MLB Odds: Is Vancouver’s mayor serious in bidding for an expansion team?

The city of Vancouver has never had a Major League Baseball team, but that will change if Mayor Ken Sim gets his way.

Here’s what you need to know.

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Vancouver expansion bid

While Sim is publicly stating his desire to bring a Major League Baseball expansion team to British Columbia, the idea is a long shot according to most commentators.

The reaction comes after Kim said on Tuesday that he will bring forward a motion in council on April 22 that targets bringing an MLB team to Vancouver.

Major League Baseball has been exploring the idea of expansion, however it is likely markets such as Austin, Texas and Nashville, Tennessee would be more attractive to the league.

Sim said the motion, if passed, will direct city officials to launch an “expression of interest” process to determine potential ownerships groups capable of delivering a strong expansion bid.

MLB headed to Vancouver?

During the Toronto Blue Jays’ run to the World Series last year, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told Sportsnet during an October interview that another Canadian city could work in the league, when he was asked about adding a team in Vancouver.

B.C. Place Stadium hosted several exhibition series’ featuring the Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners and Montreal Expos between 1984 and 1994. However, a major renovation in 2011 made the stadium less suitable for baseball.

Regardless of how legitimate the chances are for Vancouver to get an expansion team, nothing imminent is on the horizon. No change can happen to the league’s alignment until the current collective bargaining agreement expires in December.

And when the CBA does expire, it is widely expected to cause a major labour fight between the players and the owners. The biggest issue in a new CBA will be the owners fighting for a hard salary cap.

So, with a potential lockout on the horizon, Vancouver baseball fans shouldn’t hold their breath when it comes to getting an expansion team.