MLB should say No or Non to a Montreal Expos expansion reboot

The old Expos had bad ownership, but that was far from the only problem. Attendance was slumping long before Olympic Stadium fell apart and it never rebounded, and this was long before the final denouement.

Their last year above 2 million was 1983. Last year above 1.8 million was 1987. Post-stadium fix (I saw them as the "home" team in old Busch in 1991, the very game that Lee Smith broke the NL single-season saves record. (Big Lee is big indeed; Since the Cards were the "road" team, all loge and box seats were sold essentially at "cost." Me and my friends were about 20 rows up from the Cards bullpen on the 1B foul line.) Post-fixes, they only cleared 1.5 million once. 1997 was the last 1M+ season.

Yes, bad ownership/management was an issue. Even there, not all of that was Jeff Loria, or even close to it. He didn't acquire the team until 2000. Charles Bronfman in the 1980s was a piece of work as owner, but even that wasn't an issue. 

Below Olympic Stadium's famous falling apart in 1991 (and earlier) the stadium was not in a good neighborhood and other things. In addition, the retractable roof design sucked and wasn't used that much when it was finally installed.

As for the 1994 strike being a knife in the back because the Expos would have won the World Series? The 116-win Seattle Mariners would like a word. As far as a World Series win helping further attendance? The Miami/Florida Marlins and their two WS wins are knocking at the door. 

As far as MLB knifing the Expos at the tail end of 2003? Somebody should have knifed the idea of Montreal as an expansion site for 1969 in the first place.

It's colder by a few degrees than Toronto (53/39F for Toronto April vs 52/34 for Montreal and 48 inches of snow in Toronto vs 85 in Montreal), and with nothing bigger than Jarry Park available — and it needing a massive expansion — until 1977, no, MLB just never should have gone to Montreal. Toronto is a bit warmer, and Exhibition Stadium was bigger and better than Jarry Park from the get-go.

Also, promises were made, and failed to be kept, on how quickly the team would replace Jarry Park. MLB has been down this road with other stadium issues, and should be once burned, twice shy on a repeat of this. 

Beyond the Expos, the fact that the original CFL Alouettes folded — TWICE — should be a pro sports note — Les Habitants are very popular; other pro sports should take a pass. Add in the Francophone language issue, and that's another reason that US-based pro sports leagues probably should take a pass on Montreal, including MLB expansion.