Major League Baseball’s last wave of expansion happened 18 years ago with the addition of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now the Tampa Bay Rays). You could say that each team has had its share of highlights since its inaugural season in 1998. The Diamondbacks became the fastest team to win a championship in all North American sports leagues, defeating the New York Yankees in seven games in the 2001 World Series. The Rays on the other hand went from worst to first in 2007-2008, and made a World Series appearance in 2008, only to fall at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. Baseball seems to be in perfect harmony right now with five teams in six divisions and 30 teams in total. However, commissioner Rob Manfred recently told reporters that he’s interested in expanding from 30 to 32 franchises.
Let’s take a look at some cities that I feel could be great fits for MLB franchises.
- Montreal-Montreal is very ready to welcome an MLB franchise back to Montreal. The city averaged more than 48,000 fans per game to Toronto Blue Jays exhibition games in 2014 and 2015. The city was able to support the Expos for 35 years and they take their sports very seriously in Montreal. The Montreal Canadiens of the NHL take the definition of fan support to a whole new level where it’s practically a religion. There’s no doubt in my mind that Montreal is ready to support another MLB franchise.
- Austin-The capital of Texas has no professional sports franchise, but what’s to say that they wouldn’t be able to support one? Austin is a perfect college town as it’s infested with students at the University of Texas at Austin. Texas Longhorn athletics are very important to the city of Austin, no doubt about it. However, college football and basketball don’t overlap with the baseball season. Once Longhorn sports are over and school is out for the summer, it’s pretty much a given that sports fans in Austin will flock to the new ballpark to see their new team in action. A professional sports franchise is something special, but a city’s first professional sports franchise is something even more special.
- Vancouver-This booming town in British Columbia is the perfect market for a baseball franchise. This city and fan base has endured the ups and downs of the Vancouver Canucks and regardless of the state of the Canucks, the fans always come out and support their team no matter how good or bad the Canucks are. Vancouver was recently awarded with an MLS franchise, the Whitecaps. The crowds that Vancouver based teams draw is out of this world and the fans are some of the most passionate in the game. Expect baseball to catch on well in Vancouver.
- Mexico City-Latin America is a breeding ground for MLB players. Numerous MLB players have their roots back home in Latin America and the proximity to home could be a plus. Also, lots of baseball fans are of Latin American descent. It’s only fitting that a franchise is awarded to Mexico City. When the Mexican national soccer team plays, the entire nation of Mexico literally stops to watch them in action. Can you imagine the hype and attention an MLB franchise in Mexico would receive? The only problems could possibly be some travel issues and a language barrier, but regardless, baseball is very much adored and supported in Latin America, making a large city like Mexico City an ideal location for an MLB franchise.
