What's the next frontier in the four major leagues?

[tayser]

I'd laugh if Gridiron/NFL attempted to do an Australian team.... we don't even have 100% national unity in our main winter codes - AFL (Vic, SA, WA, TAS) and NRL (NSW and QLD). AFL is more of a national league (and code of football) but it's less popular in the Rugby League states (NSW/QLD).

A-League (soccer) is played in Summer, outside the winter code months (March-September/October).

It just wouldn't "fit" in a small and very crowded football market.

Ice Hockey is still really in its infancy (because it's such a niche / Northern Hemisphere sport - like AFL is to the rest of the world), Baseball is very much a local sport here and Basketball got quite popular in the 90s but sort of died in the arse thereafter - you occassionally see news reports about thel ocal league, but meh, not much. In short, I doubt any of the big American leagues would consider an Australian team.

[eixample]

For soccer, I think what would be great would be a combined North American league with a single division of 20 teams or thereabouts like the European leagues. Say a fixed allocation per country 7 from US, 7 from Mexico, 4 from Canada and 2 from everywhere else. Each team could have its own league and there would be a promotion-relegation system so that you would cycle those teams out every year or few years. Then you could have one NA super league that could compete with the biggest leagues in the world and still have individual national leagues. We could add a bunch more soccer franchises as well as the number of available slots in MLS is dwindling.

[mrnyc]

actually i have always thought something that is under the radar to expand in america is a pro rugby league (is there one nowadays? i dk).

i always mention how crazy popular rugby is in the usa when i talk to brits and australians and they are quite surprized. the thing is, its a college club sport here. very niche, but super popular at that level. its prime for a pro league. well...it has been forever and nothing has happened, so maybe not???

edit -- i guess there is something more at a national level for rugby now --- founded in 2011:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Rugby_League


that said, lacrosse has also certainly taken off. it too was mostly at a college club level but has grown to being played in many high schools. there is a pro league since 1999 where players make $10k-25k. with better pr that could also expand too i think:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Lacrosse


both of these are great spectator sports, more so in person than on tv though.

[Shawn]

You guys forgotten NFL Europe? The Frankfurt Galaxy was the league’s most successful team in terms of popularity and fan base. For what it’s worth, other than Canadians, Germans make up the highest number of foreign players in the NFL (it’s not worth much - just 6 players last season).

Vancouver NBA 2.0 and an NFL team in Mexico City. Estadio Azteca sells out in 5 minutes every time the NFL is there, even for preseason. There’s enough corporate wealth there to support a team, and the NFL has the most egalitarian salary cap / rev sharing model out of all the leagues. It could financially and logistically work out in Mexico City.