Low Attendance Jeopardizes Ottawa Lynx Future in Canada - MLN Sports Zone

Crisis in Canada
Low attendance is jeopardizing yet another baseball team's existence up north.

Dan Hickling
MinorLeagueNews.com

Ottawa - 05.07.03 -- Ray Pecor says he didn't purchase the Ottawa Lynx to lose money.

He has though, by the millions, since acquiring the team back in 2000.

Pecor also says he didn't buy the 10-year old franchise just to move it, but he may have to do just that.

In fact, says the Vermont-based businessman, unless the club sees a dramatic spike in attendance over the next few months, the Lynx will likely be forced to desert Canada's national capital for more promising pastures south of the border.

If so, the International League will lose perhaps its most fascinating city. In fact, it will be "International" in name alone.

Nevertheless, Pecor vows to go down with both guns blazing.

"We're going to fight another round," he said.

The Lynx have done nothing but fight since Pecor, who also owns the short-season Single-A Burlington (Vt.) Expos (New York-Penn League), purchased the club from original owner Howard Darwin.

Pecor bought an operation in deep decline, one that was averaging less than
2,000 per game, where sellout crowds of 10,000 had once been the norm.

Despite the admirable effort led by Lynx dynamic young General Manager Kyle Bostwick, the franchise has seen only a modest up tick in fan and business support.

" It's a great community," Pecor said. "The city's wonderful, the ballpark (Lynx Stadium) is wonderful, I think we've got a good team. I keep asking, 'What are we doing wrong? What could we do differently?'"

It seems the deck has been stacked against Pecor, with one bad card after another turning face up.

The fan base had eroded badly under Darwin's stewardship for many reasons.

The former parent Montreal Expos, with too many problems of their own to count, wouldn't (or couldn't) send an competitive club to Ottawa.

Also, there is the harsh weather to overcome. April in Ottawa is more like January around most cities in the International League.

Then there is the NHL to compete with.

The Ottawa Senators, perennial Stanley Cup contenders, dominate the city's sports pages, sports conversation, and sporting dollar.

Just as baseball is the American pastime, everyone knows which sport really holds Canada's passion.

The list goes on and on.

So too does Pecor's sense of hope, despite the imposing odds.

"I haven't got any contracts to go someplace else," said Pecor, whose Lynx
are now in the first two years of an affiliation with the Baltimore Orioles.

The Orioles are said to be interested in having the Lynx move closer to
Baltimore. The O's Short-Season, Single-A, and Double-A farm clubs are all
within a two hour drive from Camden Yards.

Though, pulling up stakes and moving or selling is the last thing Pecor says he
wants to do.

"This is a love (for me)," he said. "It's something that I just want to work so badly. It's a real tug (on my heart) that it's not working out as well as I'd hoped. We've given it our heart. Now it's time to see the results."

Still, as his franchise is seemingly down and out in the bottom of the ninth, Pecor won't give up the chance of a rally.

"There's no question it's got to turn around somehow," Pecor said. "I just can't continue to put the money into it that I have the last three years. Hopefully, it's going to turn soon."