Sports Cities: Cities Gaining Teams (difference, building, state, bigger)

[gwillyfromphilly]

Can Los Angeles even support 3 teams in its market? I know the Los Angeles market is big but its not that big! I think the New York market is the only sports market in the U.S. thats big enough to support 3 teams in one sport.

[rnc2mbfl]

I have seen Birmingham mentioned in a lot of posts here. I'll go on record as saying "it ain't gonna happen". A huge land area CSA of only 1.2 million that's not growing particularly fast is not going to be on anyone's radar, especially when it's very drivable for overnight trips to Atlanta.

[west336]

I'd rather see Birmingham get a team than Anaheim though!

[slo1318]

No. Anaheim is a natural for a team. The Clippers would have been better off in Anaheim. They would have ruled the OC instead of playing second fiddle to the Lakers.

[abr7rmj]

NHL or NBA in Cincinnati please (preferably NHL) ...

Awful time to try to build a new arena though

[sav858]

Originally Posted by grapico

outside of the bay area I've never really thought of the west coast as much of sports town.

And what on earth made you think of the Bay Area being any better of a sports town on the West Coast than elsewhere? Is it the A's stellar attendance? Or all the Raiders blackouts? Most of the fans at a Giants game are on their blackberry or yapping not paying attention, it's just one of the few things to do in SF during summer. Bay Area residents are just as big as bandwagoners as anywhere else on the west coast, get real.

[nashvols]

Originally Posted by rnc2mbfl

I have seen Birmingham mentioned in a lot of posts here. I'll go on record as saying "it ain't gonna happen". A huge land area CSA of only 1.2 million that's not growing particularly fast is not going to be on anyone's radar, especially when it's very drivable for overnight trips to Atlanta.

I doubt Birmingham will get a team in the foreseeable future...but if they do, I think it would be NFL. Although the NFL has the largest stadiums, it's a lot easier to fill up an NFL stadium 8 times a year than NBA or NHL 41 times, or MLB 81 times.

Like it was pointed out, Alabama is crazy about football...but that's college football. I don't know how it would translate to the NFL. It has done rather well in Nashville, but Nashville has a bigger TV market.

Birmingham isn't tiny as far as TV markets go, but you're right...it's spread out.

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/200...estimates/5037

The thing is, a lot of larger markets without NFL teams are rather close to cities that do (Orlando -> Tampa, Raleigh -> Charlotte, Sacramento -> Bay Area)...and I'm not sure how well an NFL team would be received in Portland (and if the residents would be willing to fork over a half billion dollars to build a stadium and lure one)...

...so it's really hard to say what the next 'new' NFL market will be (not counting LA, since they've had one before).

[Omahahonors]

Omaha would be a very good Football/hockey city. With lincoln very near the CSA is about 1.2million and is growing fairly quickly. Only problem is how there are a few larger cities without a pro team.

I am going to have to wait a while longer, but that is okay as the Huskers provide a bigger spotlight than almost all pro teams.

[west336]

Originally Posted by abr7rmj

NHL or NBA in Cincinnati please (preferably NHL) ...

Awful time to try to build a new arena though

No f'ing way Cincy gets an NHL team when Columbus is 1.5 hours away and they don't exactly pack them in! I am ALL FOR a bk ball team in Cincy though -- Cincy is a true basketball town!

[censusdata]

I think some people in Louisville are drinking cool aid again. No way the NBA moves into a renovated Freedom Hall (that's like renovating a double wide) when Seattle, Vegas, etc don't have teams.