MLB Expansions: What can we expect?

Recent buzz indicates that we might see MLB expand in the coming years—but what would that mean for the league, and what needs to happen to get to that point? Where might we expect new franchises to pop up, and how many should we expect?

MLB Expansions: First Steps

What might cue the public that an expansion is on the near horizon? In an article by Ryan Davis on Knuckleball, he mentions the CBA negotiations. CBA, or Collective Bargaining Agreement, negotiations are set to take place to develop a new agreement that might address some of the issues MLB faces off the field.

Another consideration is that the MLB appears to be focused first on the already existing franchises updating or building new ballparks. Would construction of new stadiums signal that an expansion is right around the corner? Perhaps not definitively, but they might be a steppingstone on the way to adding new franchises.

Then there are the rest of the franchises to consider. What might they have to say on the matter? According to an article by JP Morosi on Fox Sports, the position of the thirty franchises already comprising MLB might present an obstacle if revenue sharing becomes a concern. How might their revenue be affected by letting two more franchises into the pool of recipients?

MLB Expansions: Expectations

Expansion of Major League Baseball might have to involve some shuffling of the divisions that comprise it, in order to ensure that each division contains an equal number of teams. For example, if MLB expands to include 32 franchises, would they have to add a division to each league and shuffle to have four teams per division? According to an article on MLB Daily Dish by Matt Goldman, several factors could influence such a realignment, including present rivalries and geography.

Goldman’s article also suggests that the following cities might be up for consideration in a possible expansion:

• Montreal
• Austin
• Vancouver
• Mexico City

This is not a final list, of course, and word is that only two franchises would be accepted for expansion.

Conclusion

Could one Canadian city be admitted and not the other? What of Austin, Texas? Should it be admitted when there are already two Texas franchises in the leagues? Does it matter? There are plenty of states with multiple teams, such as New York and California. California has five teams in the league.

It will be interesting to see what progresses next with any buzz on expanding MLB. That the next few years could change professional baseball so much is fascinating. Of course, the game will always be just as much fun to watch. Get the best prices on MLB tickets to 2016 games on CapitalCityTickets.com.