MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has been trying to change the game to welcome in a new generation of fans. His latest proposal could mean those fans have some new teams and rivalries to cheer for.
Manfred gets credit for new rules that have sped up the game and a strike zone challenge system that could soon be implemented. However, on his wish list in the next few years is the possibility of league expansion and realignment.
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Why the talk of expansion and realignment?
During ESPN’s broadcast of the Little League Classic between the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners Sunday night, the commissioner was asked to give fans a peek into the future of the game. When asked about expansion and realignment, Manfred said the topics were related and he could see both things happening.
“I think if we expand, it provides us with an opportunity to geographically realign,” Manfred said. “I think we could save a lot of wear and tear on our players in terms of travel. And I think our postseason format would be even more appealing for entities like ESPN, because you’d be playing out of the East and out of the West.”
Manfred believes expansion would need to happen first. Cities like Nashville, Salt Lake City and Portland are on Major League Baseball’s short list.
What would a new Atlantic division look like?
A league featuring 32 teams instead of the current 30 might look similar to the NFL or NHL. The American League and National League, as fans know them, would likely be gone.
A geographically realigned Atlantic Division might feature both the New York Mets and New York Yankees, along with the Washington Nationals, Philadelphia Phillies and Baltimore Orioles. Those cities are all within a six-hour driving window, and the league would look to build new rivalries between them.
The commissioner believes having those types of regional matchups could fill a viewership void. It could also mean more local advertising dollars and higher revenue streams from future media rights deals.
“That 10 o’clock time slot, where we sometimes get Boston, Anaheim would be two West Coast teams, and that 10 o’clock time slot that’s sometimes a problem for us becomes a real opportunity for our West Coast audience,” Manfred said.
What roadblocks remain to realignment?
The West Coast audience might enjoy having the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners join the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres in a Pacific Division. An expansion team like Salt Lake City could also be added to the mix.
Major League Baseball hasn’t expanded since the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays entered the league in 1998. Manfred has said he’d like to add two more teams before he retires in 2029.
First, he will focus on settling the Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays stadium situations, and attempt to navigate a looming labor dispute with the players’ union.
