Ex-Montreal
It would be hard to explain to non-Americans (of whom I may have one or two readers) just why the Expos’ relocation to Washington DC is a big deal. I’m not an Expos fan, neither am I particularly invested in having non-U.S. teams available for World Series play, a nomenclature frequently mocked by those from countries where sporting events include actual global participation at least on a four-year cycle. Nevertheless, I’m shocked, dismayed even. The NY Times article explains some of the historical aspects of the move: Senators become Twins; new Senators become Rangers. (Hmm, there’s an argument against renaming the team “Senators.”) I suppose that Montreal was just too far outside the megalopolis of the Northeastern U.S. corridor (the sprawl from Atlanta through Boston) to serve a substantial enough population, whereas Toronto, with its relative proximity to upstate NY population centers, still can. Dropping another team into the middle of the Atlantic states will probably afford a sufficient audience to sustain the team, but wasn’t that Baltimore’s job? Maybe if they’d field a team into the playoffs once in a while. No, I can’t explain why this is a big deal; I’m still stuck on what their name will be.