Next Major League Expansion Team: Big League Expansion without increasing Number of Franchises. Definite No Doubts.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Big League Expansion without increasing Number of Franchises. Definite No Doubts.

Oakland A's Oakland Raiders LAFC (Chivas)

Tampa Rays LA Clippers Jaguars Arizona Coyotes Angels Rams

West Coast Athletics

Changing the name of the Athletics from Oakland to "West Coast". That's money ball. The franchise is definitely having issues. All mentioned franchises I mention here do. Co-locating them in Las Vegas. It would work part-time in Oakland (obviously) and Portland.

This isn't sacrilege outside of Oaktown. Consideration for a new stadium in places like Sacramento or Santa Clara. The A's used to be Philadelphia and Kansas City before being in the Bay area 17 miles away from the world champ Giants playground.

I'm pretty sure, Las Vegas can be marketed and justified with almost any brand. Co-locating anything from the Jets in football (and maybe even hockey) to a rebirth of the Expos in the form of the Las Vegas Montreal Expos.

Tampa Bay Monterrey Rays

bigleaguedreams.com

The Tampa Rays playing somewhere else, part-time. Their television market is awesome but let's get more butts in the seats. If breaking ground, go ahead and break it big. Co-locate with Monterrey and the Mexican nation. Tampa Bay Monterrey Rays. Could Charlotte work out instead?

California Angels

Also play somewhere in northern California, whether that be an Athletics vacancy or the capable capital in Sacramento. Not definites in my mind but nods to consider are Yankees in Buffalo and Rangers in San Antonio or Austin.

West Coast Raiders
Same towns as options as mentioned with the A's (minus the 49ers Santa Clara). Las Vegas for sure.

                    Jacksonville Jaguars and twice a month anywhere can pretty much work out. For a south brand, the 3rd NFL city in the citrus can share with the likes of Birmingham, Louisville and any other big southern stadium as a Southland brand.

The Rams or anyone back to LA is a humongous screaming "no duh".

                    West Coast Clippers
San Diego could even share some love with Los Angeles. But for some breathing room, Seattle and Las Vegas are no brainers.

                    West Coast Coyotes
Portland and/or Seattle as a share. I'm inclined to say Las Vegas or Arizona because of the approximate 300 mile separation and Las Vegas's tourist crowd, it could probably co-exist with a stake in Vegas.

                    West Coast United

Instead of a redundant Los Angeles squad as a Chivas reincarnation.
You guessed it: share it with Las Vegas.

When Arizona gets MLS, put it in Tucson.

Arizona Major League Soccer Franchise should be placed in Tucson (click)

Las Vegas is a big winner in everything I said. It is the most certain town in my mind for a share in all of the leagues. They could build Las Vegas Big Leagues metroplex to suit the Big Five sports and more. It's apt to have the cash for erecting top notch facilities and ticket packages from entertainment firms. It would likely be the second home for a loving legion, needing an extra nudge to see Vegas perhaps, of the road team fan base.

This is at least five more big league events and cities and with the broad stretch of a West Coast brand it is a big amount of apparel dollars.

See more expansion, co-location and relocation talk for football, baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer on my blog http://prosportsexpansion.blogspot.com/

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