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I agree that no more expansion is needed. But, to answer the question my vote would be for Charlotte and/or Nashville.
An ownership group wanted to buy the Expos and move them to Nashville a few years ago. To make it happen, Nashville would have had to build a tax payer funded stadium. The mayor at the time would not allow it. Unless someone is coming in and building the stadium without taxpayer money, I don't see Nashville getting an MLB team in the next couple of decades. They couldn't even get a new downtown ballpark for the AAA team.
An ownership group wanted to buy the Expos and move them to Nashville a few years ago. To make it happen, Nashville would have had to build a tax payer funded stadium. The mayor at the time would not allow it. Unless someone is coming in and building the stadium without taxpayer money, I don't see Nashville getting an MLB team in the next couple of decades. They couldn't even get a new downtown ballpark for the AAA team.
RIP baseball in Montreal. I was one of the biggest advocates of baseball staying in Montreal. If the Expos had better ownership(and didn't trade away their good places such as Guerrero, Martinez,etc) they could still be in Montreal today.
The biggest denominator inmy opinion is money. If the money is not there, a baseball franchise is out of the question.
Things can still be arranged though. San Antonio could have its AlamoDome renovated to support baseball. It can support football. Why not baseball? The Metrodome in Minneapolis could do it. The same was true for the Kingdome in Seattle. The same case worked for San Diego. The Chargers and the Padres shared the same stadium.
There was an attempt for the Twins to move from Mpls to the Piedmont Triad in North Carolina. The same stadium the Carolina Panthers use for football, an expansion franchise could use for baseball. There are ways around these ideas.
RIP baseball in Montreal. I was one of the biggest advocates of baseball staying in Montreal. If the Expos had better ownership(and didn't trade away their good places such as Guerrero, Martinez,etc) they could still be in Montreal today.
The biggest denominator inmy opinion is money. If the money is not there, a baseball franchise is out of the question.
Things can still be arranged though. San Antonio could have its AlamoDome renovated to support baseball. It can support football. Why not baseball? The Metrodome in Minneapolis could do it. The same was true for the Kingdome in Seattle. The same case worked for San Diego. The Chargers and the Padres shared the same stadium.
There was an attempt for the Twins to move from Mpls to the Piedmont Triad in North Carolina. The same stadium the Carolina Panthers use for football, an expansion franchise could use for baseball. There are ways around these ideas.
I want MLB in San Antonio, but if they play at the Alamodome, it would most likely become the worst ballpark in MLB. It's outdated even for football.
That is why I say the AlamoDome needs renovation. The dome should be made higher. Other improvements could be made as well.
None of those stadiums you mentioned would be good for baseball. Domes are horrible...which is why the Metrodome and Topicana Field are considered among the worst in baseball. Its like playing baseball in a warehouse. Also, football stadiums are not good....look at the Marlins in Dolphins Stadium...that place is horrible for baseball, and their attendance is in the toilet. A major league team will not be able to compete these days without a baseball-only ballpark.
If MLB expanded to 32 teams, I'd prefer to see expansion in the West. San Antonio (where I just returned from vacation yesterday) would be my first choice. I don't care for Las Vegas, but I'm sure the city would welcome a professional sports team.
Milwaukee, Cincy, and KC all have teams because their metro areas were larger when compared to others 30, 40, 50, 60 years ago.
Nashville couldnt support a team. Theres no way. Just look at the Florida Marlins and Tampa Devil Rays. Those two areas are way larger than Nashville and they cant get nearly enough fans. It would take 15+ years to establish a good fan base. It hasnt happened in Tampa yet and they just went to the series.
While i also think the last thing the MLB needs is more teams, the places that could support one would be Suburban NYC in New Jersey, or maybe the Inland Empire. Maybe Portland, but i doubt they could get enough fans for 81 games.
How do the Brewers get enough fans: its because everyone that lives in the metro right now likely grew up around here. The transplant population in the south and west is so large. I mean look at the Dbacks games this year. Their metro area is 3 times as large as Milwaukees and their team was in the Pennant Race most of the year, and still Milwaukee whooped their asses at ticket sales. Milwaukee proved it was a baseball town this year. i mean the 9th highest attendance for the city with the smallest market in the MLB. As a vendor for the brewers, my hat goes off for those fans. sorry to stray off topic.
Def. the South (excluding Texas and Florida), besides Atlanta there are several major cities that are growing rapidly, most notably Raleigh, Charlotte and Nashville, though the Southerners prefer their football, I think an expansion Soccer Team and expansion Baseball team will fit right in Charlotte and much called for.
No expansion is needed and I think baseball needs a salary cap but thats for a different conversation.
If I had to choose I would put one in Louisiana do you have any idea how big just college baseball is in the south.
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