MLB Expansion EXPLAINED

Discussing MLB expansion timeline and how the process works
My Twitter - / realpatrickmcl

[@americandeathtrip6881]

Portland Homeless Encampments has a nice ring to it

[@rodneymorgan4211]

With the exception of maybe 7-8 teams, few teams are able to put people in the seats. Pretty embarrassing sometimes. Not sure adding more teams is a good idea

[@adanalyst6925]

Do you mean putting people in seats, or filling up seats? Most teams are averaging above 20k this year. But I agree the league is spread too thin and shouldn’t expand

[@recurrenTopology]

Does a team in SLC or Portland meaningfully impact attendance in Denver or Seattle? I think demand is primarily locally driven, not many people are traveling to watch an MLB game.

[@adanalyst6925]

@@recurrenTopologythat’s true. I think if MLb wants to continue to expand to smaller markets though they need to seriously think about reducing their season by 14ish games because the demand isn’t there in the smaller population markets

[@recurrenTopology]

@@adanalyst6925 That could make sense, especially if they coupled that with expanding the division series to best of 7.

[@adellis24]

@@recurrenTopology Portland is a piece of shit on its own, there is no way the MLB is investing in that hellscape they call a city.

[@zcorpalpha2462]

I don’t care 🤷 😂 I got my ATL Braves, all I need

[@SteamPowerPA]

The whole expansion plan is a joke. The quality of play will go down drastically and the idea of a bigger postseason bracket to include these teams will render the regular season as basically a joke. What is the point of playing the whole regular season and winning your division if a below .500 team can win the World Series. It’s all the owners greed that expansion is happening. I mean come on. How much more money do they need?

[@KittyPurrfect100]

Get rid of the blackout restrictions. Iowa gets blacked out of 6 teams

[@johnalbertson79]

Really hope Nashville gets a team. Such a great city with a loyal following of sports fans eager to get their shot at pro baseball.

[@merf3291]

Great city that’s now going full lib

[@warrenkemmer1307]

Yea I went to a Nashville sound triple a game before and had a blast they support that team well so I know they would love a MLB team there

[@Rsadidit]

Yes, as exemplified by the all the pro level Nashville teams such as _____ ummm oh wait they only have a state Titans team

[@willp.8120]

@@Rsadidit Nashville Predators, Tennessee Titans, and Nashville SC (NHL, NFL, MLS)

[@melindaking9522]

@@willp.8120 Nashville Stars

[@lordbraunschweiger7814]

They aren't even going to consider Portland... MLB wants nothing to do with that city and for good reason.

[@patrickwagner6247]

They wanted nothing to do with Atlanta recently. They switch politcal sides since then?

[@willp.8120]

​@@patrickwagner6247Atlanta is nearly three times the size of Portland. You can't ignore the "capital of the South" compared to a far left, granola eating hippie city.

[@patrickwagner6247]

@@willp.8120? My comment was talking about the politics they played against Atlanta (anti-repubkican stuff). So to now be anti-democrat, which is what the post seems to be saying, wouldn't make much sense.

[@maxfactor886]

There’s no group in Charlotte trying to get a team the way there is in Nashville, Orlando, SLC or Portland. The way that changes is Michael Jordan starting one. Not the MJ that tried baseball from 94-95, the MJ with $$ and who used to own the Hornets.

[@bobbowie9350]

MLB needs realignment desperately. These arent Leagues anymore, theyre conferences. Have the Dodgers, Angels, SD, LVA's, Dbacks, SF, mariners, maybe rockies the same div. or have an east and west conf, like NBA. 3 teams in each conference go to the playoffs. I know it will never happen ....

[@TheSonicsean]

I don't see expansion happening, not because the MLB is unpopular (though it is) but because the coming RSN apocalypse will irrevocably alter the MLB landscape.

[@fadercreek]

rsn?

[@TheSonicsean]

@fadercreek regional sports networks. Bally Sports (formerly Fox Sports) is bankrupt and not paying the teams. I think the AT&T ones are not being paid either

[@DemonixLive]

The RSN apocolypse will probably boost the probability of expansion because less money from tv contracts will make the expansion fee bonus for owners more apealing.

[@adellis24]

I just don’t get the socio-economics and political will from the failed city or Portland & the fractured state of Oregon to have it anywhere on this list. Heck if the league wanted another team in the PacNW, Vancouver would be a far superior option in every conceivable scenario.

[@jeremysilber7484]

Montreal needs the Expos

[@panowa8319]

The Mariners are the only team that do more traveling by distance. It will make sense if they were to add Portland, and perhaps Vancouver, as an expansion to cut down the cost and exhaustion of the players.

[@Beetlejuice67668]

No wouldn’t make sense at all plus they would pull from seattles market and they would struggle it’s a stupid move just support Seattle you don’t need baseball teams there

[@dogcowrph]

“The Rays will either more or stay”? What are the alternatives? Disband? 😆

[@ronaldriggs447]

I wonder how Charlotte and Nashville getting a team will effect the Braves market as they have tons of fans in North Carolina and Tennessee

[@willp.8120]

It won't affect attendance much at all. While we do get a fair number of fans from Tennessee and North Carolina, out of state fans are only about 15% of the fans who attend Braves games, if that. I base this on the parking lots and all the cars' license plates seen leaving the stadium area after the game. Both Charlotte and Nashville are each both about four hours drive time from Atlanta. My opinion is that they'll continue to support the Braves, but also their own team, which will gradually take over as the overwhelmingly primarily in about ten years. The Atlanta market is huge. Has over 6 million people in the metropolitan area, and about 7 million in the consolidated statistical area. The state of Georgia has 11 million people. Alabama would still support the Braves, and they have over 5 million people. The Chattanooga area of Tennessee would probably stay Braves fans, as would the western North Carolina mountains, and Greenville, South Carolina would probably split favorites with Atlanta and Charlotte, as it is about equal distance to both.

[@trclark7689]

Having lived in Nashville, I will say that surprisingly, there are a LOT of Cardinals, Reds, and Cubs fans in the city too, as well as the Braves, obviously.

[@mikeet69]

Related question. If MLB expands then where might MiLB expand as each new MLB franchise needs a farm system? Where might those teams be and how would the rosters be filled?

[@michaelmarkowski204]

If a city wants to even be considered for expansion, they need 1) A deep-pocketed owner / ownership group with the estimated $2B franchise expansion fee set aside and ready to pay along with plenty of additional monetary resources to keep the team financially stable and a contender for decades to come. 2) Detailed renderings of a new ballpark that has full financing already in place including any public money being requested and ready to put shovels in the ground as soon as they are granted a franchise. 3) Demonstrated passionate fan interest in having an MLB team in their city. Salt Lake City already has all three. If Nashville can get a commitment to any public funding they are requesting to get over the hump in funding a new ballpark, they would also have all three components in place.

[@trclark7689]

The Nashville group won't get any public funding. Nashville told the Titans no and they were only saved by the state stepping in and gifting them $500 million. The Nashville group is looking at cheaper property about 10 miles Northwest of downtown on the Tennessee State University campus and it'll probably be a LOT cheaper than trying to build one on the East Bank by the Titans stadium.

[@Edward_Nebiolo]

With an expansion, they would have to expand the minor league teams as well so the new teams has a minor league system

[@daveatkins3796]

MLB expansion is a great idea. New York City definitely needs a second team.

[@ocularpatdown]

lol

[@zacharyelder349]

Actually NYC already has 2 MLB teams.

[@daveatkins3796]

@@zacharyelder349 Someone obviously missed the joke

[@matthewkester3677]

Nashville and Salt Lake City make the most sense

[@willp.8120]

Charlotte and Austin make the most sense.

[@zackinwald9581]

No team will ever succeed in Utah especially if they have a game on Sunday

[@hifijohn]

They cant fill up the stadiums they have now.

[@patrickwagner6247]

So if they add 2 new teams will attandance for the entire MLB go up or down? When you realize it will go up, that's why. People in Salt Lake City Nashville, etc aren't going to the park's with low attendance anyhow. So that has no effect.

[@willp.8120]

@@patrickwagner6247 An intelligent response.

[@zcorpalpha2462]

“ We need a MLB Expansion Team in North Dakota 😂” Source “ Seriously “ Mike Francesa

[@iamfriendswithmissa]

i would love to see a baseball team in nashville tn or kentucky and one in salt lake city or bosie idaho texas has too much already they dont need another team

[@gracielynn9623]

MLB should not expand unless they expand to 36 teams. I don’t like some divisions having more teams than others. The only other option that I would except if it had to be just to 32 teams is it you do eight divisions of four with four divisions per league, or four divisions of eight and just do an east and west and split the central division between the east and west geographically.

[@jibbjabb43]

You don't have to split the conference into 3 divisions. Hell, you don't need to have conferences(although, at least Baseball does them better than Basketball and Hockey). Four divisions of 8 is fine.

[@S_Over_Street]

Travel is only a big issue for the Seattle Mariners. They’re the top team in MLB that puts in the most miles out of anyone. With the A’s moving from Oakland to Las Vegas, the Mariners closest opponent, that is a near 2 hour flight to a close to 3 hour flight. MLB free agents never want to sign with Seattle cause of the travel miles during the season. Expansion would somewhat benefit them if one of the 2 expansion teams were close to the west coast, Portland OR, SLC or a dark horse candidate (like Sacramento or Vancouver BC)

[@grapefruitsodags8387]

Bruh do you not know what's the San Francisco Giants are?

[@S_Over_Street]

@@grapefruitsodags8387 they’re not in the same division.

[@Vegaslocal]

I'm telling you right now: The A's moving to Las Vegas is going to change MLB for the better. Its not just a new stadium. Its a new attitude. IMO, I would move the Rays to Orlando (where I'm sure there is more $$ available), give Nashville and Salt Lake 2 new teams.

[@GuyIn801]

Excited at the prospect of MLB in SLC. The area is ripe for this and growing! BTW they should be named the Whitecaps for the snow covered mountain tops. These will be visible in the spring season.

[@adanalyst6925]

Should be interesting if they get a team, I’ll likely still be around

[@tylerwest7937]

Whitecaps is a cool name but also would love the gulls and there colors

[@colourfaze86]

Or call them the Mormons.

[@milbear905]

If SLC gets MLB its only appropriate to take the Bees from the minor league team. Seagulls are flying rats 😆.

[@trikk9964]

... yes.

[@mrbaliles2210]

Thanks for the upload. Charlotte and Salt Lake City or San Antonio would be my expansion hopes. I think 4 divisions of 4 teams each in both leagues would work the best. All 4 division winners quality for the postseason as seeds 1-4. Meanwhile 5 vs 8 and 6 vs 7 in a one game playoff wildcard. Then the highest seed left plays #3 in a best of 3 wildcard series and the other winner plays #4. Then it's the best of 5 division series in the next round and so forth.

[@metaljuan]

Don't say "the MLB" thanks

[@TonysMusic1974]

It's not "THE MLB!!!!" It's just "MLB". Would you say "the major league baseball?" No! But you would say "The National Hockey League." It's basic grammar bruh!

[@JB-bs1se]

Who would go to Portland for an MLB game with the disaster that city is?

[@colourfaze86]

Nobody.

[@subgum3403]

Pdx's problems are overblow

[@cinzo1361]

Salt lake city has an altitude of 4,265. 1,000 lower than Denver. Could be interesting.

[@reesejabs1895]

There should be NO expansion of MLB! There are simply not enough MLB quality players for that. All it would do is dilute everyone else's teams.

[@pixeltaco9782]

the schedule is going to be a clusterfuck because the mlb does not want to lose red sox yankees type games even more than they did with the more balanced schedule

[@ocularpatdown]

Montreal, QC, and Portland, OR, move the Rockies to NL Central and Blue Jays to AL Central. The Yankees in the NL? Now, I wouldn't consider myself a NYY fan, but whoever mentioned a league shift for that team spoke heresy. And give Reggie a chance to own a team!

[@jerryharrison1946]

Every time MLB has left a city with a single team, they have returned to that city. Left Washington, returned twice, left Seattle brought in the Mariners, left KC brought in the Royals, left Milwaukee brought in the Brewers, NL left NYC, brought in the Mets, don't be surprised if its Montreal.

[@spookyshark632]

Go back to East/West AL/NL. Top 3 teams from each division make playoffs with division winners getting a first round bye.

[@jasonsullivan5827]

Nashville in NL and Montreal AL

[@matthewsmith2241]

I would flip the two. Montreal in NL from old days so that 1) you get old Interleague rival w/ Toronto like before that Blue Jays miss and 2) have a rivalry with Washington Nationals (original Expos before move). Nashville in AL as arguably there's very few in the south.

[@richardrose2606]

Adding new teams is pointless until the competitiveness problem is solved. Without a salary minimum and other incentives too many of the current teams are nothing more than 4A player development teams for the big market teams. My solution is to expand to 40 teams with a two tier organization like European soccer. Each league would have a Tier I and Tier II, each with two 5 team divisions. Every for or five years teams would be moved between the tiers based on success or failure. Tier II teams would play Tier I teams in their own league and the other Tier II teams. Six Tier I teams and two Tier II teams would go to the playoffs. No wildcard teams and one game to break a tie in any tier. For teams perpetually in Tier II there would eventually be great pressure on the owners to either spend more money or sell the team.

[@williambozek5458]

I know darn well the MLB may be forced to compensate them by giving Oakland a new MLB team just like how the NFL to with Cleveland in the 90's and the A's moving to Las Vegas might force expansion to come sooner and 6 new teams establishing in the same years they exist

[@jibbjabb43]

Oakland likely won't fight for this unless they can scrape a plan together to replace the Coliseum, likely before they leave. While I can 100% say I don't have all of the details on why Cleveland specifically pulled it off, Oakland made no effort to save the (debatably more important) Raiders. St Louis got a pay day for the Rams, but that also had bad lying involved.

[@donaldduck2756]

Reading some of the comments… Heck nah to Nashville 😤 Bring it to Charlotte. 😤 acting like the Charlotte Knights doesn’t have a good attendance. and no we won’t “stick with the minors” we want the Majors in the City.

[@jjj32801]

I put money down to reserve season tickets many years ago for the potential Orlando team. St. Pete won. I am ready to put money down for an Orlando team. Thanks goodness they are looking at 35 acre facility out by Sea World instead of a depressed and unsafe inner city site. Rays are my team so I would love to see them move here. Go Dreamers!

[@williambozek5458]

2 new teams < 6 new teams

[@timphares3061]

Montreal!

[@sirchi8731]

Is Oakland city government working on a plan to bring a expansion team to Oakland??? Or....sitting on their hands

[@aaronblaylock2092]

Oakland needs to work out an agreement with MLB to leave the name and history of the A's in Oakland like the NFL did the Browns and let the Las Vegas team rebrand and give Oakland a chance to find a new ownership group, pay the expansion fee and bring the team back in a few years with a new stadium to follow

[@sirchi8731]

@@aaronblaylock2092 well I need to see more effort from the citizens of Oakland as well as city leaders because they're keep crying about the Athletics but they are not putting in the work like a committee somebody to watch over the money so that way when Rob Manfred comes around they'll be ready but this hole we don't like you you need to sell or Mannford needs to step down before we do business that's not going to work and that's only with teenagers do and unfortunately Oakland's acting like a teenager

[@sirchi8731]

@@aaronblaylock2092 and one more thing the bottom getting from the Bay Area seem like a lot of casual fans in the Bay Area will give the San Francisco Giants the Warriors treatment now when it comes to football it's still going to be another 10 or 20 years before the bay comes around to the 49ers completely but it's split with Raiders and 49ers even to this day

[@willp.8120]

The Bay area is too small for two teams in this day and time. Changing demographics are chasing away the white fan base, and Asians and Hispanics don't attend enough to make up the difference. Chicago should also lose the White Sox given their lousy attendance. Baltimore should be relocated as it is too close to two other MLB cities.

[@xaviersaavedra7442]

My hope is Sacramento and Montreal. Two teams on opposite coasts with one in the American league and one in the national league respectively.

[@timphares3061]

Manfraud has already asked Oakland if it would accept an expansion team, and the Warriors' owner seems to be interested in one.

[@chalkywhitelll8448]

Salt Lake City would be great for MLB. All those families. I think Charlotte should get the other one

[@ThePoliticalAv]

some of the AAA Teams have good or historic names I think should be used if the MLB expands to them

[@johnfitzpatrick3094]

I don't think there's going to be any expansion anytime soon.

[@Jasinho10]

Thank you for your mention about the Central division teams leaving a lot to be desired. To me that is enough of a case to revert to four eight-team divisions like it was in the 70s and 80s when baseball was the most competitive. This time around will be a more geographic alignment. If in fact Salt Lake City is awarded a team, that would throw a wrench into my planned West Division which would consist of the current NL West plus the A's, Angels, and Mariners. All teams would be either on the mountain or pacific time zones for division games, therefore reduced travel necessities.

[@joegonzales1932]

Charlotte and Nashville are located in the South, idk anyone who refers to those cities as East Coast.

[@squidMB]

Honestly i think utah has a better chance of relocating the coyotes then getting a mlb team

[@DemonixLive]

As a Utahn it is crazy how fast the conversation has grown from forever 1 team city to a real possibility of having an NBA team, MLB team, and NHL team, although still certainly unlikely to get all 3.

[@marcuspoe8982]

Any updates on the field of dreams renovations?

[@ShantyIrishman]

AL East Yanks Sawks Rays Orioles AL North Jays Guardians Tigers White Sox Al South Rangers Astros Twins Royals AL West As Angels Mariners Vancouver NL East Mets Phillies Nats Marlins NL North Cubs Brewers Cards Rockies NL South Braves Nashville Reds Pirates NL West Diamondbacks Dodgers Giants Padres

[@LeCommieBoi]

Where Montréal?

[@slibertas1996]

Indy deserves a franchise. Oakland is not moving to Vegas

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

Not expanding till the stadiums areas are fixed

[@michaelmarkowski204]

About time SLC is being recognized as the likely second expansion team city in addition to Nashville. I saw a list of odds a while back that didn't even have them on the list.

[@willp.8120]

Charlotte is a better choice than SLC.

[@michaelmarkowski204]

@@willp.8120 One team in the East (Nashville) and one in the West (SLC). SLC has all their ducks in a row to get one of the two MLB expansion franchises: A deep-pocketed ownership group, the $2B expansion fee, a great site with a new ballpark fully financed and ready to be built as soon as MLB awards them a franchise, and sports fans who want an MLB franchise more than even an NFL team as per surveys. Watch and see.

[@willp.8120]

@@michaelmarkowski204 Let's just stop acting like the west needs a team every time. There are three divisions, so if you are looking to add teams, having two eastern teams, one in each league, doesn't change anything or make it unattainable. Either way, one division will have more teams than the other two in each league. The NL Central used to have 6 teams while the AL West had only four teams. Furthermore, the SOUTH is underserved given the population. The Midwest is over served for their population. It is time to make things a bit more balanced, so if you are going to add only two teams both should be in the South.

[@michaelmarkowski204]

@@willp.8120 32 teams in total. 16 National. 16 American. My hunch is eight divisions of 4 teams each or four divisions of 8 teams each. You can wish all you want, but the owners, commissioner, and (to a certain extent) the players union are the ones that decide if and when which teams go where, be it expansion or relocation. I believe the Rays will get a new ballpark in one of St. Pete's, Tampa, or failing that, Orlando. Nashville and SLC are the heavy favorites to be the two expansion franchises. After that, the only other southern city that has a chance in my view to get a team anytime over the next 15-20 years is in fact Charlotte in a relocation scenario, and that's provided they have a fully-financed new ballpark ready to be built in a desirable location, demonstrated strong fan interest in buying tickets to go to MLB games, and an owner in another city that finds himself / herself in an Oakland-like situation and wants to move the team there or sell the team to another deep-pocketed entity that wants to bring MLB to Charlotte.

[@BaseballPlayer0]

Pls list odds in the trditionl formt, pls. x to 1. no plus minus nonsense

[@LeighMet]

Tampa Bays stays and thats a good thing.

[@KittyPurrfect100]

Why couldn’t MLB have a rule that allows free substitution for 2 way players except the pitcher and DH? Definitely for catchers if necessary when you have run out of catchers

[@slibertas1996]

If they want to expand we need to abolish the DH

[@slibertas1996]

Montreal also needs the Expos back

[@dreamcage1801]

Montreal needs to get the Expos back

[@canada87699]

Montreal has been suffering for a team

[@ucfknight07]

Funny to think that the Central Divisions have only been around since the 90’s…

[@willp.8120]

Only if you are young. The central divisions were made in 1994. The Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds played in the NL West when there were only the east and west divisions.

[@DennyJr22]

Expansion would be stupid. The MLB already has a major issue with small market teams competing without a salary cap and by default any new team would be a small market. Of the favorites listed (not including Montreal) Nashville would be the highest media market at #21 and Charlotte highest populated metro area at #23 in the US. They would need ownership that is bought in and willing to spend for it to be successful long term, not a team like the Royals, A's etc.

[@robserrano8971]

PORTLAND LUMBERJAX AL WEST, SALT LAKE CITY STINGERS NL WEST, NASHVILLE STARS NL CENTRAL, INDIANA STALLIONS AL CENTRAL, MONTREAL EXPOS AL EAST, CAROLINA COPPERHEADS NL EAST.

[@colourfaze86]

Indiana can go to a Nashville or Reds game.

[@robserrano8971]

@@colourfaze86 hell yeah... summer road trip w da fambam

[@grantgerhardt2844]

How did Arizona make history, when the marlins won it all in their first season?

[@tripleb1916]

The Marlins didn't win it all in it's first year

[@tomandrews2887]

How would the players association allow contract players to be unprotected? Stanton got a great deal for himself. Hes a 10-5 guy. He signed a deal to play in NYC. I cant imagine the PA would allow him ti be shipped off to Salt Lake City.

[@michaelmarkowski204]

Rays get new ballpark in either St. Pete's or (more likely) Tampa, and failing that, Orlando, which is ready to build one if a team will commit to relocating there. MLB doesn't want the Rays to leave Florida.

[@princeofdarknessxyz1]

we need a 3rd LA mlb team

[@Rsadidit]

Maybe this has been discussed but why not Puerto Rico getting a team?? Also geographically & financially among other Salt Lake City is the #1 option

[@willp.8120]

Let's just cut the crap. Until MLB corrects the northeastern/midwestern clustering of teams, ALL expansions must be in the SOUTHEAST/SOUTH region. The Southern region has about 130 million people. That is around 43% of the entire country. Yet, the bulk of the South just has the Atlanta Braves. Think about how absurd that is. A team should be in Charlotte, Raleigh, Orlando, Nashville, and Austin, bare minimum. If Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Baltimore can have teams, then definitely these cities can, as they are all on the same level or bigger.

[@michaelmarkowski204]

No chance all those cities (with the exception of Nashville) get a team. When MLB hits 32 teams with the addition of Nashville and SLC, it's going to be a long time before any other franchise is granted as all four major pro leagues will have 32 teams once the NBA expands by two teams. Even then, no way you'll have a team in both Charlotte and Raleigh, Orlando will only get a team if the Rays move there. Austin won't get one because the Astros (and likely the Rangers too) will consider it and San Antonio as part of their territory.

[@willp.8120]

@@michaelmarkowski204 So then why do Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Detroit all have teams. They're pretty clustered together. ONE SOUTHERN TEAM. WHAT DO YOU NOT GET ABOUT THAT? A region with 130 million people has for most of the region ONE TEAM, yet a lesser populated region, the northeast and midwest (which combined have fewer people than the South) has 16 teams? If St. Louis and Kansas City can both have teams, and if Cleveland and Cincinnati can both have teams, and if Philadelphia and Pittsburgh can both have teams, then so too can Charlotte and Raleigh both have teams. You sound like you have an anti-southern bias. Furthermore, Charlotte and Raleigh, BOTH OF THEM, as well as Orlando, have a considerably higher population than Nashville. I don't get the hype. Being from the Atlanta area, Nashville and Charlotte are about equal distance to Atlanta, and Charlotte is definitely a much larger region. It's not even close, but because of the Grand Ole Opry, Music Row, bars, and all kinds of degenerate behavior happening in Nashville, like Las Vegas, people think it is larger than it is. Your arguments about 32 teams is also nonsense. 32 is not some "magical number", nor does MLB have to say, "well, NFL, you have 32 teams, we might as well stay here". They are separate leagues. Their number of teams aren't contingent on each of them having the same amount. Furthermore, the last time we had an expansion was in 1998, 25 years ago. I was 21 years old in 1998 and am now 46 years old. They can definitely expand more than two teams. The country's population has grown a lot over the course of time. They had an expansion in 1993 as well, just five years before 1998's expansion, so they can definitely at least do two more expansions.

[@michaelmarkowski204]

@@willp.8120 Cleveland has had MLB since 1901. Cincinnati since 1869. St Louis since 1882. Kansas City Royals since 1969. Philadelphia Phillies since 1890. Pittsburgh Pirates since 1887. 2023 is a different era. Existing teams do not want to see their product deteriorate due to too much talent dilution or share TV and other league revenues with too many more teams. MLB also wants around $2B up front as an expansion fee. plus a brand new ballpark at a great site fully financed and ready to be built, plus a loaded owner / ownership group, plus sound evidence of large fan interest in supporting an MLB team. Once MLB hits 32 teams, don't expect further expansion for another 15-20 years, and even then, you're probably looking at 2 more teams.

[@alexnas9634]

you can always go the NFL route for play offs as we have 16 teams in each league 4 in each division and the top 2 teams in each league get a bye and have it set as Wild card Best of 3, DS best of 5 and CS best of 7.

[@nathanjm000]

Don’t think the MLBPA will be too angry with expansion because it leads to 52 more MLB jobs and 80 more 40 man roster spots

[@dt7353]

Baseball is more likely to go to Mexico than Montreal. Seriously moving the Rays to Monterrey would probably be a decent idea. Not far from Houston so travel for most teams isn't an issue and it doesn't have the elevation that Mexico City does.

[@denniscain7218]

Any expansion would have to be in the East. Two Eastern teams would produce two 8-team divisions of exclusively Eastern Time Zone teams. Nice and neat.

[@willp.8120]

Wow, if you made that map, you need to check a map of the actual location of Atlanta. You placed Atlanta in the vicinity of Thomaston, Georgia, roughly an hour or more to the south/southwest from Atlanta.

[@subgum3403]

The lloyd center area is perfect location for a stadium close to i84 and lightrail. Pdxs troubles arent enough close to what they were 2 years ago.

[@michaelmarkowski204]

No chance the Astros and Rangers will be in favor of a team in either Austin or San Antonio and I think other owners will agree as they don't want infringement on their own territories.

[@ColtonJ99]

It'll be cool for Nashville to get a team but like you said the Public funding for the Titans Stadium hurts and competing with Braves country is gonna be hard af

[@trclark7689]

I hate to see San Antonio so low on the list, San Antonio (or Austin) would be an amazing location for a baseball team.

[@fabio40]

WTF? 6:05 ... Las Vegas Expos?? Montreal Maroons?? The Maroons were an early NHL team.

[@christiandoll4435]

Forget Portland! Nashville and Salt Lake City! They shouldn't re-hash cities that use to have a team but couldn't keep it. Like a Montreal.

[@dsarmy1]

i would love to get a team in Salt Lake City. I can't wait to see if this becomes a reality.

[@PoloDavey]

They'd have an east and west for each league so east al west al east nl west nl then it'd be the top 6 or 8 teams from each

[@christianbreed8628]

In the 1993 and 1998 Expansion Drafts each team had to protect any player that had a guaranteed contract. Pre arbitration and arbitration players did not have to be protected, but obviously teams want to protect as many of those players as possible.

[@mikeet69]

Dallas Rangers???

[@hoopsheavenpa]

Don’t matter where MLB expands to. Manfred has damaged the game beyond repair.

[@grapefruitsodags8387]

I think North Carolina should get it because you already have 3 sports teams and the expansion should've been done a while ago. I'd say your we wait a few more years for Nashville.

[@willp.8120]

I say Charlotte, Nashville, Orlando, Raleigh, and Austin should get teams.

[@nevans5072]

Rays should move to San Juan, Puerto Rico

[@mattyg4186]

Rays should move to Orlando, Nashville a lock for expansion and Charlotte & Salt Lake City can fight it out for the other i think “ship is about to leave port and set sail” on Portland hopes of MLB expansion.

[@adellis24]

Portland & the people of Oregon have much bigger concerns, like trying to keep their state together. If the MLB wants another team in the region Vancouver is the smart pick as it has the wealthy population, corporate interests & socio-political background that has been favourable to the sports world when compared to Portland.

[@willp.8120]

@@adellis24 Vancouver looks almost like a Chinese city these days.

[@Beetlejuice67668]

Nashville ain’t getting a team They’ll go to slc or Omaha before going there

[@willp.8120]

@@Beetlejuice67668 Nashville is over double the population of Omaha, and Nashville and Salt Lake City are comparable in population.

[@rufflife298]

It is not The MLB. It is MLB

[@canadianmtb_8275]

Texas should not have another team! How many times do I gotta say that Canada deserves another team! But your gonna give it too a state that already has a team makes 0 sense

[@ronclark9724]

Does Canada have a city with a metro of six million besides Toronto?

[@fadercreek]

​@@ronclark9724montreal

[@LeCommieBoi]

Montréal thats it.

[@provincialfish]

The seeding thing needs to be addressed. Most likely a couple teams with better records will be seeded below lesser division winners this year. I think what you said is the best idea. Keep the leagues, scrap divisions and top 6 teams in each leagu go to the playoffs based on record alone.

[@TR-zx1lc]

Another idea for a video-- the MLB's emergency draft plan for if a whole team, or most of one, gets wiped out in a plane crash.

[@ronclark9724]

Don't underestimate San Antonio. South Central Texas combined metros of San Antonio and nearby Austin is approaching SIX million with both metros growing fast. Recently the AA Missions were sold to a local ownership group led by Spurs owner Peter Holt anticipating at least moving up to AAA, if not MLB. Two locations for a new downtown ballpark on the Riverwalk have been sited, both being great locations. San Antonio has a funding mechanism in place with the one cent sales tax for either a AAA ballpark or a MLB ballpark, just by extending an existing tax. Not to mention political support from both city and county and a temporary venue with the Alamodome in place. The question remains whether there is a Texas billionaire or billionaires desiring to buy a MLB expansion franchise. San Antonio does not want to not land the MLB to Austin as they are still hurting not landing the MLS.

[@matthewkester3677]

yeah im hoping it's SA that gets the new team, a domed stadium would be a must tho

[@ronclark9724]

@@matthewkester3677 How about a new retractable dome across the I-37 from the Alamodome where the Texas Heritage Center is presently which could be relocated across the street from the Arts Museum at the former Lone Star Brewery site? I suspect Holt would love to trade real estate with the city...

[@willp.8120]

Both combined are approaching five million, not six, but I think Austin should get the team, as it could pull from both and demographically it is a better fit, given growth and population. However, I'm aware that there is more of a move to attract one to San Antonio than Austin.

[@koldonn1111]

Give Vancouver a team. It would be awesome.

[@colourfaze86]

They're 3 hours from Seattle. Go to Seattle.

[@koldonn1111]

@@colourfaze86 They already have one in Seattle. Vancouver appeals to a Canadian market, and you are flat out underestimating the city.

[@willp.8120]

They could call them the Vancouver Fried Ricers.