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MLB Eyes Expansion: 32 Teams on the Horizon?
12 Sep
Summary
- MLB aims to expand to 32 teams before January 2029.
- The league's last expansion occurred in 1998.
- Salt Lake City is considered a strong candidate for a new team.
Major League Baseball is actively pursuing expansion, with plans to increase the league to 32 teams. The collective bargaining agreement set to expire on December 1 is a backdrop to this ambition. Commissioner Rob Manfred aims for a decision on adding one east coast and one west coast franchise by January 2029. This potential expansion would be the league's first since 1998.
MLB's historical expansion timeline shows significant intervals between additions. The period between 1960 and 1998 saw multiple team growths, with the most recent being the addition of the Diamondbacks and Rays. Experts are analyzing the financial implications of new teams on college sports programs.
Among potential host cities, Salt Lake City is highlighted as having a compelling case for an expansion team. The league's last expansion in 1998 brought the total to 30 teams, and the upcoming growth would mark the longest gap between expansions in decades.
