OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Atlantan wants to buy Expos, move them to PR

Scott Vibert · 09-26-2002, 09:54 AM

The travel isn't really all that terrible its just a little farther from San Diego to Montreal as it is from San Diego to San Juan. (I chose San Diego to Montreal because that was in theory the longest road trip in the National League)

The problem is going to be the economics. Puerto Rico is the wealthiest area in the Carribean, however it's per capita income is lower than the rest of the US. The business community would likely not be able to spend the same amount for luxury suites in San Juan, and the government probably can't afford the entire cost to improve the stadium, which currently only seats 20,000.

The plans called for the stadium to be increased another 20,000, but with just 40,000 seats, I'd find it hard to believe that the ownership group could survive on the prices they'd need to charge to allow the locals to afford tickets. (Now the article mentions some paid up to $75 dollars a ticket for a one time exhibition, but that was with a smaller capacity and not during a season where there were 81 games to choose from for your attendence dollars) San Juan is also not known as a media hot bed, so big money from TV and broadcast revenues would be unlikely.

Now I think the team would be supported by the community quite well, but without a mammoth stadium to try and offset lower ticket prices, a lack of corporate purchase in the non-existent luxury suites, and less than top dollar from broadcast raises some serious questions.

That said is this any worse than the club being in Montreal? In Montreal IIRC the club has no season long English broadcast, and last I knew the French broadcasts may not have been for all the games (Long_Long_Name or one of the Expo fans please correct me if I'm mistaken). The clubs attendence figures, while better this season have been poor. MLB as owners clearly does not want to take care of the club, and manager Frank Robinson doesn't necessarily want to be back. Additionally in San Juan they avoid the exchange rate problems of taking in Canadian Dollars and paying out American. So they would go from poor revenues in Montreal to poor revenues, but being out of MLB's hair in San Juan. Plus the club being in San Juan would mean that when the ownership group sold the team, they could sell them as a prime candidate for relocation to someone willing to overpay... or wait for MLB to possibly revisit contraction and take the buyout.

Perhaps the possible owners are looking at this as a club they can place in a place to get good support, but with the poor economics have an excuse for keeping salaries low. Then they can collect the revenue sharing money and turn a profit year after year, until they sell out the team for a large profit...

09-26-2002, 09:54 AM	#12
Scott Vibert Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: My Computer Posts: 8,249	The travel isn't really all that terrible its just a little farther from San Diego to Montreal as it is from San Diego to San Juan. (I chose San Diego to Montreal because that was in theory the longest road trip in the National League) The problem is going to be the economics. Puerto Rico is the wealthiest area in the Carribean, however it's per capita income is lower than the rest of the US. The business community would likely not be able to spend the same amount for luxury suites in San Juan, and the government probably can't afford the entire cost to improve the stadium, which currently only seats 20,000. The plans called for the stadium to be increased another 20,000, but with just 40,000 seats, I'd find it hard to believe that the ownership group could survive on the prices they'd need to charge to allow the locals to afford tickets. (Now the article mentions some paid up to $75 dollars a ticket for a one time exhibition, but that was with a smaller capacity and not during a season where there were 81 games to choose from for your attendence dollars) San Juan is also not known as a media hot bed, so big money from TV and broadcast revenues would be unlikely. Now I think the team would be supported by the community quite well, but without a mammoth stadium to try and offset lower ticket prices, a lack of corporate purchase in the non-existent luxury suites, and less than top dollar from broadcast raises some serious questions. That said is this any worse than the club being in Montreal? In Montreal IIRC the club has no season long English broadcast, and last I knew the French broadcasts may not have been for all the games (Long_Long_Name or one of the Expo fans please correct me if I'm mistaken). The clubs attendence figures, while better this season have been poor. MLB as owners clearly does not want to take care of the club, and manager Frank Robinson doesn't necessarily want to be back. Additionally in San Juan they avoid the exchange rate problems of taking in Canadian Dollars and paying out American. So they would go from poor revenues in Montreal to poor revenues, but being out of MLB's hair in San Juan. Plus the club being in San Juan would mean that when the ownership group sold the team, they could sell them as a prime candidate for relocation to someone willing to overpay... or wait for MLB to possibly revisit contraction and take the buyout. Perhaps the possible owners are looking at this as a club they can place in a place to get good support, but with the poor economics have an excuse for keeping salaries low. Then they can collect the revenue sharing money and turn a profit year after year, until they sell out the team for a large profit... Last edited by Scott Vibert; 09-26-2002 at 12:33 PM.