MLB Expansion
- rossmelen91
- Oct 24, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 27, 2020
It's been 22 seasons since there has been MLB expansion. The two teams added prior to the 1998 season were the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays. There have been rumors swirling for years about potential markets for baseball teams. Unfortunately, most these rumors include the relocation of a current team. However, looking at other sports and trends it's not inconceivable to see expansion in the near future.
The NFL has 32 teams and the NHL will be at 32 teams when the Seattle Kraken join in 2021-2022. The NBA currently has 30 teams, but there has been speculation for expansion ever since the Supersonics moved to Oklahoma City. Below are some markets that would be worth considering for the MLB:
Most likely potential markets
Portland
Nashville
Las Vegas
Charlotte
Montreal
Vancouver
The website below is an amazing reference for why each city deserves recognition:
Cities to consider:
Austin, TX
Louisville, KY
Indianapolis, IN
San Antonio, TX
Why Portland & Nashville?
Portland
Why - the renderings for a stadium have already been mocked up. This preparation will benefit the city in convincing the MLB that Portland is ready. It's also a city that is listed in the top 25 most populous metropolitan areas. By many census studies, Portland has a larger market than Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Kansas City among others. Another Pacific Northwest team could help grow the interest of baseball in this area, as well as foster a fun and competitive rival for the Seattle Mariners.
Why Not - will Portland support an MLB organization? Especially, down the road if the team isn't performing on the field? We have seen how great the fans are towards the Blazers, Thorns, and Timbers. However, these seasons aren't nearly as long as that of an MLB schedule. Detractors will consistently bring up how many minor league teams have relocated out of Portland in the past.
Nashville
Why - it's a poppin' city that is on the rise. Along with Las Vegas and Austin, Nashville seems to be the popular destination nowadays. Many of these visitors love it so much they end up moving there. The MLB has utilized the city of Nashville for their Winter Meetings, and this is something that cannot be ignored. Music City Baseball, the official leader in bringing baseball to Nashville, has notable names behind the project. A few of these names include Dave Stewart, Dave Dombrowski, Tony La Russa, and Justin Timberlake.
Why Not - the Nashville market teeters on being a top 30 metropolitan area. Is the market size already saturated with too many professional sports organizations? They already have the Titans (NFL), Predators (NHL), and Nashville SC (MLS). Not to mention the Triple-A affiliate (Nashville Sounds) of the Texas Rangers.
Website: https://www.mlbmusiccity.com/
By adding 2 teams to Major League Baseball you could model the divisions like the NFL. Below is a mock-up of what division alignments could like like:
AL West
Seattle Mariners
Portland Baseball Team
Oakland Athletics
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
NL West
San Francisco Giants
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
Arizona Diamondbacks
AL Midwest
Houston Astros
Texas Rangers
Kansas City Royals
Chicago White Sox
NL Midwest
Colorado Rockies
St. Louis Cardinals
Chicago Cubs
Nashville Baseball Team
AL Great Lakes
Cleveland Indians
Minnesota Twins
Detroit Tigers
Toronto Blue Jays
NL Great Lakes
Cincinnati Reds
Pittsburgh Pirates
Milwaukee Brewers
Washington Nationals
AL East
Tampa Bay Rays
New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox
Baltimore Orioles
NL East
Miami Marlins
Atlanta Braves
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Playoff Scenarios
Every division winner makes the postseason. After division winners, the next three best records will qualify for the postseason. Thus, 7 teams per league (14 total) will make the postseason. The best record from each league will qualify for a first round bye. The seeding would like:
2 seed vs. 7 seed
3 seed vs. 6 seed
4 seed vs. 5 seed
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