September 28, 2004
It's official! Montreal Expos to DC next season!
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The Expos, or whatever they get named, will play in Washington's RFK Stadium for several years while a new $440 Million stadium on the Anacostia River in Southeast Washington is built.
The largest obstacle to a Washington team has been Baltimore Orioles' owner Peter Angelos. Angelos has claimed that the DC Metro area was part of the Baltimore market for baseball purposes.
Other areas considered for the Expos were Las Vegas, Portland, OR, Norfolk, VA, Northern Virginia, Monterrey, Mexico and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The other areas were eliminated as this season progressed, leaving Washington as the sole selection.
Washington last hosted a professional baseball team in 1971 when the old Washington Senators, the second team to be known by that name, moved to the Dallas area to become the Texas Rangers. The original Senators moved to Minneapolis in the early 1960s to become the Minnesota Twins.
No team has moved since the 71 season, when the Senators moved to Texas.
The Rangers retain the rights to the name "Washington Senators," which means that the new DC franchise will likely have a different name when they take the field next season.
Posted by mhking at September 28, 2004 11:22 PMThere's really no reason for this team to keep the Expo name. I don't remember the last time DC hosted a World Expo. That being said, there are also no reason for Dodgers to keep their rather archaic name that was originally Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers or for that matter, Lakers (Lake Los Angeles is not in LA, and it's dry). But unlike Dodgers, Giants or Lakers, Expo have really never know genuine success. I'm all for ditching that name.
Posted by: BigFire at September 29, 2004 12:46 AMPuerto Rico should have gotten the team, they were actually drawing fans there, and it might have been one of the few situations where adding a pro sports team is actually an economic benefit to the area.
Posted by: Gib at September 29, 2004 09:07 AMActually, the Rangers version of the Sens was the first team to be officially called by that name. The "old" Senators were officially nicknamed the Nationals; the Senators monicker was more popular, for some bizarre reason.
Nic at Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax mentions, "[Washington DC] political commentator Mark Plotkin points out that Senators isn't a good name anyway, since Washington has no senators. I think that's a good point...I wonder if anyone would go with the Washington Non-voting Delegates?" Ted at Rocket Jones has heard a push to name the team after the Negro League Homestead Grays...which would fit, because when the Grays played games in DC (half of their "home" games were in Washington) they'd frequently outsell the Nats.
Posted by: Victor at September 29, 2004 12:27 PMOn The Black Republican, I'm pushing for the team to adopt the Grays nickname.
Posted by: Chris at October 2, 2004 12:46 AMPreview is my friend, dontcha know... :(
Posted by: Chris at October 2, 2004 12:48 AM