Expansion: Property Owners Have Their Eyes on Montreal

There's a growing sense that expansion is imminent in MLB. The league had put this matter on hold while waiting for clarity on the future of the Rays and the Athletics… and both of those issues have now been resolved.

The Rays are in the process of building a new stadium to remain in Tampa Bay… and the A's, for their part, will be moving to Vegas shortly.

As a result, people have been talking about expansion again for a little while now. And of course, in Montreal, the hope of seeing the Expos return has made the topic a hot topic of conversation.

And Jeff Passan, who's been discussing the expansion issue, specifically mentioned the Montreal case. In fact, he ranked the Quebec city among the top six candidates.

But what's interesting is that in his article for ESPN, he mentions that across the league, several owners are keeping a close eye on the Montreal situation. And it's interesting to see that.

Passan explains that Montreal, which has the largest demographic base among the six bids on the table, is a bid of particular interest for that very reason. The city's rich baseball history is also a factor, according to the owners who have spoken out.

And it's likely that the efforts of Ashkan Karbasfrooshan—who is working very hard to generate excitement and lay the groundwork for a new project—are bringing Montreal back into the discussion.

It's reasonable to assume that even if Montreal is mentioned, the city is likely starting from a position of disadvantage compared to other bids. The league has been considering Nashville for a long time, and it's likely that a 32nd team would play in the West, whether in Salt Lake City or Portland.

Raleigh and Orlando, both in the East, are the other two markets mentioned by Passan. But once again, it's a good sign that Montreal remains in the conversation.

We'll see, then, if the eventual expansion process—which could get underway sooner rather than later—will truly put Montreal at the center of the discussion. But in the meantime, the city isn't being forgotten: that's exactly what's needed.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.