Which cities should have Major League teams? (life, cons, downtown)

[dfrench8456]

Yes, NYC and Boston overshadow Hartford, but I think that's more of a football/baseball thing. I think the NHL can live on it's own in Hartford.

I could not agree with you more the NHL could thrive in Hartford, Boston and NYC really dont hurt Hartford as far as the NHL goes.

[The A-Team]

It will be too bad if the Sonics relocate, it'll be sad to see them go if they do Even though i love Oklahoma city, a lot of my family are from OKC and I always enjoy spending time there, the Sonics are just meant to be here. I dunno how well they will do in OKC either, but if they move i guess we will find out!

I think Vegas should get a pro team next. Vegas is quite big and people love entertainment there, so pro sports would probably strengthen Vegas as not only a tourist city, but a city with a team that the locals can be proud of and root for!!

Though I dont know all the politics of it, I think LA should and will have an NFL team someday! And i hope San Diego gets an NHL team, that would rule!

And Seattle should have an NHL team again....they just should lol, kinda feels weird there isn't one here (the Seattle Metropolitans were the first American team to win the Stanley cup in 1917!)

[ajf131]

Add Little Rock, Omaha, and Des Moines to that list, as well as Tucson. Also tack on Richmond, Virginia and Toledo, Ohio.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by ajf131

Add Little Rock, Omaha, and Des Moines to that list, as well as Tucson. Also tack on Richmond, Virginia and Toledo, Ohio.

Richmond is on the list.

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by The A-Team

It will be too bad if the Sonics relocate, it'll be sad to see them go if they do Even though i love Oklahoma city, a lot of my family are from OKC and I always enjoy spending time there, the Sonics are just meant to be here. I dunno how well they will do in OKC either, but if they move i guess we will find out!

I think Vegas should get a pro team next. Vegas is quite big and people love entertainment there, so pro sports would probably strengthen Vegas as not only a tourist city, but a city with a team that the locals can be proud of and root for!!

Though I dont know all the politics of it, I think LA should and will have an NFL team someday! And i hope San Diego gets an NHL team, that would rule!

And Seattle should have an NHL team again....they just should lol, kinda feels weird there isn't one here (the Seattle Metropolitans were the first American team to win the Stanley cup in 1917!)

They weren't an NHL team though. Back then, the Stanley Cup was a challenge trophy and you didn't have to be a professional team to challenge for it. The NHL does need more teams out west though.

[Canes2006Champs]

Des Moines, Iowa has around 250,000 people in the city and they have no Major-league team. Also Witchita, Kansas is around the same size and lacks of Major sports teams. El Paso, Texas has I think close to 600,000 residents.

[lammius]

Originally Posted by Canes2006Champs

Des Moines, Iowa has around 250,000 people in the city and they have no Major-league team. Also Witchita, Kansas is around the same size and lacks of Major sports teams. El Paso, Texas has I think close to 600,000 residents.

But the metro areas of Des Moines and Wichita are much much smaller than the other cities mentioned so far (about 1/2 million each).

I always used to root for Norfolk (1.7 mil metro) to get in on some major league sports action. There have been attempts in the past (NHL in 1997 and MLB in 2004). The area is just too fragmented, few Fortune 500s, and geographically close to Washington, which now has a franchise in each of the major sports leagues. Folks in Norfolk will just have to keep chanting "Hail to the Redskins" for now.

I'd love to see an MLB team in North Jersey but that won't happen anytime soon. NJ hosts both of the region's football teams while NY hosts both of the region's baseball teams. Each side of the Hudson R. hosts its own NBA and NHL teams.

[bellafinzi]

Originally Posted by ajf131

Add Little Rock, Omaha, and Des Moines to that list, as well as Tucson. Also tack on Richmond, Virginia and Toledo, Ohio.

If you're adding metros of that size, you'd have to include Syracuse, NY and Albany, NY too. And unlike Toledo.... Syracuse isn't close to a city with major league sports.

For the record: Omaha MSA + Lincoln MSA is roughly the same size as Syracuse + Utica (Syracuse is actually closer to Utica than Omaha is to Lincoln)

Syracuse MSA = 650,000
Syracuse CSA = 731,000
Utica MSA = 297,000
Syracuse CSA + Utica MSA = 1,028,000

Reality Check:
Just like Austin and Madison.... Syracuse has a slim chance of landing major league sports teams in the future since college sports are so popular there. I'm sure population growth projections in the area does not help Syracuse's prospect’s either.

Most people nowadays probably do not even realize that Syracuse was once home to an NBA Basketball team named the Nationals (or Nats)....which later was renamed the 76ers after moving to Philadelphia. In fact, in 1955 the Nationals won the NBA championship.

Unfortunately Syracuse's days of major league sports teams is likely over.....

[NYfanatic]

I think the jets should relocate to albany! but albany is too small for any new teams to come the whole capital district is like 500,000 which is pretty good but albany is too slim....

[WILWRadio]

Hartford is hardly a "suburb" of NYC as some might suggest. It is a 130 mile drive to NYC and around 110 to 120 miles to Boston. It has its own distinct identity from either larger market. More people live within a two hour's drive radius of Hartford than any city in the country except Philadelphia.

If they built a new arena or could find a way to expand and modernize the Civic Center, then Hartford could support another NHL team and probably an NBA team. The NFL could probably even do well because the Giants and Patriots are usually sold out and tickets are hard to come by. Not too many Jets fans in the Hartford metro area right now. If I still lived in the Hartford area I'd support an NFL team despite the fact my favorite teams are the Giants and Dolphins. The Hartford area could probably support two major league teams at this time but only if they build a new arena.