A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM. YEAH, SOME PRETTY TOUGH COMPETITION THERE FOR SURE. MICHELLE SAID HE’S ACTIVELY COURTING MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL WOULD INCLUDE NASHVILLE, CHARLOTTE. THEN YOU’VE GOT SALT LAKE CITY. ALSO PORTLAND, OREGON, AND THEN NORTH OF THE BORDER IN CANADA. YOU’VE GOT MONTREAL. THEY USED TO HAVE THE EXPOS AND THEN YOU’VE GOT VANCOUVER HERE ON THE WEST COAST. THEY WANT TEAMS. AS KCRA 3’S JASON MARKS REPORTS, TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT ISN’T GAME OVER. IT’S GAME ON. IT’S A GREAT DAY FOR BASEBALL HERE IN SACRAMENTO. HEY, THAT’S A STRIKE. COME ON. WOULDN’T IT BE GREAT IF WE HAD THESE DAYS ALL THE TIME? WELL, NOW CITY LEADERS ARE THROWING THEIR HATS INTO THE RING, HOPING TO GET AN MLB EXPANSION TEAM HERE IN THE AREA. BUT THAT WON’T BE EASY. THERE’S STIFF COMPETITION FROM CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO WANT AN MLB EXPANSION TEAM OF THEIR OWN, STARTING HERE IN NASHVILLE. THE COUNTRY’S 25TH LARGEST TELEVISION MARKET, SACRAMENTO, BY THE WAY, IS 20TH. IT’S CONSIDERED A CONTENDER BECAUSE OF ITS TOURISM AND ITS BOOMING POPULATION IN NASHVILLE IS CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE A CITY ON THE RISE. YOU KNOW, IT ALREADY HAS PROFESSIONAL SPORTS IN THE NHL. IT’S THE PREDATORS, AND IN THE NFL IT’S THE TITANS. LET’S ASK AN EXPERT ON NASHVILLE’S CHANCES. LOOK, THEY’VE HOSTED THE BASEBALL WINTER MEETINGS THERE EIGHT TIMES SINCE THE 80S. SO IT’S A WELL-KNOWN MARKET. IT’S A GROWING MARKET. AND NOW WE HEAD WEST TO ANOTHER CITY SMALLER THAN SACRAMENTO, SALT LAKE CITY MARKET SIZE 28. WE ALL KNOW THAT SALT LAKE CITY ALREADY HAS PROFESSIONAL SPORTS IN THE JAZZ AND ALSO IN THE MAMMOTH, BUT IT IS CONSIDERED THE NUMBER ONE FRONTRUNNER FOR AN MLB EXPANSION TEAM. THAT’S BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH. AND ALSO IT’S GOT A MOTIVATED OWNERSHIP GROUP WHO’VE ALREADY GOT LAND READY TO BUILD A FIELD. ALL THEY NEED TO DO IS SAY, HEY, LET’S START TURNING THE SHOVEL MORI. HOW ABOUT SALT LAKE CITY? WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE BALLPARK DEVELOPMENT AND THEN THE RELOCATION FEES, YOU’RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $5 BILLION. AND THAT’S THAT’S THE BIGGEST HURDLE. AND THEY’RE PROBABLY THE CLOSEST TO HAVING THAT PIECE TOGETHER. AND NOW LET’S HEAD NORTHWEST, 766 MILES FROM SALT LAKE CITY IS PORTLAND, OREGON. MARKET SIZE 23. THE CITY HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET AN MLB TEAM FOR YEARS. IT’S ONE OF THE LARGEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY WITHOUT MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL. SO WHAT MAKES PORTLAND SO ATTRACTIVE FOR MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL? WELL, HOW ABOUT CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP COMPANIES YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF, LIKE NIKE, COLUMBIA, ADIDAS, NORTH AMERICA, ALL ARE BASED IN PORTLAND. VERY ATTRACTIVE FOR MLB MORI. HOW ABOUT PORTLAND CHANCES? YEAH, PORTLAND’S BEEN IN IT FOR A WHILE NOW. OBVIOUSLY THEY STARTED LOOKING IN THE 2000 WITH THE EXPO RELOCATION. THE GROUP HERE NOW HAS BEEN WORKING FOR QUITE A WHILE IN A COUPLE MORE CITIES OF NOTE TWO. IN FACT, NORTH OF THE BORDER, ONE IN VANCOUVER AND THE OTHER IN MONTREAL. YOU MAY REMEMBER MONTREAL DID HAVE A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM, BUT THEN IT MOVED TO WASHINGTON TO BECOME THE NATIONALS. ONE OTHER CITY OF NOTE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO SACRAMENTO. CITY LEADERS HAVE ALREADY HAD THE TASTE OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, AND NOW THEY WANT MORE. BUT IS IT A REALITY FOR SACRAMENTO TO GET AN MLB EXPANSION TEAM? LET’S ASK MORI RIGHT NOW. IT’S A LONG SHOT, BUT THE REASON IT’S A LONG SHOT RIGHT NOW IS WE DON’T KNOW WHO THE PRINCIPALS ARE ON THE MONEY SIDE. SO YES, SACRAMENTO MIGHT BE A LONG SHOT, BUT AS MORI JUST SAID, NOTHING IS WRITTEN IN STON
Sacramento has competition in race for MLB expansion team
Updated: 4:52 PM PDT May 28, 2026
Sacramento city leaders are aiming to secure a Major League Baseball expansion team, facing stiff competition from several cities across the country. Nashville, the country’s 25th largest television market, is considered a contender due to its tourism industry and booming population. The city is already home to professional football and hockey teams, including the Titans and Predators. “Look, they hosted the winter meetings eight times since the ’80s. It’s a well-known market. It’s a growing market. I think there is a lot of interest to travel. That’s a key consideration with all of this,” said Maury Brown, an MLB expert and writer for Forbes. Salt Lake City, ranked as the 28th television market, is another strong candidate. The city’s economic growth and a highly motivated ownership group with a stadium site ready to be built make it a frontrunner. “You have to try and come up with about $5 billion. When you think about the ballpark and relocation fees, you’re looking at about $5 billion, and that’s the biggest hurdle. They are probably the closest to having that piece together,” Brown said. Portland, the 23rd television market, has been pursuing an MLB team for years. As one of the largest cities in the country without a team, Portland’s appeal lies in its potential corporate sponsorships, with major companies like Nike and Columbia headquartered there. “Yeah, Portland has been in it for a while now. They started in the 2000s with the Expo relocation. The group here now has been working for quite a while,” Brown said. Other cities in the mix include Montreal, which could see a team return, and Charlotte, North Carolina, which is also being considered. Sacramento, ranked as the 20th television market, has had a taste of Major League Baseball with the Athletics. “I think the biggest thing with Sacramento is that the A’s are there now, so it is a live incubator to do your market analysis about how Major League Baseball would be received,” Brown said. However, Sacramento’s bid faces significant challenges. “Right now, it’s a long shot, but the reason it is a long shot right now is that we don’t know who the principals are, and that may become available over the next week or so,” Brown said. While Sacramento’s chances may be uncertain, the city will be in the running as the competition unfolds. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Sacramento city leaders are aiming to secure a Major League Baseball expansion team, facing stiff competition from several cities across the country.
Nashville, the country’s 25th largest television market, is considered a contender due to its tourism industry and booming population. The city is already home to professional football and hockey teams, including the Titans and Predators.
“Look, they hosted the winter meetings eight times since the ’80s. It’s a well-known market. It’s a growing market. I think there is a lot of interest to travel. That’s a key consideration with all of this,” said Maury Brown, an MLB expert and writer for Forbes.
Salt Lake City, ranked as the 28th television market, is another strong candidate. The city’s economic growth and a highly motivated ownership group with a stadium site ready to be built make it a frontrunner.
“You have to try and come up with about $5 billion. When you think about the ballpark and relocation fees, you’re looking at about $5 billion, and that’s the biggest hurdle. They are probably the closest to having that piece together,” Brown said.
Portland, the 23rd television market, has been pursuing an MLB team for years. As one of the largest cities in the country without a team, Portland’s appeal lies in its potential corporate sponsorships, with major companies like Nike and Columbia headquartered there.
“Yeah, Portland has been in it for a while now. They started in the 2000s with the Expo relocation. The group here now has been working for quite a while,” Brown said.
Other cities in the mix include Montreal, which could see a team return, and Charlotte, North Carolina, which is also being considered.
Sacramento, ranked as the 20th television market, has had a taste of Major League Baseball with the Athletics.
“I think the biggest thing with Sacramento is that the A’s are there now, so it is a live incubator to do your market analysis about how Major League Baseball would be received,” Brown said.
However, Sacramento’s bid faces significant challenges.
“Right now, it’s a long shot, but the reason it is a long shot right now is that we don’t know who the principals are, and that may become available over the next week or so,” Brown said.
While Sacramento’s chances may be uncertain, the city will be in the running as the competition unfolds.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel