Major League Baseball
Franchises:
Historical overview of cities,
stadiums, and owners
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Historical summary timeline
League |
1901- 1960 |
19 61 |
1962- 1968 |
1969- 1976 |
1977- 1992 |
1993- 1997 |
1998- 2012 |
2013- |
National League |
8 |
8 |
10 |
12 |
12 |
14 |
16 |
15 |
American League |
8 |
10 |
10 |
12 |
14 |
14 |
14 |
15 |
Main historical phases
To see the geographical distribution of franchises from one era to the next, just move the mouse cursor over the appropriate period.
Dawn of 20th Century ~
Golden Era ~
The Late Fifties ~
The Early Sixties ~
The Late Sixties ~
The Late Seventies ~
The Late Nineties ~
Contemporary
Introduction / overview
From the beginning to the end of the 20th century, the number of Major League franchises nearly doubled, from 16 (eight in each league) to 30 franchises (14 in the AL, 16 in the NL). This growth has been accompanied by a greater dispersion in terms of region, and in terms of numbers of cities. There are only four multiple-team cities now (if you count Anaheim as part of Los Angeles and Oakland as part of San Francisco), and 22 single-team cities. As a result, a much larger proportion of the U.S. population is now able to see Major League games on a fairly regular basis.
Early 20th Century
At the outset of the 20th century, there were 16 Major League franchises, eight in each league. Until the 1950s, most of those teams (11) shared their home city with another team or teams. After the Milwaukee Brewers moved and became the St. Louis Browns in 1902, there were five multiple-team cities and five single-team cities, heavily concentrated in the northeastern quandrant of the country.
Golden Era (1903-1952)
For almost the entire first half of the 20th century, when all seemed right with the world (at least in THIS hemisphere), the geographical distribution of major league baseball teams remained absolutely static. No expansion, no contraction, no relocation. In retrospect, this seems strange because five cities had more than one major league baseball team: New York had three (counting Brooklyn), and Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and St. Louis had two each. It is hard to believe that a medium-size city such as St. Louis could ever have supported two teams, and indeed, the perennially lousy attendance figures of the Browns make one wonder why they didn't relocate many years earlier. These five cities accounted for 11 of the 16 major league franchises, leaving the rest to five other cities. There were solid reasons for this concentration of sports entertainment in the northeast quadrant of the country -- namely, the difficulty of long-distance transportation and the backward economic status of the South -- but this situation could not last forever.
The Fifties
After World War II, it became clear that the nation was changing rapidly, with rapidly growing use of automobiles and passenger airliners. This was also the beginning of a long, historic demographic shift to the south and west, while several older cities in the north were stagnating, and some team owners realized that their home cities could no longer support two teams. The pent-up disequilibrium finally erupted in 1953 when the Boston Braves announced just a few weeks before spring training that they were moving to Milwaukee. Going against prevailing trends, the St. Louis Browns moved EAST and became the Baltimore Orioles in 1954. A year later the Philadelphia Athletics moved to Kansas City. This mass migration culminated in 1958 when the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers loaded up their trucks and headed out to California. For the next four years New York City had only one baseball team: The Yankees!
The Early Sixties
After the five franchise relocations of the 1950s, several other medium-size cities began to demand their own major league franchises. Washington Senators owners Clark Griffith moved his team to Minnesota in 1961, and they became known as the Twins. To compensate the Nation's Capital, a new Senators team was created while a new stadium was being built there. That same year, Los Angeles received an American League franchise known as the Angels. In 1962 two new national league teams were created, the Houston Colt 45s and the New York Mets. Note that two of these five changes were replacements for franchises that left town. For most of the 1960s there were an even 20 major league teams, ten in each league.
The Late Sixties
Given the exhuberant, "go-getter" atmosphere and booming economy of the 1960s, further relocations and expansions were inevitable. In 1965 the Colt 45s changed their name to the Astros as they moved into the space-age Astrodome. In 1966 the Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta, and in 1968 the Athletics -- who were by this time nearly always called the A's -- moved from Kansas City to Oakland at the behest of their flamboyant owner Charlie Finley. (Who had ever heard of Oakland before that?) In 1969 new National League teams were created in San Diego (the Padres) and Montreal (the Expos), the first time the major leagues invaded foreign territory. Also that year, new American League teams were created in Kansas City (the Royals) and Seattle (the Pilots).
The Seventies
The 1970s were a time of economic recession and disillusion in America. The Seattle Pilots went bankrupt after failing to draw sufficient crowds in their debut year of 1969, and after only one year moved to Milwaukee and became the Brewers. In 1972 the (second) Washington Senators team left D.C. and moved to Arlington, Texas (midway between Dallas and Fort Worth) and became the Rangers. Striving to rectify the embarrassment of losing their franchise so quickly in 1970, Seattle built the rain-proof Kingdome to house the new Mariners team in 1977. Also that year, Toronto became the second Canadian city to get a major league baseball team, as the Blue Jays were hatched. From the late 1970s through the early 1980s baseball generally stagnated, both in terms of number of franchises and overall popularity. With all the financial woe caused by the previous frantic moving from hither to yon, a tacit moratorium was placed on relocations, thus leaving Washington, D.C. out in the cold while the nearby Baltimore Orioles prospered.
The Nineties
The sports-crazy city of Denver had long wished for a baseball team, and in 1993 their dreams came true when the Colorado Rockies began playing. Miami got a franchise as well, the Florida Marlins. In both cases the new teams played in football stadiums that were converted to baseball use. Long-standing disputes between owners and playes resulted in a strike in August 1994, forcing the cancellation of the championships and ruining the season. This turned off many fans for years. In 1998 the Arizona Diamondbacks began playing in Phoenix and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now just the "Rays") began playing in St. Petersburg. The fact that all these teams are identified by state or region, as opposed to the city where they actually play, is a symptom of the growing trend toward public financing of stadiums, which usually necessitates some kind of regional sales or luxury tax. In order to maintain a balanced schedule within each league, with no "left-out" teams, the Milwaukee Brewers switched to the National League in 1998. As a result, the NL Central Division now has six teams, one more than normal, and the AL West Division has only four teams.
The 21st Century
As the new century dawned, marking one hundred years of the two rival major leagues, franchise values rose steadily thanks in part to the implicit subsidy from new stadiums built mainly with public funds. Baseball was as popular as ever. Meanwhile, pressure built for rectifying a major historical injustice: the absence of baseball from Our Nation's Capital for three decades. After years of negotations, it was announced in September 2004 that the Montreal Expos, which was owned by MLB itself, would relocate to D.C., and thus the Washington Nationals were born (or re-born) in 2005. In 2013, the Houston Astros moved to the American League, thus returning to parity between the two leagues: 15 teams each. As of the 2022 season, the Cleveland Indians changed their name to the Cleveland Guardians.
Franchise owners
Few subjects in the world of sports business are murkier than the question of who really owns the team? Everyone knows the names of George Steinbrenner and Ted Turner (who became less involved with the Braves after the AOL-Time Warner merger), but for other baseball franchises it is very hard to get solid information. Of course, baseball's exemption from anti-trust statutes insulates teams from normal accounting scrutiny, which is one major reason why cities routinely get blackmailed into bogus stadium subsidies, because it is hard to challenge the franchise owners' claims that they are losing money. Anyway, this table represents a first stab at nailing down the ownership status of each team. It probably contains a few errors, and will be revised and updated in the future. It may be useful to note that former MLB Commissioner Bud Selig had a financial interest in the Milwaukee Brewers, which he formally transferred to his daughter when he became the permanent commissioner a few years ago. The Seligs sold the franchise in early 2005.
One must not forget that major league baseball is a business enterprise, and in a capitalist system such as ours, franchise owners are entitled to seek higher profits if they so desire. The difference between normal businesses and baseball franchises is that much, if not most, of the team's total value consists of "goodwill," which is the accountant's term for the nebulous but very real factor that generates ticket sales. Time and time again in baseball history, short-sighted and/or tight-fisted owners have shot themselves in the foot by the mistaken application of business principles to sports. Their myopic focus on the bottom line not only detracts from the quality of the entertainment they provide, it erodes their long-term profitability.
Top, Maps ~ National League ~ American League ~ Federal League ~ Relocations ~ Expansions
National League franchises
The National League was founded in 1876 as the first true professional baseball league, hence the term "Senior Circuit." (See 19th Century Leagues.) During the early 1900s, the eight NL franchises generally lagged behind the American League in building new stadiums, and two of them (the Phillies and the Cardinals) ended up as tenants in the ballparks owned by the new AL teams across town. During the 1950s the National League "pioneered" in moving westward (Braves, Giants, Dodgers), and it became dominant in southern and southwestern markets in the expansion waves of the 1960s and 1990s. In 1998 the Milwaukee Brewers switched from the AL to the NL, and in 2005 the Montreal Expos relocated and became the Washington Nationals. In 2012, the Florida Marlins became known as the Miami Marlins, coinciding with the opening of Marlins Park. After 51 years in the National League, the Houston Astros moved to the American League in 2013.
City / state / area) |
Team |
Franchise origins |
Current principal owner (former owner) |
Year bought |
Purch. price (millions) |
Minor league affiliate (AAA), 2022 |
Stadium |
2022 attend. (millions) |
Arizona (Phoenix) |
Diamondbacks |
Expansion franchise (1998) |
Ken Kendrick, et al. |
2004 |
$238 |
Reno Aces (PCL) |
Chase Field # |
1.6 |
Atlanta |
Braves |
Boston (1876-1952; "Beaneaters" & "Doves" thru 1908; "Bees" 1936-1940), Milwaukee (1953-1965) |
John Malone / Liberty Media |
2007 |
$450 |
Gwinnett Stripers (IL) |
Truist Park # |
3.1 |
Cincinnati |
Reds |
Cincinnati since 1876; never moved ("Red Legs" 1944-1945; "Redlegs" 1954-1960) |
Robert Castellini |
2006 |
$270 |
Louisville Bats (IL) |
Great American Ballpark |
1.4 |
Chicago |
Cubs |
Chicago since 1876 ("White Stockings" until 1893); never moved |
Tom Ricketts Sam Zell / Tribune Co. |
2009 1981 |
$845 $21m |
Iowa Cubs (IL) |
Wrigley Field # |
2.6 |
Colorado (Denver) |
Rockies |
Expansion franchise (1993) |
Charles Monfort |
1992 |
$95 |
Albuquerque Isotopes (PCL) |
Coors Field |
2.6 |
Los Angeles |
Dodgers |
Brooklyn (1884-1957); "Superbas" thru 1926; "Robins" 1927-1931 |
Mark Walters, Magic Johnson, et al. (Frank McCourt bankrupt.) |
2012 |
$1,100 |
Oklahoma City Dodgers (PCL) |
Dodger Stadium |
3.9 |
Miami |
Marlins |
Expansion franchise (1993; identified as "Florida" thru 2011) |
Bruce Sherman (Jeffrey Loria) |
2017 |
$1,200 |
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (IL) |
loanDepot Park # |
0.9 |
Milwaukee |
Brewers |
Expansion franchise: AL Seattle Pilots (1969); moved to National League in 1998 |
Mark Attanasio |
2005 |
$223 |
Nashville Sounds (IL) |
American Family Field # |
2.4 |
New York |
Mets |
Expansion franchise (1962) |
Steve Cohen (Fred Wilpon) |
2020 |
$2,400 |
Syracuse Mets (IL) |
Citi Field |
2.6 |
Philadelphia |
Phillies |
Worcester (1880-1882); "Blue Jays" 1943-1944 |
William Giles |
1981 |
$30 |
Lehigh Valley IronPigs (IL) |
Citizens Bank Park |
2.3 |
Pittsburgh |
Pirates |
Pittsburgh since 1887; never moved |
Robert Nutting |
1996 |
$92 |
Indianapolis Indians (IL) |
PNC Park |
1.3 |
San Diego |
Padres |
Expansion franchise (1969) |
John Moores |
1994 |
$94 |
El Paso Chihuahuas (PCL) |
PETCO Park |
3.0 |
San Francisco |
Giants |
Troy (1879-1882); New York (1883-1957) |
Peter Magowan |
1993 |
$100 |
Sacramento River Cats (PCL) |
AT&T Park # |
2.5 |
St. Louis |
Cardinals |
St. Louis since 1892; never moved |
William Dewitt Jr. |
1995 |
$150 |
Memphis Redbirds (IL) |
Busch Stadium III |
3.3 |
Washington |
Nationals |
Expansion franchise: Montreal Expos (1969-2004) |
Lerner family |
2006 |
$450 |
Rochester Red Wings (IL) |
Nationals Park |
2.0 |
SOURCES: Forbes SportsMoney - Baseball (2008), Fodor's Four Sport Stadium Guide (1996); baseball-reference.com, wikipedia.org
NOTES: Stadiums that are not privately owned are typically owned by a "District Authority," or some similar-named special-purpose public entity responsible for overseeing and financing the operations of sports facilities, etc.
"IL" = International League; "PCL" = Pacific Coast League
# : Stadium name was changed at least once. Blue border denotes that the stadium is privately owned.
Braves were called "Bees" from 1936 to 1941.
Dodgers were called "Superbas" until 1912, and "Robins" until 1920s.
Cincinnati Reds were called "Redlegs" until 1950s.
The Houston Astros (called the "Colt 45s" from 1962 to 1964) were originally in the National League, but moved to the American League in 2013.
Top, Maps ~ National League ~ American League ~ Federal League ~ Relocations ~ Expansions
American League franchises
The American League was founded in 1901, with three outcast former National League franchises (Baltimore, Cleveland, and Washington) and five new teams. Two of those teams relocated in the first two years, amidst great uncertainty, but the victory of the Boston Red Sox in the first-ever World Series confirmed the status of the AL as a true major league. Seven of those "upstart" franchises built new stadiums for themselves between 1909 and 1912; the AL team last to do so was the New York Yankees, in 1923. Ironically, the St. Louis Browns and Philadelphia Athletics, which became "landlords" of the Cardinals and Phillies in the 1920s and 1930s, gradually lost fan support and relocated elsewhere in the 1950s. The expansions and relocations of the 1960s and 1970s tended to accentuate the AL's northern geographical orientation. From 1977 until 1993, the AL had two more teams than the NL (14 vs. 12), but after the Milwaukee Brewers transfered to the NL in 1998, the AL had two fewer teams (14 vs. 16). In 2013, the Houston Astros moved to the American League, thereby restoring parity, with 15 teams in each league.
City / state / area) |
Team |
Franchise origins |
Current principal owner (former owner) |
Year bought |
Purch. price (millions) |
Minor league affiliate (AAA), 2022 |
Stadium |
2022 attend. (millions) |
Baltimore |
Orioles |
Milwaukee Brewers (1901), St. Louis Browns (1902-1953) |
Peter Angelos |
1993 |
$173 |
Norfolk Tides (IL) |
Orioles Park at Camden Yards |
1.4 |
Boston |
Red Sox |
Boston since 1901 ("Pilgrims," "Puritans," etc. thru 1906) |
John Henry |
2002 |
$380 |
Worcester Red Sox (IL) |
Fenway Park |
2.6 |
Chicago |
White Sox |
Chicago since 1901 |
Jerry Reinsdorf |
1981 |
$20 |
Charlotte Knights (IL) |
Guaranteed Rate Field # |
2.0 |
Cleveland |
Guardians |
Cleveland since 1901 ("Broncos," "Blues," "Naps," etc. thru 1914; "Indians" 1915-2021) |
Paul Dolan
Lawrence Dolan |
2000 |
$323 |
Columbus Clippers (IL) |
Progressive Field # |
1.3 |
Detroit |
Tigers |
Detroit since 1901 |
Michael Ilitch |
1992 |
$82 |
Toledo Mud Hens (IL) |
Comerica Park |
1.6 |
Houston |
Astros |
Expansion franchise (1962, "Colt 45s" thru 1964); in National League until 2012 |
Jim Crane
Robert D. McLane Jr. |
2011 1992 |
$610 $103m |
Sugar Land Space Cowboys (PCL) |
Minute Maid Park # |
2.7 |
Kansas City |
Royals |
Expansion franchise (1969) |
David Glass |
2000 |
$96 |
Omaha Storm Chaser (IL) |
Kauffman Stadium # |
1.3 |
Los Angeles |
Angels |
Expansion franchise (1961; "California" 1965-1996, and "Anaheim" 1997-2004) |
Arturo Moreno |
2003 |
$184 |
Salt Lake Bees (PCL) |
Angel Stadium (of Anaheim) # |
2.5 |
Minneapolis (Minnesota) |
Twins |
Washington Senators (1901-1960); also "Nationals" (1905-1944) |
Carl Pohlad |
1984 |
$44 |
St. Paul Saints (IL) |
Target Field |
1.8 |
New York |
Yankees |
Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902), N.Y. "Highlanders" thru 1911 |
Hal & Hank Steinbrenner (George S. died 2010) |
1973 |
$10 |
Scranton/Wilkes Barre Railriders (IL) |
Yankee Stadium II |
3.1 |
Oakland / Sacramento |
Athletics |
Philadelphia (1901-1954), Kansas City (1955-1967), Oakland (1968-2024) |
John Fisher |
2005 |
$180 |
Las Vegas Aviators (PCL) |
Oakland Coliseum # / Sutter Health Park |
0.8 |
Seattle |
Mariners |
Expansion franchise (1977) |
Nintendo of America (Howard Lincoln, CEO) |
1992 |
$100 |
Tacoma Rainiers (PCL) |
T-Mobile Park # |
2.3 |
St. Petersburg (Tampa Bay) |
Rays |
Expansion franchise (1998; "Devil Rays" thru 2007) |
Stuart Sternberg |
2004 |
$200 |
Durham Bulls (IL) |
Tropicana Field |
1.1 |
Texas (Arlington) |
Rangers |
Expansion franchise: Washington Senators (1961-1971) |
Thomas Hicks |
1998 |
$250 |
Round Rock Express (PCL) |
Globe Life Field |
2.0 |
Toronto |
Blue Jays |
Expansion franchise (1977) |
Ted Rogers / Rogers Communications |
2000 |
$137m |
Buffalo Bisons (IL) |
Rogers Centre # |
2.7 |
SOURCES: Forbes SportsMoney - Baseball (2008), Fodor's Four Sport Stadium Guide (1996); baseball-reference.com, wikipedia.org
NOTES: Stadiums that are not privately owned are typically owned by a "District Authority," or some similar-named special-purpose public entity responsible for overseeing and financing the operations of sports facilities, etc.
"IL" = International League; "PCL" = Pacific Coast League
# : Stadium name was changed at least once. Blue border denotes that the stadium is privately owned.
Yankees were called "Highlanders" until 1913.
Senators were a.k.a. "Nationals" in 1930s.
The Houston Astros (called the "Colt 45s" from 1962 to 1964) were originally in the National League, but moved to the American League in 2013.
In Dec. 2020 the Cleveland Indians announced that they would adopt a new team name; in late 2021 the new name was announced: "Guardians."
Top, Maps ~ National League ~ American League ~ Federal League ~ Relocations ~ Expansions
The Federal League, 1914-1915
The Federal League was a bold venture in the days when baseball's future (and that of the nation as a whole) seemed limitless. Several entrepreneurs took advantage of resentment toward the restrictions on players imposed by the reserve clause, and many American League and National League players signed up with the new league. In two cases, Pittsburgh and Brooklyn, stadiums had recently become available after major league teams vacated them in favor of newer facilities that were part of the 1910s stadium construction boom. Pittsburgh's Exposition Park III was greatly expanded, from 6,500 seats to 16,000, while in Brooklyn, an entirely new stadium made of concrete and steel (Washington Park IV) replaced the one that had been built in 1898. In Baltimore, meanwhile, a new stadium made of wood (Terrapin Park) was built across the street from the one that had become vacant when the Orioles relocated to New York in 1903. (They changed their name to the "Highlanders" and later became the Yankees.) Half of the eight franchises were located in cities that already had major league teams, and the established leagues viewed the upstarts as a dire threat to their existence. The Indianapolis franchise moved to Newark in 1915.
Failing to draw big enough crowds in a saturated sports market, the Federal League folded after two seasons. Nevertheless, it did leave an enduring legacy: the Chicago Whales owner Mr. Weeghman purchased the Cubs as part of the deal with the two established major leagues, and he moved his new team into Weeghman Park, which thereafter became known as Cubs Park and eventually (as of 1926) Wrigley Field -- one of the last true shrines to the national pastime.
City |
Team |
Stadium name |
Capacity |
Year built |
Other major league use |
Baltimore |
Terrapins |
Terrapin Park ("Oriole Park V") |
16,000* |
1914 |
Negro American League Elite Giants, 1938-1944 |
Brooklyn |
Brook-Feds |
Washington Park IV |
18,800 |
1914 |
(Washington Park III): National League Superbas ("Dodgers"), 1898-1912 |
Buffalo |
Buf-Feds |
Federal League Park |
20,000 |
? |
|
Chicago |
Whales |
Weeghman Park |
14,000 |
1914 |
National League Cubs, 1916- (Wrigley Field) |
Indianapolis (1914) |
Hoosier-Feds |
Federal League Park |
20,000 |
? |
|
Kansas City |
Packers |
Gordon & Koppel Park |
12,000 |
1910 |
|
Newark (1915)* |
Peppers* |
Harrison Park* |
21,000* |
? |
|
Pittsburgh |
Rebels |
Exposition Park III |
16,000 |
1889 |
National League Pirates, 1891-1909 |
St. Louis |
Terriers |
Federal League Park ("Handlan's Park") |
15,000 |
? |
|
NOTE: In cases where there was a discrepancy between the two sources, or lack of data, the latter (Lowry) was used, as indicated by asterisks.
SOURCES: Lowry (1992), Gershman (1993).
The Negro Leagues
The Negro Leagues had their origins in the Negro National League, founded in 1920. Rival leagues soon formed, but they didn't last very long. Frequent franchise changes and relocations from one city to another created a confusing situation. Finally, the Negro American League was founded in 1937 and folded at the end of 1950. In 2020, Major League Baseball decided to treat the Negro Leagues as equivalent to the major leagues for statistical purposes. For more information, see the Negro Leagues page.
The Continental League (aborted in 1960)
In response to the relocation of the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers to the West Coast in 1958, New York lawyer William Shea joined with businessmen in several cities to found a third major league: the "Continental League." It was to include teams in New York, Houston, Toronto, Denver, and Minneapolis-St. Paul, and play was supposed to begin in 1960. However, the American and National Leagues quickly foiled the initiative by pledging to expand their rosters to ten teams each, and the whole concept quickly died.
Top, Maps ~ National League ~ American League ~ Federal League ~ Relocations ~ Expansions
Relocated franchises
Since the early 20th century, Major League franchises have relocated to different cities a total of 13 times, but in three of those cases, the team had only been in existence for one or two years, so it wasn't such a big deal. Three of the franchises moved twice (the Brewers/Browns/Orioles, the Braves, and the Athletics), but the latter two kept the same name all along. In contrast, five of the eight franchises that relocated only one time changed their name, and thus their team's very identity, including both incarnations of the Senators. Two cities gained teams via relocation and subsequently lost them: Milwaukee and Kansas City. Two cities lost teams because of relocation twice: Milwaukee and Washington. In 2024, the Oakland Athletics committed to moving to Sacramento for a few years, pending construction of a new stadium in Las Vegas.
Every instance of relocation after 1950 involved either a commitment by the new host city to help build a new stadium, or else an existing stadium that was already built or renovated -- often "on speculation." In three cases, the teams played in old stadiums on a temporary basis while the new stadiums were built.
Year |
League |
Prev. years |
From: |
To: |
Road miles apart |
Owner (year bought) |
"New" stadium (condition, age) |
First post- season (years lapsed) |
Notes |
1902 |
A.L. |
1 |
Milwaukee Brewers |
St. Louis BROWNS |
367 |
|
Sportsman's Park II renovated? |
1944 (43) |
Shared St.L. with Cardinals; 51 year wait for new team in Milwaukee. |
1903 |
A.L. |
2 |
Baltimore Orioles |
New York HIGHLANDERS (later the "Yankees") |
192 |
|
Hilltop Park NEW |
1921 (19) |
Shared N.Y. with Giants & Dodgers; 51 year wait for new team in Baltimore. |
1953 |
N.L. |
77 |
Boston BRAVES |
Milwaukee |
1,100 |
Lou Perini (1942) |
County Stadium NEW (on spec.) |
1957 (5) |
"New" MLB city; Boston kept Red Sox. |
1954 |
A.L. |
52 |
St. Louis Browns |
Baltimore ORIOLES |
841 |
Clarence Miles (1953) |
Memorial Stadium SEMI-NEW (4 years) |
1966 (13) |
"New" MLB city; SECOND MOVE; St. Louis kept Cardinals. |
1955 |
A.L. |
54 |
Philadelphia ATHLETICS |
Kansas City |
1,141 |
Arnold Johnson (1954) |
Municipal Stadium RENOVATED (22 years) |
1972 (#) |
New MLB city; Philadelphia kept Phillies. |
1958 |
N.L. |
75 |
New York GIANTS |
San Francisco |
2,929 |
Horace Stoneham (1936) |
Seals Stadium OLD (27 years), temporary |
1962 (5) |
New MLB city; N.Y. kept Yankees. 4 year wait for new team in N.Y. |
1958 |
N.L. |
69 |
Brooklyn DODGERS |
Los Angeles |
2,820 |
Walter O'Malley (1950) |
Memorial Coliseum OLD (45 years), temporary |
1959 (2) |
New MLB city; despair in Brooklyn. |
1961 |
A.L. |
60 |
Washington Senators |
(Minneapolis-Bloomington) Minnesota TWINS |
1,115 |
Calvin Griffith (1955) |
Metropolitan Stadium SEMI-NEW (5 years) |
1965 (5) |
New MLB city; immediate consolation team in D.C. |
1966 |
N.L. |
13 |
Milwaukee BRAVES |
Atlanta |
813 |
William Bartholomay (1962) |
Atlanta Stadium NEW (1 year, on spec.) |
1991 (26) |
New MLB city; SECOND MOVE. 4 year wait for new team in Milwaukee. |
1968 |
A.L. |
13 |
Kansas City ATHLETICS |
Oakland |
1,814 |
Charlie Finley (1960) |
Oakland Coliseum NEW (2 years, on spec.) |
1972 (5) |
Shared S.F. with Giants; SECOND MOVE. 1 year wait for new team in K.C. |
1970 |
A.L. |
1 |
Seattle Pilots |
Milwaukee BREWERS |
1,991 |
Dewey & Max Soriano (1969; bankruptcy) |
County Stadium SEMI-OLD (17 years) |
1982 (13) |
7 year wait for new team in Seattle. |
1972 |
A.L. |
12 |
Washington Senators |
(Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington) Texas RANGERS |
1,362 |
Bob Short (1968) |
Arlington Stadium SEMI-NEW (7 years) |
1996 (25) |
New MLB city; 33 year wait for new team in D.C. |
2005 |
N.L. |
36 |
Montreal Expos |
Washington NATIONALS |
600 |
MLB (from Jeffrey Loria, 2003) |
RFK Stadium OLD (44 years), temporary |
2012 (7) |
Blocked for many years by Peter Angelos. Joy in D.C.; tristesse in Montreal. |
2025 |
A.L. |
57 |
Oakland ATHLETICS |
Sacramento / then Las Vegas? |
65 |
John Fisher (2005) |
Sutter Health Park SEMI-OLD (25 years) |
1972 (5) |
Will share stadium with AAA River Cats; THIRD MOVE. |
UPPER CASE letters in the "From:" column denote team names that have remained constant even after relocations; UPPER CASE letters in the "To:" column denote a change in team name.
# = First postseason appearance was not until after subsequent relocation elsewhere.
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Expansion franchises
From the 1960s through the 1990s, the Major Leagues expanded from 16 to 30 teams, bringing baseballl to new regions of the U.S.A. and to Canada. Four of the ten expansion franchises that were awarded during the 1960s and 1970s were meant as a consolation to cities that had recently lost franchises due to relocation. Three of the 14 expansion franchises ended up failing (after only one year for the Pilots, after ten years for the second Senators, and after 35 years fot the Expos) and relocated elsewhere.
In most cases of expansion, the new team played in an old stadium on a temporary basis, with the understanding that a new stadium was to be built. In some cases, however, that took many years. Four new teams started with a new (or unused) ballpark on Day One.
Year |
City |
Team |
League |
Price |
Original owner |
Temporary stadium (years waiting) |
New stadium |
First post- season (years lapsed) |
Notes |
1961 |
Washington |
Senators (II) * |
A.L. |
$2.1m |
Elwood Quesada |
Griffith Stadium (1) |
RFK Stadium (relocation after 10 years) |
1996 (#) |
Consolation after Senators (I) left; Became Texas Rangers in 1972. |
1961 |
Los Angeles / Anaheim (CA) |
Angels |
A.L. |
$2.1m |
Gene Autry |
(L.A.) Wrigley Field (1) + Dodger Stadium (4) |
Anaheim Stadium |
1979 (19) |
Shared L.A. with Dodgers. |
1962 |
New York |
Mets |
N.L. |
$1.8m |
Joan Payson |
Polo Grounds (2) |
Shea Stadium |
1969 (8) |
Consolation after Giants and Dodgers left; shared N.Y. with Yankees. |
1962 |
Houston |
Astros (Colt 45s until 1965) |
N.L. |
$1.8m |
Judge Roy Hofheinz |
Colts Stadium (3) |
Astrodome |
1980 (19) |
New MLB city. |
1969 |
Kansas City |
Royals |
A.L. |
$7.3m |
Ewing Kauffman |
(K.C.) Municipal Stadium (4) |
Kauffman Stadium |
1976 (8) |
Consolation after Athletics left. |
1969 |
Seattle |
Pilots * |
A.L. |
$7.3m |
Dewey & Max Soriano |
Sick's Stadium (1) |
NONE (relocation after 1 year) |
1982 (#) |
New MLB city; Became Milwaukee Brewers in 1970. |
1969 |
San Diego |
Padres |
N.L. |
$12.5m |
C. Arnholt Smith |
NONE |
Jack Murphy Stadium |
1984 (16) |
New MLB city. |
1969 |
Montreal |
Expos * |
N.L. |
$12.5m |
Charles Bronfman |
Jarry Park (8) |
Olympic Stadium (relocation after 28 years) |
1981 (13) |
New MLB city; Became Washington Nationals in 2005. |
1977 |
Seattle |
Mariners |
A.L. |
$6.5m |
Danny Kaye, et al. |
NONE |
Kingdome |
1995 (19) |
Consolation after Pilots left. |
1977 |
Toronto |
Blue Jays |
A.L. |
$7.0m |
Labatt Breweries |
Exhibition Stadium (13) |
Rogers Centre |
1985 (9) |
New MLB city. |
1993 |
Denver (CO) |
Rockies |
N.L. |
$95m |
John Antonucci and Michael Monus |
Mile High Stadium (2) |
Coors Field |
1995 (3) |
New MLB city. |
1993 |
Miami (FL) |
Marlins |
N.L. |
$95m |
Wayne Huizenga |
Dolphin Stadium (20) |
Marlins Park |
1997 (5) |
New MLB city. |
1998 |
Phoenix (AZ) |
Diamondbacks |
N.L. |
$155m |
Jerry Colangelo |
NONE |
Chase Field |
2001 (4) |
New MLB city. |
1998 |
St. Petersburg / Tampa |
Rays (Devil Rays until 2008) |
A.L. |
$155m |
Vince Naimoli |
NONE |
Tropicana Field |
2008 (11) |
New MLB city. |
NOTES: * = Name changed after subsequent relocation.
# = First postseason appearance was not until after subsequent relocation elsewhere.
Franchise entry price is adjusted to include mandatory spending on player acquisition, television revenue exclusions, etc.
SOURCES: Forbes SportsMoney - Baseball (2008), Information Please, Andrew Zimbalist, Baseball and Billions (Basic Books, 1994), Doug Pappas's Business of Baseball, Fodor's Four Sport Stadium Guide (1996), Washington Post
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