- Expansion team
An expansion team is a term used for a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American
major professional sports league s, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the fact that the league expands its presence into new cities. This sometimes results in the payment of anexpansion fee to the league by the new team.In
North America , expansion takes place in response topopulation growth and geographic shifts of population, driven by the resulting financial opportunity made possible by such demographic change. For example,Major League Baseball was limited to 16 teams located north and east ofSt. Louis, Missouri for the first half of the 20th century. During this time, theUnited States population doubled and expanded to the south and west. Rival interests explored the possibility of forming a rival league in these untapped markets. To forestall this possibility, one of the measures MLB took was to expand by four teams in 1961 and 1962. Over the past four decades, MLB expanded further to its current 30-team membership. In the context of MLB, the term "expansion team" is also used to refer to any of the 14 teams enfranchised in the second half of the 20th century.When an expansion team begins play, they are generally stocked with less talented
free agent s and inexperienced staffs. Additionally, prospective owners must pay extremely steep fees to the league as well as expensive start-up costs such as stadiums and facilities. As a result, most expansion teams are known for their poor play during their inaugural season. However, with increasing parity (mainly due to first pick drafts) and experience, some are known to win championships only a few years after their first season.Most teams are considered as an expansion team usually in their first season and sometimes in their second season. A team that moves to another location and/or changes its name is generally not considered an expansion team. They are known as "relocated teams". If the name changed they are known as "renamed teams". The two major exceptions to this rule are the
Baltimore Ravens in the NFL andHouston Dynamo in the MLS.Cities and/or regions with large populations that lack a team are generally regarded to be the best candidates for new teams. For example, the
National Football League (NFL) has recently considered Los Angeles, CA to be the best possibility for a brand new NFL team andToronto as a second choice. TheEuropean Super League has added teams fromFrance andWales to cover a great demographic spread.List of expansion teams in history
1890s
1896
flagicon|AUS Australian FL: VFL
*Melbourne
*South Melbourne (now Sydney Swans)
*Fitzroy (Amalgamated Bris 1997)
*Essendon
*Geelong
*Carlton
*St Kilda
*Collingwood 1899
flagiconENGCC:
*Worcestershire CCC 1900s
1905
flagicon|ENGCC:
*Northamptonshire CCC 1908
flagicon|AUSAustralian FL:
*Richmond FC
*University 1910s
1910
flagicon|AUSNSWRL
*Annandale1920s
1920
flagicon|AUSNSWRL
*University1921
flagicon|AUSNSWRL
*St. George Dragons 1922
flagicon|ENGflagicon|WAL:CC
*Glamorgan CCC 1924
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL
*Boston Bruins
*Montreal Maroons 1925
flagicon|AUSAustralin FL:
*North Melbourne
*Hawthorn
*Footscray (now Western Bulldogs)1925
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL
* Pittsburgh Pirates
*New York Americans 1926
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL
* Detroit Cougars
* Chicago Black Hawks
*New York Rangers 1930s
1933
flagicon|USANFL
*Cincinnati Reds (now defunct)*
Philadelphia Eagles *Pittsburgh Pirates (now Steelers)
1935
flagicon|AUSNSWRL
*Canterbury-Bankstown1940s
1947
flagicon|AUSNSWRL
*Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
*Parramatta Eels 1960s
1960
flagicon|USANFL:
*Dallas Cowboys 1961
flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLB:
*Los Angeles Angels (now Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)
*Washington Senators (now Texas Rangers)flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*Chicago Packers (now Washington Wizards)flagicon|USANFL:
*Minnesota Vikings 1962
flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLB:
*Houston Colt .45s (now Houston Astros)
*New York Mets 1966
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*Chicago Bulls flagicon|USANFL:
*Atlanta Falcons flagicon|USA
American Football League :
*Miami Dolphins 1967
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*San Diego Rockets (now Houston Rockets)
*Seattle SuperSonics flagicon|USANFL:
*New Orleans Saints flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL:
*Minnesota North Stars (nowDallas Stars )
*Los Angeles Kings
*Oakland Seals (defunct)
*Philadelphia Flyers
*Pittsburgh Penguins
*St. Louis Bluesflagicon|AUSNSWRL
*Penrith Panthers
*Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks1968
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*Milwaukee Bucks
*Phoenix Suns flagicon|USAAFL:
*Cincinnati Bengals 1969
flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLB:
*Montreal Expos (nowWashington Nationals )
*San Diego Padres
*Kansas City Royals
*Seattle Pilots (now Milwaukee Brewers)1970s
1970
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*Buffalo Braves (now Los Angeles Clippers)
*Cleveland Cavaliers
*Portland Trail Blazers flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL:
*Buffalo Sabres
*Vancouver Canucks 1972
flagicon|USAABA:
*San Diego Conquistadors flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL:
*Atlanta Flames (nowCalgary Flames )
*New York Islanders 1974
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*New Orleans Jazz (now Utah Jazz)flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL:
*Kansas City Scouts (nowNew Jersey Devils )
*Washington Capitals 1976
flagicon|USANFL:
*Seattle Seahawks
*Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1977
flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLB:
*Seattle Mariners
*Toronto Blue Jays 1978
flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Filmanbank Bankers1979
flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Gilbey's Gin1980s
1980
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*Dallas Mavericks flagicon|PHLPBA:
*CDCP Shippers1981
flagicon|AUS Australian FL:
*Sydney Swans (originally South Melbourne)1982
flagicon|AUSNSWRL
*Canberra Raiders
*Illawarra Steelers 1983
flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Manhattan1984
flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Manila Beer1985
flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Shell Azordin Bugbusters1986
flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Alaska Aces1987
flagicon|AUSAustralian FL:
*Brisbane Bears ( joined with Fitzroy in 1996 to form Brisbane Lions)
*West Coast Eagles 1988
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*Charlotte Hornets (now New Orleans Hornets)
*Miami Heat flagicon|AUSNSWRL:
*Newcastle Knights
*Brisbane Broncos
*Gold Coast-Tweed Giantsflagicon|PHLPBA:
*Purefoods1989
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*Minnesota Timberwolves
*Orlando Magic flagicon|CANflagiconUSANLL:
*Detroit Turbos
*New England Blazers 1990s
1990
flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Sunkist Orange Juicers1991
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL:
*San Jose Sharks - technically the product of a dissolved merger between theOakland Seals /Cleveland Barons franchise and theMinnesota North Stars , which resulted in the re-activation of the Seals/Barons franchise in San Jose. Half of the 1991 North Stars moved to San Jose.flagicon|AUSAFL:
*Adelaide Crows 1992
flagicon|ENGCC:
*Durham CCC flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL:
*Ottawa Senators
*Tampa Bay Lightning flagicon|CANflagicon|USANLL:
*Buffalo Bandits 1993
flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLB:
*Colorado Rockies
*Florida Marlins flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL:
*Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (now Anaheim Ducks)
*Florida Panthers flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Sta. Lucia Realtors 1995
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*Toronto Raptors
*Vancouver Grizzlies (now Memphis Grizzlies)flagicon|USANFL:
*Carolina Panthers
*Jacksonville Jaguars flagicon|CANflagicon|USANLL:
*Rochester Knighthawks flagicon|AUSflagicon|NZLARL
*Auckland Warriors
*North Queensland Cowboys
*South Queensland Crushers
*Western Reds flagicon|AUSAFL:
*Fremantle Dockers1996
flagicon|USANFL:
*Baltimore Ravens - technically a new franchise although it maintained the roster of theCleveland Browns , whose franchise was suspended until 1999.flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Mobiline Cellularsflagicon|CANflagicon|USANLL:
*Charlotte Cobras 1997
flagicon|AUSflagicon|NZLSuper League:
*Hunter Mariners
*Adelaide Rams flagicon|AUSAFL:
*Brisbane Lions ( technically not an expansion team more a amalgamated team, from Brisbane Bears joined in 1987 and Fitzroy lions Joined in 1896)
*Port Adelaide Power (technically not an expansion team, as the Port Adelaide Football Club was formed in 1870 in the SANFL which is a different League)flagicon|AUSWAFL:
*Peel Thunder 1998
flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLB:
*Arizona Diamondbacks
*Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now Tampa Bay Rays)flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL:
*Nashville Predators flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLS:
*Chicago Fire
*Miami Fusion flagicon|AUSflagicon|NZLNRL
*Melbourne Storm flagicon|AUSVFL
*Bendigo Bombers 1999
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL:
*Atlanta Thrashers flagicon|USANFL:
*Cleveland Browns - technically reactivated. As part of the deal which permitted former Browns ownerArt Modell to move to Baltimore, the Browns name and colors remained with Cleveland.flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Tanduay Rhum Masters 2000s
2000
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL:
*Columbus Blue Jackets
*Minnesota Wild flagicon|CANflagicon|USANLL:
*Albany Attack flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Batang Red Bull Energy Kingsflagicon|AUSNRL:
*Northern Eagles
*Wests Tigers 2001
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANLL:
*Columbus Landsharks flagicon|AUSVFL:
*Tasmanian Devils2002
flagicon|CANCFL:
*Ottawa Renegades flagicon|CANflagicon|USANLL:
*Calgary Roughnecks
*Montreal Express
*New Jersey Storm
*Vancouver Ravens flagicon|PHLPBA:
*FedEx Express
*Coca-Cola Tigers flagicon|USANFL:
*Houston Texans 2003
flagicon|CANflagicon|USAWHL:
*Everett Silvertips 2004
flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*Charlotte Bobcats 2005
flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLS:
*Real Salt Lake
*CD Chivas USA flagicon|CANflagicon|USANLL:
*Minnesota Swarm flagicon|CANflagicon|USAQMJHL:
*St. John's Fog Devils
*Saint John Sea Dogs 2006
flagicon|AUSNTFL:
*Tiwi Bombers flagicon|AUSflagicon|NZLflagicon|RSA
Super 14 :
*Cheetahs
*Western Force flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLS:
*Houston Dynamo (though they maintained the roster of the San Jose Earthquakes)flagicon|CANflagicon|USANLL:
*Edmonton Rush
*Portland Lumberjax flagicon|CANflagicon|USAWHL:
*Chilliwack Bruins flagicon|ENGflagicon|FRASuper League:
*Catalans Dragons — Although Super League currently uses apromotion and relegation system, "Les Catalans", as the only French team in the otherwise all-British competition, are assured of a place in the league through 2008.flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Welcoat Dragons (from the PBL, note that the promotion and relegation system was not used .)flagicon|USAMLL:
*Chicago Machine
*Denver Outlaws
*Los Angeles Riptide
*San Francisco Dragons 2007
flagicon|AUS
New South Wales Cup :
*Auckland Lions flagicon|AUSflagicon|NZL
A-League :
*Wellington Phoenix flagicon|AUSflagicon|NZLNRL:
*Gold Coast Titans flagicon|AUSflagicon|NZLflagicon|SINNBL:
*South Dragons
*Singapore Slingers flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLS:
*Toronto FC flagicon|CANflagicon|USANLL:
*Chicago Shamrox
*New York Titans2008
flagicon|AUS
Jim Beam Cup :
*W.A. Redsflagicon|AUS
Queensland Cup :
*Mackay Cutters
*Northern Pride flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLS:
*San Jose Earthquakes flagicon|USAflagicon|CANNBA:
*Oklahoma City Thunder flagicon|USAWNBA:
*Atlanta Dream 2009
flagicon|AUSflagicon|NZLA-League:
*Gold Coast A-League franchise flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLS:
*Seattle Sounders FC flagicon|ENGflagicon|FRAflagicon|WALSuper League:
*Celtic Crusaders
*Salford City Reds 2010
flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLS:
*Philadelphia MLS team2011
flagicon|AUSAFL:
*GC17
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