The city of Montreal hasn't had a professional baseball team since the Montreal Expos left town in 2004 and became the Washington Nationals. However, two Montreal-based lobbyists recently registered for partial government financing for a new stadium in the hopes of bringing a new team to the city.
During Friday's installment of "Nothing Personal with David Samson," David Samson weighed in on the process of Montreal potentially getting another baseball team and what needs to occur for that to happen.
"You're not even one step closer," Samson said. "What I think you should all do in Quebec is ask your government not to lend money, but to call the MLB and say 'This is a fully-funded stadium deal. These are the specs. We've hired a legitimate architect and have legitimate builders and contractors. This is what it will look like. Here is the TV deal that the new owners will inherit. This is the deal compared to what other teams have.' Then Rob Manfred will have no choice but to say 'you've got yourself a team.'"
Investment firm Claridge Inc. executive chairman Stephen Bronfman, whose father, Charles, was the original owner of the Expos, is heading up an group that wants to buy a stake in the Tampa Bay Rays. Bronfman is proposing the Rays split their home game between Tampa and Montreal in such a deal.
In order to have an expansion team or even a team relocate to Montreal, Samson adds that the city would need a new stadium and a television deal.
