Expos Announcement Expected By Thursday

www.selltheorioles.com

one thing will fix it

 

ah ha.

 

According to baseball sources, MLB offered the Orioles owner two fascinating incentives:





<LI>Baseball is willing to guarantee that the Orioles will earn a still-to-be-negotiated minimum in annual revenues. If their revenues fall below that figure, MLB would make up the difference.





<LI>Baseball also is willing to guarantee a minimum franchise value for the Orioles. So if Angelos attempts to sell the team and can't find a buyer willing to pay that amount, MLB also would make up that difference.



Beyond those measures, baseball will help establish a new regional sports network in the Baltimore-Washington area that would enable the Orioles to continue to televise games in Washington and its Virginia suburbs.



Baseball's president and COO, Bob DuPuy, was in Baltimore on Tuesday, attempting to finalize negotiations. While it appears they haven't reached agreement on all issues, they are now close enough on the parameters of a deal, according to a source, that Washington city officials have an announcement press conference scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET Wednesday.



According to sources, the biggest remaining sticking point in negotiations with the Orioles is the length of time for which baseball would be willing to make those guarantees. The Washington Post reported Tuesday night that MLB has offered to extend the guarantees for as long as Angelos owns the club, but Angelos is pushing to keep them in effect indefinitely.



They will continue to talk about those issues Wednesday. But the finish line is now so close that one source said Tuesday: "I don't see anything now that could gunk this up."

 

Hmmmm, I guess Angelos finally realized that he was in the minority concerning the move and there was nothing he could do to stop it (even considering the legal route of a lawsuit) . . . . . I guess he will take the money (financial guarantees, share of new regional sports network) and keep his mouth shut now !!!!!!!!


THE BOTTOM LINE: Damn, I was hoping to go to ville de Montreal one more time for a game . . . . I went to 2 games there a few years back (Mets in 1999, Phillies in 1996) and it was cool to experience baseball en Frances . . . . I wonder if I could buy the Youppi costume on ebay tonight ? ? ? ? ? ?

 

I don't know what happen 33 years ago (wasn't even born then). To say what happen 33 years ago will happen today is pretty crazy. It will fail if the team sucks. If they have stars it might work. I mean the Wizards suck but every game was a sellout when Jordan played.

 

jordan gave up baseball. well, at least once.

 

I think the Mayor had to submit legislation to the DC Council by Friday a financial plan to build a new DC Ballpark & renovate RFK Stadium for temporary use . . . . 2-3 anti ballpark city council candidates take over on the city council on Jan 1, 2005 (including ex-Mayor Marion Barry, who won a council seat . . How the hell did that happen ? ? ? ) and the Mayor wants to make sure the deal gets finalized before they take office.


DC Gets 'les Expos'


I think Washington got screwed the 2nd time with the Senators. Bob Short was losing money on the team big time (attendance wasn't that god awful . . I think I heard on ESPN tonight that from 1967-70 they had better attendance than 8-10 other teams during that time) and he was looking for some place to make some quick money, which turned out to be Arlington.

 

if you want to base this on Jordan then nothing short of Babe Ruth will work

 

Well name a city better than Montreal to put the sorry ass Expos.

 

How many teams are they going to give DC? First the Old Senators (Twins) then the New Senators, (Rangers). Calvin Griffith always has a arrest warrant out for him if he ever set foot back in DC. (Owned the Senators/Twins), Prior to Pollad.