An expansion team is a new team in a sports league, usually from a city that has not hosted a team in that league before, formed with the intention of satisfying the demand for a local team from a population in a new area. Sporting leagues also hope that the expansion of their competition will grow the popularity of the sport generally. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues but is applied to sports leagues in other countries with a closed franchise system of league membership. The term refers to the expansion of the sport into new areas. The addition of an expansion team sometimes results in the payment of an expansion fee to the league by the new team and an expansion draft to populate the new roster.
Background
Reasons for expansion
In North America, expansion often takes place in response to population growth and geographic shifts of population. Such demographic change results in financial opportunities to engage with the new market as consumers of sports demand local teams to support. Major League Baseball (MLB) was limited to 16 teams located north and east of St. Louis, Missouri, for the first half of the 20th century. During that time, the United States population doubled and expanded to the south and west. Rival interests explored the possibility of forming a rival league in the untapped markets. To forestall that possibility, one of the measures that 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.
Leagues that are new and/or financially struggling may also admit large numbers of expansion teams so that the existing franchises can pocket more revenue from expansion fees. Indoor American football leagues are notorious for doing so: the leagues can double the number of teams and have many new teams fail within a year or two. Major League Soccer, after spending most of its first decade of existence with relatively stable membership and struggling finances, adopted a policy of continuous expansion beginning in 2005, a policy that the league as of 2017 has no intention of stopping.[1]
Locations for expansion teams
Cities and regions with large populations that lack a team are generally regarded to be the best candidates for new teams. In rugby league, the United Kingdom-based Rugby Football League's Super League has added teams from France and Wales to cover a great demographic spread. The operator of Super League, England's Rugby Football League, has also added teams to the lower levels of its league pyramid, specifically the Championship and League 1, from both France and Wales, and most recently Canada. In rugby union, the competition originally known as the Celtic League and now as Pro14, which began with sides only from the Celtic nations of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, has added teams from Italy and more recently South Africa. The U.S.-based NFL has been laying groundwork for a potential franchise in the UK, with a target date some time in the early to mid-2020s.
Performance of expansion teams
When an expansion team begins play, it is generally stocked with less talented free agents, inexperienced players, and veterans nearing retirement. Additionally, prospective owners may face expensive fees to the league as well as high startup costs such as stadiums and facilities. The team is also at a disadvantage in that it has not been together as a team as long as its opponents and thus lacks the cohesiveness other teams have built over years. As a result, most expansion teams are known for their poor play during their first seasons. Expansion teams must also compete with any expansion rivals for available talent, a common problem since leagues often expand by two or four teams in one season.
The National Football League (NFL), despite being considered the most generous in its revenue sharing and the strictest with its salary cap, has had far more difficulty bringing expansion teams up to par with their more established brethren. Of the six teams to have been added to the NFL since the AFL–NFL merger, the fastest turnaround between an inaugural season and the team's first Super Bowl victory was 27 seasons (the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, established in 1976, won Super Bowl XXXVII in the 2002 season); none of the four teams to hold expansion drafts since 1995[note 1] have ever won that contest, with only one, the Carolina Panthers (who reached the game in their 9th and 21st seasons of existence) playing in the game. In 1996, the Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars each made it to their respective conference championship games in their second season in the league.
Relocated teams regarded as expansion teams
Expansion teams are usually considered as such in their first season and sometimes in their second season. A team that moves to another location and/or changes its name is not an expansion team. If it moves, it is known as a relocated team, and if the name changes, the team is known as a renamed team. Relocated teams may change their name, colors, and mascot at the same time as the move; however, because the roster is the same and the league does not expand as a result, they are not regarded as expansion teams. A handful of franchise relocations are officially recognized by their respective leagues as creation of expansion franchises; this is done so that the history of the team stays with the original city, to be assumed a few years later by a revival of the franchise after a period of inactivity. The league expands in the season corresponding to the original franchise's revival, and holds an expansion draft for the revived franchise. For examples, see the notes below on the NFL's Baltimore Ravens (relocated in 1996 from the Cleveland Browns, which were revived in 1999), NBA's New Orleans Pelicans (relocated in 2002 from the Charlotte Hornets, which were revived in 2004 and were initially named the Charlotte Bobcats), and NHL's Utah Hockey Club (relocated from the Arizona Coyotes in 2024, revival of the Coyotes expected in 2029).
The National League had an eight-team lineup established in 1900, mirrored by the eight charter franchises of the American League in 1901. This list enumerates franchises added since this "Classic Eight" era.
2002: New Orleans Hornets (now New Orleans Pelicans) – The Charlotte Hornets relocated to New Orleans in 2002, and in 2013 renamed themselves the New Orleans Pelicans. Subsequently, the original Charlotte Hornets' history was assumed by the revived Charlotte Hornets (previously Charlotte Bobcats; see below). Hence, the Pelicans are retrospectively considered by the NBA to be an expansion team that began play in the 2002–03 season.[2]
2004: Charlotte Bobcats entered the league and held an expansion draft. In 2014 the team was renamed the Charlotte Hornets (see above) and received possession of the history and records of the Charlotte Hornets prior to 2002. Hence, the Bobcats are retrospectively considered by the NBA to be a revival of the previous Charlotte franchise, having suspended operations from 2002 until 2004.[2]
1996: Baltimore Ravens — The Cleveland Browns effectively relocated to Baltimore and became the Ravens. No expansion draft is needed as the league does not change in size. Though the legacy of the Browns stayed in Cleveland for a future revival of the franchise (see below). Hence the Baltimore Ravens are considered by the NFL to be an expansion team that began play in the 1996 season.
1999: The Cleveland Browns are revived, hold an expansion draft, and receive possession of the history and records of the Browns prior to 1996. The Browns are considered by the NFL to be a revival of the previous Cleveland Browns franchise, rather than an expansion team.
Two teams from the AFL of the 1960s were expansion teams in that league. Both joined the AFL after the merger with the NFL was agreed to, but before it was finalized.
2024: Utah Hockey Club – The Arizona Coyotes roster and personnel (including draft picks) are effectively relocated to Salt Lake City though officially considered by the NHL to be an expansion franchise. The Coyotes franchise was deactivated by the NHL for five years with its intellectual property, colors, and history remaining behind in Phoenix pending construction of a new arena by 2029.
2006: Houston Dynamo – In 2005, the San Jose Earthquakes relocated to Houston, considered to be a new expansion team, while the Earthquakes were put on hiatus.
Baltimore Stallions (technically defunct) – The Stallions were the most successful team in the CFL's U.S. experiment, winning the Grey Cup in 1995. However, the impending relocation of the NFL's Cleveland Browns to Baltimore led the team to depart for Montreal, where it became the current version of the Montreal Alouettes. Despite this history, the CFL does not recognize the link between the Stallions and Alouettes, instead treating the Alouettes as a continuation of past CFL teams in Montreal.
Las Vegas Posse (defunct) – Also part of the CFL's failed U.S. experiment
Shreveport Pirates (defunct) – Also part of the CFL's failed U.S. experiment
2009: Toronto Nationals (later Hamilton Nationals; though the league considers it an expansion, it was a relocation of the management and player assets from the original Rochester Rattlers, though the name, colors and team history remained in Rochester) (defunct)
2014: Florida Launch (Though the league considers it an expansion, it was a relocation of the management and player assets from the Hamilton Nationals, though the name, colors, and team history remained in Hamilton.) (defunct)
AFL Women's, launched in 2017 with 8 teams, is operated by the Australian Football League, with all teams fielded by AFL clubs. The league expanded to 10 teams prior to the 2019 season and 14 prior to the 2020 season. In 2023, the remaining four AFL clubs launched women's sides.
1982: Adelaide City Eagles (now Adelaide 36ers); Geelong Cats (now Geelong Supercats until 1996 but now currently playing NBL1 South); Westate Wildcats (now Perth Wildcats)
1998: Victoria Titans (later became Victoria Giants in 2002–2004 and then defunct); West Sydney Razorbacks (in its last season, Sydney Spirit; defunct)
The Cheetahs and Force were both dropped from Super Rugby after the 2017 season. The Cheetahs immediately became an expansion team in Pro14 (now the United Rugby Championship), but ceased Super Rugby operations when the country's four principal Super Rugby sides joined the URC in 2021. The Force later moved to Australia's National Rugby Championship, but after that league folded, it would return to Super Rugby, first in the COVID-era Super Rugby AU before joining the retooled Super Rugby Pacific in 2022.
The Kings were dropped from Super Rugby at the same time as the Cheetahs and Force, and joined Pro14 alongside the Cheetahs. The team folded in 2020 when a planned takeover bid collapsed in fraud.
2011: Lev Poprad – This team, based in Slovakia, was purchased after its first KHL season (2011–12) by Czech interests. It was disbanded and replaced by the similarly named Lev Praha. The latter team folded at the end of the 2013–14 season.
Originally known as the Celtic League, and later as Pro12 and Pro14.
2010:
Aironi – A team formed specifically for the competition by several existing clubs in Northern Italy, with Viadana the lead side. The team folded when the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) revoked its professional license effective with the end of the 2011–12 Pro12 season; it was replaced by the FIR-operated Zebre.
Benetton Treviso – Founded in 1932, it competed in Italian domestic leagues before joining the competition originally known as the Celtic League, later known as Pro12 and now as Pro14.
These teams had played in Super Rugby before that competition's governing body, SANZAAR, axed three teams at the end of the 2017 season. Both had themselves been Super Rugby expansion teams; the Cheetahs entered in 2006 and the Kings in 2013. The Kings were liquidated prior to the 2020–21 season when a planned takeover bid collapsed in fraud; the Cheetahs left after that season.
South Africa's so-called "Big Four" Super Rugby sides left that competition after its reorganisation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They joined the former Pro14, which changed its name to the United Rugby Championship.
2006: Catalans Dragons — Although Super League used a promotion and relegation system at that time, Les Catalans, as the only French team in the otherwise all-English competition, were assured of a place in the league through 2008. Super League instituted a franchise system effective with the 2009 season, and Les Catalans retained their place in the league.
2009:
Celtic Crusaders (later Crusaders Rugby League) – An expansion team only in the sense that they were invited into Super League. The club were established in 2005. After the 2011 season, the club folded due to financial problems; their effective successor club, the North Wales Crusaders, currently compete in League 1, two levels below Super League.
Salford City Reds – Also technically not an expansion team; they have existed since 1873 and played in Super League as recently as the 2007 season.
2012: Widnes Vikings – An expansion team only in the sense that they have been invited into the now-franchised Super League. The club have existed since 1875, were founding members of what is now the Rugby Football League in 1895, and participated in Super League as recently as 2005.
Welwitschias (a developmental side for the Namibia national rugby union team) – This was the second time Namibia participated in the competition; it entered a team from 1999 to 2001. The team withdrew from the competition after the 2011 season due to financial constraints. They remained in the Vodacom Cup until the competition was scrapped after its 2015 season. The team now features in the Vodacom Cup's successor competition, the Rugby Challenge.
Pampas XV (a developmental side for the Argentina national rugby union team) – Argentina left the Vodacom Cup after the 2013 season, choosing instead to enter the IRB Pacific Cup from 2014. At that time, it was also expected that Argentina would be added to Super Rugby in the near future,[3] and the country would eventually receive a Super Rugby team beginning in 2016.
^While the Baltimore Ravens are officially considered an expansion franchise that began play in 1996, they did not stock their roster with an expansion draft, instead taking on the contracts of the former Cleveland Browns players, while the Browns suspended operations for three seasons. The Ravens later won the Super Bowl in their 5th and 17th seasons of existence. Conversely, when the Browns returned to the NFL in 1999, while not an expansion franchise, their initial roster was stocked by an expansion draft and they were given the top pick in the 1999 NFL draft. The Browns have not appeared in the Super Bowl since returning to the league.
