As the world of sports continues to grow, so does the number of teams in each league. The NBA is no different as the topic of finding NBA expansion cities has been prevalent for a few years now.
The NBA is one of the two major sports markets in the United States. It almost seems crazy not to consider adding more teams. The NBA currently has 30 teams playing in the league, but it could very easily follow in the NHL’s footsteps and add two expansion teams.
NBA Expansion Cities: Which cities could welcome a new NBA team?
The topic of NBA expansion cities came up recently when the Toronto Raptors had to find a temporary place to play last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada still had border restrictions, forcing Toronto to play elsewhere.
It appears to be when, not if, the NBA will expand the league to 32 teams. More teams equals more revenue. Additionally, basketball is growing steadily and the possibility of finding new markets is certainly worth exploring.
Here are the five best ideas for NBA expansion teams.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the most obvious choice. It was the home of the Seattle SuperSonics for years before the team moved to Oklahoma City. Whenever the term “offshoring” comes up, Seattle is always at the top of the list.
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There’s already a home for a Seattle basketball team. The Seattle Kraken, the NHL’s new expansion team, will play at Climate Change Arena.
Ironically, the building was home to the SuperSonics. With the Kraken, Seahawks, Mariners and Storm in the area, Seattle makes too much sense not to consider it as a location for an NBA team.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is gradually becoming an essential location for sports teams. The NHL moved its 31st team there with the Golden Knights and the NFL Raiders recently moved from Oakland to Vegas. It has become a must-visit place for die-hard sports fans. And it’s hard not to mention Vegas without the gambling.
The WNBA is home to the Las Vegas Aces, so it’s a place with a passion for basketball. A basketball team could potentially share T-Mobile Arena with the Golden Knights.
Louisville, Kentucky
This can be a tough sell considering there are no major sports teams in Kentucky, but hey, you always have to start somewhere. There are already a large number of basketball players for the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky. In fact, Louisville’s arena, the KFC Yum! Center, would be large enough to accommodate an NBA crowd.
Louisville was rumored to be in the running for welcome the Toronto Raptors before traveling to Florida to play temporarily due to the pandemic. Plus, it’s not far from St. Louis, a major sports city without a basketball team.
Tampa, Florida
This is now the place that hosted the Raptors for a while. Tampa is home to the NHL’s Lightning, the MLB’s Rays and the NFL’s Buccaneers. While the Rays tend to hit rock bottom, the Lightning and Bucs have had recent success and have their fan base soaring.
This would be the third NBA team from the state of Florida. Would the NBA be ready to do it? There are probably more desirable locations, but Tampa already has a sports fan base on the bay side of the state.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville isn’t exactly the first city that comes to mind when talking about basketball. But does anything else really come to mind besides country music and cowboy hats?
The city has seen success with the Tennessee Titans in the NFL and the Predators in the NHL.
The Predators fan base has quickly become one of the most passionate in hockey. Adding an NBA team to Nashville could also create a rivalry with the Memphis Grizzlies.
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