Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
There are no pro sports teams outside the top 50 MSAs (except the Green Bay Packers), so Omaha would be a stretch.
NBA also hates markets outside the top 20 where there's much competition from other teams. OKC, SAC, San Antonio, Memphis, Orlando, Portland, and Utah all have zero other MLB, NHL, or NFL teams. Seven cities with no other teams in the other three major team sports - this is way above all other leagues.
Teams that are neither top 20 MSAs, nor alone in their market - Indy, Charlotte, Milwaukee - not one has hockey. Pittsburgh StL have no chance. Baltimore and StL are also on the top 20 boundary, and too much competition from other sports. KC is even worse at #30 and already having baseball and NFL, they're not getting a team.
Mexico City is nonsense. Hard to sell all those $200 tickets and $115 LeBron jerseys when there's $10,000 per person GDP. Higher bar for Canadian teams, and no market big enough to cross that besides Toronto. Van's already lost a team...to Memphis.
Austin would be a prime spot then, were it not for the Spurs, who built their stadium north of SA on 35 to be closer to Austin fans. Vegas is about to get hockey, so they're not getting a team.
Leaves Louisville, VA Beach, and VA Beach is NASCAR country with little basketball tradition. Also would compete with Wizards for VA fans. If I had to bet on the non-Seattle market, I'd bet on Louisville to become the 8th NBA market with no other pro teams - it's also the same size as Memphis with no team nearby, and good basketball tradition.
Neither Louisville nor Hampton Roads is NASCAR country. Louisville is college hoops. Hampton Roads is NFL, followed by NBA. There is almost no Wizards fandom beyond the beltway.
Both VA Beach and Louisville had ABA teams. The Louisville team, the Kentucky Colonels, drew 6-7k fans in the 70s, when Louisville was much smaller, and was one of the only solvent ABA teams not to become part of the NBA in '76. The Virginia Squires had Dr. J, but weren't as solid financially.
Louisville has an arena ready to go, the Yum center where the Univ of Louisville plays, while VA beach would have to build a new one to produce any reasonable amount of stadium revenue.
Still, besides the glaring hole in Seattle, the NBA is pretty much tapped out.
Austin TX is by far the most logical choice. Blows my mind that we don't have any pro sports. People refuse to recognize greatness
Overall, that's true. Largest MSA without pro sports, and the fastest growing in the top 40. Couple years and Austin will surpass Cleveland and KC, which have both NFL and MLB.
But NBA is a problem due to the Spurs. NHL or MLB more realistic, especially with both underrepresented in Texas. Still, that could be a decade. Moving the Tampa Bay Rays there could make a lot of sense.
Overall, that's true. Largest MSA without pro sports, and the fastest growing in the top 40. Couple years and Austin will surpass Cleveland and KC, which have both NFL and MLB.
But NBA is a problem due to the Spurs. NHL or MLB more realistic, especially with both underrepresented in Texas. Still, that could be a decade. Moving the Tampa Bay Rays there could make a lot of sense.
I wouldn't really say that... at least, not for MLB.
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
27,606 posts, read 14,592,398 times
Reputation: 9169
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheseGoTo11
Overall, that's true. Largest MSA without pro sports, and the fastest growing in the top 40. Couple years and Austin will surpass Cleveland and KC, which have both NFL and MLB.
But NBA is a problem due to the Spurs. NHL or MLB more realistic, especially with both underrepresented in Texas. Still, that could be a decade. Moving the Tampa Bay Rays there could make a lot of sense.
Why would the Devil Rays move? Are they having attendance issues?
Why would the Devil Rays move? Are they having attendance issues?
none at all...unless being last in attendance the last 5 years is seen as an issue
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
