OTTAWA (AP) — Baseball’s return to Montreal is unlikely because an uneven economic playing field remains among teams.
A report by the Conference Board of Canada says it wasn’t a lack of fan interest or city support that caused the Expos to leave Montreal in 2004.
The wide disparity in revenue among clubs and a weak Canadian dollar are considered the main reasons the Expos were bought out by Major League Baseball and moved to Washington.
The report says the Toronto Blue Jays are in no trouble despite playing in a division with two of the richest teams, Boston and the New York Yankees. It has a solid market, stable ownership and an attractive stadium.
The Conference Board is one of Canada’s leading not-for-profit research organizations.
