons (AAA): Moved to Albuquerque, NM, became the Isotopes.

Vancouver Canadians (AAA): Moved to Sacramento, CA, became the RiverCats.

Edmonton Trappers (AAA): Moving to Round Rock, TX to become the Express.

The Expos have left Canada. Do you think that the Blue Jays, along with the Lynx and the Canadians be far behind?

I think the Jays are safe.

Baseball probably suffers in Canada because of the same reason hockey suffers in America. I'm sure baseball doesn't rank as high as some other sports for canadian youth. If its not something you grow up playing or watching , it's probably not something you support with your entertainment dollars when you get older.

As America becomes more and more a country full of couch potato youth who would rather play Playstation baseball than actually go outside and sweat playing catch, baseball attendance will decline. Why do you think so many corporations are buying season tickets? It's because the desire for normal people to go to a game is diminishing. No longer does a kid want to take in a game with his dad. So ball clubs target corporations to fill those seats. It's not just the luxury boxes they buy, they buy the cheap seats too.

Of course I know ticket prices are getting crazy, but part of that is the fans fault. They stopped coming so the clubs got the luxury boxes to help escalate the salaries. As the fans stopped filling in the avaiable seats, ownership raised those prices and sold them to the customers who wanted them, corporations. Companies can write them off as a business expense, so they don't really care if it $35 a ticket for a club level(formerly known as mezzanine seating) seat at Camden Yards(at least it was 2 years ago).

Just my take, nothing scientific.

[NJTank]

Montreal never recovered from the 1994 strike, and thats all this was.

The Expos died August 12, 1994 they have just been on life support the last 10 years. There was a away they coudl have saved them as later as 1998, but it was never done more players and more players left and the fans stopped caring, they were brain dead already the plug was just pulled, and nature has finally taken its course.

[Sharky99MB]

Indeed a sad day when the Montreal Expos are on the way to Washington, D.C. for the 2005 season...I have always liked the Expos but the Expos havent played well enough to generate interest in the city of Montreal since that 1994 strike.....would have been nice if the Expos would have gone on to the World Series and win the championship , just like Toronto did in 1992 and 1993.....such a pity indeed....I hope we dont even forget the Expos for a long time after this is done...

[Swiss]

Whatta pity!!! If les Expos could reach playoffs, likely win the NL pennant in 1994 if not for that awful strike... all that stuff today didn't occur.

[Phil]

I highly doubt that the Blue Jays will leave. They've always had more Canadian support than the Expos, and they still have a relatively state-of-the-art ballpark, which will only improve with FieldTurf. Besides, even with the Grizz leaving, the Raptors are still staying in Toronto. I just think that Toronto might be the only city in Canada without enough of a population base to support a major sports franchise of the scale of MLB or the NBA.

I don't know. I don't think any Canadian franchise in any sport beyond the Canadiens and Maple Leafs are safe.

The Raptors are one star player and a few losing seasons away from marginality...

I feel the Blue Jays (not exactly tops in league attendance) are approaching marginality, aided by their brand destruction and the fact that any playoff hopes are rather slim thanks to being in the AL East. From what I hear, they haven't been making money these last few years, and that can lead to a death spiral for any franchise.

[Puckguy14]

Toronto better stay otherwise, Selig better watch his back. This whole mess with the Expos and trying to contract teams has really destroyed baseball OFF the field. MLB really can't touch the Blue Jays especially since they are still in a new (albeit, 15 years old) ballpark. If anything, baseball fans in Canada will rally around the Blue Jays, which would trigger more revenue and more people to have Chris keep an eye out for naked idiots trying to get onto the field. But first things first, an idea of sorts perhaps? Maybe have the Graphite Jays play 6 "road" games in Montreal? Ok, maybe bring in the BLUE back in Blue Jays would be a good idea first.

By the way, here's a list of "great" things for baseball in the Bud Selig era:

> Trying to contract 2-4 teams (Florida, Montreal, Minnesota, Oakland where he really has a grudge with)

> Canceling the World Series, (and to some fans eyes, ruining the greatest chance of the following:)

> Montreal Expos winning the World Series

> Tony Gwynn hitting .400

> Matt Williams breaking Roger Maris' 61 HR in a season

> Revenue for small teams slashed thanks to strike year and the YEARS it took to get some of it back. Prime example: Montreal, made them to the point where they were bought by MLB and were given no choice to move

> A sister kisser in the 2002 All-Star Game in his home park (even Brewer fans were pissed! What happens if that happened in 2003 or 2004 where it counted?)

> To make up for the tie in the 2002 ASG, making the All-Star Game, an exhibition count. Injured players would REALLY make this exhibition game count

[JQK]

Pucker, Baseball had ALOT of problems. For most of your problems you have listed there, it's the system that was in place for 20 years before Bud became commish, not Bud himself, that is to blame.

You wanna blame the economic system in baseball on something, blame it on the players union.

[Puckguy14]

but JQK, that's why Bud was in there in the first place. The owners kicked out Fay Vincent and put one of their own as commish to fix it. Then he screws over every baseball fan in 1994.

Put it this way, if no new stadiums were built and McGwire and Sosa don't knock ball out of the yard in 1998, does anyone think baseball would be as "stable" as it is right now?

[JQK]

but JQK, that's why Bud was in there in the first place. The owners kicked out Fay Vincent and put one of their own as commish to fix it. Then he screws over every baseball fan in 1994.

Put it this way, if no new stadiums were built and McGwire and Sosa don't knock ball out of the yard in 1998, does anyone think baseball would be as "stable" as it is right now?

How did Bud screw over the fans in 1994? if i remember, it was the players that went on strike...

[DEAD!]

If anything, baseball fans in Canada will rally around the Blue Jays, which would trigger more revenue and more people to have Chris keep an eye out for naked idiots trying to get onto the field.

[Magus]

Every league is having this problem, 'cept the nfl but i don't call it a serious league anymore for reasons i have mentioned in other posts. part of the problem is people are less and less caring about 19th century sports, the other part is the problems in the world. people don't have the time to worry about grown men playing a 12 year olds sport, when you the arab conquests going on. Video games has also hurt sports, not just mlb, why spend pay out the ass for a ticket when you can play a simulated version on a sony playstation. I really think the passion for sports in general has seriously dimenished and for good reason. People don't have the luxury of worrying about a ball game, like during the 1950's.

[Puckguy14]

How did Bud screw over the fans in 1994? if i remember, it was the players that went on strike...

I should have make myself clearer, because of the player's strike, he cancelled the World Series rather than make progress on getting something done and eventually let the players win in the long run by giving them what they want. Then with the new luxury tax, jeez, the small market teams are supposed to spend the Yankee/Dodger/Giant/Red Sox money on their team and instead pocket it.

[Mac the Knife]

Every league is having this problem, 'cept the nfl but i don't call it a serious league anymore for reasons i have mentioned in other posts.

I haven't read the other posts, but failing to recognize the NFL as a serious league is like failing to recognize that Russia exists while Moscow-launched ICBM's are heading for New York, IMHO.

Sadly I think the BJ's move isn't just possible, but inevitable.

SkyDome was built on the bleeding edge of 20th century stadium design, only for it to go out of fashion with the opening of the next park (Camden Yards). The team hasn't been a real winner in a decade, and unfortunately plays in a division where it can't be expected to compete with the Yank/Sox unless and until total revenue sharing and a salary cap are both in place. The exchange rate between the CDN dollar and US dollar makes player-related matters expensive (they're paid in US dollars), and they don't appear to have any substantive means of developing further revenue (i.e., a regional TV network of their own) or any plans to do so.

Simply put, the team will move. It might take another 20 years for it to happen, but the team will move.

[uncle_wiggily]

Montreal never recovered from the 1994 strike, and thats all this was.

The Expos died August 12, 1994 they have just been on life support the last 10 years. There was a away they coudl have saved them as later as 1998, but it was never done more players and more players left and the fans stopped caring, they were brain dead already the plug was just pulled, and nature has finally taken its course.

Tank, this is probably the only time I am going to say this. But I completely agree with you. But let us not forget "Blue Monday!"

Now, for the topic at hand, I think baseball is dead in Canada. There is very little interest in the game, from the grassroots up. Parents, rather than putting their children in baseball in the summers to fill the void left by hockey, they stick them in soccer. This mentality is being transmitted from generation to generation, it was never truly a part of our culture. The few fans of the game in Canada are, for the most part, seniors and crazy people. Just ask CC what kind of fans he gets for the games in his section!

[Dilbert]

Prediction for next Canadian team to leave

OTTAWA LYNX

[CC97]

The Blue Jays are very solid financially. Once they buy SkyDome things will get even better.

[the_cynic]

As America becomes more and more a country full of couch potato youth who would rather play Playstation baseball than actually go outside and sweat playing catch, baseball attendance will decline. Why do you think so many corporations are buying season tickets? It's because the desire for normal people to go to a game is diminishing. No longer does a kid want to take in a game with his dad. So ball clubs target corporations to fill those seats. It's not just the luxury boxes they buy, they buy the cheap seats too.

So it's the lazy America's fault that baseball is leaving a Canadian city?