Expos to move to Detroit?

Mavrik · 03-15-2004, 03:46 PM

This is bizarre, and as much as I love Tiger Stadium, there should only be one team in Detroit.

http://www.monroenews.com/articles/...orts/news04.txt

Take Me Out To The Ball Game? by GBI
2004-01-14

Detroit, Michigan - Global Baseball, Inc. (GBI) and Cam-Tré Innovations today announced the completion of their initial discussions to bring Major League Baseball back to the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. Local Metro Detroit Venture Capitalists, Gus Aguilar and former Major League player Nikco Riesgo, of GBI, and Carmen Thurman, of Cam-Tré Innovations, are Michigan based Hispanic business leaders with a common desire to participate in revitalizing Detroit.

GBI is currently preparing proposals for the purchase of the National League Montreal Expos, with the specific intent of moving the club to Detroit. The troubled Expos were purchased by the other twenty-nine Major League teams prior to the 2002 season. A committee appointed by the team owners is now seeking a new home for the team. Riesgo, who actually debuted in 1991 for the Expos, believes that Detroit will be a prime candidate. "There are several other cities already vying for the team," he said. "But moving the Expos to one of those locations means the leagues will have to revise their divisions and wait for a new stadium to be built. Neither of those problems are issues in Detroit.

We can play our first game in 2005." If the purchase is successful, GBI will become only the second minority group with controlling interest in a Major League ball club.

While GBI negotiates the purchase, Cam-Tré will design a new fan reservation website, prepare media materials, new logo proposals (current Expos colors will be retained), and public relation programs, manage promotional activities and act as liaison to the team and city. When asked about the wisdom of bringing a second Major League team to Detroit, Riesgo explained that: "This is a very wise and timely move. The city is already implementing downtown improvements for the 2006 Super Bowl.

Bringing the former Tiger Stadium back to life will complement the Super Bowl efforts, particularly in the Cork Town area.

New businesses and new jobs will spring up around the stadium, just as has happened in other two-team cities." Riesgo also pointed out that tourism would increase through organized Expos travel packages for Canadian fans.

Along with the desire to help revitalize Detroit, GBI and Cam-Tré also share an interest in preserving baseball heritage. "Baseball has been played at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull since 1896, before the Tigers were even formed" offered Aguilar. "Navin Field opened on April 20, 1912, the same day as Fenway Park. Two years later, Chicago opened what would become Wrigley Field. These three parks are the only remaining direct links to the early heritage of professional baseball." Riesgo then ventured that: "Heritage and tradition make up the core of baseball and fans have a deep understanding of that. I believe that once again seeing professional baseball in one of the three 'Grande Dames' of the sport will be a major factor in the success of this venture."

According to Thurman, blending baseball's heritage with Detroit's presents the GBI and Cam-Tré team with many opportunities. The plans for the new ball club and historic stadium will help to increase the economic viability and business diversity of the community with creating jobs and minority business development at the forefront of development strategy. The plan will also create an environment that will continue giving strength to the community for years to come.

The promise of a National League team in Detroit is an exciting proposition. A National League team will not conflict with the American League Detroit Tigers. In fact, it will actually compliment the Tigers as well as the City of Detroit with the high hopes and possibility of an All-Detroit World Series every year as the ultimate prize.

Progress and developments will be reported by Cam-Tré Innovations. Please email words of support and your thoughts regarding a new MLB team in Detroit to detroitexpos@camtre.com.

From Baseballology.com

Join Russ Cohen as he interviews former Major League player Nikco Riesgo about the possibility of a company called GBI buying the Montreal Expos and moving them to Detroit.

mbn007 · 03-15-2004, 04:08 PM

Can Detroit support 2 teams? In New York, there are 8 million people who live within 1 hour of either Yankee or Shea Stadium. What's it like in Detroit?

soppel · 03-15-2004, 04:12 PM

Brillant idea- consolidate the Tigers and Expos into 1.
Solve the Montreal problem, upgrade a historic Detriot team.

Lineup-

C- Pudge
1B- Nick Johson
2B- Jose Vidro
3B- Tony Batista
SS- Orlando Cabrera
OF- Dirty Sanchez
OF- Carl Everett
OF- Dmitri Young
DH- Higgy

Bench- Pena, Wilkerson, White, Vina...

Pitchers- Livan, Ohka, Armas, Johnson, Maroth

Brilliant!

Mavrik · 03-15-2004, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mbn007@Mar 15 2004, 05:08 PM
Can Detroit support 2 teams? In New York, there are 8 million people who live within 1 hour of either Yankee or Shea Stadium. What's it like in Detroit?

I think the only problem with the expos coming to Detroit is that just about everyone in Detroit are Tiger fans. Whether they want to admit it or not. I think they'd find about as much support in Detroit as they did in Montreal. The Tigers aren't getting alot of support lately because they've sucked for so long so i don't think teh expos will really change that. Mike Illitch would also probably never allow another baseball team to rival the tigers. I don't know if anyone knows this but around the time the Hartford Whalers were being moved, Peter karmanos whos the owner actually wanted to move them to Detroit, so Detroit could of had two NHL teams. But Illitch opposed it to the death and made sure they didn't play there. I don't think this would be much different.

The city itself has a little less than a million living there. Most people who come to the games live in the suburbs and drive into the city.

The Gun Of Bavaria · 03-15-2004, 11:19 PM

NO FLIPPING WAY..

THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN.

As cool as it would be to watch ball in Tiger Stadium again, no way can Detroit support 2 MLB teams. The Tigers are huge and despite how it looks in recent years, Detroit is a huge baseball city. But with only 980.000 people in Detroit and probably another 2 million in the suburbs, I'm not quite sure they could both get a good fan base.

Now two hockey teams....they could pull it off.

mbn007 · 03-16-2004, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Gun Of Bavaria@Mar 16 2004, 12:19 AM
NO FLIPPING WAY..

THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN.

As cool as it would be to watch ball in Tiger Stadium again, no way can Detroit support 2 MLB teams. The Tigers are huge and despite how it looks in recent years, Detroit is a huge baseball city. But with only 980.000 people in Detroit and probably another 2 million in the suburbs, I'm not quite sure they could both get a good fan base.

Now two hockey teams....they could pull it off.

Detroit would be able to support 2 Hockey teams, as it's that kind of town. 2 Baseball teams would be difficult.

My best guess is the Expos end up in the DC-Virginia area, if Angelos allows it. And with rumors of him selling out, he may cash the territorial check and leave the game.

03-15-2004, 03:46 PM	#1
Mavrik All Pro Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 1,753	This is bizarre, and as much as I love Tiger Stadium, there should only be one team in Detroit. http://www.monroenews.com/articles/...orts/news04.txt Take Me Out To The Ball Game? by GBI 2004-01-14 Detroit, Michigan - Global Baseball, Inc. (GBI) and Cam-Tré Innovations today announced the completion of their initial discussions to bring Major League Baseball back to the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. Local Metro Detroit Venture Capitalists, Gus Aguilar and former Major League player Nikco Riesgo, of GBI, and Carmen Thurman, of Cam-Tré Innovations, are Michigan based Hispanic business leaders with a common desire to participate in revitalizing Detroit. GBI is currently preparing proposals for the purchase of the National League Montreal Expos, with the specific intent of moving the club to Detroit. The troubled Expos were purchased by the other twenty-nine Major League teams prior to the 2002 season. A committee appointed by the team owners is now seeking a new home for the team. Riesgo, who actually debuted in 1991 for the Expos, believes that Detroit will be a prime candidate. "There are several other cities already vying for the team," he said. "But moving the Expos to one of those locations means the leagues will have to revise their divisions and wait for a new stadium to be built. Neither of those problems are issues in Detroit. We can play our first game in 2005." If the purchase is successful, GBI will become only the second minority group with controlling interest in a Major League ball club. While GBI negotiates the purchase, Cam-Tré will design a new fan reservation website, prepare media materials, new logo proposals (current Expos colors will be retained), and public relation programs, manage promotional activities and act as liaison to the team and city. When asked about the wisdom of bringing a second Major League team to Detroit, Riesgo explained that: "This is a very wise and timely move. The city is already implementing downtown improvements for the 2006 Super Bowl. Bringing the former Tiger Stadium back to life will complement the Super Bowl efforts, particularly in the Cork Town area. New businesses and new jobs will spring up around the stadium, just as has happened in other two-team cities." Riesgo also pointed out that tourism would increase through organized Expos travel packages for Canadian fans. Along with the desire to help revitalize Detroit, GBI and Cam-Tré also share an interest in preserving baseball heritage. "Baseball has been played at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull since 1896, before the Tigers were even formed" offered Aguilar. "Navin Field opened on April 20, 1912, the same day as Fenway Park. Two years later, Chicago opened what would become Wrigley Field. These three parks are the only remaining direct links to the early heritage of professional baseball." Riesgo then ventured that: "Heritage and tradition make up the core of baseball and fans have a deep understanding of that. I believe that once again seeing professional baseball in one of the three 'Grande Dames' of the sport will be a major factor in the success of this venture." According to Thurman, blending baseball's heritage with Detroit's presents the GBI and Cam-Tré team with many opportunities. The plans for the new ball club and historic stadium will help to increase the economic viability and business diversity of the community with creating jobs and minority business development at the forefront of development strategy. The plan will also create an environment that will continue giving strength to the community for years to come. The promise of a National League team in Detroit is an exciting proposition. A National League team will not conflict with the American League Detroit Tigers. In fact, it will actually compliment the Tigers as well as the City of Detroit with the high hopes and possibility of an All-Detroit World Series every year as the ultimate prize. Progress and developments will be reported by Cam-Tré Innovations. Please email words of support and your thoughts regarding a new MLB team in Detroit to detroitexpos@camtre.com. From Baseballology.com Join Russ Cohen as he interviews former Major League player Nikco Riesgo about the possibility of a company called GBI buying the Montreal Expos and moving them to Detroit.

03-15-2004, 04:08 PM	#2
mbn007 Hall Of Fame Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 8,587	Can Detroit support 2 teams? In New York, there are 8 million people who live within 1 hour of either Yankee or Shea Stadium. What's it like in Detroit?

03-15-2004, 04:12 PM	#3
soppel Rookie Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Boston/CT Posts: 825	Brillant idea- consolidate the Tigers and Expos into 1. Solve the Montreal problem, upgrade a historic Detriot team. Lineup- C- Pudge 1B- Nick Johson 2B- Jose Vidro 3B- Tony Batista SS- Orlando Cabrera OF- Dirty Sanchez OF- Carl Everett OF- Dmitri Young DH- Higgy Bench- Pena, Wilkerson, White, Vina... Pitchers- Livan, Ohka, Armas, Johnson, Maroth Brilliant!

03-15-2004, 11:19 PM	#5
The Gun Of Bavaria Hall Of Fame Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 8,682	NO FLIPPING WAY.. THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN. As cool as it would be to watch ball in Tiger Stadium again, no way can Detroit support 2 MLB teams. The Tigers are huge and despite how it looks in recent years, Detroit is a huge baseball city. But with only 980.000 people in Detroit and probably another 2 million in the suburbs, I'm not quite sure they could both get a good fan base. Now two hockey teams....they could pull it off.