Map Gaps: The Non Population

There's a barren wall from the stretches of Alabama and Mississippi, through Oklahoma, up to Idaho.  It's a slash through the middle of the country.  The NBA has a flag planted in OK, but not MO with its two pro towns.  Sure, if this slash splatters we can talk about the likes of New Mexico and Kentucky, but I'm thinking about contiguity right now.

ProSportsExpansion.blogspot.com         GapMaps

A fissure in the map.  A slice of America.  A sliced up America.  A river of wild and wheat, and high hills.  Some places tote one or more big league teams.  One day Oklahoma will get their big want - football.  And the NBA can bounce around KC and St. Louis once again.  And with Omaha again.

Is there a travelling team to hoist a flag for these people who have to stretch out for their embrace of the big time?
Is there an Omaha-Dakota Diesel on ice?
Could there be a Wild West Drive?  Could the last leg of that squadron's home be Portland?
A West Coast brand could take on time in San Diego and Seattle on the hardwood, with some preseason action in AK or HI.  Use your imagination to get your town in on it, even if it's the minors.

A river of representationlessness runs through it.

Okie Sooners and Cowboys unite

Soccer and Team Name Scramble

St. Louis is seeking input from the crowd: mls4thelou.com
The ball moves fast in today's MLS.

Maybe one day something will culminate in Detroit or Arizona, such as the Drive or Arsenal.
Traditional names are okay, but they can also be played out.  If another team lands in Texas, I'm all about the unconventional, like some American smartassness such as Texas Divided.  Missouri Divided may be a bit much for St. Louis, and Sporting is an alliteration stolen by its cross state rival, but I also dig one-word tagging a town's team.  GATEWAY would be the bees' knees.  Or Midway.  Or Expedition.  What about something cool for Charlotte one day such as Air Charlotte?  Team Carolina.  There is always city-name insert animal_________.

Say my name.  Say a name.

Am I a baseball traditionalist unwilling to deviate from the standard naming in the smaller sport of roundball?  Do I have a single unconventional team name suggestion for future baseball.  Baseball really is the only sport without regional name, so something cool like New England will be Boston's future NL team.  A common expansion theme in my blog is two-place teams.  Tennessee Sounds would be a great MLB team splitting home camp time in Memphis and Nashville.  Southland Band would be a neat name for a Nashville Charlotte connection/collaborative.

For the NHL I've mentioned the success of the ice game in Atlanta splitting time w/ Austin as the Southlakes Fisherman.  Or Truckers.  Think about that wide swath of geographic viewership, but especially apparel sales.

Seattle NHL.  St. Louis and Austin soccer.  Your future second team.  Whatcha' got?

TV Markets. Bigger factor than the stands.

Aesthetics for less of a crowd is another thing.

Where the next markets will root big time.
Check out the TV markets.  It's the saving grace for places like Tampa, and Florida baseball in general.
wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_television_stations_in_North_America_by_media_market

foxbusiness.com/features/on-declining-mlb-attendance-former-executive-says-substantive-changes-must-be-made

They make money if you watch.  Here, there, or anywhere.  And if you don't know what I'm talking about, since 2012 television revenue for the sports leagues pretty much exceeds that made from ticket (gate) money.