The Rise and Fall of the Montreal Expos

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtGYinDUSS8&t=3s

For many Montrealers, the story of the Montreal Expos is more than just about baseball—it’s about identity, pride, and what it means to be both Canadian and Québécois. Founded in 1969, the Expos were the first Major League Baseball team outside the United States. They symbolized the uniqueness of Montreal: bilingual, creative, and fiercely independent. The team’s blue, red, and white logo became an emblem of the city’s spirit.

During the 1980s, the Expos were among the league’s best, with stars like Gary Carter and Tim Raines. The city’s Olympic Stadium would roar with excitement as fans from all backgrounds—French and English speakers alike—came together to cheer for their team. For a while, Montreal felt like the center of the baseball world.

But the dream didn’t last. Financial difficulties, a players’ strike in 1994 (when the Expos were leading the league), and ownership struggles led to a slow decline. In 2004, the team was moved to Washington, D.C., becoming the Nationals. Montrealers were heartbroken. The city had lost not only a baseball team but also a part of its soul.

Today, the new Netflix documentary Who Killed the Montreal Expos? explores what went wrong and why the team’s departure still resonates so deeply. It reveals that the Expos were more than a sports franchise—they were a reflection of what it means to be a Montrealer: passionate, multicultural, and a little rebellious.

The Expos’ story parallels that of FC Barcelona, a club famous for being “more than a club” (més que un club). Just as Barcelona represents Catalan pride and resistance within Spain, the Expos represented Quebec’s place in Canada and Montreal’s place in North America. Supporting the team was a way to express belonging—to say, we are here, and we are unique.

The loss of the Expos reminds us how sports can shape a city’s identity. Teams don’t just play games—they carry the emotions, values, and dreams of their people. And even if the Expos are gone, their legacy lives on every time a Montrealer puts on that iconic tri-color cap and remembers what once was.

KEY THEMES

  • Sports as cultural identity

  • The dual identity of being Québécois and Canadian

  • Montreal’s unique multicultural character

  • Pride, nostalgia, and belonging

  • Parallels with FC Barcelona and Catalan identity

  • How sports reflect the soul of a city

1. VOCABULARY MATCH  

  1. Rebellious — ( ) A feeling of satisfaction and respect for one’s identity

  2. Franchise — ( )  A symbol or object that represents something important

  3. Legacy — ( ) One of a kind; unlike anything else

  4. Multicultural — ( ) Resistant to control or convention

  5.  Emblem — ( ) Business rights given to operate under a larger brand

  6. Unique — ( ) The act of becoming worse or less powerful

  7. Pride — ( ) A lasting impact or inheritance

  8. Decline — ( ) To evoke shared emotions or memories

  9. Resonates — ( ) People of different languages or backgrounds living together

  10. Bilingual — ( ) Expressed or available in two languages

2.SYNONYM MATCH 

Match each word with its synonym from the text.

  1. Heartbroken — ( ) Character

  2. Decline — ( ) Challenges

  3. Legacy — ( ) Downturn

  4. Identity — ( ) Heritage

  5. Symbol — ( ) Distinctive

  6. Struggles — ( ) Emblem

  7. Unique — ( ) Represent

  8. Passionate — ( ) Honored

  9. Reflect — ( ) Devastated

  10. Proud — ( ) Enthusiastic

3.Questions:

  1. How can a sports team represent the culture and values of a city?

  2. Why do people feel so emotionally attached to local teams?

  3. What happens to a city’s identity when its team disappears?

  4. Can you think of another team that symbolizes regional pride like FC Barcelona or the Expos?

  5. How does globalization affect local sports and communities?

4. Role Play: “The Return of the Expos”

Roles:

  1. Montreal city official

  2. Sports journalist

  3. Local fan (Francophone)

  4. Local fan (Anglophone)

  5. Business investor

  6. Former Expos player

Task:

  • Role-play a meeting about whether to bring the Montreal Expos back.

  • Each role expresses a unique perspective (emotional, financial, cultural).

  • Discuss the benefits and challenges of reviving the team.

  • End by voting on whether the Expos should return to Montreal.

 5. FILL-IN-THE-BLANKS

bilingual – resonate – identity – club – outside – legacy – killed – emblem – soul – strike

Complete the sentences below using words from the box:

  1. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball team __________ the United States.

  2. Montreal’s __________ identity made the team especially symbolic.

  3. The 1994 players’ __________ destroyed the team’s best chance at a championship.

  4. The team’s colors and logo became an __________ of city pride.

  5. The Netflix documentary asks: Who __________ the Montreal Expos?

  6. Montrealers still feel the loss because the team represented their __________.

  7. FC Barcelona, like the Expos, is known for being more than just a __________.

  8. Losing the Expos felt like losing part of the city’s __________.

  9. The Expos’ story continues to __________ with fans even today.

  10. Their __________ reminds us that sports can shape identity.

6. Role Play: “The Return of the Expos”

Roles:

  1. Montreal city official

  2. Sports journalist

  3. Local fan (Francophone)

  4. Local fan (Anglophone)

  5. Business investor

  6. Former Expos player

Task:

  • Role-play a meeting about whether to bring the Montreal Expos back.

  • Each role expresses a unique perspective (emotional, financial, cultural).

  • Discuss the benefits and challenges of reviving the team.

  • End by voting on whether the Expos should return to Montreal.

7. FC Barcelona and the Montreal Expos have a few things in common. Choose one from the list and expand on it. (Either focus on what you know about one or talk about both). 

  1. Deep cultural and regional identity

  2. Strong bilingual / multilingual environments

  3. Financial struggles and ownership challenges

  4. Politically symbolic organizations

  5. Passionate, community-driven fan bases

  6. Iconic but ultimately problematic stadiums

  7. Periods of dominance followed by decline

  8. Global recognition despite local challenges

  9.  Distinctive branding

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