Has Major League Baseball Already Picked Its Expansion Cities?
MLB expansion looks closer than ever
The baseball world got a jolt this month when Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred once again discussed the potential for expansion teams.
This wasn't new. Manfred's previously discussed the desire across the sport to add two more teams, and a number of cities have already started lining up ownership groups, bids, and potential stadium sites. Potential options include Portland, Salt Lake City, Nashville, Austin, Montreal, San Jose, or Orlando.
But a new report has suggested that the league may have already picked where it wants to go, and that Manfred's spoken about it with the current owners as all but decided.
RELATED: How Would Potential MLB Geographic Realignment Work? Not Well
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. (Photo by Tony Avelar/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
MLB Expansion, Geographic Realignment Seems All But Inevitable
Bob Nightengale from USA Today reported this week that expansion is essentially "scheduled" for 2031 or 2032. He also said Manfred has told the existing 30 owners that "Salt Lake City and Nashville" are the "two heavy favorites."
For the most part, it makes sense.
Nashville is a rapidly growing city in a region that Major League Baseball wants to grab a footprint in. It has a corporate base that can support suites and high-priced season tickets. There's a demonstrated interest in baseball, with the success of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds and Vanderbilt. And Nashville is a travel destination, providing an opportunity for an even bigger audience than just the metropolitan area.
Salt Lake City is a bit tougher to understand. Yes, it's a rapidly growing area. But it would still be the smallest market in MLB, by a wide margin, and mountain elevation has proven an extremely difficult obstacle to overcome for the Colorado Rockies. But it would grow the league in the Mountain Time Zone and provide an obvious geographic partner for say, the Las Vegas Athletics.
Geographic realignment could work well, with both cities. Nashville could be grouped with Atlanta, Tampa and Miami in a four-team division. Or lumped in with say, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Kansas City in a larger, eight-team division. Salt Lake is similar. An expansion team there could fit with Seattle, Las Vegas and Arizona in a four-team division. Or in a larger west coast configuration, put with San Francisco, Seattle, LA, Anaheim, San Diego, Las Vegas and Phoenix.
There's a long way to go before the 2030's, so fans in Nashville and Salt Lake City can't celebrate yet. But it's reasonable to get excited.