Tuesday, September 2, 2014

A Quick Gander at the States without Big League Sports

The Outlanders.  The Drifter fans.  How could they have something like NFL football soon?

As far as the cluster of northeast states in New England,....well, in name they are pretty much represented by the Patriots and have proximity enough.  Virginia can pretty much claim D.C. and being represented in all of the big five so could be colored purple with the state (territory of D.C.).  South Carolina, you have your Hurricanes and Panthers essentially in namesake.

So, in the east (of the Mississip), my sympathies go to Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi and I guess West Virginia.

In middle America, sympathies to Arkansas, Kansas kinda' and Nebraska.
Then, in the northwest there are those five states, when I exclude Oregon and Washington from the quadrant, Boise being the biggest city.  Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas have a fat chance of getting a team within years and even in decades to come.

Sioux Falls (SD), Fargo (ND) and Billings (MT) boast over 100,000 people but no more than 150k.  Cheyenne, Wyoming's largest hovers around the 100k mark.  Boise breaks 200k.  If the Northwest Seahawks expanded it's territorial claim, NFL could be played very soon in Boise and Portland also.  Maybe an expansion team years and years from now for the Northwest with smaller stadiums (35k seats?) and a couple bigger ones in Boise and Portland could suit if a Northwest named team were soon to come.

One has got to think that out of these grey unrepresented states that Las Vegas will land the big time first.  If the NFL had a gun to its head regarding the grey, it might go with a wildcard like Little Rock or Birmingham.  That would be some Titan, Falcon and Saint closeness.  If for God's sake, Los Angeles came back into the league FINALLY as an expansion, there would need to be balance to the east.  Then one could think Louisville also.

Big City South Dakota


Still, out west.  We all know Oklahoma City could.
New Mexico? 
Well...:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_populated_places_in_New_Mexico_by_population

http://prosportsexpansion.blogspot.com/2014/08/if-ever-pro-sports-team-in-new-mexico.html

Just look at the populations and how far they are from each other.  From Albuquerque's half a million people with it's approaching a million folks area is:  200 plus miles to Las Cruces and 60 miles to Santa Fe, all with unimpressive populations and commutes.  Maybe a big time weekly football game here and again?  In decades and decades from now?

Any hope soon for them would have to be some Southwest share of some sort of travel team for Albuquerque hubbed with OKC and San Antonio or the likes.  A southwest moniker of those 3 with Las Vegas wouldn't be bad as the Southwest Rattlers or Snake Eyes or Tumblers.  You could even toss SLC into the fold.

Better to share than none at all.  Apparel sales to please the league.  And something with everyone's name on it to watch.  Just a few thoughts.  Outlandish America.


WIKIPEDIA



See more expansion and relocation talk for football, baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer on my blog (starting in Feb 2014, see table of contents/archive):  Major League/Pro Expansion <CLICK> http://prosportsexpansion.blogspot.com/ 
And please feel free to contribute your two cents with mine. 

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