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Expos fans can relate to what Loria’s doing with Marlins
NOV 14, 2012| MONTREAL GAZETTE »
Truth is that the Marlins have more of a Montréal connection than the Nationals do.
The minority partners of the Expos still own 2% of the Marlins and I know of at least 2 persons who were given 2003 Marlins World Series rings. 10 years ago when the Marlins, Expos and Red Sox were all swapping owners for some reason MLB actually wound up with the Marlins on paper and that is the team in Washington and the Expos franchise became the 'new' Marlins. Player contracts were reassigned but Loria was able to keep the old Expos spring training base in Jupiter and the Expos scouting records. I helped box many of the computers and workbooks and they were shipped to Miami not Washington.
No Expos employee was ever offered work in Washington but several went to Miami including Claude Delorme and P. J. Loyello.
The franchise swap was patterned after a similar deal in the NBA where the Buffalo Braves became the Boston Celtics and the Celtics franchise became the San Diego Clippers. There is something in the US tax code that makes it easier.
The most important thing to remember is David Samson is the real power as it his his mother's fortune that Loria uses. Samson's mother Sivia kicked Loria out in 2005 and it cost Jeff a fortune but David is still involved as it is her money that is involved with the Marlins.
Why Selig put up with this nonsense is anyone's guess,
I suspect that within 5 years the Rays will relocate to Miami and take over the new stadium as Tampa is a lost cause and the Marlins franchise will leave Florida and if Québec can get it together some sort of public/private partnership will get a stadium built.
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