Vancouver mayor wants city to bid for MLB franchise

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim wants to bring Major League Baseball to the city.

Vancouver’s mayor wants to make a pitch to bring big-league baseball to the city.

There is not currently a timeline for expansion, but Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has said he “hopes” two additional teams can be chosen by the end of his tenure in 2029, while acknowledging the teams won’t be “on the field” until much later.

Mayor Ken Sim issued a media release Tuesday saying he intends to bring a motion next week that would get the ball rolling on a future bid by launching an “expression of interest process” through which potential franchise owners could make their cases.

“An open, transparent, and competitive process ensures we identify a capable partner with the ability to deliver a team that works for our city,” Sim said, in the statement.

“This process allows us to explore a potential new franchise in a thoughtful and responsible way.”

Manfred, in previous remarks about expansion, has acknowledged Montreal’s interest in bringing a major league team back to that city, but also said “there’s certainly other cities in Canada that would be viable expansion candidates.”

Vancouver is already home to a minor league team, the Blue Jays-affiliated Canadians. And while local baseball fans don’t have a home team to root for in the majors, fans do travel south of the border in consistently large numbers to cheer on Toronto when they play in Seattle.

“This is an opportunity to bring something truly special to Vancouver,” Sim said in his statement.

“An MLB team would be a significant step forward for our city and create lasting memories for fans across generations.”

Matt Sekeres, a co-host of the Sekeres & Price podcast, said he’s doubtful this will come to fruition.

“I don’t think it’s very realistic at all,” he said.

“I give it a bit less than a five per cent chance of happening.

Sekeres said there are a number of issues with establishing a franchise in Vancouver, such as the exorbitant cost, and where the team would play.

“You’re looking at the franchise fee itself, which I imagine is in the US $2 billion, $2 billion plus realm,” he said.

“Plus, someone who is rich enough to buy land and construct a stadium or put on one heck of a retrofit to B.C. Place. So, you’re into the billions of startup costs right off the bat, pardon the pun.”

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With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Isabella Zavarise and the Canadian Press