I know that MLB has an exemption from certain antitrust laws in the United States; however, since two of the franchises (as well as numerous minor league teams) are located in Canada, wouldn’t Canadian law be in effect? I’m thinking in particular of the Montreal Expos, whose ownership would raise questions in the U.S. if not for the exemption. Does Canada just not care, or are their antitrust regulations not applicable, or what?
I believe that since MLB is headquartered and incorporated in the US, Canadian laws are not applicable.
MLB teams are not MLB. Canadian law still applies.
But MLB still holds the power to relocate the Expos. Another team could not unilaterally move into Montreal either in an attempt to take over the area.
So, is the OP referring to the situation where the Expos franchise is operated by the other 29 owners?
Is that an antitrust issue?
But MLB is carrying on business in Canada, so to that extent it is subject to Canadian laws, just like a Canadian company carrying on business in the States is subject to US anti-trust law.
However, I don’t know the answer to the substantive question posed in the OP.
If the Canadian government could intervene legally to do something about the Expos, wouldn’t it have done so by now?
Gosh, no, why would it? The provincial government has refused to support constructing a stadium - why invest time and effort into preventing the team from moving? The Expos under Claude Brochu burny pretty much every bridge they had to government and local business. They aren’t supported because they’ve driven everyone away with their horrible behaviour.
Much is made of the anti-trust exemption but in practice MLB does not operate THAT differently from other sports leagues. The thing to bear in mind is that in theory anti-trust law should allow team owners to move at will, the various idiotic franchise moves in the NFL being a prime example. MLB has quite deliberately KEPT the Expos in Montreal even after the team has lost all local support. The Canadian and Quebec governments don’t have any reason to act based on anti-trust. What’s being lost to Canada? The team’s still there.
But I think the OP wants to know if the Canadian government had the power to intervene and prevent the joint ownership of the Expos by the other 29 owners?
Obviously, the Canadian and Quebec provincial government don’t want to intervene, but if they did would either have much chance of prevailing in a legal action?
What sort of legal sanctions could the Canadian government hope to impose on MLB anyway? I would think faced with a hostile government, MLB would just pick up its Canadian franchises and move them somewhere else.