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 leagues, 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 an expansion fee to the league by the new team.

In North America, expansion takes place in response to population 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 of St. Louis, Missouri for the first half of the 20th century. During this time, the United 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 agents 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 and Houston 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 and Toronto as a second choice. The European Super League has added teams from France and Wales 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
*Annandale

1920s

1920

flagicon|AUSNSWRL
*University

1921

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-Bankstown

1940s

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|USAAmerican 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 (now Dallas Stars)
*Los Angeles Kings
*Oakland Seals (defunct)
*Philadelphia Flyers
*Pittsburgh Penguins
*St. Louis Blues

flagicon|AUSNSWRL
*Penrith Panthers
*Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

1968

flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*Milwaukee Bucks
*Phoenix Suns

flagicon|USAAFL:
*Cincinnati Bengals

1969

flagicon|CANflagicon|USAMLB:
*Montreal Expos (now Washington 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 (now Calgary Flames)
*New York Islanders

1974

flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*New Orleans Jazz (now Utah Jazz)

flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL:
*Kansas City Scouts (now New 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 Bankers

1979

flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Gilbey's Gin

1980s

1980

flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*Dallas Mavericks

flagicon|PHLPBA:
*CDCP Shippers

1981

flagicon|AUS Australian FL:
*Sydney Swans (originally South Melbourne)

1982

flagicon|AUSNSWRL
*Canberra Raiders
*Illawarra Steelers

1983

flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Manhattan

1984

flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Manila Beer

1985

flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Shell Azordin Bugbusters

1986

flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Alaska Aces

1987

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 Giants

flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Purefoods

1989

flagicon|CANflagicon|USANBA:
*Minnesota Timberwolves
*Orlando Magic

flagicon|CANflagiconUSANLL:
*Detroit Turbos
*New England Blazers

1990s

1990

flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Sunkist Orange Juicers

1991

flagicon|CANflagicon|USANHL:
*San Jose Sharks - technically the product of a dissolved merger between the Oakland Seals/Cleveland Barons franchise and the Minnesota 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 Dockers

1996

flagicon|USANFL:
*Baltimore Ravens - technically a new franchise although it maintained the roster of the Cleveland Browns, whose franchise was suspended until 1999.

flagicon|PHLPBA:
*Mobiline Cellulars

flagicon|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 owner Art 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 Kings

flagicon|AUSNRL:
*Northern Eagles
*Wests Tigers

2001

flagicon|CANflagicon|USANLL:
*Columbus Landsharks

flagicon|AUSVFL:
*Tasmanian Devils

2002

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|RSASuper 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 a promotion 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|AUSNew South Wales Cup:
*Auckland Lions

flagicon|AUSflagicon|NZLA-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 Titans

2008

flagicon|AUSJim Beam Cup:
*W.A. Reds

flagicon|AUSQueensland 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 team

2011

flagicon|AUSAFL:
*GC17