Tag Archives: Quebec

Independent Ball

Frontier League’s “Top Goal” is Bringing Baseball Back to Montreal

Leave a comment

Quebec is hosting the 2024 Frontier League All-Star game, and the Frontier League commisioner, Steve Tahsler, has some goals to expand the league even further in Canada.

During an interview with Le Journal De Quebec, Tahsler was quoted as saying it is his “top goal is Montreal.” He wants the Frontier League to be the league that brings baseball back to the city and people of Montreal.

The following is an English translation of the article originally posted on Le Journal De Quebec. (The original article can be found HERE).

They want to be the ones who “bring professional baseball back to Montreal”

The Frontier League commissioner reiterated his desire on Monday, during the All-Star game taking place in Quebec.

The Frontier League commissioner has already spoken in the past of his interest in having a baseball franchise from the circuit set up in Montreal and he reiterated his desire on Monday: “We want to be the ones who bring professional baseball back” to the Quebec metropolis, Steve Tahsler told TVA Quebec.

Of course, Mr. Tahsler was only talking about his league in his statement, not the return of the Expos. And even then, there is still work to be done before the Quebec-Montreal rivalry is transferred to a baseball diamond.

But the commissioner was very convincing in his desire to make his wish come true on Monday, when the best players in the Frontier League, as well as its dignitaries, will be in Quebec until Wednesday as part of the All-Star Game festivities.

“This is our highest priority […]. We are working really hard on this,” Mr. Tahsler also said.

In the coming months?

Charles Demers, vice-president of the Quebec Capitals, is of the opinion that “fairly major” developments in this matter could occur “in the next year, or even in the next few months.”

But obviously, he specifies, it will first be necessary to “build a stadium capable of hosting a Frontier League team” in the Montreal region.

“We are close to something”

In an interview with Le Journal last year, the commissioner had already stated that he did not want a new team to set up in a temporary stadium while waiting for the construction of a permanent venue, because he wanted the potential unveiling of a new club to be “as big as possible” (read here ) .

“You lose a lot of impact by establishing a team in a temporary location first,” he said. “You lose all the magic surrounding the arrival of a club in a new stadium.

“It takes the contribution of Baseball Québec, it takes an owner ready to invest,” added Mr. Demers on Monday. “There are a lot of factors that have to come together, but we’re close to something.”

– With the collaboration of TVA Québec, Stéphane Turcot

Independent Ball

Équipe Québec Gets To Go HOME!

2 Comments

Over the last few weeks, there have been talks about Équipe Québec, currently a travel team in the Frontier League, being able to play home in Canada this season.

With the MLB announcing the Blue Jays return to Toronto, it began to look more and more promising that Québec would be able to return home as well.

On July 15th, Le Soleil – a newspaper based out of Québec – reported that July 30th was the intended date but was still pending some final clearances.

“We are going to play on July 30, in Quebec, all that remains is to ensure that the protocol is put in place to do so and meet the requirements that will be asked of us. It would surprise me enormously if it did not work ”, confided the president of the Capitales Michel Laplante.

Last night, Le Soleil again reported that Québec and Trois-Rivières were preparing to bring baseball to their home stadiums.

Finally today, the Frontier League made the announcement official. After a season of straight road games, long bus rides, hotel stays and not being able to return home… Équipe Québec will be able to return home and play games in Canada starting on July 30th.

FRONTIER LEAGUE TO BEGIN PLAY IN CANADA ON JULY 30

Opening of Canadian Border Enables Return Home for Équipe Québec

(July 21, 2021, Illinois) The Frontier League of Professional Baseball, along with member teams Québec Capitales and Trois-Rivières Aigles, has announced the start of Frontier League play in Québec Province beginning Friday, July 30th.

The two Québec teams, which for the 2021 baseball season have merged their players onto one team playing as Équipe Québec, along with their United States-based opponents, will be strictly following Canadian protocols and guidelines for travel in and out of the country and for hosting games in the cities of Québec and Trois-Rivières.  Until then, the team will continue its eleven consecutive weeks on the road in the US which began on May 27th.

“We are overjoyed to finally be playing games in Québec and to be doing so in a safe and responsible manner as required by the various Canadian governmental agencies” said Jon Danos, Frontier League CEO.  “Since the Frontier League’s merger with the Can Am League prior to the pandemic, we have envisioned this as a signature day celebrating the Frontier League’s unique footprint combining the two countries’ love of baseball and commitment to family friendly entertainment.”

The team will play 21 home games, shared between the cities of Québec and Trois-Rivières, from July 30th to September 12th.  Québec City will host three games vs. the New York Boulders at Stade Canac beginning Friday, July 30th and Trois Rivières will host the Tri-City ValleyCats at Stade Quillorama for three games beginning Tuesday, August 3rd.

Team officials with the Québec Capitales and Trois-Rivières Aigles will continue their collaboration with governmental agencies to ensure full compliance with evolving safety and sanitation protocols.