Baseball's Return Could Be Temporary

[Freddie Stubbs]

Amended Financing May Kill the Deal

By Barry Svrluga and Thomas Heath
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, December 15, 2004; Page D01

Since MLB bought the Montreal Expos in 2002, it has been looking for two elements -- a new owner and a new home, providing a delicate, chicken-and-the-egg balance that may have reappeared last night. Which should come first? A new owner, who might not provide a new stadium, or a new city, with no committed buyer? The D.C. Council may have started that process all over again last night. Because the council voted to include an amendment in its deal with MLB that half of the financing for a new stadium must come from private funds, officials at the highest level of baseball said it is possible the sport could make a one-year pit stop in Washington, and that places as far-flung as northern New Jersey and Las Vegas might now be back in play. "I think it's a deal-killer," one official said of the amendment's effect on baseball in the District.

MLB had scheduled the move of the Montreal franchise to Washington, pending the District coming through on an agreement that provided the city would build a publicly financed stadium on the Anacostia River waterfront. Financing was to come from a gross receipts tax on the city's largest businesses, a tax on concessions and an annual rent payment by the team -- a deal baseball officials say was fundamentally changed by the council last night.

Returning to Canada is unrealistic, because the team's operations in Montreal are all but shut down; all that remains is a bare-bones accounting office. The team, which was renamed the Washington Nationals in a festive ceremony last month at Union Station, has already set up shop in the District, taking deposits for more than 16,000 season tickets, hiring 17 members of a front-office staff last week and selling memorabilia outside of RFK Stadium. That facility, which hasn't been home to a baseball team in 33 years, is scheduled to undergo at least $13 million in renovations to accommodate the Nationals.

But baseball officials believe that the council's actions could let them out of their deal and free them to pursue other potential suitors. Commissioner Bud Selig, in Dallas last night, was unavailable for comment. But in an appearance in Washington this month, Selig said simply, "We have a deal." Despite the fact that baseball officials had worked with D.C. Council Chairman Linda W. Cropp on minor concessions, Selig and others were clear that baseball intended to uphold its end of the original plan, and it expected District officials to uphold theirs.

more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A447-2004Dec15.html

[indigobusiness]

1. Free Agency Killed Baseball--- RIP

"First, we kill all the lawyers."

[LuminousX]

2. Maybe Baseball, Hockey, etc. should just die

and let the free marketplace of sporting enthusiasts decide what replaces them.

We only care because we are raised to believe it matters in some significant fashion. But I think people would be much happier with true home teams... local folks playing in local leagues.

[indigobusiness]

3. Hockey IS death.

Baseball is life.

[indigobusiness]

4. You are so right about that.

I meant to say so earlier. Sports is in the toilet.

[northzax]

5. good. after 30 years of playing DC like a fiddle

let them take their little dog and pony show elsewhere, if that's how they operate. Many cities 'need' baseball to prove they are major league towns. That might have worked for Phoenix or Tampa, but we aalready are a major league city. In fact, we are the fucking major league. DC does not need to have the inferiority complex that leads us to beg a group of multi-millionaires to rape us financially. If the DC market is as good as everyone says, then someone will pony up the cash to invest in it. Otherwise, let them go to Las Vegas, or Nothern New Jersey, places that need the gratification. I don't need my prices to rise to pay for a stadium (oh, you thought all the businesses were going to simply 'absorb' the costs? right. sure, Pepco will just deduct it from the salary of the CEO, no problem, and bars will just deduct it from their profits. sure thing) And the cable companies will just pay the extra money for the regional sports network, won't affect your rates at all, no siree two bucks a month, with 1.50 going straight to Peter Angelos? no, they won't make DC people pay that, I'm sure)

We're all alright. If LA can survive without a football team (good for them) then we can live without baseball. Go take your pitiful extortion to a city that needs you, Mr. Selig. If you want to be in DC and make money off the millions of affluent people here, these are our terms, frankly, I think paying for half your stadium ain't bad, but maybe Las Vegas will pay for all of it. In case you hadn't noticed, we have two privately financed stadiums in the neighborhood, and both do quite well, thank you (the Wizards make money despie usually stinking up the joint and the MCI Center certainly makes money Abe Pollin ain't going broke and FedEx is a big part of the most profitable franchise in professional sports, more than the yankees, more than the cowboys, more than ManU.)