Expos likely to move to DC in 2005
 

Expos players were told this week that a decision on their 2005 home is near, that it won't be Montreal and that there is a strong likelihood they will be living in the Washington, D.C., area.


Sources familiar with the Expos' relocation process told ESPN.com on Thursday that union leaders Donald Fehr and Gene Orza met Wednesday with Montreal player representative Brian Schneider and assistant rep Brad Wilkerson.


The player reps were informed by the union that there is now an overwhelming probability that they will wind up in either Washington or Northern Virginia -- although there is still a small chance that baseball could opt to move the franchise to Las Vegas.


The players now believe Washington is the favorite, with Northern Virginia looming as a compromise choice if Orioles owner Peter Angelos attempts to block Washington's bid. Either way, the players were told that the union is very confident this is, finally, their last season in Montreal.


They also came away with the impression that San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the Expos have been playing a portion of their home schedule, and Monterrey, Mexico, also are no longer being seriously considered.


Relocation candidates such as Portland, Ore., and Norfolk, Va., were pictured as being extremely unlikely.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1844551

I am suprized Norfolk tried to get them .lol

I hope they go to Northern VA.

The Orioles have a nice stadium and draw well despite having a sub-par team the past few seasons. I hope this doesn't take any interest or revenue away from Baltimore although I do think DC deserves a team more than any available city right now. I think Northern Virgina would be the best place to put the team and use RFK until a new stadium is built.

Help me out, I've completely lost track. Is there a new stadium suitable for baseball in the immediate DC area?

Didn't the Senators play at RFK? It was kind of a pit back then. Damn, that's been a while ago.

Also, I heard on NPR that while the Orioles front office didn't like the idea of a DC team, they wouldn't actively try to block it.

Smart politics (literally) on their part since they don't want Congress questioning MLB's monopoly status again.

There isn't a new stadium built yet in the DC area so they would have to play their games at RFK until then. If RFK was a pit back then, its hard to believe what it would look like now. At least the expos would have a place to call home for a whole 81 game home season.


http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1838608

I welcome this with open arms because I hope I can work on the deal for a new stadium!

-Rudey

This is interesting. Since with any luck I'll be moving to DC next year (well, depending on where I get accepted to grad school, if I don't get into Georgetown I might go to the Northeast), it would be interesting to have a baseball team there. I'm OK with the Orioles--don't hate them, but I'm not a huge fan. It could be a good thing for the city.

We also need a MLB team back home in NC but that's a whole 'nother story.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Thrillhouse
[B]There isn't a new stadium built yet in the DC area so they would have to play their games at RFK until then. If RFK was a pit back then, its hard to believe what it would look like now. At least the expos would have a place to call home for a whole 81 game home season.
QUOTE]

Actually Northern VA and DC are in a race against each other, since NoVA has offered to build a new stadium out where Dulles Airport is and DC has offered four places as possible new stadium choices in addition to RFK being a permanent home...it would take $15 million to get RFK ready for the season starting in 2006 but i'm betting on the DC affiliation since NoVA doesn't have anywhere to put them...plus, the area is going to be planning for the Metro expansion anyways :) and thank God for that!

$15 million is a heck of a lot cheaper than a new stadium -- but is it throwing good money after bad I wonder?

RFK must be a mess by now.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by AXOKatie
[B]I was hoping for Northern Virgina over DC to keep the expos a bit farther from Baltimore to keep the Orioles happy as well.

I would be happy with either.

RFK, definitely needs work, plus they use it for soccer games right now, which could lead to schedule probs.

Plus, Dulles and DC aren't too far away from each other. I mean people drive to see the Orioles from NOVA, so why can't DC/MD drive to NOVA to see the Expos?

Glad Norfolk didn't get it though. I just graduated from college in Newport News and the economy down there just doesn't have the financial ability to support a major league team of anything.

Oh my god, if i had to drive to NoVA to see the Expos (or whatever they're gonna be called if they change their name) I would shoot myself, it is a looooooooong drive out to Dulles, esp. evenings...i can't imagine they'd be able to handle game traffic for so long, esp. since there's no Metro yet....at least the only problem with RFK is the no-parking ordinance within however many feet of the stadium, but that's cool since so many people take Metro anyways!

And DeltAlum, yeah RFK is looking a little shabby, but this is a winning deal for everyone since it needs to be spruced up and DC will end up building an exclusive stadium elsewhere probably...just hopefully not on the Waterfront....

And that is why attendance is so crappy and on the low for the past couple years, everyone hates 95 and the Orioles aren't that big of a pride thing for DC or NoVAs, only for the spirited baseball fans...if it was smack in DC, THEN you'd get some real spirit rallies going on!

They'll work out the Soccer scheduling problems. They do that all the time. Kinda like in cities (like here in Denver) where the Nuggetts and Avs. share the same building and same season.

The other good thing -- just because I get ticked off when taxpayers support a new statium, and then the team owners get all concessions, parking, sky boxes, etc. -- I think RFK is owned by the District (I could be wrong), and $15 Million is much less of a burdon on the public. Of course a new stadium will undoubtedly be a part of the new deal as it was here when the Rockies started out in Mile High, but moved to Coors Field when it was completed (at taxpayers expense).

Don't misunderstand, I think pro sports teams are basically good for a city, but the stadium deals are so lopsided for the owners I get frustrated.

If I didn't have a job here I would tell you a pro-sport team is not good for your city in any sense and actually hurts the economy. Since I do have this job, I will tell you it's great and you should all push to have new stadiums built - I think 5 years is a great number before they should be rebuilt. As of now that one will probably be built using public funds since very few stadiums are built with private funds by the owner.

-Rudey