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-   -   Cities Most Likely To Gain A Pro Sports Team Via Relocation Or Expansion By 2028 (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=232948)

JAYNYC Apr 8, 2018 7:33 PM

Cities Most Likely To Gain A Pro Sports Team Via Relocation Or Expansion By 2028
 
The NBA, NFL and MLB have been slower to grow via expansion or relocation over the last 20 years or so. The NHL and WNBA both seem to have experienced much more expansion and relocation activity during the same time frame.

Over the next 10 years, what cities do you think are most likely to attract a pro sports team, either by expansion or relocation? If the city will likely attract a pro sports team via relocation, which team(s) could you see it attracting?

When Steve Ballmer - a former Microsoft exec who has deep ties to Seattle - bout the LA Clippers, I thought it was only a matter of time until he would move the team to Seattle; now, it appears that they will likely remain in the L.A. area (Inglewood), at least for the near future.

I can see Austin landing the San Antonio Spurs (NBA) via relocation. Austin has been home to a Spurs development league affiliate for many years, and not long ago, the team even went so far as to change its name from the Austin Toros to the Austin Spurs. Austin continues to grow at a fast pace, and could potentially surpass San Antonio in population by 2028. I can also see Nashville landing the Memphis Grizzlies (NBA).

I can see Orlando attracting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL) via expansion. I can also see San Diego landing an NFL team by 2028 if their stadium issues ever get resolved, and I can also see an NFL team entering the Central Texas (Austin/San Antonio corridor) market by 2028.

I can see London finally attracting an NFL team by 2028, especially considering the league's constant promotion of itself by hosting regular season games there.

Other potential candidates:

Las Vegas (NBA) - the T-Mobile Arena looks NBA-ready
Seattle (NBA)
Cincinnati (NBA)
Portland (MLB)
St. Louis (NBA and NFL)
Mexico City (NBA)
Austin/San Antonio (MLB)
Vancouver (NBA)
Montreal (MLB)

DCReid Apr 8, 2018 8:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAYNYC (Post 8147014)
The NBA, NFL and MLB have been slower to grow via expansion or relocation over the last 20 years or so. The NHL and WNBA both seem to have experienced much more expansion and relocation activity during the same time frame.

Over the next 10 years, what cities do you think are most likely to attract a pro sports team, either by expansion or relocation? If the city will likely attract a pro sports team via relocation, which team(s) could you see it attracting?

When Steve Ballmer - a former Microsoft exec who has deep ties to Seattle - bout the LA Clippers, I thought it was only a matter of time until he would move the team to Seattle; now, it appears that they will likely remain in the L.A. area (Inglewood), at least for the near future.

I can see Austin landing the San Antonio Spurs (NBA) via relocation. Austin has been home to a Spurs development league affiliate for many years, and not long ago, the team even went so far as to change its name from the Austin Toros to the Austin Spurs. Austin continues to grow at a fast pace, and could potentially surpass San Antonio in population by 2028. I can also see Nashville landing the Memphis Grizzlies (NBA).

I can see Orlando attracting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL) via expansion. I can also see San Diego landing an NFL team by 2028 if their stadium issues ever get resolved, and I can also see an NFL team entering the Central Texas (Austin/San Antonio corridor) market by 2028.

I can see London finally attracting an NFL team by 2028, especially considering the league's constant promotion of itself by hosting regular season games there.

Other potential candidates:

Seattle (NBA)
Cincinnati (NBA)
Portland (MLB)
St. Louis (NBA and NFL)
Mexico City (NBA)
Austin/San Antonio (MLB)
Vancouver (NBA)
Montreal (MLB)

MLS has 12 west teams and 11 east. I think Miami is getting a new team.
NHL has one less central team than other divisions. Maybe Houston or Austin will get a team. I think MLS will see the most growth.

I think 3-4 NBA teams may move among Brooklyn, Sacramento, LA Clippers, Memphis and/or New Orleans. I think Seattle will get a team and maybe Memphis will move to Nashville. I don't think San Antonio will move to Austin, but perhaps they may play some games there. I don't think Midwest will get another NBA team. Las Vegas may get an NBA team from one of the California cities.

For NFL, I think Buffalo will lose their team to Toronto. I think either the LA Chargers or NY Jets will move, with one going to London.

For MLB, I think San Diego and Oakland will move, with one perhaps going to Portland and one going to Austin.

ThePhun1 Apr 8, 2018 8:15 PM

It just depends. It's not just about what city won't support or which is lacking a team but also where can you make money. Believe it or not, you can make more money as LA's/Orange County's or NY's/NJ's third team than as Austin's only team.

BnaBreaker Apr 8, 2018 8:24 PM

The Grizzlies aren't going anywhere.

ThatDarnSacramentan Apr 8, 2018 8:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCReid (Post 8147037)
I think 3-4 NBA teams may move among Brooklyn, Sacramento, LA Clippers, Memphis and/or New Orleans.

You can't be serious. We just finished the league's newest (until next season) and most state of the art arena and Kings ownership has a 35 year lease. The Kings aren't going anywhere after the Seattle saga five years ago.

skyscraperpage17 Apr 8, 2018 8:28 PM

The most likely would be Detroit (eventually) getting a MLS expansion team.

JAYNYC Apr 8, 2018 8:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCReid (Post 8147037)
MLS has 12 west teams and 11 east. I think Miami is getting a new team.
NHL has one less central team than other divisions. Maybe Houston or Austin will get a team. I think MLS will see the most growth.

I think 3-4 NBA teams may move among Brooklyn, Sacramento, LA Clippers, Memphis and/or New Orleans. I think Seattle will get a team and maybe Memphis will move to Nashville. I don't think San Antonio will move to Austin, but perhaps they may play some games there. I don't think Midwest will get another NBA team. Las Vegas may get an NBA team from one of the California cities.

For NFL, I think Buffalo will lose their team to Toronto. I think either the LA Chargers or NY Jets will move, with one going to London.

For MLB, I think San Diego and Oakland will move, with one perhaps going to Portland and one going to Austin.

Very interesting response, especially considering Brooklyn and Sacramento are the two newest tenants of new NBA arenas, and considering the recent revelation that Ballmer intends to keep the Clippers in the L.A. area (albeit in a new arena in Inglewood). But I agree with your sentiment, because as a former L.A. resident and current NYC resident, it seems as though no one cares about the Clippers or the Nets in those two metro areas (they are Lakers and Knicks territory, respectively).

I agree that Buffalo could likely lose the Bills to Toronto. It's somewhat hard to imagine, though, as Buffalo is one of those cities with deep NFL history (a la Green Bay and Pittsburgh).

I thought it was strange that the San Diego Chargers would occupy the multibillion dollar stadium that the Rams are building in Inglewood, but now that they are set to do so in two years, I am not sure whether a move away from that stadium by 2028 is likely.

And I can see the Oakland A's possibly relocating to Portland, too (one MLB team in the Bay Area seems to be enough), but would have a harder time seeing the San Diego Padres relocate to Austin.

JAYNYC Apr 8, 2018 8:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatDarnSacramentan (Post 8147053)
You can't be serious. We just finished the league's newest (until next season) and most state of the art arena and Kings ownership has a 35 year lease. The Kings aren't going anywhere after the Seattle saga five years ago.

I agree, with the Kings moving into Golden 1 Center just last year, it's highly unlikely that they would relocate by 2028.

That said, I was very surprised that the Kings ended up staying in Sacramento, as I was almost positive they were headed for Seattle back when the discussions of that possibility were happening

The North One Apr 8, 2018 8:42 PM

Steve has made it abundantly clear that he wants the clippers nowhere near Seattle, it's time to let this dream die already.

llamaorama Apr 8, 2018 9:43 PM

I'd be surprised if the Spurs move.

1. Nothing indicates Austin will build an NBA quality arena any time in the near or even medium term future . UT is eventually going to tear down and replace the Erwin Center with something else that's smaller, more college-oriented, and use that existing site to expand their medical school. That means there's nowhere in the central city where you could put a pro arena. I wouldn't be surprised if a private investor proposed building a big pro sports facility in a place like Round Rock, but would there be enough momentum?

2. The Spurs are too popular and too good and too established(the team started way back in 1967, its one of the oldest pro teams of any sport in the sunbelt). It would be really distastful if they left their home and there would probably be major political backlash. The City of San Antonio has sunk a LOT of money into luring and then retaining pro sports(see Alamodome), the Spurs are their only success so far. Local leaders would freak out if the Spurs threatened to leave and they'd bribe them with arena improvements.

3. Austin and San Antonio are basically one market. It's only a short drive from one city to the other. Eventually they are likely to become a single CSA.

.....

To be honest I don't see Austin getting a pro sports team anytime soon unless its MLS, and that would sooner go to San Antonio. My impression is that the city's political culture makes it unlikely to spend public funds on a pro sports facility, and while it is a wealthy city none of it's elites are interested enough in sports to buy a team and build a stadium or arena for it. And geographically, there's no great place to put a big stadium or arena, unless it went out in the suburbs.

JAYNYC Apr 8, 2018 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llamaorama (Post 8147105)
I'd be surprised if the Spurs move.

1. Nothing indicates Austin will build an NBA quality arena any time in the near or even medium term future . UT is eventually going to tear down and replace the Erwin Center with something else that's smaller, more college-oriented, and use that existing site to expand their medical school. That means there's nowhere in the central city where you could put a pro arena. I wouldn't be surprised if a private investor proposed building a big pro sports facility in a place like Round Rock, but would there be enough momentum?

2. The Spurs are too popular and too good, it would be really distastful if they left their home and there would probably be major political backlash. The City of San Antonio has sunk a LOT of money into luring and then retaining pro sports(see Alamodome), the Spurs are their only success so far. Local leaders would freak out if the Spurs threatened to leave and they'd bribe them with arena improvements.

3. Austin and San Antonio are basically one market. It's only a short drive from one city to the other. Eventually they are likely to become a single CSA.

1. The word "Austin" is almost synonymous with "momentum", so by all means, yes there would.

2. The Spurs *were too popular and too good. In light of the Kawhi Leonard uncertainty, there is more than enough reason to believe that those circumstances have peaked and are now trending in the opposite direction.

3. Google "Washington Wizards Wikipedia", and refer to "Baltimore Bullets". There is precedent, as those two cities also eventually became one CSA (with the faster-growing, more prominent city retaining the team).

pdxtex Apr 8, 2018 10:07 PM

my prediction is seattle will be the first city with a big three expansion team (nhl) and detroit will be the next city for mls....portland is too flaky to commit to big name sports but i think it would work. people here will clap for anything....

montréaliste Apr 8, 2018 10:24 PM

There was a lot more movement on the new baseball team agenda in Montreal this past week. Stephen Bronfman and Mitch Garber, two Montreal billionaires behind the new effort met with the new mayor, Valerie Plante to discuss civic support for a new team, and a new stadium. The city may consider a land gift to the developers since the head honchos hinted that the stadium would be a privately financed matter...


The more probable scenario for a new stadium is near the Peel basin at the head of the Lachine canal close to downtown and the skyline. A new electric suburban rail line will drop a station in adjacent Griffintown and the Bonaventure highway is very close with a fast link to the new Champlain bridge now under construction and deemed to be ready in 2020 or thereabout. The South shore commuters and American tourists often use that improving route into the city.

JAYNYC Apr 8, 2018 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by montréaliste (Post 8147133)
There was a lot more movement on the new baseball team agenda in Montreal this past week. Stephen Bronfman and Mitch Garber, two Montreal billionaires behind the new effort met with the new mayor, Valerie Plante to discuss civic support for a new team, and a new stadium. The city may consider a land gift to the developers since the head honchos hinted that the stadium would be a privately financed matter...


The more probable scenario for a new stadium is near the Peel basin at the head of the Lachine canal close to downtown and the skyline. A new electric suburban rail line will drop a station in adjacent Griffintown and the Bonaventure highway is very close with a fast link to the new Champlain bridge now under construction and deemed to be ready in 2020 or thereabout. The South shore commuters and American tourists often use that improving route into the city.

Thanks for the update.

If an MLB team were to return to Montreal, it would be great to see it retain the Expos team name and branding elements. They had one of the more unique logo designs and caps in all of baseball, IMO.

iheartthed Apr 8, 2018 10:44 PM

My prediction: should there be an expansion of the NFL into a foreign country, it will be into Mexico City.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCReid (Post 8147037)
I think 3-4 NBA teams may move among Brooklyn

Are you saying that you expect the Nets to leave Brooklyn? Or that you expect another team to move into Brooklyn?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCReid (Post 8147037)
For NFL, I think Buffalo will lose their team to Toronto. I think either the LA Chargers or NY Jets will move, with one going to London.

I have a hard time seeing any of those moves. Toronto already treats the Bills as their de facto team, so it's hard to see why Bills ownership would alienate the fans by moving away from Buffalo.

I also can't envision the Jets leaving NY. They have a new stadium in the league's biggest market. Why would they want to move to an untested market in another country? The Chargers would be more vulnerable to a move to test London, but I doubt the NFL will be approving any moves out of L.A. for the next couple decades.

Pedestrian Apr 8, 2018 11:03 PM

The Golden State Warriors are moving: BACK from Oakland to San Francisco as soon as their new home is finished:

Video Link

toddguy Apr 8, 2018 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llamaorama (Post 8147105)
.....

To be honest I don't see Austin getting a pro sports team anytime soon unless its MLS, and that would sooner go to San Antonio. My impression is that the city's political culture makes it unlikely to spend public funds on a pro sports facility, and while it is a wealthy city none of it's elites are interested enough in sports to buy a team and build a stadium or arena for it. And geographically, there's no great place to put a big stadium or arena, unless it went out in the suburbs.

They are probably going to get the Columbus Crew MLS team. Precourt is like a demon possessed with his heart set on Austin. MLS is behind it also. The city and state are taking it to court, but Precourt(may he drop dead)will probably get his evil way.

And I don't think it is going to San Antonio, but I would love for them to play spoiler and work with those opposed to it in Austin. Doesn't this conflict with San Antonio's own attempt to get a non major league soccer team?

ThePhun1 Apr 8, 2018 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llamaorama (Post 8147105)
I'd be surprised if the Spurs move.

1. Nothing indicates Austin will build an NBA quality arena any time in the near or even medium term future . UT is eventually going to tear down and replace the Erwin Center with something else that's smaller, more college-oriented, and use that existing site to expand their medical school. That means there's nowhere in the central city where you could put a pro arena. I wouldn't be surprised if a private investor proposed building a big pro sports facility in a place like Round Rock, but would there be enough momentum?

2. The Spurs are too popular and too good and too established(the team started way back in 1967, its one of the oldest pro teams of any sport in the sunbelt). It would be really distastful if they left their home and there would probably be major political backlash. The City of San Antonio has sunk a LOT of money into luring and then retaining pro sports(see Alamodome), the Spurs are their only success so far. Local leaders would freak out if the Spurs threatened to leave and they'd bribe them with arena improvements.

3. Austin and San Antonio are basically one market. It's only a short drive from one city to the other. Eventually they are likely to become a single CSA.

.....

To be honest I don't see Austin getting a pro sports team anytime soon unless its MLS, and that would sooner go to San Antonio. My impression is that the city's political culture makes it unlikely to spend public funds on a pro sports facility, and while it is a wealthy city none of it's elites are interested enough in sports to buy a team and build a stadium or arena for it. And geographically, there's no great place to put a big stadium or arena, unless it went out in the suburbs.

Eventually, you mean after we're all gone? It's pretty empty from the Northside to New Braunfels to San Marcos to Austin.

That said, if anyone in Austin, especially if they live in or south of the city, wanted to be a Spurs season ticket holder, it would be no big deal. So it'd be virtually pointless to move a team from San Antonio to Austin. The best idea would be to move them as far north as possible, so they could make it easier for Austin fans to commute.

ThePhun1 Apr 8, 2018 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAYNYC (Post 8147115)
1. The word "Austin" is almost synonymous with "momentum", so by all means, yes there would.

2. The Spurs *were too popular and too good. In light of the Kawhi Leonard uncertainty, there is more than enough reason to believe that those circumstances have peaked and are now trending in the opposite direction.

3. Google "Washington Wizards Wikipedia", and refer to "Baltimore Bullets". There is precedent, as those two cities also eventually became one CSA (with the faster-growing, more prominent city retaining the team).

There'd be no reason to unless San Antonio cratered and became Detroit. And even Detroit has retained its teams and they play in the city proper. There's no reason. Maybe the Spurs would play a few games there each year but not out and out move.

Innsertnamehere Apr 8, 2018 11:38 PM

Quebec City could eventually get an NHL team, they were close in the last expansion round. Perhaps Pheonix will finally relocate..

Toronto has no real interest in the NFL in any significant way, I don't see the Bills moving.

I too would like to see the return of the Expos. Would be good to have another Canadian team again.

A Seattle NHL team would be nice as well, it's the biggest gaping hole in the league right now if you ask me. A large, generally northern city without a lot of other major league competition. How the NHL looked at Las Vegas and thought that was a better expansion candidate is beyond me.


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