Why money and land are critical to Vancouver mayor’s pitch for a Major League Baseball team | CBC News
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is proposing a motion to support bringing a Major League Baseball team to the city. But as the CBC’s Justin McElroy reports, his proposal comes a little bit out of left field.
Mayor Ken Sim is putting forward a motion that seeks expressions of interest to bring an MLB team to city
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Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim is proposing a motion to bring a Major League Baseball team to the city — but there are many obstacles that remain before that could happen.
Sim’s motion, which comes before council next week, looks to attract a potential proponent that could bring a team to the city — with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred indicating he would want two expansion teams before his term is up in 2029.
Experts say attracting a team to the city could be a tall task, given the billions required to attract an expansion franchise and the inevitable new stadium the team would require.
In addition, those experts say the team would have to attract tens of thousands of people 81 times a year to be financially viable.
The CBC’s Justin McElroy broke down Sim’s proposal and whether he’s hit a home run.
As Mayor Ken Sim puts forward a motion seeking to attract a Major League Baseball franchise to Vancouver, critics are doubtful the city can put forward an attractive enough business case and sustain a new franchise. CBC’s Justin McElroy explains if the mayor’s pitch has the potential to strike a chord.
With files from Justin McElroy