D.C. Baseball
Thomas Heath
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 30, 2004; 11:00 a.m. ET
It's official! Baseball returns to the nation's capital after a 33-year absence. The Montreal Expos will relocate to Washington, D.C. in time for Opening Day in 2005.
Post staff writer Thomas Heath was online Thursday, Sept. 30, at 11 a.m. ET to the return of baseball to D.C. after 33-year absence.
A transcript follows.
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over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Washington, D.C.:
I'm a lifelong baseball fan, and I look forward to being able to take my kids to games. However, with the exception of Sally Jenkins' column this morning, I have been disgusted by how completely, absolutely, and utterly unskeptical the Post has been in covering the financial aspects of the new stadium.
Thomas Heath: I disagree. Post reporter Peter Whoriskey wrote an excellent Page One story today on the deal. THe newspaper has amply covered, I believe, the cost to taxpayers and other aspects of the stadium deal. Page A13 today has a chart that shows the breakdown. The newspaper has kept the public informed about this deal throughout the process, and we will continue to do so.
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Arlington, Va.:
Any chance there will be a groundswell of support for calling the team the Washington Expose'? It would honor the team's francophone heritage and celebrate Washington's "specialty"!
Thomas Heath: I don't think "Expose'" is in the cards. The name will be decided by the team's owners, whoever that may be. I think there will likely be input from the public as well as Major League Baseball and others.
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Frederick, Md.:
Do we know yet who will own the naming rights to the new stadium? That is a potentially important revenue stream that the District could tap in the future to help pay off some of the bonds that will be floated to pay for the stadium.
Thomas Heath: The new owners will have the naming rights to the new stadium. That is probably going to be worth millions annually in revenues. That money is probably enough to pay for the $5.5 million annually that the owners will pay in rent.
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Washington, D.C.:
Hi Thomas
Are thoroughfare improvements a part of the stadium cost? How does the city/MLB expect to move people around that area of town without improvements?
Thanks!
Thomas Heath: I don't believe road improvements are in the cost of the project. I believe there is an 1,100-space garage that the city will build, with the revenues from parking going to the team. The city is relying heavily on Metro to get people to and from the stadium, but I would imagine there will be road and other infrastructure enhancements that will be done. Developers and businesses who want to build around that area might help pay as well.
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washingtonpost.com:
Lucrative Deal On Stadium Won Baseball Over (Post, Sept. 30)
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McLean, Va.:
When will season ticket packages be available and how can I purchase one?
Thomas Heath: We published a series of likely questions regarding tickets and other issues on our sports page today, and one of the questions is how to get tickets. They aren't yet available, but ou can sign up at www.baseballindc.com or by phone at 202-266-6610. Or call Major League Baseball or the Montreal Expos. Major League Baseball is located on Park Avenue in New York City. Good luck.
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Washington, D.C.:
I understand that the ditrict is going to spend 440 million dollars under the deal. What, if any, downside guarantees did the District get from baseball in the case that the Expos move in and they stink and revenues fall short of expectations?
Thomas Heath: I am not sure about the downside guarantees, but I think the city has bond insurance to cover the payments on the bonds if there is not enough revenue from the team and other sources.
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Vienna, Va.:
How does the bidding process for ownership work and when does it begin? Also, how did Paul Allen's name come up at the press conference?
Thomas Heath: Major League Baseball will conduct the bidding process and I expect it will begin soon. Baseball, which owns the Expos, will likely distribute a financial prospectus to people and groups interested in buying the Expos. The prospectus as all the financial data and history of the team, which allows a bidder to get a clear picture of the property he is after. After a review, groups will likely be asked to submit bids and baseball will take it from there.
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washingtonpost.com:
Washington Baseball Club
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Bethesda, Md.:
How did the South Capitol Street location win out over Union Station or L'Enfant Plaza? Besides the area being horribly run down, traffic on South Capitol Street and more importantly the Anacostia Freeway and the Douglas Bridge is horrible during the week. Getting to RFK once a week for the Skins was bad enough, but trying to get to a 7:05 game on a Tuesday from Virginia will be a nightmare.
Thomas Heath: I think L'Enfant Plaza was too expensive and there may have been security issues with building the stadium over a highway. South Capitol Street is on a Metro stop and creates the opportunity for economic development. Baseball thought that D.C. would get a big bang for its buck by putting a new stadium along the Anacostia waterfront. Again, the city and baseball are betting that many people will go to the game via Metro, which will relieve pressure on the roads, especially at rush houw.
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washingtonpost.com:
Sports
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Wheaton, Md.:
I have read many of the negative articles regarding how the new stadium will be financed. They all miss one major point: MLB does not have to negotiate fairly thanks to the court decisions that created the so-called anti-trust exemptions. A stadium deal for baseball is difficult to compare to that of any other sport.
I would have liked to have seen the District put forth a better proposal for itself, not get the team, then certain Congressmen make good on their threats to revisit the court decisions -- there is no anti-trust exemption in law -- that make MLB invulnerable.
Thomas Heath: Professional sports leagues in general, not just baseball, tend to have an advantage over municipalities in negotiations. Leagues threaten to move teams unless taxpayers pay at least part of the bill for new arenas and stadiums. That's just the way it goes. Baseball probably has extra leverage because of its anti-trust exemption, but it is not the only league that threatens to move teams if owners don't get new facilities from the public. The Phoenix Cardinals of the NFL are getting a new football stadium with a big chunk of taxpayer money.
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Washington, D.C.:
Once the hype and hoopla subside, will people realize the location of the new stadium is not that great? Unlike the MCI Center which helped to revitalize a once thriving part of D.C., this new stadium site is an industrial wasteland. I've heard many say that they'd love to see a ball game in D.C. but they're not taking their family to Anacostia.
Thomas Heath: That's a good question. Time will tell. Dulles Airport was thought to be located too far from the city back when it opened in the late 1950s. Now I think many would say it was a stroke of genius to have placed it way out in Virginia, where it spurred business and residential development. That may happen here too. MCI Center has had a huge effect in the downtown area, and the new stadium could do the same in Southeast. Again, you really have to wait and see how things flow.
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Great Falls, Va.:
Is DC going to have a hard time hiring top-tier players because this club will be forced to hand over a percentage of its TV revenue to Angelos?
Thomas Heath: I think this club will be amply capitalized by the new owners and will draw enough fans, at least for the first few years. to sustain a competitive team on the field. Baseball is moving toward more revenue sharing between its rich and poor teams, so there is going to be more parity. This stadium deal, which is pretty generous to the owners, is designed to supply those owners with enough revenues so they will be able to sign top players. The tv sports deal with Angelos, which hasn't been finalized, is not likely to hamstring the Washington franchise. Baseball would not let that happen. The league wants a successful and healthy team in both Washington and Baltimore.
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Dupont, Washington, D.C.:
I am puzzled by people who think baseball will be a drain on residents' taxes. Isn't most of the financing that is coming from D.C. derives from taxes from certain profitable business that elect to make the tax and from ticket sales and concession taxes? That is money many people would be spending anway. It's not like I would choose to sit home one night and do nothing -- or go to a baseball game. If I weren't paying taxes on baseball tickets -- I'd be paying them at the theater, or dinner, etc. Baseball is great for D.C!
Thomas Heath: You bring up a good point. The city says this is not really a tax on the people, but rather on businesses and those who go to the games and buy food, beverage, merchandise, etc. There is no getting around it, however: this is taxpayer money going to build the stadium. These businesses are going to pass these taxes along to their customers. Joe Citizen will eventually pay, one way or another. Businesses are not likely to tolerate a drop in profits in order to fund a baseball team. Doesn't work that way. The public is paying for this. Period. To your other point about spending the money anway: Yes, most of the people spending money at the ballpark would be spending it elsewhere. Studies have shown, and I tend to agree with them, that sports teams and new stadiums don't create much new wealth, but instead move around entertainment dollars that would have been spent elsewhere...on movies, plays, at parks, etc. These teams don't create many new, long-lasting, well-paying jobs. They do spur development and enhance the quality of life for the citizens, depending on one's priorities.
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Washington, DC:
Why would the owners of the baseball team get the money for the naming rights to the stadium? They are not paying for it, the city is. If the owners want to make money off the naming rights, they should offer to pay for the stadium.
On another note, I can't wait for next season to start. It will be good to be able to go to a game without having to travel to Philly or NY.
Thomas Heath: Couple of points. The city REALLY wanted the Expos to come here, so giving up the naming rights was one of the enticements. Also, as I said before, baseball tried to get a great deal so the new owners would have every financial advantage to field a successful team. Another important point: the more revenue streams the city gave to baseball, the more the Expos will fetch in a sale. Baseball is hoping to get $300 million for this team, so they want to present a prospective owner with the juiciest stadium deal possible. It's smart business.
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Miami, Fla.:
Has any announcement been made as to working as an employee with the team?
Thomas Heath: I am sure there will be annoucement forthcoming as to employment possibilities. The D.C. Sports & Entertainment Commission may have some information on that. YOu can call Major League Baseball and the Expos too. The new owners are likely to select their management team and various employees, so it's a little early for that.
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Gambrills, Md.:
How tied into the waterfront will the new stadium be? Will there be a promenade along the river? Also, wasn't there a story last week in the Post which predicted a ferryboat service from Alexandria and/or Georgetown?
Thomas Heath: I'm not sure about the ferryboat service. Sounds like a fun idea. My guess - and it's a guess at this point - is the the city and businesses will do a lot to make the area surrounding the stadium attractive for the public. They will want to encourage sidewalk traffic so people will come to the area, eat, buy stuff, and spend time there. Foot traffic is likely to be a key component for business development near the stadium
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Binghamton, N.Y.:
It's early but have you heard which radio stations are going to try and acquire the broadcast rights to the Expos?
Thomas Heath: I don't know who is going to bid for the radio rights or how it is going to work. It might be part of the regional sports network that the Orioles and Washington team may be a part of. My guess is that local radio stations would love to have the rights and will aggressively bid on them.
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Real smart to rely on Metro:
Same organization that can't get out of its own way is supposed to be the main way to get 35,000 people to games? 12,000 to a hockey game is one thing. Has anyone here besides myself actually ridden the green line in that direction at night? Good luck! I predict this will be the straw that ultimately collapses Metros back.
Thomas Heath: I love Metro. It's not perfect, but I would take it any day over driving, paying to park, paying for gas, etc. I am sure Metro will sufficiently staff itself to handle peak times at the beginning and end of ballgames. I take Metro to the MCI Center for Caps and Wizards games and it's great. It's one of the best things about the MCI Center: the convenience.
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Woodbridge, Va:
What will happen with DC United at RFK?
Thomas Heath: My guess is that DC United will remain at RFK for awhile until the team gets a new, soccer-only stadium, which I believe has been proposed.
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Laurel, Md.:
Could you specify which elements make this announcement more "official" and more certain than the San Diego Padres in the mid-70s or San Francisco Giants in the 80s?
Thomas Heath: I am not sure what you mean by that one. Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig made an announcement and held a news conference to say the team was coming to Washington. He needs to have an official ownership vote to approve the move, but that's largely a technicality. Baseball's owners are already on board and Selig wouldn't have made the announcement if it wasn't a sure thing. I suppose there is a possibility it could unravel, but that's pretty remote.
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Washington, D.C.:
Is there anything to the rumor that they will name the stadium and the team after Ronald Reagan?
Thomas Heath: I haven't heard mention of naming either the stadium or the team after President Reagan. I don't think the owners will name the stadium after Reagan. They will almost certainly sell the naming rights to a private business and get millions a year from that. I don't see the team being named "the Reagans" either.
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Lorton, Va.:
Okay Mr Heath, We've got all this hoopla over yesterday's announcement, but the real work begins now as we progress to Opening Day.
What do you see as the biggest roadblocks that face the city, MLB, and the team between now and spring?
Thomas Heath: Good qustion. The city needs to pass the financing legislation through the Council, so that is roadblock number one. Baseball needs to satisfy Orioles' owner Peter Angelos with a financial package the offsets any negative financial impact from the new team. Those negotiations are continuing. That's roadblock number two. And three, there is still a nettlesome suit from former Expos minority partners who could, I suppose, stop the team from being moved. But baseball does not appear too concerned about that. We will see what happens. I think the city is putting in the legislation tomorrow for the financing. My guess is that this all gets done and the Expos open in RFK in April.
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Lorton, Va.:
Okay Mr Heath, We've got all this hoopla over yesterday's announcement, but the real work begins now as we progress to Opening Day.
What do you see as the biggest roadblocks that face the city, MLB, and the team between now and spring?
Thomas Heath: Good qustion. The city needs to pass the financing legislation through the Council, so that is roadblock number one. Baseball needs to satisfy Orioles' owner Peter Angelos with a financial package the offsets any negative financial impact from the new team. Those negotiations are continuing. That's roadblock number two. And three, there is still a nettlesome suit from former Expos minority partners who could, I suppose, stop the team from being moved. But baseball does not appear too concerned about that. We will see what happens. I think the city is putting in the legislation tomorrow for the financing. My guess is that this all gets done and the Expos open in RFK in April.
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Washington, D.C.:
For the $400 million we're going to spend on the stadium, couldn't the city just buy the Expos flat out and have them play in a renovated RFK? Green Bay still owns the Packers, after all.
Thomas Heath: Do you want the city running a baseball team? I don't. If the city wants to build the stadium, it should do so and get out of the way. Renovating RFK to make it competitive with modern stadiums would probably cost almost as much as building a new stadium. It would be a huge renovation, is my guess. I don't think RFK is an optimum site, either. Put the stadium where you have the best chance of economic spinoff on the surrounding area. Green Bay, I think, is owned by the residents, who bought shares. That works for Green Bay, but I'm not sure about here. Let some owners spend the money.
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Washington, D.C.:
Bud Selig said that he was awarding the team to D.C. but that the ownwers will vote in November. Is the vote a formality and was Selig just making sure that he had enough votes in his pocket?
Thomas Heath: I think I sort of answered this one earlier. The vote is a formality. Selig knows EXACTLY what every one of his fellow owners is thinking on this subject. He has already counted the votes. And if Orioles owner Peter Angelos gets his agreement, my guess is Selig will even get his vote. This deal is done on baseball's end.
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Thomas Heath: Gotta get back to work now. More stories to write on this saga. Thanks to everyone for their interest. Bye!
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