Could Louisville support a Big 4 sports team?

Could Louisville support a MLB, NFL, NBA, or NHL team?


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MMC

Global Moderator
May 11, 2014
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Second poll in my series, I am now not including the MLS as the more I thought about it it really didn't make much sense to list them in the same group as the other 4. While the consensus seemed to be no for Albuquerque, I think more people might see this city as more viable. What do you think?
 

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
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St. Louis, MO
One real estate consulting service company thought so back in 2018. I didn't agree then, and I don't agree now. Basketball would seem to be the area's #1 sports obsession, but I don't see the U of Louisville Cardinals team giving up KFC Yum! Center to accommodate an NBA franchise. Nor do I think Louisville fans (including the alums with money) would switch allegiances just to support a pro basketball team in town.
 
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HisIceness

This is Hurricanes Hockey
Sep 16, 2010
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Charlotte
Yes I do, but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy or will happen. I would think one of the two winter leagues (NBA/NHL) is the more likely scenario, but I suppose MLS could be of interest. NFL and MLB are probably long-shots, especially NFL with nearby Cincinnati and Indianapolis already occupied.

Louisville has a few things in their favor, they've got a couple of Fortune 500 companies in town (KFC Yum Brands and Kindred Healthcare), another that drifts in and out of the list (Humana), and they've also got Papa Johns, a Ford motor plant, and UPS Airlines has their Worldport there. So there's corporate support in place. They also are a tourist destination, sort of a Nashville-light I guess (Kentucky Bourbon trail and the Derby are popular w/ out-of-towners). They would also have no competition in state except for NCAA, which could be a bit of a deterrent, but other markets like Raleigh and Columbus, and even Nashville have to compete with NCAA as well.

According to Google, Kentucky appears to have two Billionaires living in the state. One is B. Wayne Hughes, founder of Public Storage and an investor in Horse Racing and the other is his own daughter. Mr. Hughes is in his 80's and his daughter is in her late 50's. Are either interested in being an owner for a sports team? Nothing I've seen suggests so and I would doubt it at this time, especially at this stage in their lives. So this would mean an out-of-stater would likely have to get involved.

Naturally, the NBA would be the perfect fit since the state is hoops-crazy. The market would be similar to other markets like Memphis, Orlando, OKC, Sacramento, Utah, Portland, and San Antonio in that they would be NBA-only or only have MLS to deal with on a major-league level. However, the NBA and small-markets I think are kind of at an impasse right now. The franchise in these markets tend to be bottom-feeder to the big boys and w/ the NBA being a superstar-driven league, that's just going to make recruiting and keeping star players all the more harder, we will see what happens w/ Giannis in Milwaukee next summer. Louisville might be interesting to some U of K stars to play there, but then again a lot of that programs top talent comes from other states.

What I do think the city could potentially support, would be yes, the NHL, especially if they had a Vinik/Dundon or even a Nashville-type of owner. It's a college market, similar to Raleigh, Nashville, and Columbus. It's a growing market, not quite as rapidly as others but still growing. It's 46th largest metro puts it in the "realm" with Buffalo, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, and Memphis, so it's on the smaller scale but it's "do-able". It's TV market is also on the smaller scale but still "do-able". It would be the only other NHL-only US market besides Raleigh, and unlike Raleigh they would have the state of Kentucky to themselves, and possibly even market to Indiana, which has no NHL franchise.

Now comes the real question. U of L has their mens/womens hoops and volleyball teams, and other university events, hosted at KFC Yum Center. Are they willing to share? I would doubt it. The building itself seems perfect for the NBA, not really sure for NHL but it's in a good location, it's somewhat new, and appears to have adequate number of suites. It's just again, U of L occupies the building heavily during the NBA/NHL seasons.

So yes, of all the "untapped" markets left, I think Louisville is the last option that major leagues would be interested in. Austin already got their MLS franchise so for arguments sake I took them off the table. That doesn't mean it will happen, but no one should be surprised if they are given a shot.
 
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CHRDANHUTCH

Registered User
Mar 4, 2002
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Auburn, Maine
simple answer:no

already been there done that, ask USA Hockey and San Jose and how creatively Louisville wants what Lexington got/had, there was no credible ownership nor is there an arena there.... (Freedom Hall Isn't a long-term solution, nevermind short-term).

Louisville and Lexington then compete when the established programs that are ingrained in that Commonwealth..... it was a great experiment, but it's unlikely, pandemic, or no pandemic
 

KevFu

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May 22, 2009
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I think NBA could work in Louisville.

It's the same size as Memphis, Salt Lake, New Orleans, OKC and Milwaukee, who all have NBA teams.

Kentucky is basketball mad. I don't think NHL or MLB would work there, but basketball would.

Of course, they'd need to appeal to both UofL and UK fanbases by making their colors Louisville Red and Kentucky Blue plus a couple accent colors. (I thought the Thrashers should have done that: Georgia Tech Gold + Georgia Red + Black)
 
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GindyDraws

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Mar 13, 2014
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NBA is realistically the only sport Louisville could support, and that's if the owner is in the *very* good graces of the University of Louisville regarding the KFC Yum! Center. It would also have to deal with the territorial rights of the Indiana Pacers, although to be honest, the fandom of the Pacers is kind of limited to central Indiana as a whole; northern Indiana tends to support the Chicago Bulls or Purdue University basketball, and southern Indiana supports Indiana University with maybe the Jeffersonville area following the Louisville Cardinals.

I would be for it, as I never found the Bulls to be a rival on par with Indiana; if anything, I always feel like we are far beneath Chicago. However, Louisville and Indianapolis are cities that are similar in size and theology, plus in sports, there's a rivalry in soccer called the LIPAFC, or Louisville-Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Competition that could also exist in the NBA level if we were to reignite a rivalry like the in old ABA days between the Pacers and the Kentucky Colonels (though with today's climate, "Colonel" might not be the popular nickname).
 

MMC

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Is it a stretch to think Louisville might be able to support a baseball team? Region is a bit lacking in baseball teams.
 

HisIceness

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Is it a stretch to think Louisville might be able to support a baseball team? Region is a bit lacking in baseball teams.

I would think so simply because of the market size and commitment needed for 82 home games. Not impossible since there's nothing else in the market to compete with outside U of L and I'm sure that would be a selling point, but I think MLB is the least likely.
 
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CHRDANHUTCH

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I would think so simply because of the market size and commitment needed for 82 home games. Not impossible since there's nothing else in the market to compete with outside U of L and I'm sure that would be a selling point, but I think MLB is the least likely.
the Bats have been around since 1982 Louisville Bats-WIKIPEDIA
 

HisIceness

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I generally agree with u but I don't see Louisville joining the upper echelon.....

I'm not sure what you are saying here. You quoted me quoting Cats' post about MLB in Louisville being a stretch by saying the Triple-A Bats have been around since 1982. Then you follow up by saying you agree with me.

Im a little confused here.
 

CHRDANHUTCH

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I'm not sure what you are saying here. You quoted me quoting Cats' post about MLB in Louisville being a stretch by saying the Triple-A Bats have been around since 1982. Then you follow up by saying you agree with me.

Im a little confused here.
I just don't think his point about Louisville becoming one of 30 suffices, hence why I'm agreeing with you, what basis is there to make the Bats a major league franchise, especially in baseball.... there's other issues in the sport and potential issues with the NAPBL/Minor League Baseball about streamlining that sport
 
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HisIceness

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I just don't think his point about Louisville becoming one of 30 suffices, hence why I'm agreeing with you, what basis is there to make the Bats a major league franchise, especially in baseball.... there's other issues in the sport and potential issues with the NAPBL/Minor League Baseball about streamlining that sport

Okay, I understand what you are saying. Thanks for clarifying.
 
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ColinM

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Dec 14, 2004
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According to Google Louisville is only 1 hour 35 minutes from Cincinnati. That is likely enough to sink their MLB and NFL chances. As others mentioned the NBA might be possible but it wouldn't be that much better of a market than Memphis.
 

nickp91

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Jun 29, 2011
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it’s 2027 on NBA’s opening night The league has just expanded to 32 teams The Kentucky Cobras are playing the Seattle Supersonics
 

garbageteam

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Jan 7, 2010
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I'd think if they were gonna expand they would have gotten going sooner than 2027. As for the question; yes, but only to the NBA. No other league would touch it imo.
 

MMC

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May 11, 2014
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I would think so simply because of the market size and commitment needed for 82 home games. Not impossible since there's nothing else in the market to compete with outside U of L and I'm sure that would be a selling point, but I think MLB is the least likely.
This makes sense, thanks. It is surprising to me that San Diego is currently the only MLB only city, wonder if there might be more in the future.
 

HisIceness

This is Hurricanes Hockey
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This makes sense, thanks. It is surprising to me that San Diego is currently the only MLB only city, wonder if there might be more in the future.

Likely not. Only way this happens is if.....

-An NFL or other team leaves a market like the Chargers did w/ San Diego
-The league wants to experiment w/ Mexico City
 
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BigBadBruins7708

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Dec 11, 2017
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I think NBA could work in Louisville.

It's the same size as Memphis, Salt Lake, New Orleans, OKC and Milwaukee, who all have NBA teams.

Kentucky is basketball mad. I don't think NHL or MLB would work there, but basketball would.

Of course, they'd need to appeal to both UofL and UK fanbases by making their colors Louisville Red and Kentucky Blue plus a couple accent colors. (I thought the Thrashers should have done that: Georgia Tech Gold + Georgia Red + Black)

they're UK and UL basketball crazy, obsessing over a college team doesnt translate to supporting a pro team.

case in point, North Carolina. Duke/UNC crazy, but the Hornets/Bobcats struggle
 

MMC

Global Moderator
May 11, 2014
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Seems like the consensus here is NBA only or not at all. Hopefully this area can get a NBA team some day, would love for them to have their own sports team and to see a major league have a team in Louisville.
 

GindyDraws

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This makes sense, thanks. It is surprising to me that San Diego is currently the only MLB only city, wonder if there might be more in the future.

It's a topic for another thread, but part of the problem lies in the fact that San Diego has an extremely outdated arena for basketball or hockey, and we all know why the Chargers left; their owner felt he'd earn more being seventh-banana in Los Angeles than being top banana in San Diego, so it's not like the NFL returning isn't impossible. I just don't think the NFL should expand for many, many years.
 

CHRDANHUTCH

Registered User
Mar 4, 2002
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Auburn, Maine
they're UK and UL basketball crazy, obsessing over a college team doesnt translate to supporting a pro team.

case in point, North Carolina. Duke/UNC crazy, but the Hornets/Bobcats struggle
pro hockey was tried, it failed due to corrupt ownership... that's also why Elmira and Port Huron got caught in that schematic as well as Florida's Panthers in the early part of 2000s
 

KevFu

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May 22, 2009
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they're UK and UL basketball crazy, obsessing over a college team doesnt translate to supporting a pro team.

case in point, North Carolina. Duke/UNC crazy, but the Hornets/Bobcats struggle

1. Duke/UNC are over 2 hours away from Charlotte.
2. The Hornets "Struggle" by bringing in $240 million in revenue and turning a profit. If that's "struggling" then yes, Louisville would "struggle" in the NBA.
 
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