The World According to Oatney

Where are the Nationals now?

The poor Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals/Whatever-Team-they-are-today may still be without a home and out of luck in 2005. As it turns out, the District of Columbia may fall through on its agreement to provide for public funding for the renovation of RFK stadium for the Nationals to play in, followed by a new stadium to be ready for use the following year. D.C. City Council amended the stadium legislation in such a way as it now requires at least half the financing for the new park to be private money. Major League Baseball is saying "no dice" to the new legislation. "The legislation approved by the District of Columbia City Council last night does not reflect the agreement we signed and relied upon after being invited by District leaders to consider Washington as a home for Major League Baseball," said Bob DuPuy, MLB's president and chief operating officer, in a statement that was issued Wednesday evening. "The legislation is inconsistent with our carefully negotiated agreement and is wholly unacceptable to Major League Baseball."

DuPuy's subsequent statement places the whole future of the movement to put baseball back in the nation's capital in serious doubt. In fact, judging by what was said next, officials at MLB offices in New York must be operating under the assumption that it is not going to happen at all.

"Because our stadium agreement provides for a December 31, 2004 deadline, we will not entertain offers for permanent relocation of the club until that deadline passes. In the meantime, the club's baseball operations will proceed, but its business and promotional activities will cease until further notice. We thank the fans of Washington, D.C. for their support and enthusiasm, but given the present uncertainty, any ticket purchaser who entrusted us with a deposit may request a refund through the club's ticket office."

On the one hand, I have always been of the opinion that stadiums built to house privately-owned teamsshould not be financed with public money. On the other hand, I am a realist, and I understand fully what the nature of economics in major league sports is like today. As much as I don't believe stadiums for private teams should be built with public money, I know that a major league team won't come to my city or stay there unless the owners reach a stadium deal with local authorities. Unfortunately, not every city can be like Green Bay and own its sports team as a public trust. It would be better for professional sports if more cities could afford to emulate that model.

posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 12:36 PM