N.Y. art dealer Jeffrey Loria was formally introduced
yesterday as Expos General Partner and he "was thinking
before every play ... as he faced a jam-packed press
conference" in Montreal, according to Stephanie Myles in a
front-page report in today's Montreal GAZETTE. Now that
Loria's C$75M deal to purchase a 35% stake in the franchise
has been approved, additional investors will control another
35% stake, with the final 30% likely to be retained by
members of the previous ownership group (Montreal GAZETTE,
12/10). In Toronto, Jeff Blair writes that Loria "proceeded
... to drive home" his business concerns about the franchise
"by talking as much about Olympic Stadium as about a new,
downtown ballpark." Loria: "I think if the product is
better and the team is winning, people will come out to see
it in Olympic Stadium." In an effort to improve the team,
Loria added that the Expos' payroll "will increase" by 50%
from last year's C$17M. While his stepson, David Samson,
will serve as Expos Exec VP, Loria said, "I'm going to run
the team. David will be my right-hand man." Samson will
oversee plans for a new ballpark, which "would seat between"
35,000-38,000, and would cost between C$175-200M. Loria and
Samson said that if "ground is broken in the first quarter
of next year," the ballpark "could be ready" by 2002. In
other news, Expos Chair Jacques Menard "admitted" that he's
about C$15M "from reaching an overall equity" of C$150M in
the team (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 12/10).
HANDS ON APPROACH: The CP's Bill Beacon writes that
Loria is "considering changing" the team's uniforms, though
it's "too late" for the 2000 season. Loria: "I'm a hands-
on-kind of person and I'll be very active in the management
of the team." Loria, asked about MLB's economic disparity:
"This team has competed with the Atlantas in the past. I
can't do anything about the Canadian dollar, but there will
be changes in baseball" (CP, 12/10). More Loria: "Montreal
will cease to be [MLB's] farm system" (OTTAWA SUN, 12/10).
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: The NATIONAL POST's Chris Jones
writes that Loria was "not introduced yesterday so much as
he was unveiled" (NATIONAL POST, 12/10). In Montreal, Jack
Todd writes that a photo which ran in yesterday's edition of
Le Journal de Montreal read, "It's him!" next to a picture
of a man who wasn't Loria. Todd adds that Loria "impressed
yesterday more as a warm, funny human being than as a hard-
nosed businessman." While Loria "handled himself well
yesterday, it is possible" that Expos limited partner
Stephen Bronfman "stole the show," as he was "funny, relaxed
and sharp" (GAZETTE, 12/10). In Toronto, Stephen Brunt
writes that the Loria-Bronfman "approach" is an "interesting
one, exciting and positive for the fans, but certainly not
without pitfalls, and certainly not guaranteed to succeed."
Brunt: "Baseball -- not bells, whistles and the latest
Camden Yards -- is what they're going to try to sell here,
at least in the short term" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 12/10).
In Montreal, Ian MacDonald writes that Menard deserves
credit for the team remaining in Montreal, for without his
"business acumen, interpersonal skills and perseverance, the
Expos would have gone south" (Montreal GAZETTE, 12/10).
