MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has been entertaining the idea of expanding the league by adding more teams, and I don’t know if I like that idea.
The MLB already has 30 teams, and each team plays 162 games apiece. That equals a total of 2,430 games for the entire season, which is already a long season if you ask me. I’m not sure how many teams he is talking about adding, but each team added would extend the baseball season by 81 games.
Maybe I’m being a Debbie Downer because baseball has never been one of my favorite sports to watch, but I just think the season is long enough. Basketball is one of my favorite sports to watch, but I would be against the NBA doing something to prolong the season. Especially if they tried to add more teams, meaning more teams in the playoffs, and I already think the NBA includes too many teams during the playoff season as it is.
It’s not just the baseball season I think is too long or doesn’t need to get any longer. Actually, the only sport I wouldn’t mind having more games for is the NFL, because they only have 16 per team to begin with. I think less games per team during the regular season keeps the sport more competitive and exciting.
One thing I will say in favor of the baseball league is it does not prolong its playoff season by having half the league advance like the NBA. The baseball playoffs consist of 10 teams, which is just a third of the total teams.
Another thing Commissioner Manfred addressed was the possibility of relocating a couple teams. Reports state Oakland and Tampa Bay are at risk of losing their teams because of stadium issues. There have been many cases in which teams have relocated in multiple sports and it worked. The most recent success was when the Seattle SuperSonics relocated in Oklahoma City as the Thunder, and they have prospered just fine in the NBA.
However, when it comes to the sports world, I do not like change too often. I don’t like to see teams leave and go to other cities, and I’m not a big fan of bringing in new teams either no matter what sport it is. I’m not saying expansion is a bad thing, because, if it’s done correctly, expansion could help a sport tremendously. Bringing in teams from cities that do not have a team already brings in more revenue for the league and creates a broader fan base. So I understand the logic behind expansion. For me, when I get used to a league’s team structure, I like for it to stay that way.
Commissioner Manfred has 12 locations in mind for new teams or relocating teams, including Mexico. Nothing has confirmed the MLB will actually be expanding. Reports have said Commissioner Manfred has “shared a vision,” nothing more. So we will have to just wait and see.
frbonner@indiana.edu
