The Montreal Expos are moving on.
Stash
only for the memories.
The days when sporting people paid more attention to sport than sports
business.
I've never been warm to the Blue Jays, baseball's plastic team. I've tried
to find a new favorite but there isn't any connection for me to any of the
teams. The Cubs are over-underdogged. I can't cheer for the Red Sox as one
cursed team is enough to follow. The Yankees? Too much wealth; the NY
Rangers that win. Dodgers? Tinsel!!
This is one ex-baseball fan that won't be coming back. Up yours, Selig,
Brochu and Loria.
S
Hyack
"Stash" <St...@bizanjic.cu> wrote in message
news:dqI6d.141452$%S.12685@pd7tw2no...
Montreal deserved to lose the team.
Utterly pathetic average attendance records:
2004 9,077 (30th)
2003 12,662 (30th) (32.2% capacity)
2002 10,025 (30th) (21.6% capacity)
2001 7,935 (30th) (17.1% capacity)
Olympic Stadium seats 46,406
Frankly, I'm surprised the Blue Jays are still in Toronto.
2004 22,444 (25th)
2003 22,215 (23rd) (44.0% capacity)
2002 20,220 (25th) (40.0% capacity)
2001 23,647 (23rd) (47.4% capacity)
Skydome seats 50,516
joe
>
> Montreal deserved to lose the team.
> Utterly pathetic average attendance records:
> 2004 9,077 (30th)
> 2003 12,662 (30th) (32.2% capacity)
> 2002 10,025 (30th) (21.6% capacity)
> 2001 7,935 (30th) (17.1% capacity)
> Olympic Stadium seats 46,406
>
Ever been in there for a game? The only place that approached
it for depressing surroundings was the Kingdome. I don't blame
Montrealers for not going to games there. I sure wouldn't.
Joe
Victor Wainer
The Grizzlies are not in Vacouver anymore either. Maybe it is just a case of
"you cannot get away with putting bad teams year after year and expect the
fans to show up"
No expectations = No business
Victor Wainer
--
"So. What did you think?"
Hyack
"joe" <a@b.c> wrote in message news:xeJ6d.544194$M95.169458@pd7tw1no...
BAH! Bullshit. If you are a fan of your team you'd go see them play.
Stash
"Victor Wainer" <alio...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2s1a7bF...@uni-berlin.de...
> In article <HWI6d.563140$gE.360369@pd7tw3no>, "Hyack"
<hyackFI...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >"Stash" <St...@bizanjic.cu> wrote in message
> >news:dqI6d.141452$%S.12685@pd7tw2no...
> >> Although the Expos have been in a coma for years, I'm sad to see them
go,
> >if
> >> only for the memories.
> >> The days when sporting people paid more attention to sport than sports
> >> business.
> >>
> >> I've never been warm to the Blue Jays, baseball's plastic team. I've
> >tried
> >> to find a new favorite but there isn't any connection for me to any of
the
> >> teams. The Cubs are over-underdogged. I can't cheer for the Red Sox
as
> >one
> >> cursed team is enough to follow. The Yankees? Too much wealth; the NY
> >> Rangers that win. Dodgers? Tinsel!!
> >>
> >> This is one ex-baseball fan that won't be coming back. Up yours,
Selig,
> >> Brochu and Loria.
> >
> >Montreal deserved to lose the team.
> >Utterly pathetic average attendance records:
>
of
> "you cannot get away with putting bad teams year after year and expect the
> fans to show up"
>
> No expectations = No business
>
> Victor Wainer
> --
> "So. What did you think?"
I think you are right. But it wasn't always so.
My memories are from when the Expos were good.
I watched or listened to a lot of Expos games over
the years until slimeball Brochu gutted the team
so he'd cash out with his multi-million dollar personal
bonus for keeping the team going. The first giveaway
of guys like Walker, Wetteland et al was a disgrace
and should not have been allowed by the commish, imo.
My all time favorite Expo is still Rusty Staub, and I
actually got to see him play in person. I remember
when the Expos actually signed a big name free agent -
Dave Cash from the Phillies.
Despite all the latter year crap, for most of this season
the Expos had a slightly better record than the Jays.
Stash
Mario R
if
> only for the memories.
Never liked baseball as a player or a fan. Still, the memories are there.
Due to the past three channel (pre cable) universe and being a sports addict
my entire life I of course watched the odd game. Didn't always know enough
to appreciate the game but hey it was a sport and being that I was usually
left alone as a child anything provided a needed distraction. I watched when
the Expos made their 1st ever triple play. the anouncers were shouting and
enthusiastic and it helped me to try to get into the game and forget about
problems. Extra innings were the same welcome retreat from loneliness as
sudden death OT.....so long ago :( I bid adieux!
Patrick Johnston
news:HWI6d.563140$gE.360369@pd7tw3no...
>
> Montreal deserved to lose the team.
> Utterly pathetic average attendance records:
> 2004 9,077 (30th)
> 2003 12,662 (30th) (32.2% capacity)
> 2002 10,025 (30th) (21.6% capacity)
> 2001 7,935 (30th) (17.1% capacity)
> Olympic Stadium seats 46,406
>
> Frankly, I'm surprised the Blue Jays are still in Toronto.
> 2004 22,444 (25th)
> 2003 22,215 (23rd) (44.0% capacity)
> 2002 20,220 (25th) (40.0% capacity)
> 2001 23,647 (23rd) (47.4% capacity)
> Skydome seats 50,516
>
>
Full attendance figures for all 36 seasons:
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/expos/stats.html
Truth be told, the Expos never drew all that well...there were clear trends
upwards when the team performed well, but in the end it was never enough.
What the Expos truly lacked was an owner who'd go to the wall for them and
was willing to go out on a limb and create a strong, strong brand. The shit
stadium was definitely a HUGE part of the problem.
Pat
--
Well, that's just like, your opinion, man.
-The Dude
ex--fan of the NHL dinosaur league
> BAH! Bullshit. If you are a fan of your team you'd go see them play.
-----
I agree. I was at a Vancouver Giants game last year and was amazed how
crappy Pacific Collesium seemed contrasted with GM Place. The seats were
narrow, the whole place seemed low grade, yet after a while I got used to
the place and it was fun.
I remember going to Canuck games at the Pacific Collesium and seeing
Bure's first game and the '94 playoffs etc and I thought it was a great
venue. Now in contrast, GM Place is very classy, and modern but I saw 3
years when the Canucks never made the playoffs. The Place was nice, but the
hockey was disappointing. It's wierd. I still followed the team as I do the
Lions whever they are playing and I am not at all disappointed since I have
seen poor years with the Lions and very good games and years as well. I
guess just showing up is what counts for me, regardless of the venue or down
year(s). That's an overall generalization evaluation of my 'live sports'
experience.
I used to go to see the Expos at Jarry Park in 1968 etc... when they
first started out. Home runs to right field occasionally landed in an
adjacent public swimming pool.
http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/J/Jarry_Park.stm
http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/national/jarryp.htm
http://www.ballparkwatch.com/stadiums/past/jarry_park.htm
http://www.ballparksofbaseballpast.8m.com/JarryPark.htm
http://www.ebaseballparks.com/jarry.html
It was a good time. Then I also went to games at the Big 'Owe' in the
late 1970's , and as far as I was concerned it wasvery enjoyable there as
well. The Expos played there first game at Olympic Stadium on April 15,
1977. Over 57,592 fans filled the stadium to see the Expos on opening day.
The food is among the best in the majors, says one web link.
http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/O/Olympic_Stadium.stm
http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/nl/Olympic%20Stadium.htm
http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/national/olympi.htm
Colin Thurs. Sept. 30 Canucks @ San Jose--HP Pavilion--7:30 p.m. (not)
Peca Fan
<patr...@remove-for-spam.interchange.ubc.ca> wrote:
>Full attendance figures for all 36 seasons:
>http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/expos/stats.html
>
>Truth be told, the Expos never drew all that well...there were clear trends
>upwards when the team performed well, but in the end it was never enough.
>What the Expos truly lacked was an owner who'd go to the wall for them and
>was willing to go out on a limb and create a strong, strong brand. The shit
>stadium was definitely a HUGE part of the problem.
There's nothing wrong with those numbers from '77 to '97, especially
when you factor in the total lack of onfield success, that stadium
problems, and the absolute dismantling of the great teams as they
became a farm team of superstars to the rest of the league.
The numbers only got bad in the last few years when they actively
drove the team into the ground, much the same as they did here with
the Grizz.
--
Peca Fan
"In a couple of years, we'll all _still_ be looking around the league,
asking ourself 'Which goalie would you like to see Burke's replacement
get us in a trade?'" - Peca Fan, ashnv-c, Feb. 7, 2001
AF
They really got screwed by the 94 players strike. The last game before the
strike they had 38,000 in the stands and had won 20 of the their past 23
games. The fans didn't come back after that. It didn't help they were never
able to get a new stadium and right after the strike the Expos didn't keep
Walker, Hill, and Wettland.
And then there's the long list of other good players like: Pedro, Grissom,
Johnson, Pavano, Alou, Vasquez, Colon, Vladdy, etc......
As for the Jays they're in decent finanicial shape. The losses the Jays
report aren't true loses because Ted Rogers owns the station where the
majority of games are shown. Ever since JP took over they've also trimmed
the payroll from the mid 70's to 50 mil and the Canadian dollar has picked
up. But Rogers needs to open up the purse springs if the Jays want to
compete. As long as they play in the AL East it's going to be tough to make
the playoffs since they have to beat out either the Red Sox or Yanks in
order to have a shot at the post-season. Not an easy task when those two
clubs have more than double and triple your payroll. Ironically the Expos
move actually hurts the Jays because Angelos will get more dough for a team
moving into Washington and he will up the payroll.
ex--fan of the NHL dinosaur league
"Peca Fan" <pec...@realaddress.thisis.not> wrote in message
> There's nothing wrong with those numbers from '77 to '97, especially
> when you factor in the total lack of onfield success, that stadium
> problems, and the absolute dismantling of the great teams as they
> became a farm team of superstars to the rest of the league.
>
> The numbers only got bad in the last few years when they actively
> drove the team into the ground, much the same as they did here with
> the Grizz.
> --
> Peca Fan
http://espn.go.com/page2/s/ballparks/olympic.html
cutting into article:
.......... I hate writing negatively about Olympic Stadium, because I
know it just reinforces the false view that Montreal is not a baseball town
and cannot support a major-league team. That view is rubbish. Baseball has
succeeded here -- the Expos outdrew the Yankees in the early '80s and the
Mets in the mid-'90s -- and the franchise's current condition is primarily
the result of the 1994 strike and Jeffrey Loria's disgraceful ownership.
Those two things destroyed 80 percent of the fan base, and the near-constant
league threats to move took care of what remained.
Don't blame the fans, the players or the front office for the mess -- they
all deserve far better.
Jim Caple prepares for his journey into Le Stade Olympique.
That said, this is a truly miserable stadium. It's an ugly, depressing dome
with a retractable roof that won't open, artificial turf and thousands upon
thousands of empty seats. And to think that it once was the proud site of an
Olympics, and regularly welcomed huge crowds for one of the best teams in
baseball.
We can only imagine how things would be different for the Expos had the 1994
strike not ended the season and kept them from a possible trip to the World
Series. As it is, about the only good thing you can say for Olympic Stadium
is that it has been years since a two-ton chunk of concrete last fell to the
ground.
The rankings (all prices are in U.S. funds) ...
1. Seat comfort: I'll give Olympic Stadium this -- its seats are
interesting, at least the ones above the VIP section. They're of a design
that I suppose seemed "mod" three decades ago, when designers thought we
would all be wearing slick, polyurethane boots and zipping around town on
jetpacks, but here in the real 21st century, the chairs look like they were
salvaged from the corporate headquarters of Spacely Sprockets. Worse, they
are absolutely filthy -- I don't think they've been cleaned since Rusty
Staub played for the Expos. Or maybe the architects just assumed that in the
future, fans would carry spritzers of Formula 409 in their utility belts to
clean them themselves.
The seats do generally face the mound, though. Points: 2.5
2. Quality of hot dogs: One stand sells kosher dogs that have a decent zing
to them and the price -- about $3 -- isn't bad. 3
3. Quality/selection of other concession-stand fare: The fare is generally
bland and typical, but there are a few nice additions to the usual ballpark
menu, including souvlaki, a tasty cinnamon dough dessert and the justifiably
famous smoked meat sandwiches. 3
4. Signature Concession Item: If the Expos move, the saddest thing won't be
the relocation of Canada's first team. No, it will be the demise of
Monsieur's Smoked Meat sandwiches from the major-league scene. I could go
all Food Channel on you in describing their taste, but instead I'll just say
that they're so good, they almost make up for the Expos losing Larry Walker.
Almost. 5
5. Beer: There isn't much variety -- you better like Molson's, eh? -- but
the prices aren't bad (about three bucks). For that price, you can drink
enough to forget the Randy Johnson trade. 3
6. Bathrooms: The game's announced attendance was 7,099, but I still had to
wait in line to use the bathroom during the eighth inning. What, did I
suddenly change genders? Guys don't wait in line at stadium bathrooms, women
do. But on a positive note, the bathrooms were cleaner than the seats. 2
7. Scoreboard: The large board has a nice video screen and provides full
statistics on players, but if there was anything showing the number of
pitches or their speeds, I missed it. Manual out-of-town scoreboards ring
the outfield, which is very nice. It lets you keep track of how the former
Expos greats are doing. 3
OLYMPIC BUDGET
Here's what Page 2's Jim Caple spent during his day at Olympic Stadium --
at least we've converted all those Canadian funds properly:
Ticket: About $5.
Hot dog and beer: About $6
Smoked meat sandwich and soda: About $8
Cinnamon dough dessert: About $3.
Total: $22.
8. Quality of public address system: It's loud enough, but I'm not sure if
they've changed the music since arthritis set into Andre Dawson's knees. 2
9. Fun stuff to do besides the game: Some teams show subway races on the
scoreboard between innings. Others show hydroplane races. The Expos have a
local car dealer drive a Mercedes sports coupe onto the field to advertise a
$399 monthly lease. I'm just surprised it didn't pick up Vladimir Guerrero
and drive him to his next team.
This is Montreal's 35th season -- have the Expos really been around that
long? -- and to "celebrate" the anniversary, the team showed a clip of
Moises Alou between innings with some wording like "I remember." It was
meant as a salute to the past, but given all the great players the team has
lost over the years, it felt like an obituary.
God, these fans have been hosed over the years.
There is a dunk tank by the smoked meat stand, which is great fun, but it
would be much, much better if Jeffrey Loria was the dunkee and the tank was
filled with man-eating crocodiles who haven't been fed since the Expos let
Pedro Martinez leave as a free agent. 2
10. Price/selection of baseball souvenirs: There is a website dedicated to
the old Seattle Pilots, where you can buy such rare team memorabilia as a
framed program, three ticket stubs and three pocket schedules for $795. I
thought about that when I wandered into the team gift shop and saw, among
the standard jerseys, caps and pennants, a stuffed Youppi! for $20. 3
11. Ticket price/availability/location: Attending a game at Montreal is like
stepping into the Way-Back Machine. The best seats right behind home plate
are about $25, but almost every other seat in the place is $12 or less,
including general admission seats along the base lines for barely $5.
Sheesh, they'll charge you that much in Boston if you accidentally glance at
Fenway Park without going through TicketMaster first. But you don't need to
pay even that much, because the scalpers sell the tickets for less than face
value. (This is just a guess, but I don't think the Expos are doing too well
financially.)
The sightlines are generally good, other than the fact they're no longer of
Tim Raines. 4
During interleague play, Youppi! is available to DH.
12. Exterior architecture: Let's see. They had one of the ugliest stadiums
in baseball -- and the most expensive ever built -- so you wouldn't think
they could do anything to make it worse, right? Not so. Just to really top
things off, they added an expensive retractable roof but built it so poorly
that it has to remain closed at all times.
And the surroundings might be even worse. I'll just say this: I wish I had
the concrete concession in Montreal. 1
13. Interior Architecture: And it doesn't get much better inside. The hole
in the roof is covered by some sort of awnings that make it look as if the
world's largest soccer ball is balanced on top of the stadium. Worse, there
are almost no TV monitors on the concourses, so you can't see the game while
standing in line for concessions. And forget about baseball -- you get no
sense that the Olympics were ever held here, either.
Sigh. At least the crane is gone from center field. 1
14. Access: It's too bad the stadium is so removed from the pulse of the
city, but the subway drops you off right inside the stadium ticket area
(watch out for stampeding scalpers). There also is more than adequate
parking in the surrounding ramps for $12, and $5 in the neighboring streets.
And, naturally, crowds rarely pose a problem. 4.5
15. Trading-up factor: It's fairly easy, but whatever you do, don't screw up
and try moving into the lower level VIP seats down the foul lines. Nobody
ever buys tickets for those seats, so the local gendarmes know that anyone
who sits there must be trespassing. One guy kicked me out within 30 seconds,
and then chased away three families who went down to the bullpen to take
photos and ask for autographs before the game. This guy was relentless.
Simon Wiesenthal didn't pursue Nazi war criminals this zealously.
I was able to sit behind home plate in the fourth inning without a problem,
though. 3.5
THE GRADES
Grades for ballpark we've visited so far on our summer tour:
Pac Bell (Giants): 93
Camden Yards (Orioles): 92
Edison Field (Angels): 84
Kauffman Stadium (Royals): 84
Wrigley Field (Cubs): 84
Dodger Stadium (Dodgers): 82.5
Comerica Park (Tigers): 82
Fenway Park (Red Sox): 81.5
Safeco Field (Mariners): 81.5
Jacobs Field (Indians): 81
Turner Field (Braves): 81
Pro Player Stadium (Marlins): 78
U.S. Cellular Field (White Sox): 74
Yankee Stadium (Yankees): 73.5
Bank One Ballpark (D-Backs): 72
SkyDome (Blue Jays): 67
Qualcomm Stadium (Padres): 58
Tropicana Field (Devil Rays): 56
Veterans Stadium (Phillies): 53.5
Olympic Stadium (Expos): 49
Complete rankings by category
16. Friendliness and helpfulness of usher staff: Fortunately, there are
other, much nicer ushers. Without being asked, one woman kindly helped me
get my camera out of its case, while my hands were full with my notebook and
a cinnamon dough, then took a photo of me and Youppi!. She single-handedly
made up for Inspector Javert chasing fans away from the bullpen. 3
17. Knowledge of local fans: I sat next to one fan who used to be a
concessionaire here for 10 years (he sold hot dogs to Youppi!), and he was
able to give me the entire history of the Expos and their problems. "I think
the Expos will be here next year," he said, "because baseball is a circus
and the IQ of the people running baseball is not very high." The other fans
couldn't match his expertise, but they seemed about as knowledgeable as
crowds in most cities. 3
18. Seventh inning stretch: There is nothing special -- just pre-recorded
music with the crowd singing. But at least they didn't have Celine Dion
record a version of "My Ballgame Will Go On." 1.5
19. Pre-and-postgame bar-and-restaurant scene: Uranium City is a virtual
ghost town on the north shore of Canada's Lake Athabaska near the 60th
parallel and the Northern Territories border. It once housed a thriving
uranium center, but the mines closed in 1982 and now there are only about
200 people there. It can only be reached by plane. And I suspect that even
it has a more vibrant bar scene than exists outside Olympic Stadium. 1
20. Wild Card: I automatically subtract five points for the retractable roof
that can't open. But I tack three points back on for getting to hear the
players introduced in French. Minus-2
Total Rating for Olympic Stadium: 49
(I just hope this rating doesn't hurt the Expos' chances of staying in
Montreal. It really would be a shame for this great city to lose them.
(And $795 for framed Seattle Pilots ticket stubs? God, I should have bought
every last one of those damned Youppi!s.)
By Jim Caple
Page 2 columnist
Editor's Note: This is the fourth report card in Page 2's summerlong series
rating all 30 ballparks in Major League Baseball.
MONTREAL -- It's never a good sign for a team when the scalpers are more
aggressive than a telemarketer.
REPORT CARD
Olympic Stadium
Capacity: 46,500
Opened: April 15, 1977
Surface: Artificial
Our Ratings:
Seat comfort: 2.5
Hot dogs: 3
Concessions: 3
Signature food: 5
Beer: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Scoreboard: 3
P.A. system: 2
Fun stuff: 2
Souvenirs: 3
Tickets: 4
Exterior: 1
Interior: 1
Access: 4.5
Ushers: 3.5
Trading up: 3
Fan knowledge: 3
7th inning stretch: 1.5
Local scene: 1
Wild card: -2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
beginning of article:
Good seats available at Olympic
By Jim Caple
Page 2 columnist
Editor's Note: This is the fourth report card in Page 2's summerlong series
rating all 30 ballparks in Major League Baseball.
Total: 49
As soon as I stepped off the subway outside Le Stade Olympique (that's
French for "Juan Gonzalez Won't Play Here"), scalpers assaulted me with the
fervor of religious missionaries, brandishing their Expos tickets as if they
were copies of the Watchtower. "Box seats -- cheap!!!" one bellowed,
uttering a phrase seldom used south of the border. "Go ahead," another
scolded. "Pay full price at the ticket booth. I don't care."
"People don't believe me, but I actually can do quite well here," still
another scalper assured me, while selling an $8 seat down the right field
line for $7. "If you buy in bulk, the team sells them at half price, so it's
easy to make money. You just have to know the right number of tickets to
buy."
This guy said he has been scalping tickets in Montreal for 28 years, not
counting a five-year "vacation" he spent in the local prison for boosting
cargo containers off trucks. "The worst part is all the TV channels were in
French," he moaned. "All I could watch was hockey."
Three decades spent either in prison or at Olympic Stadium. And you thought
the Texas penal system was tough. ...................
K.Scarpetta
Not bullshit,.....it is the most depressing place to watch any game of any
kind. It's like a giant vaccum. I vaguley remember watching the Expo's
play when I lived in Montreal. Depressing like crazy.
As for if the Expos would have faired better in Vancouver - I don't think
so. But hey, they couldn't have faired much worse. I'd love to see
Vancouver get a MLB franchise, but it ain't gonna happen.
>
Mike McGillivray
But, the Expos have put out some very competitive teams over the past 30
years, and have never had the support of the fans. Yes, it is a bad
stdium, but Montrealers seem very finicky about supporting anything but
the Habs. Even the Riders draw more fans than the Allouettes, and the
Riders consistently suck, where the Al's have been the a team in the CFL
for the past few years.
Mike McGillivray
Hyack wrote:
>
> Montreal deserved to lose the team.
> Utterly pathetic average attendance records:
> 2004 9,077 (30th)
> 2003 12,662 (30th) (32.2% capacity)
> 2002 10,025 (30th) (21.6% capacity)
> 2001 7,935 (30th) (17.1% capacity)
> Olympic Stadium seats 46,406
Here's the complete history of resutls and fan attendance. Even in the
"glory" years, they only averaged 25,000 fans.
Their overall win percentage is .488. Not bad for 35 years of no money
and no fans
ex--fan of the NHL dinosaur league
"Mike McGillivray" <mcgi...@duke.usask.ca> wrote in message news:cjh7a6
> Yes, it is a bad
> stadium, but Montrealers seem very finicky about supporting anything but
> the Habs. Even the Riders draw more fans than the Allouettes, and the
> Riders consistently suck, where the Al's have been the a team in the CFL
> for the past few years.
-------------
The Als moved out of the Big O into a smaller but better football venue,
Molson Stadium, where they used to play many years ago before the Big O was
around. McGill College football games attracted large crowds during those
years and a record attendance of 19,386 was recorded for a game in 1950. The
Alouettes, formed in 1946, were a force within the CFL, and enjoyed capacity
crowds at the stadium from 1947-1967. The all-time attendance record at
Molson Stadium is 26,191 - a 27-21 victory by Montreal over Hamilton on
Sept. 12, 1959.
In 1977, the Montreal Alouettes set a CFL attendance record of 476,201.
1982 - The CFL granted a new franchise to Montreal called the Concordes.
1987 - The Montreal Alouettes folded on June 24th.
1996 - When the Cleveland Browns of the NFL move to Baltimore, the Baltimore
Stallions of the ill-fated American expansion move to Montreal and the
Montreal Alouettes are re-born once more.
as one fan wrote: "The deal with Olympic stadium in Montréal is that
everyone hates it. Filled to capacity for the Grey Cup, it's at least
bearable. The Alouettes MIGHT get ONE game there a year to have the fans
that can't buy tickets to a game at Molson Stadium--like 34 consecutive
sellouts--(that was in 2002 this was written-- I guess there have been 2
more sell-out seasons to add to the 34). And Molson Stadium is always
packed, open air and downtown, with the fans close to the game. Big O isn't.
The Montreal fans are absolutely crazy about their football team and have
virtually sold out before the year begins. It is a smaller seating stadium,
and I hear there are 4 fans wanting tickets for every ticket sold. Plans are
in progress to add 4,000 seats to the stadium's South stands, as well as
luxury boxes and premium seating. Bizarre fact: Herd of sheep was brought
in to improve grass (1930.)
It is inaccurate to say because the Riders outsell the Als therefore
the Montreal fans do not support the team 20,020 has been the attendance for
every regular season Als game this year--a sell out. Also the ticket prices
are fairly high. The $60 BC Place tickets are $75 in Montreal for example.
franchise history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Alouettes
Mike McGillivray
but, as a followup question, why did Montreal lose their team to start
with back in 86?
AF
> As for if the Expos would have faired better in Vancouver - I don't think
> so. But hey, they couldn't have faired much worse. I'd love to see
> Vancouver get a MLB franchise, but it ain't gonna happen.
>
>>
years back when Vancouver was suppose to get a franchise in a new baseball
league (I'm not talking about the CBL either). I still remember way back
when BC Place hosted a 4 team exhibition tourney and Edgar suffered a
serious injury sliding into a base, and Lou freaked out and trashed BC Place
Stadium.
I would go bonkers if MLB granted Vancouver a franchise and we got a park
like Petco Park (went down to check out the Pads this summer and the stadium
is stunnning) but of course it would never happen.
ex--fan of the NHL dinosaur league
"Mike McGillivray" <mcgi...@duke.usask.ca> wrote in message news:cjhhe3
> but, as a followup question, why did Montreal lose their team to start
> with back in 86?
I can't digup much detail on the folding of the Als.
The Montreal Alouettes folded after the 1981 season and were replaced by
a new Montreal team, the Concordes, in 1982. In 1986 the Concordes became
the Alouettes to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the earlier team's
formation. They folded just after the start of the 1987 season, and the
league had to scramble to realign the divisions and rewrite the schedule.
Montreal went without professional football for nine years, except for the
short-lived Montreal Machine of the World League of American Football.
Fans cried that fateful day in June of 1987 when they learned that the
Montreal Alouettes had folded. There was a sense of confusion and
exasperation. How and why did this happen? The 1980's had seen the team
stagger and then fall, a deathblow with no sign of revival.
In 1977 the Alouettes moved to Olympic Stadium, and they were purchased
in 1981 by Nelson Skalbania. The team hit hard times in the early 80's,
until it went bankrupt and was purchased by Charles Bronfman. After a name
change to the Concordes, the team's fortunes did not improve, until it
finally folded in 1987.
http://tinyurl.com/6qx5n Nelson Skalbania yikes, this guy has had his
hand on the Als, Flames, Lions, Indianapolis Racers. WHA Indianapolis
Racers owner Nelson Skalbania signs 17 year-old Wayne Gretzky to a contract
for $1.75 million. WHA Birmington Bulls owner John Bassett said, "I wasn't
interested in Gretzky. He has great talent, no doubt. But he's only 5' 8"
and 150 pounds, something like that. I don't know if he can take the
physical abuse he'll be subjected to."
Gary L. Dare
> Ever been in there for a game? The only place that approached
> it for depressing surroundings was the Kingdome.
What's hilarious is that the Portland. OR bid for the Expos (based
on wishful thinking since no Rose City money people stepped up
as potential owners - forget Paul Allen, his Rose Garden went to
Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 1 and is about to be dumped
on creditors holding $193 Million in bonds for a $55 Million
facility) feared some stiff oppositon from the Mariners for
diverting fans a la the Orioles! (-;
gld
Gary L. Dare
> But, the Expos have put out some very competitive teams over the past
> 30 years, and have never had the support of the fans. Yes, it is a
> bad stdium, but Montrealers seem very finicky about supporting
> anything but the Habs.
Since this is a hockey group ... didn't the rise of hockey ticket prices
start
right after the MLB strike of 1994 got resolved? Suddenly, Montreal's
sports fans had to cut down on Expo tickets/packages to keep up their
Habs tickets.
gld