A partnership between Montreal production company Attraction and streaming platform Netflix will release a documentary about the departure of the Montreal Expos.
This currently untitled documentary looks at the various steps that led to the Expos' eventual departure in 2004 and their move to Washington, where the Nationals won the 2019 World Series.
Rodger Brulotte was associated with the Expos in various roles from its founding in 1969 until his departure and was asked by Attraction to contribute to a video presented to potential partners to finance the project.
“It's incredible that they were able to get financing and come to an agreement with Netflix,” the baseball analyst told TVA Sports. I have no idea when production will begin, but I have been contacted to take part. There are only a few people left who have lived the story from 1969 to today. Congratulations on finding funding and recognition for a documentary presented in both languages.”
Interested in playing baseball
Brulotte welcomes the broadcast of a documentary about our Z'Amours. “There will certainly be negative moments in the sale,” he said, “but the most important one is not there.” The most important thing is to see what the Expos have made possible with the development of local players like Russell Martin, Éric Gagné and Denis Boucher, all of whom reached the major leagues. “It won’t change the eventual return of a team to Montreal, but I hope it will encourage more young people to play baseball.”
“A Living Mourning”
Will the airing of this documentary cut the knife into the wounds of die-hard Expos fans? “The Expos are a living mourning,” he concluded. We wake up every morning and they are no longer there. It's like Jean Coutu, who sold his pharmacies to the Americans. He sees his pharmacies every morning, but they no longer belong to him.
Brulotte is convinced that the documentary will generate great interest. “There’s no doubt the interest will be there,” he said. There are still expos for people over 40. The continuity happens in Tampa Bay, where the Rays develop young players and then trade them because they can't pay them. They take part, but in the end they can't win. They always start over, like the Expos did.”
The producer of the documentary with Marie-Christine Pouliot, President of Attractions Richard Speer, is enthusiastic about this project. “It is with great pride and excitement that Attraction announces the first project to emerge from our partnership with Netflix,” he said in a press release issued by Netflix. The Expos were the first MLB team outside the United States and, despite moving from Montreal, still have passionate fans to this day. This film will tell the story of the team through the stories of those who lived it.”
The production was entrusted to Jean-François Poisson.
In 2004, Quebec's popular Expos left Montreal. A new documentary on Netflix will explore the setbacks that led to the baseball team's departure and how it continues to spark debate 20 years later. pic.twitter.com/tyTFvLstVf
– Netflix (@netflix) February 21, 2024