Future MLB Expansion
Other Markets Await Major League Baseball
It’s been exactly 10 years since Major League Baseball last expanded.
Back in 1998, two new teams came onto the scene when the Arizona Diamondbacks joined the National League and the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays started playing in the American League. MLB currently has 30 teams, the same as the NBA and NHL. The NFL has 32 teams.
Since that time, baseball had gone through a turbulent period making any future expansion talk a mute subject.
In the early 2000’s, the owners were still at war with the players union, who were opposed to anything resembling a salary cap.
The Montreal Expos were in trouble, with the strike of 1994 killing the baseball spirit in that city. The Expos moved to Washington in 2005 and became the Nationals. The nation's capital had its first team since the Senators moved to Texas in 1973.
It also wasn’t that long ago when commissioner Bud Selig was considering contracting two teams. One would have been the Expos. The other, while unknown, was rumored to be the Minnesota Twins, causing an outcry in that market.
MLB setting attendance records
The baseball owners and players union have temporarily settled their differences with a collective bargaining agreement that benefits small market clubs.
New stadiums have been opening every year and teams have been drawing record crowds. The Nationals started playing in their new digs in 2008; the New York Mets and Yankees open new venues in 2009, and the Minnesota Twins doing the same in 2010.
The two Florida teams, the Marlins and Rays, have stadium plans in place with target dates of 2011.
The only team that still might have issues is the Oakland A’s, whose plan to move to nearby Freemont is not going as planned.
Cities that could host MLB
There are still plenty of markets in the United States, and yes, Canada that could host a team for any potential moves of franchises, or for future expansion.
The A’s currently share the Bay Area market with the San Francisco Giants. If they every decide to leave, cities like Portland, Oregon, or Las Vegas, Nev. would welcome them with open arms.
San Antonio made an inquiry about the future of the Marlins as early as 2007, but they were told that the franchise wanted to try to work things out in Miami.
Charlotte, N.C.. is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and could one day host an MLB franchise,
Then there is Montreal, Quebec. While Expos fans didn’t show up in the team’s latter years, they did host MLB for over 30 years. A new stadium is all that city needs.
What do you think about this article?
Comments
Latest Articles