That's only true if your sport is growing, Matt.
Growing the game happens because the games are worth watching and catch public interest, not because there are more teams playing locally.
It's fine to add an expansion team in a new untapped market, but we already have unsustainable markets in MLB (think Florida).
This isn't finding an untapped market, it's trying to squeeze 2 more baseball teams into a market that already has flatlined or sagged. Tampa is WINNING and can't draw fans. The Marlins have two world titles and are in dire need of a stadium to hope to draw some fans.
I hope it works out in Florida, I really do, but other than Las Vegas who is gonna pony up for a stadium in the current economic climate? At least the As are just asking for some property and they'll get the building itself built without taxpayer dollars.
I hear you about interest in the game, but the league would be better served spicing up the playoffs with another wildcard, putting a pitchclock in to get the batters and pitchers to have to actually do something in those Yankees/Bo Sox 4 hour yawnfests, and moving forward with their product first. Put a salary floor in place to force owners to spend so that there are minimum standards for teams.
They can expand when they can fill stadiums. They have the same basic number of under 60% capacity teams they've had for a decade.
In 2001, there were 12 teams under 60% (ten under 2 million fans for the year).
2010? 11 (nine under 2 million).
TV ratings? Better for the World Series in 2001-2002 than 2009-2010. Each two-year grouping has the Giants and the Yankees markets included, so it's mostly fair.
NFL teams under 60% capacity? zero. 70%? Zero. 80%? two. Over 100% (standing room)? NINE. They expanded to 32 because their product could support it, IMO - the expansion did not cause the explosion.
Hockey expanded until their game broke. Ducks, Panthers, Predators, Thrashers, Blue Jackets, Lightning, Wild, Sharks in a 10 year span. Why didn't expansion grow their game?
How's the WNBA going? Should they expand to grow their game, or figure out how to reach more fans in their existing markets first?
This is only two teams, I get that. I just don't think it's anywhere near the top of what baseball should be doing. Make sure the game is growing ITSELF before you ride that momentum to expansion.
Ten years from now that pretty Florida field they're finishing could be vacant unless the LLWS comes to town. They could be playing minor league ball on it if the fans decide not to come out.
That would be MLB's fault. Get the game right first. Then expand. Doing it the other way around invites disaster, IMO.
~G
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