Montreal’s Baseball Revival Dream and Mafia Turmoil: City Faces Big Hopes, Harsh Realities

Montreal’s Entrepreneurial Push: Can the Expos Make a Comeback?

Montreal’s love affair with baseball is legendary. The Expos, once the city’s pride, were torn away in 2004—a loss that left a lingering ache. Now, a new chapter could be opening, led by Ashkan Karbasfrooshan, a local entrepreneur with a track record in digital media. Karbasfrooshan, founder of WatchMojo, is not just dreaming of the Expos’ return; he’s actively courting U.S. private equity to make it happen (Montreal Gazette).

His journey began in 2012, when a visit to a Nationals game in Washington (the Expos’ reincarnation) forced him to confront the reality of Montreal’s missing team. Acceptance turned to inspiration after watching the Netflix documentary “Who Killed the Montreal Expos?” and seeing other lost Canadian franchises honored. But would Montrealers want their team back? Karbasfrooshan didn’t guess—he asked. His survey, spread via social media and radio, drew thousands of responses. The answer was resounding: the appetite is there.

But enthusiasm alone doesn’t buy a franchise. The hurdles are daunting: Major League Baseball (MLB) would need to approve an expansion, and the price tag is astronomical. Karbasfrooshan estimates a US$2 billion fee just to join the league, with a new stadium potentially costing another billion. Undaunted, he is leveraging his connections to U.S. private-equity funds—relationships built over years growing WatchMojo from a scrappy startup into a digital powerhouse reaching 100 million monthly viewers.

“The supply and demand dynamic is strong,” Karbasfrooshan points out. With only 30 MLB teams, and possibly 32 in the future, exclusivity is baked in. Sports franchises have shown remarkable resilience and growth over the last three decades, making them attractive to deep-pocketed investors. Yet, he’s realistic: MLB’s rules favor concentrated ownership and limit private-equity involvement, so raising the necessary billions would require a mix of sources, including family offices and media companies.

Challenges: From Stadiums to Tax Codes

Even if MLB opens the door, Montreal’s own hurdles loom large. A stadium must be built, and Karbasfrooshan insists it must be downtown, where accessibility is maximized. Development pressures and higher taxes compared to U.S. cities mean payroll costs are steeper—a challenge for any prospective team owner.

Still, Karbasfrooshan sees opportunity in the changing media landscape. Tech giants’ hunger for live content could help drive the economics of baseball upward. Montreal’s cultural appeal, combined with WatchMojo’s reach, offers unique selling points to investors and the league. He’s even considering a multi-use sports campus, inspired by stadiums in Tokyo, to maximize utility and community benefit.

Timing is everything. Upcoming labor negotiations and new media-rights deals could further inflate franchise values, potentially pricing Montreal out. “I wouldn’t be comfortable asking an investor to write a $5-billion-plus cheque,” Karbasfrooshan admits. With public and investor interest mounting, he’s taken the first step: reaching out to MLB headquarters. So far, no reply—but he’s not discouraged. Persistence is part of the game.

Mafia Violence Casts a Shadow on Montreal’s Renaissance

While one part of Montreal dreams of renewal, another struggles with violence. Recent reports indicate that mafia-linked properties across the city have been riddled with gunfire amid ongoing extortion feuds (The Gangster Report). Though details are limited, the surge in criminal activity underscores a parallel reality: Montreal’s challenges are not just economic or cultural, but also rooted in public safety and the rule of law.

This isn’t an isolated incident. The city’s underworld—long a source of intrigue and concern—continues to affect Montrealers’ sense of security. High-profile funerals for gang leaders and periodic spikes in violence serve as reminders that, for some, the city’s future is contested on far less hopeful terms.

Montreal at a Crossroads: Renewal vs. Risk

These two stories—one of hopeful entrepreneurship, the other of persistent criminality—frame Montreal’s current moment. The city is hungry for revival, whether in the form of a beloved baseball franchise or broader civic pride. Yet, the risks are real, from billion-dollar investments to bullets in the night. Karbasfrooshan’s bid to bring back the Expos captures Montreal’s capacity for dreaming big. But the city’s struggle with mafia violence is a stark reminder of the obstacles that remain.

For now, the Expos’ revival is a vision, not a reality. The project will require not just money, but resilience, collaboration, and a willingness to confront hard truths—about investment, about urban development, and about the social fabric of Montreal itself. Whether the city will succeed in recapturing its sporting glory, or remain mired in old problems, is a question only time—and collective effort—can answer.

Assessment: Montreal stands at a pivotal juncture. The city’s entrepreneurial energy, embodied by Ashkan Karbasfrooshan’s ambitious bid, shows a readiness to reimagine the future. Yet, the persistent shadow of organized crime signals deeper challenges that cannot be ignored. The Expos’ possible return is more than a baseball story—it’s a test of Montreal’s resilience, unity, and capacity to confront both opportunity and adversity head-on.