Major League Baseball is thriving right now. The game is full of young talent playing from coast to coast. Since business is good, the A’s are still struggling, and baseball begins to look towards the offseason, expansion once again becomes a topic.
Let’s take a look at 10 cities that are ready to call Major League Baseball home.
10. Las Vegas, NV
For years, professional sports resisted placing a franchise in Las Vegas. A growing population, abundant tourism, and success with the NHL and NFL, Las Vegas is the obvious frontrunner for a franchise. With its many hotels and restaurants, Las Vegas has the infrastructure in place to support a team. Rumors persist that MLB will move the Oakland A’s to Vegas. Relocation or expansion, Las Vegas is clearly primed to be the next city to call MLB home.
9. Portland, OR
Portland is a city on the rise whose time for a MLB team has come. It’s one of the 25 largest cities in the US but doesn’t have a baseball team… yet. There is widespread support for a team from the people, and the city has the infrastructure to handle building a new stadium. The city is far enough from Seattle that a team wouldn’t draw from their fanbase, but they would be instant rivals. Portland should start warming up in the bullpen because their time is coming soon.
8. Albuquerque/Santa Fe, NM
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Albuquerque and Santa Fe are only 65 miles from each other, and combined, their metro population is large enough to support an MLB team. Placing a team between the two cities would be the ideal location. The mild climate makes New Mexico the perfect place for baseball, from Spring Training through October baseball. New Mexico is a desirable place to live, drawing people from all over the country, and is over 400 miles from the nearest major league team. MLB would be wise to put Albuquerque/Santa Fe into the game sooner rather than later.
7. New Orleans, LA
There’s a large geographic gap between Houston, St. Louis, and Atlanta, so placing an MLB team in New Orleans makes a lot of sense. It’s time for Baseball on the Bayou! The Big Easy has a passionate fan base, an existing infrastructure, and no baseball team. What better way to continue the city’s ongoing resurgence than bringing America’s pastime to New Orleans. “Buy me some beignets and cracker jack…,” has a nice ring to it.
6. Charlotte, NC
Despite moderate weather, and having Division 1 colleges and minor league teams dotting the landscape, MLB seems to have overlooked the South when it comes to expansion. However, Charlotte is a prime location for an expansion team. Its population ranks above established MLB markets such as Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Kansas City, and having established itself as the second largest financial market in the US, the Queen City has a bright future. MLB would be wise to award a future franchise to Charlotte.
5. Vancouver, BC
The Blue Jays dominate baseball in Eastern Canada. It’s time for a city to take the West. While Vancouver may lack the population of a large city, its location and better weather make it a more ideal location than Calgary or Edmonton. Its proximity to Seattle creates an immediate “international” rivalry. Vancouver is a popular filming location and has a long history supporting pro sports teams. Location, weather, support; looks like Vancouver is in the on-deck circle for a franchise.
4. Richmond, VA
If MLB was looking for a Southern home, it would probably want someplace with a moderate climate, a population of over 1.3 million, and a long interest in baseball. It would be looking for Richmond. Despite all it offers, Richmond does not have a professional sports team. MLB should correct that wrong. There is enough distance between Richmond and its closest baseball neighbor, DC, that it shouldn’t impact the Nats fanbase. C’mon MLB, it’s like they say, “Virginia is for Baseball”!
3. Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City has a population of over 8 million people, and is a large, untapped market for baseball. It took until 2023 for MLB to play a pair of games in Mexico City, but when they did, the stadium was packed. The fact that MLB hasn’t placed a franchise there is a HUGE missed opportunity that can be corrected the next time expansion rolls around.
2. Montreal, QC
The Montreal Expos existed from 1969 until 2004, before relocating to Washington, D.C. Baseball has had a long and illustrious history with the city of Montreal and had the 1994 season not been canceled by a players strike, the Expos might’ve won the World Series. A long history with the sport shows the fan support for baseball in Montreal, and with new revenue streams available for smaller markets, the time has come for the Expos to return.
1. San Juan, PR
Puerto Rico is a hotbed of baseball activity and Major League Baseball has already established a foothold on the island. If MLB wants to further tap into that market, then establishing a professional team in San Juan is the way to go. A Major League team on the island would act as a beacon and draw talented players from all over the Caribbean. In addition, placing a team in San Juan would be an economic boon to the struggling island.
