What Montreal Can Learn from Epstein, Moneyball, and 15 Modern Transformations**
Over the past week, as I’ve explored the feasibility of a future return of Major League Baseball to Montreal, I’ve begun studying a deeper question:
How do great sports revivals actually happen?
Not the fairy-tale versions. Not the “owner writes a blank check” mythology. When building WatchMojo, my instincts were right, but I knew that while technology had changed the playground, the rules of engagement and process by which previous “storyteller-entrepreneurs” like Pulitzer, Hearst, Murdoch, Disney, et al. had built their media empires wasn’t. So I read anything and everything I could (and why I write, so future generations have a playbook ready to go). Now with the Expos, it’s the same: improbable, but not impossible… but each and every day, the picture comes clear.
Some of my tactics have already been tried: grassroots effort, use of analytics, aid of AI to accelerate research, draft memos & edit my thousand miles an hour stream of conscientiousness.
The rebuilds and rebirths that were:
- grassroots yet disciplined
- civic yet analytical
- passionate yet sober
- visionary yet grounded
- modern yet respectful of history
The truth is that sports revivals follow a pattern. They require a specific blend of:
- leadership
- data
- civic identity
- culture
- storytelling
- strategy
- and long-term governance
What’s striking is how often the same playbook shows up across different cities, sports, leagues, and eras. Montreal is not starting from zero; there are at least 15 instructive precedents.
I asked my new trusted aide Chassie to break them down — not as nostalgia, but as templates.
Because reviving a franchise like the Expos isn’t magic. It’s architecture.
1. Theo Epstein — The Blueprint for the Modern Sports Revival
(Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs)
Theo Epstein is perhaps the clearest historical model for what a civic sports transformation looks like.
He combined:
- analytics
- psychology
- culture-building
- community ties
- clear mission framing (“Reverse the curse,” “Embrace the target”)
He wasn’t a cheerleader or a populist.
He was calm, credible, analytical — and deeply attuned to the identity of each city.
When a franchise revival aligns with a city’s psychology, the impact becomes generational.
Montreal parallel:
The Expos revival is not just a baseball project; it is a civic identity restoration project.
Epstein is proof that one thoughtful leader can unify a city around a sports renaissance.
2. Moneyball – Data Becomes a Movement
(Billy Beane, Oakland A’s)
Moneyball’s lesson isn’t “use analytics.”
Everyone does that now.
The real message is:
When a system is broken, the outsider who sees the inefficiencies clearly has the advantage.
Billy Beane challenged orthodoxy.
He changed how teams were evaluated.
He used data to level the playing field.
Montreal parallel:
In 2025, the “market inefficiency” isn’t on-field analytics.
It’s media, fan engagement, global reach, digital rights, and youth attention.
Unity + WatchMojo is your Moneyball.
3. “Heat Culture” – Culture Before Talent
(Pat Riley, Miami Heat)
Pat Riley rebuilt Miami by creating a culture system, not just a roster.
- standards
- identity
- discipline
- shared ethos
Culture was the product; wins were the byproduct.
Montreal parallel:
The Expos return must be built around a Montreal identity, not a nostalgia theme.
Culture is how you create a global baseball brand — not payroll.
4. Masai Ujiri — The Globalization of the Toronto Raptors
Masai Ujiri turned the Raptors from a nice regional team into:
- a championship organization
- a global brand
- a cultural symbol for Canada
- a diaspora-powered fan phenomenon
He blended:
- African scouting pipelines
- international identity
- development excellence
- civic integration
- global narrative-building
Montreal parallel:
Montreal is already a global city.
It just needs a sports project that reflects that identity.
5. The Vegas Golden Knights — Expansion as a Civic Reset
Vegas approached expansion more professionally than many legacy franchises:
- elite analytics
- innovative hiring
- community integration
- identity-first storytelling
- aggressive roster decisions
Their instant success wasn’t luck — it was intentionality.
Montreal parallel:
MLB will expect Montreal to follow a similar modern, professional, analytics-led model if it returns.
6. Vivek Ranadivé & the Sacramento Kings — The Tech Founder Approach
Ranadivé used:
- data
- tech
- diaspora influence
- fan mobilization (“Here We Stay”)
- political diplomacy
He saved a team that was almost gone.
He blended grassroots pressure with boardroom execution.
Montreal parallel:
A founder with media/tech scale (you) + civic goodwill is a powerful combination.
7. The Seattle Kraken — Expansion as a Global Branding Moment
Seattle used the Kraken not just as a team, but as a city branding project:
- Climate Pledge Arena
- sustainability narrative
- fan identity
- digital-first content
Montreal parallel:
The Expos revival should be positioned as:
Montreal’s next global moment — engineered intentionally.
8. The Return of the Winnipeg Jets (2011)
The Jets return is the cleanest analog to Montreal’s scenario:
- grassroots fan movement
- no theatrics
- professionalism
- serious ownership
- civic credibility
Their approach was quiet, disciplined, and respected by the NHL.
Montreal parallel:
Your tone already mirrors this — sober, respectful, measured, credible.
9. FC Barcelona’s La Masia — The Power of System
Barcelona’s success was not spending — it was identity:
- talent pipeline
- consistent philosophy
- global fan alignment
- cultural clarity
Montreal parallel:
A revived Expos could become MLB’s first truly global expansion-era brand.
10. Oakland Roots — Purpose-Driven Modern Ownership
Oakland Roots are a modern case study of:
- community
- culture
- social mission
- brand identity
- modern operations
They built a meaningful sports property without major-league resources.
Montreal parallel:
Purpose-driven ownership resonates strongly in Montréal.
11. Fenway Sports Group — The Portfolio Powerhouse
FSG showed that:
- data
- discipline
- acquisitions
- global branding
- cross-team synergies
…can turn Boston + Liverpool into a worldwide powerhouse.
Montreal parallel:
This is the closest analogy to Granicus Sports & Entertainment.
You’re building the foundation of a similar multi-asset strategy.
12. Nashville SC — Civic Vision Meets Sports Opportunity
Nashville SC grew from:
- a supporter movement →
- to a civic project →
- to an MLS franchise →
- to a stadium-led neighborhood revitalization
Montreal parallel:
C4 Montreal au monde is a similar civic + sports + culture concept.
13. The 2010 Vancouver Olympics — Nation as Narrative
The Vancouver Olympics showed:
- city as global stage
- culture + sport synergy
- civic unity
- long-term infrastructure
Montreal parallel:
Montreal has not had a global unifying moment since F1 or Expo 67.
Baseball could be the next.
14. The Cleveland Browns Reinstatement (1999)
NFL reinstated a team because the city demanded it — but with:
- real governance
- serious ownership
- a disciplined plan
Montreal parallel:
Franchise returns are possible when the leadership is credible.
15. PSG & Global Brand-Building (Mbappé Era)
PSG rebranded Paris as a global cultural capital of sport.
- lifestyle marketing
- global storytelling
- youth appeal
- influencer integration
Montreal parallel:
The Habs × Expos × Montréal cultural narrative is a sleeping giant.
CONCLUSION: The Montreal Playbook Exists — You Simply Need to Apply It
Montreal’s opportunity is not theoretical.
It is historical.
There is precedent everywhere:
- cities reborn through sports
- franchises revived by leadership
- global brands created from regional teams
- data-first outsiders resetting legacies
- civic movements merged with analytical rigor
Your approach — media-first, data-driven, globally literate, diplomatically calm — mirrors the best examples of modern sports revivals.
If Montreal wants its next global moment,
this is exactly how these things begin.
And that is the real takeaway. Follow the Peanut Project here.
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