Who Killed the Montreal Expos?

In 1969, for the first time in Major League Baseball history, a team from outside the United States begins its regular season. The birth of the Expos grants Montreal to become part of the "Major Leagues," a great privilege for this French-speaking city with a unique character in North America. 32 years later, on September 29th, 2004, tears roll down the cheeks of supporters standing inside of Olympic Stadium. Heartbroken, they are witnessing the last home game of their cherished ball club, a night they will never forget. Reminiscing the team’s later years with, as a backdrop, nostalgia for their glorious times.

Who Killed the Montreal Expos? retells the saga leading to the sale of the Montreal Expos in 2004. It seeks, among other things, to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the team’s departure, while also exposing the impact it had on the lives of employees and fans. A true love story, which unraveled into a painful breakup. Situating it in the social and historical contexts of the time, the doc revisits the organization’s prevalence in the lives of Quebecers. It is an opportunity to convey the full range of emotions stirred by the Expos, and to help understand why baseball is much more than just a sport.

Journalists who covered the events reveal the backstage maneuvering, the twists and turns that led to the Expos’ sad fate. Through this plot, worthy of great sports movies, the documentary revives some of the key events in the team’s history. Relying on substantial archival footage and a retrospective soundtrack, it evokes nostalgia among viewers. The story is told through the powerful testimonies of executives, former players, sports reporters, club employees, and longtime fans. Although it focuses on the final five years of the team, the documentary also features many flashbacks to memorable moments, which undoubtedly helps viewers understand why the club’s move was so painful. The human angle is at the heart of the documentary, and the protagonists offer their views on the story with candor and emotion. They paint a striking, stirring, yet objective portrait of the case.