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MLB has been buzzing over the last few years about the rumors of adding an expansion team. Both Nashville and Portland have been lobbying to be the cities that that team calls its new home.
Now, another city has stepped into the ring to fight for a major league team, Salt Lake City and a Salt Lake City Consotrium, led by the former Utah Jazz owner, is making a pitch for the league.
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The group, known as Big League Utah, will join Nashville's Music City Baseball and Portland Diamond Project in lobbying for a team. The group believes Utah couldn't be any more deserving of an expansion team.
The group surveyed fans around the area, asking what their sports leagues were for potential expansion, and MLB was the clear winner. Baseball even beat out the NFL. One fan tweeted:
"I love everything about this--Utah's growth, the development in SLC, homage to Larry H. Miller's love for the sport, etc. Let's make this happen!"
Another fan tweeted:
"Many years ago Larry Miller told me baseball in SLC would make sense! Awesome if it happens. But to be clear this is an announcement of the pursuit of an MLB team... not an announcement that an MLB team is coming. Hope it happens one day"
The city currently has the Salt Lake Bee, the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. The team's home stadium also has the largest seating capacity in the league.
Baseball fans in the Salt Lake City area couldn't be happier to hear the news. They think their city is the perfect area for the next expansion team.
MLB needs to figure out Tampa Bay and Oakland before they plan on expanding
MLB will have to figure out the situation with Tampa Bay and Oakland before they can think about an expansion team. The Tampa Bay Rays are looking for a new stadium, and there are rumors of the Oakland Athletics leaving Oakland.
Many around the league believe there is a high possibility that the team will move to Las Vegas. The city was the recipient of the Golden Knights, one of the recent NHL expansion teams. The area has taken well to its new hockey team and many believe they would welcome baseball in the same way.
It will be interesting to see how this situation plays out.
