ALL PURPOSE NBA expansion thread

[tank44]

They aren’t. But there are two large cities still open for NHL. NBA has no large cities left aside from Seattle.

Agreed.... And per CBSA, Denver is the smallest CBSA pop with both NHL & NBA at 3.6M

Top 5 cities in CBSA Population without either NHL or NBA:
1, San Diego - 3.3M
2. Kansas City - 2.5M
3. Cincinnati - 2.3M
4. Austin - 2.3M
5. Virginia Beach - 1.9M
(then Jacksonville, Greensboro-WS, and then Louisville regularly mentioned in the thread)

Top 5 cities in CBSA Population with NBA & without NHL:
1. Houston - 7.3M
2. Atlanta - 6.9M
3. Orlando - 4.2M
4. Cleveland - 3.6M
5. Portland - 3.2M

Top 5 cities in CBSA Population with NHL & without NBA:
1. Seattle - 4.9M
2. Tampa - 3.2M
3. St Louis - 2.9M
4. Pittsburgh - 2.6M
5. Columbus - 2.5M

 

[KevFu]

That’s kind of why for the nhl they cannot look at the 29 us nba markets and say hey we can still have 5/6 more us markets to go into.

Portland, Sacramento, Utah, San Antonio, Milwaukee, Indiana, OKC, New Orleans, Atalanta, Houston. Not to mention Orlando and Cleveland and Memphis when the nhl has Tampa and Columbus and Nashville in the same state.

I doubt the nhl is eying half of those us markets that the nba is in.

I mostly agree with you. The majority of your list is total non-starters for the NHL. But you mentioned 13 cities and there's non-NBA cities out there as well. So I think the NHL does have 5 or 6 cities they COULD go into. Not SHOULD, but COULD (and zero reason to go into ALL of them).

- San Antonio is big enough and underserved. I wouldn't have an issue with the NHL expanding there. One Texas team isn't enough.
- Portland is bigger than Pittsburgh; with no MLB/NFL. If they miss out on MLB, the 3 smallest isn't a problem IMO.
- Houston would be added to the NHL the very second an owner was willing to make it happen (like Seattle was).
- Atlanta is a market big enough to try again, but I absolutely understand being gun shy on them.

Now look at non-NBA cities:
- San Diego is larger than 4/5 sport cities (Denver/St. Louis) with only ONE TEAM: Baseball.
- Austin is just 300k fewer people than San Antonio and has just an MLS team. That could work;
- Inland Empire (4.5) is intriguing but you'd a 50-mile measuring tape to see if it's even a possibility.

Then you get into the places that could support ONE TEAM
- Hampton Roads Virginia with 1.8 million people and no teams.
- Hartford (1.2) or Providence (1.6)

So the NHL has places they COULD go. Obviously they're not doing San Diego AND Inland Empire; or Hartford AND Providence. or San Antonio AND Austin (But Houston and ONE of them works).

And I'm obligated to say "No one wants the NHL to add 8 teams in the next six years; we're talking "30 years from now, they could have 36 teams."


But I'd absolutely be in favor of adding San Diego with Quebec, or a second Texas team with Quebec.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

But I'd absolutely be in favor of adding San Diego with Quebec, or a second Texas team with Quebec.

I don't think there will be an NHL team in San Diego, the Ducks and Kings would complain. The second Texas team, likely in Houston, could happen though, especially if it means Arizona goes back to the Pacific Division (during DST the Central Division is effectively a three-time zone division as most of Arizona doesn't observe Mountain Daylight Time, but effectively observes Pacific Daylight Time, thus, at some point a 7th Central Time team needs to be added to the NHL, Colorado can stay in the Central because their state observes DST).

 

[KevFu]

I don't think there will be an NHL team in San Diego, the Ducks and Kings would complain. The second Texas team, likely in Houston, could happen though, especially if it means Arizona goes back to the Pacific Division (during DST the Central Division is effectively a three-time zone division as most of Arizona doesn't observe Mountain Daylight Time, but effectively observes Pacific Daylight Time, thus, at some point a 7th Central Time team needs to be added to the NHL, Colorado can stay in the Central because their state observes DST).

I live here in PHX. We're mountain time almost all the NHL season. We're Pacific during the NHL playoffs because we want it to be dark and cool off ASAP; But this team barely ever makes the playoffs and could give a damn about time zones.

The next team in San Diego is about which league courts it first. The NFL just left, MLS has dozens of more serious bids applying, the NBA left, and they have MLB. The Kings/Ducks can complain all they want, if an SD owner wants in, he's going to get an expansion team because it's stupid to turn them down. Overcharge SD so you can cut QC a deal.

If a billionaire from SD gets an arena, wants an NHL team and will cut the cheque, he gets one. A smaller version of Houston; no different than Seattle.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

I don't think there will be an NHL team in San Diego, the Ducks and Kings would complain. The second Texas team, likely in Houston, could happen though, especially if it means Arizona goes back to the Pacific Division (during DST the Central Division is effectively a three-time zone division as most of Arizona doesn't observe Mountain Daylight Time, but effectively observes Pacific Daylight Time, thus, at some point a 7th Central Time team needs to be added to the NHL, Colorado can stay in the Central because their state observes DST).

San Diego is 3 hours away from LA and about 2 from Anaheim.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Dodger Stadium to Petco is currently 2 hours 2 minutes, and Angel Stadium to Petco is 1:27.

That said, neither team has any claim over the market that I'm aware of and wouldn't be able to prevent a team there.

 

[LadyStanley]

MLB commissioner says A’s need ballpark deal soon

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics need to reach new ballpark deals soon and left open the possibility of considering relocation if agreements are not s...

www.reviewjournal.com

Commissioner says Tampa needs deal soon with stadium deal expiring in 2027. Oakland working on two fronts, but final decision soon with 2024 lease expiration.