BASEBALL Johnson no longer planning to purchase Montreal Expos

The BET founder said he is too busy with the NBA expansion team in Charlotte.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Robert Johnson no longer plans to buy the Montreal Expos and move them to the Washington area, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.
Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, told the newspaper he was too involved with the NBA expansion team in Charlotte he recently purchased. Johnson also said his partner in the baseball bid, Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, would not pursue a team without him.
"It's particularly a lot to do at the pace baseball is moving," Johnson said. "If it was moving faster ... I could perhaps be more aggressive in making things happen."
The other 29 clubs bought the Expos before the 2002 season from Jeffrey Loria for $120 million. Because the team has drawn poorly in recent years at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, baseball moved 22 of the Expos' 81 home games this season to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Interested locations
Northern Virginia; Portland, Ore., and Washington, D.C., are trying to lure the Expos, but baseball wants financing in place for a ballpark before making a decision.
"Our discussions with the interested communities are intended to ensure the success of a franchise in whatever location is ultimately settled upon," said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, in an e-mail to the Post. "This decision should not and will not be rushed."
Johnson paid $300 million for an NBA franchise that will start play in the 2004-05 season.