February 22, 2024
By Kevin Glew
Cooperstowners in Canada
Netflix has given the green light for a documentary to be produced about the Montreal Expos.
The online streaming service made the announcement on Wednesday.
This will represent Netflix’s first production in partnership with Attraction, a Montreal-based company.
The film will delve into the problems and setbacks that led to the departure of the Expos after the 2004 major league season.
The Expos played in Montreal for 36 seasons, from 1969 through 2004, before the team was relocated to Washington. The reasons for the team’s departure were numerous, including lack of stable ownership, poor support from MLB, a deteriorating stadium, the players strike of 1994, the firing of popular manager Felipe Alou and a disheartened and dwindling fan base. But 20 years later, many of their fans are still passionate about the team.
“It is with great pride and enthusiasm that Attraction announces the first project to result from our partnership with Netflix,” said Richard Speer, president of Attraction in a release. “The Expos were the first MLB team outside of the U.S., and despite their departure from Montreal, they continue to have passionate fans to this day. This film will tell the story of the team through the eyes of those who lived it.”
The film will be directed by Jean-François Poisson and produced by Speer and Marie-Christine Pouliot.
No planned release date for the documentary was provided.
Thanks for the heads up about the doc. I think I’ll sign up for Netflix. I liked that in your explanation or description of the doc, you gave numerous reasons why the Expos left. That, to me, is a sign of a great journalist.
Thanks, Steve.
Will we learn something new? I doubt it. I hope they will cover the whole history of the team from the beginning.
I hope so, too, Pierre. Thanks for your comment.
Kevin, I hope they interview guys like you that have a huge passion and knowledge for baseball in Canada.
Thanks, Scott. I’m sure there are better people to speak about baseball in Montreal than me.