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Major League Baseball could expand to 32 teams. If MLB does add two franchises, which cities would be the top contenders for an expansion team?
Professional sports have no universal standard for how many teams can exist in an individual league. There is no uniformity even in the United States' four major pro sports (football, basketball, baseball, and hockey).
The NFL has 32 teams, which can be easier to schedule for regular-season and playoff purposes because it is divisible by four. The NHL also reached 32 teams with its recent expansions. The NBA and MLB, however, remain at 30 teams each.
But what if that changed? Expansion has been a major topic of discussion throughout MLB circles, and it sounds like expansion is a matter of "when" rather than "if." Here's a look at which cities are the top contenders for new MLB franchises.
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Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas should be the first team mentioned here because they are almost a lock to get an MLB team. As of now, the Oakland Athletics are working toward relocating to Las Vegas. An exact timeframe is unclear, but it should be noted that the Athletics released renderings for a 33,000-seat ballpark in Vegas.
Of course, there are still some hurdles to clear. The belief is that the Athletics' relocation isn't set in stone, whether that's due to hesitancy from ownership, the city of Las Vegas, or both.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is a passionate sports city that serves as a home to both the NFL's Panthers and the NBA's Hornets. There is no MLB team in the city, but there is a minor league team (Charlotte Knights, Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox). Charlotte also has the second-largest population among the five cities on this list, as well as a generally strong economy.
Any legitimate expansion city is typically represented by a group, which is where the Charlotte MLB Project comes in. The group shares fan interest data and petitions on their Facebook page, trying to strengthen Charlotte's case for a new MLB club.
Montreal, Quebec
Montreal lost its previous team, the Expos, but their proven track record hosting an MLB team could make them an instant favorite to land the league's next expansion franchise. They have experience attracting fans to games, and such an expansion would also give Canadians a second team to support alongside the Toronto Blue Jays.
There has certainly been some interest in bringing an MLB team north of the border. Back in 2019, the Tampa Bay Rays received MLB's blessing to split their season between Montreal and St. Petersburg, Fla., but the City of St. Petersburg opposed the idea.
Portland, Oregon
Portland isn't a booming sports city, playing host to just one of the major four leagues (NBA's Trailer Blazers). The Portland Diamond Project is spearheading efforts to bring an MLB club to Oregon, though, and while they lack the concrete plans needed to make expansion a reality, Portland believes a baseball stadium could deliver "a potential boon to the city’s urban core."
With five California teams and one Washington team in MLB, would adding an Oregon club make the league too crowded? Most likely not. In fact, if MLB introduces two new teams, they would be wise to add one in the eastern half of the country and one out west, such as Portland.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville has two major sports teams, the NFL's Titans and the NHL's Predators. The NBA's Memphis Grizzlies are roughly 200 miles away. One could argue that an MLB team is exactly what Nashville needs to round out its sports culture.
Music City Baseball agrees. The group is pushing hard to bring Nashville an MLB city and even hired respected executive Dave Dombrowski to serve as a consultant and advisor before he took a top job with the Philadelphia Phillies. Nevertheless, adding someone like Dombrowski — even if it was short-lived — emphasizes Music City Baseball's serious desire to land a team in Tennessee. Don Mattingly and Dave Stewart have also been affiliated with the group's efforts.
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