MLB Gives Rays Permission to Explore Splitting Time with Montreal

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In a move that surprises many, Major League Baseball has given permission to the Tampa Bay Rays to explore splitting time with their current city and Montreal. ESPN’s Jeff Passan broke the news earlier in the day.

BREAKING: The Tampa Bay Rays have received MLB's permission to explore becoming two-city team: the Tampa Bay area and Montreal, sources tell ESPN. The plan: Play early-season home games in the Tampa Bay area and finish the season in Montreal. News at ESPN: https://t.co/X6uSt4KLfC

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 20, 2019

The two-city approach would see the Rays start the first half of the season in Tampa Bay and finish the second half in Montreal.

Although they had a surprising 2018 campaign, featuring 90 wins and Cy Young award-winner Blake Snell, the Rays only finish above the Miami Marlins in average home attendance with 14,258 fans. This could be attributed to Tropicana Field’s location in St. Petersburg, which is across the bay (22 miles) from downtown Tampa. To put things in perspective, Oakland Coliseum and Oracle Park, who house the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants, are 16 miles apart on the road. Their Rays’ lease with the stadium comes to an end in 2027.

Since losing the Expos in 2004, Montreal has been a big player as a potential relocation or expansion destination. Although the situation is unique, it is something similar to what the Expos did in 2003 and 2004, playing 22 home games each season in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Something to Note for Montreal

Baseball in Montreal brings nostalgia, which may alter one’s perception of what once was.

Olympic Stadium, which housed the Expos from 1977 to 2004, was a multi-purpose facility but did not serve baseball well. This aided in the relocation of the Expos.

Attendance

Year	W	L	Attendance	Attend/G	Rank
2004	67	95	749,550	9,369	16th of 16
2003	83	79	1,025,639	12,662	16th of 16
2002	83	79	812,045	10,025	16th of 16
2001	68	94	642,745	7,935	16th of 16
2000	67	95	926,272	11,435	16th of 16
1999	68	94	773,277	9,547	16th of 16
1998	65	97	914,909	11,295	16th of 16
1997	78	84	1,497,609	18,489	13th of 14
1996	88	74	1,616,709	19,959	11th of 14
1995	66	78	1,309,618	18,189	10th of 14
1994	74	40	1,276,250	24,543	11th of 14
1993	94	68	1,641,437	20,265	13th of 14
1992	87	75	1,669,127	20,607	10th of 12
1991	71	90	934,742	13,746	12th of 12
1990	85	77	1,373,087	16,952	10th of 12
1989	81	81	1,783,533	22,019	10th of 12
1988	81	81	1,478,659	18,255	11th of 12
1987	91	71	1,850,324	22,844	9th of 12
1986	78	83	1,128,981	14,112	11th of 12
1985	84	77	1,502,494	18,549	8th of 12
1984	78	83	1,606,531	19,834	8th of 12
1983	82	80	2,320,651	28,650	2nd of 12
1982	86	76	2,318,292	28,621	3rd of 12
1981	60	48	1,534,564	27,403	3rd of 12
1980	90	72	2,208,175	27,602	4th of 12
1979	95	65	2,102,173	25,953	4th of 12
1978	76	86	1,427,007	17,838	7th of 12
1977	75	87	1,433,757	17,701	6th of 12
1976	55	107	646,704	8,084	11th of 12
1975	75	87	908,292	11,213	9th of 12
1974	79	82	1,019,134	12,739	9th of 12
1973	79	83	1,246,863	15,393	9th of 12
1972	70	86	1,142,145	14,643	9th of 12
1971	71	90	1,290,963	16,137	8th of 12
1970	73	89	1,424,683	17,809	6th of 12
1969	52	110	1,212,608	14,970	7th of 12

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/20/2019.

The Expos ranked last in attendance in their final seven years in Montreal, and within the bottom half in 29 seasons. Although the city comes off as starved for the sport, past trends do not back that notion up.

Of course, the plan would be to build a new stadium in Montreal. The prospects are being spearheaded by Canadian businessman Stephen Bronfman, whose father was the original owner of the Expos.

The idea may be worthy of exploring but should be taken on as a major step towards relocation.

“My priority remains the same, I am committed to keeping baseball in Tampa Bay for generations to come,” Rays owner Stuart Sternberg stated. “I believe this concept is worthy of serious exploration.”

Jeffrey Loria said something similar in a New York Times piece when he took control of the Expos in 2001.

“I want to strengthen this team in as many areas as I can,” he said. “As the new owner here, I feel I have an obligation to move things forward. No more business as usual. By establishing stability, commencing a new marketing program and bringing in a winning attitude and winning players.”