<p><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:480px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/51c9c56a69beddc90c000016-1200-924/montreal-expos.jpg?maxX=480" border="0" alt="Montreal Expos" width="480" /><p class="source">Getty Images</p></div></div><keyword id="1348949" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tampa-Bay-Rays">Tampa Bay Rays</keyword> owner <keyword id="1738355" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Stuart-Sternberg">Stuart Sternberg</keyword> was asked about the feasibility of putting another <keyword id="133010" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="MLB">MLB</keyword> team in <keyword id="82818" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Montreal">Montreal</keyword> and his answer suggested that the city's next baseball team is just a matter of time.</p>
<p><a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/tampa-bay-rays-owner-stuart-sternberg-talks-future-of-franchise-possible-move-evan-longoria-david-price-062213">In a Q&amp;A with Jon Paul Morosi of <em>FoxSports.com</em>,</a> Sternberg was asked if <keyword id="6507856" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Major-League-Baseball">Major League Baseball</keyword> could work again in Montreal.</p>
<p>"Yes," said Sternberg. "I know it can."</p>
<p>Sternberg was then asked if Montreal will ever get another team. The former Goldman Sachs partner said it won't happen in the next five years, but "in the next 20 [years], yes."</p>
<p>The <keyword id="1738356" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Montreal-Expos">Montreal Expos</keyword> existed from 1969 through the 2004 season, when they relocated to Washington D.C. and became the Nationals. So it might seem like an odd move if MLB's next team's relocation were to move to Montreal.</p>
<p>While Montreal enjoyed strong attendance earlier in their existence, they drew less than 1.0 million fans in six of their last seven seasons north of the border. And in 2001, they averaged less than 8,000 fans per game.</p>
<p>Some have suggested that the <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/news/story?page=bryant-110622">owners sabotaged attendance</a> in order to move the team. If true, they were very good at it.</p>
<p>But as Strernberg mentioned, the most recent crop of stadiums will need to be replaced in the next 20 years. And as long as there is strong corporate support in Montreal, he believes a team could look north for a new stadium.</p>

Rays Owner Says Major League Baseball Will Return To Montreal

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d0bdcdfe3ecba0b1160dfc6-1300/blake%20snell.jpg" border="0" alt="blake snell" data-mce-source="Julio Aguilar/Getty Images"><p class="source"><span>Julio Aguilar/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">The Rays could split their season between two countries.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>The Tampa Bay Rays have gotten permission from MLB to explore splitting their season between Tampa Bay and Montreal.</strong></li><li><strong>The scenario would allow the Rays to expand their fan base while bringing in corporate money in Montreal, something that is lacking in Tampa Bay.</strong></li><li><strong>The scenario faces major hurdles and questions, according to the report.</strong></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></li></ul><p>The Tampa Bay Rays have gotten permission from MLB to explore a scenario where they'd split their season between Tampa Bay, Florida, and Montreal, Canada, <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/27016429/sources-rays-explore-playing-montreal">according to ESPN's Jeff Passan</a>.</p><p>In the scenario, the Rays would spend the first half of the season in Tampa Bay, then play the latter half in Montreal. According to Passan, it's not yet clear how many home games each city would get.</p><p>According to Passan, the idea of a professional sports team playing in two cities isn't entirely new - the Montreal Expos played 22 games in Puerto Rico in 2005, and the Kings played in Kansas City and Omaha in the 1970s.</p><p>The Rays are currently ranked second-to-last in attendance. The move would expand the Rays' fanbase and allow the team to add corporate revenue in Montreal that is currently missing in Tampa Bay, according to Passan.</p><p>Passan also wrote that the Rays would need new stadiums in both cities, though playing the early portion of the season in Tampa Bay negates the need for a roof, cutting costs.</p><p>However, according to Passan, there are major hurdles (and questions) involved in the process.</p><p>Teams sometimes struggle to get funding for one stadium, let alone two. Would taxpayers burden the cost for half-a-season of games?</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d0bddbee3ecba0b54397292-1168/montreal%20stadium.jpg" border="0" alt="montreal stadium" data-mce-source="Vincent Ethier/MLB Photos/Getty Images"><p class="source"><span>Vincent Ethier/MLB Photos/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Montreal could get a baseball team again.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Which city would get playoff games? While the Rays wouldn't need a roof in Tampa Bay, <a href="https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/Montreal+Canada+CAXX0301:1:CA">according to Weather.com</a>, temperatures in Montreal in October 2018 ranged from 39 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning the weather for October baseball would be a bit unpredictable.<p>Would players have to find places to live in both countries? Would splitting a season of games affect stadium employees?</p><p>As FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver pointed out, there aren't currently direct flights from Tampa Bay to Montreal.</p><p>Passan wrote that it is too early in the process to answer big questions. Such a radical move may take years to go through, if it passes at all.</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lakers-anthony-davis-trade-salary-cap-ramifications-free-agency-2019-6">It sounds more and more like the Lakers didn't realize the salary cap ramifications of their Anthony Davis trade, and now they're 'scrambling'</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nba-draft-busts-2015-6">WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The biggest NBA Draft busts of all time</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alex-morgan-comforts-crying-thai-player-world-cup-2019-6">Alex Morgan comforted a crying Thai player after Team USA's 13-0 smackdown of Thailand in its first match of the World Cup</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nick-kyrgios-antics-meltdowns-talent-bad-boy-tennis-2019-5"> Meet Nick Kyrgios, the 24-year-old bad boy of tennis whose talent and antics make him the most frustrating and compelling player in the sport</a></li></ul><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>There aren't even any direct flights between Tampa and Montreal. <a href="https://t.co/thOMvcQrew">pic.twitter.com/thOMvcQrew</a></p>- Nate Silver  (@NateSilver538) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1141765439028125698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2019</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-american-men-suck-soccer-world-cup-2018-6">The US women's national team dominates soccer, but here's why the US men's team sucks</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/SaEwZba3-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

The Rays are reportedly exploring a wild plan that would have them split their season between Tampa Bay and Montreal

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5451169b69beddce4fb33578-1200-924/montreal-expos-1.jpg?maxX=600" border="0" alt="Montreal Expos" width="600"><p class="source"><span>Reuters</span></p></img></div><p></p></div>Ten years after the Montreal Expos moved to Washington D.C. to become the Nationals, Major League Baseball may be getting closer to returning to Quebec and possibly reviving the Expos franchise.</p>
<p>In a recent <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/madden-rays-rocked-frustrated-joe-maddon-opts-walk-article-1.1986150">column for the New York Daily News</a>, Bill Madden reported that sources had told him that Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg "has had discussions with wealthy Wall Street associates about moving the Rays to Montreal."</p>
<p>In response to the report, the Rays issued a non-denial denial <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/rays-deny-any-interest-in-moving-to-montreal/2203980">to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times</a>, noting that the team "[has] not spoken to Montreal - or any other city, including Tampa - about relocation at any point."</p>
<p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4027996063232px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none;">The team's statement does not address whether or not Sternberg has discussed moving the team with "wealthy Wall Street associates" as reported by Madden.<br /></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4027996063232px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none;">This comes just seven months after Montreal hosted a pair of exhibition games in front of huge crowds and just three months after <a href="http://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/2014/07/15/montreals_mlb_hopes_get_surprising_boost_from_bud_selig_griffin.html">MLB commissioner Bud Selig called the exhibitions</a> "very impressive" and called the city "an excellent candidate [for a franchise] in the future, no question about it."<br /></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4027996063232px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none;">The Rays currently have a contract to play in Tropicana Field through 2027. However, <a href="http://tbo.com/sports/rays/rays-sternberg-mlb-doesnt-believe-in-tampa-bay-anymore-615307">MLB has called the ballpark situation "not sustainable"</a> and the Rays have so far failed in their efforts to build a new stadium.<br /></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4027996063232px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none;">Despite recent success on the field, the Rays have finished last in attendance three straight years, averaging just 17,857 fans per game in 2014.<br /></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4027996063232px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54511739eab8ea630447b100-1200-600/tropicana-field-fan.jpg" border="0" alt="Tropicana Field Fan"><p class="source"><span>Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">A fan reading the newspaper in an empty Tropicana Field.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div><br /></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4027996063232px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none;">The downside to Montreal is that they don't appear to be any closer to building a modern stadium than the Tampa-St. Pete area. Also, if the Rays leave Florida's west coast, MLB would be abandoning a very good television market at a time when TV ratings are more important than ever. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4027996063232px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none;">The Rays have routinely <a href="http://www.raysindex.com/2014/10/tampa-bay-rays-rank-12th-in-local-tv-ratings-this-season.html">ranked among the top 15 teams</a> in local television ratings.<br /></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4027996063232px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none;">Ultimately, Montreal may just be a bluff to force the stadium situation in Florida. But for those that long for the d</span>ays of Les Expos de Montréal there is some hope.<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4027996063232px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none;"><br /></span></p>

There Are Signs MLB Is Getting Closer To Moving A Team Back To Montreal

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Yankees pitcher Corey Kluber threw a <keyword id="1740155" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="No-Hitter">no-hitter</keyword> against the <keyword id="191662" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Texas-Rangers">Texas Rangers</keyword> on Wednesday.</li><li>Kluber was on the Rangers last year, but only pitched one inning before his season was over.</li><li>He overcame multiple arm and shoulder injuries to return to form this season. </li></ul><p><keyword id="130401" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="New-York-Yankees">New York Yankees</keyword> pitcher Corey Kluber threw a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, and Rangers fans were forced to watch the one that got away make history at their expense. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-SportsCenter  (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1395210861028028421?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2021</a></blockquote><p>The two-time Cy Young winner was part of the Rangers' 2020 squad but pitched just one inning in his debut on July 26 before having to leave the game with a season-ending shoulder injury.</p><p>"We expected some outings like that in our ballpark, unfortunately not against us," Rangers manager Chris Woodward said of Kluber's performance on Wednesday. "I'm not surprised by this guy's success. I've watched this guy go through his routine and the work he puts in."</p><p>Kluber was already coming off a fractured forearm in 2019 when he was with Cleveland and was traded to Texas in exchange for outfielder Delino DeShields and reliever Emmanuel Clase. </p><p>The Rangers then declined to pick up Kluber's option for 2021, making him a free agent at 34. The Yankees took a chance on the three-time All-Star, signing Kluber to a one-year, $11 million deal in January. </p><p>Kluber has overcome the injuries of his last two seasons so far in 2021, returning to form with a 2.86 ERA and 50 strikeouts across 50 innings pitched.</p><p>Kluber's comeback came to a climax on Monday against his former team on the very same mound he suffered the shoulder injury last year, as he struck out nine and walked just one across all nine innings to secure his fourth win of the season. </p><p>"It's all kind of emotions. It's excitement, obviously, but also relief because it's over," Kluber said after the game on YES Network. "This was a lot of fun. It was a well-played game on both sides -- we were able to scratch out a few runs there. And it was fun to be a part of."</p><p>Kluber recorded the Yankees' first no-hitter of the 21st century. The last came on July 18, 1999, when David Cone threw a perfect game against the Montreal Expos. It was also the team's first road no-hitter since  July 12, 1951, when Allie Reynolds did it at Cleveland.</p><p>"I had butterflies in that ninth inning. I'm getting a little emotional now, even just getting to witness that was was really, really special," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "And to see his teammates and the excitement of everyone for Corey and just the excitement for themselves being a part of such a thing. What a performance."</p><p>The no-hitter was the sixth in <keyword id="133010" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="MLB">MLB</keyword> this season, as baseball has seen an unprecedented spree of historic pitching performances this season. The record for no-hitters in a single season is seven (1990, 1991, and 2012), and there are four months left for that record to be tied or broken in 2021. </p>

Yankees pitcher Corey Kluber threw a no-hitter against a former team that only got to use him once

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5963e711d9fccdfe0b8b54c3-932/gettyimages-81216867.jpg" alt="Jorge Mas" /><p class="source"><span>Joe Raedle/Getty</span></p><p class="caption">President Barack Obama and Jorge Mas.</p><p>The eyes of the baseball world are upon the Miami Marlins, hosts of MLB's All-Star Week, and that was before the latest reports regarding the team's future.</p><p>It appears that Jorge Mas, a Miami native, businessman and philanthropist, has emerged as the frontrunner to purchase the team from Jeffrey Loria.</p><p><a href="https://www.fanragsports.com/mlb/marlins/heyman-recent-loria-talks-seen-sign-mas-leads-marlins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">According to Jon Heyman of FanRagSports.com</a>, Mas and Loria recently engaged in high-level talks, leading some close to the team to believe that Mas is the top candidate to strike a deal. All previous negotiations were conducted through David Samson, the Marlins team president.</p><p>Other ownership groups linked with the Marlins include the <a href="https://www.fanragsports.com/news/bush-rothbaum-join-romney-glavine-group-attempting-buy-marlins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tagg Romney-Wayne Rothbaum group</a> and the Derek Jeter group.</p><p>The negotiation process has been a tumultuous one, with former Florida governor Jeb Bush <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/jeb-bush-and-derek-jeter-reportedly-split-after-power-struggle-over-marlins-roles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">defecting</a> from Jeter's and moving over to the Romney-Rothbaum group last month. Jeter, a 14-time All-Star for the New York Yankees, is reportedly willing to contribute just $20 million to $25 million to a bid and has <a href="http://nypost.com/2017/07/06/billionaire-backs-out-of-derek-jeters-group-bid-for-marlins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">struggled</a> to secure financial backing.</p><p>Mas, meanwhile, has a net worth of more than $1 billion, according to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/pictures/efkk45gegd/no-12-jose-ramon-mas/#782144b257c6" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">an estimate by <em>Forbes</em></a>. With the team expected to sell for around $1.2 billion, the purchase would require a big chunk of Mas' fortune, but he is said to be willing to make major sacrifices, including 14-hour days, to turn the team around.</p><p>Mas is the chairman of the board and co-founder of MasTec, a construction company based in the Miami area. He also graduated from the University of Miami's business school in 1984, giving him the ideal combination of fiscal bona fides and community involvement needed to turn around the Marlins, who rank as one of baseball's <a href="https://www.forbes.com/pictures/58cc474f31358e1a35ad373d/25-miami-marlins/#31a2600f7de7" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">least valuable teams</a>.</p><p>Furthermore, Mas chairs the <a href="http://www.canf.org/about-us/purpose" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cuban American National Foundation</a>, an organization dedicated to "freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights to Cuba." In a city with a heavy Cuban and Cuban-American population, he could be a perfect fit for the front office.</p><p>Loria, meanwhile, <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/team-ownership-ratings-by-the-community/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">consistently</a> <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/ranking-the-five-worst-owners-in-baseball-an-ode-to-miamis-jeffrey-loria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ranks</a> as one of the worst owners in baseball. A Manhattan-born art dealer who acquired the team after giving up his share of the then-Montreal Expos back in 2002, Loria developed a reputation for fitful spending sprees during his time in South Beach. He won a World Series in his first year with the Marlins, but the team hasn't been back to the postseason since.</p><p>Nothing has been completed, but a deal could come "soon," Heyman reports. The Marlins are currently 41-46, good for third in the National League East.</p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/where-12-time-olympic-medalist-stores-medals-dara-torres-2017-6">Where this 12-time Olympic medalist stores all of her medals</a></h3>                                    Please enable Javascript to watch this video                    

You Searched For "Montreal Expos" and got 6 results

Rays Owner Says Major League Baseball Will Return To Montreal

Cork Gaines

The Rays are reportedly exploring a wild plan that would have them split their season between Tampa Bay and Montreal

Scott Davis

There Are Signs MLB Is Getting Closer To Moving A Team Back To Montreal

Cork Gaines

Yankees pitcher Corey Kluber threw a no-hitter against a former team that only got to use him once

Jackson Thompson

Local Cuban-American billionaire has emerged as the favorite to buy the Marlins ahead of Jeb Bush, Derek Jeter, and Tagg Romney

Sam Belden

The Future Of The Xbox One Rides On This New Incredibly Cool First-Person Shooter

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