Expansion in MLB

[BMAN]

Yeah, I'll probably check it out, but some MLB action would be tight.

I’ve been to Charlotte once, drove/walked past it a couple times and the ballpark looks pretty nice.

 

[Steve_424]

Interesting that Portland popped up. They don't really have a minor league team other than a suburban short season team. That actually gives a city an edge as most of these cities just built new minor league ballparks that they're still paying for.

As for the rest:
Montreal: No minor league team. But didn't support their team.
Mexico: No player will want to sign for up for living in a 3rd world country.
Louisville and Indy: just built modern minor league downtown ballparks recently


San Antonio: Doesn't have a new stadium and could be holding out for a major league team.

Much of the Expos' problems rooted from the stadium being a shithole that wasn't close enough to downtown. Loria sabotaged the team trying to move them.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

I would be fairly surprised to see Indy and Louisville allowed to cannibalize the Reds market.

 

[Peachtree]

I know Austin, TX has been desperately trying to get a professional team in any sport. Could also see San Antonio make a push, as those are two of the top-11 biggest cities (by population) in the country.

Just for fun, here's the top-30:

1. New York, New York - Yankees & Mets
2. Los Angeles, California - Angels & Dodgers
3. Chicago, Illinois - Cubs & White Sox
4. Houston, Texas - Astros
5. Phoenix, Arizona - Diamondbacks
6. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Phillies
7. San Antonio, Texas - San Antonio Missions (Double-A, Padres)
8. San Diego, California - Padres
9. Dallas, Texas - Rangers (Dallas-FW metro area)
10. San Jose, California - San Jose Giants (Class-A Adv., Giants)
11. Austin, Texas - Round Rock Express (Triple-A, Rangers)
12. Jacksonville, Florida - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Double-A, Marlins)
13. San Francisco, California - Giants
14. Columbus, Ohio - Columbus Clippers (Triple-A, Indians)
15. Indianapolis, Indiana - Indianapolis Indians (Triple-A, Pirates)
16. Fort Worth, Texas - Rangers (Dallas-FW metro area)
17. Charlotte, North Carolina - Charlotte Knights (Triple-A, White Sox)
18. Seattle, Washington - Mariners
19. Denver, Colorado - Rockies
20. El Paso, Texas - El Paso Chihuahuas (Triple-A, Padres)
21. Washington D.C. - Nationals
22. Boston, Massachusetts - Red Sox
23. Detroit, Michigan - Tigers
24. Nashville, Tennessee - Nashville Sound (Triple-A, A's)
25. Memphis, Tennessee - Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A, Cardinals)
26. Portland, Oregon - Hillsboro Hops, (Class-A short season, D'Backs)
27. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Oklahoma City Dodgers (Triple-A, Dodgers)
28. Las Vegas, Nevada - Las Vegas 51s (Triple-A, Mets)
29. Louisville, Kentucky - Louisville Bats (Triple-A, Reds)
30. Baltimore, Maryland - Orioles

Other cities like Cleveland, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, etc. fall out outside of the top-30, obviously.

Of these top-30, we can safely eliminate the following (in my opinion):
- Columbus (Indians/Reds divide the state and they already have a Triple-A team)
- San Jose (California has enough teams)
- Jacksonville (Florida baseball fans are horrible [see Marlins & Rays])
- Charlotte (can't see there being enough of a draw)
- El Paso (better options in Texas and they already have a Triple-A team)

Of the rest:
- I think Louisville, Memphis, and Nashville are all interesting options for an MLB team, but if an expansion were to happen, only one of these cities should get one. Louisville has an interesting history with baseball obviously with the Louisville Sluggers and the Louisville Cardinals college team is a great draw. They'd be my pick of the group.
- Next up would be San Antonio and Austin, Texas. Like above, if an expansion were to happen, I don't think both really need a team. I'd probably give one to San Antonio since Austin is right in the middle of the triangle of Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.
- Indianapolis would be another interesting midwest option. They already have the Pacers and Colts, and I think Indy's fans are good enough to deserve an actual big league club so that they don't have to root for the Tigers, Reds, or Chicago teams.
- Portland is another city that I think would be a great MLB option. Their fans are rabid for the Blazers and they don't even have a major minor league affiliate. The fit is almost perfect and would give the Mariners a bit of a neighbor.
- Las Vegas and Oklahoma City are both interesting, but I'm not really sure either of them need a baseball team. OKC neighbors Texas and their 9000 teams and Vegas just added their first major-4 sports club in the Knights. Their fans have been great, but I think an NBA team in Las Vegas would be a more logical choice.

Outside of the country, I think Mexico City and Montreal both make the most sense, along with potentially looking at Vancouver. Honestly, there's a bunch of interesting cities in Canada that could host an MLB club as long as they built a dome. Toronto is a great sports town, but I'd make sure to get the Expos back before anybody else got anything.

If we went big time and added a decent amount of teams, I think I'd go:
- Montreal
- Mexico City
- Louisville
- Indianapolis
- Portland
- San Antonio

I'm awful at putting divisions together, so I won't do that.

Would rather see the Rays moved first before any of this happens.

This is great, but MSA is a more accurate count for potential market size. If you sorted by MSA, Riverside, California is the lone top 20 metro area without a professional team. DC's population is less than 800k and Atlanta's is less than 500k, but they're two of the largest MSAs/markets in the country.

 

[Lee]

This is great, but MSA is a more accurate count for potential market size. If you sorted by MSA, Riverside, California is the lone top 20 metro area without a professional team. DC's population is less than 800k and Atlanta's is less than 500k, but they're two of the largest MSAs/markets in the country.

I was coming to say that exact thing. City size is meaningless, its really not MSA either, but the actual sports area. Atlanta has a strangle hold on Charlotte and Nashville which are obviously outside of their MSA.

 

[Peachtree]

I was coming to say that exact thing. City size is meaningless, its really not MSA either, but the actual sports area. Atlanta has a strangle hold on Charlotte and Nashville which are obviously outside of their MSA.

Yep, and St. Louis/Cincinnati/Boston are all pretty much regional teams as well.