{"id":289796,"date":"2026-05-30T04:33:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-30T04:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/289796\/"},"modified":"2026-05-30T04:33:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T04:33:09","slug":"orlando-can-dream-but-florida-doesnt-deserve-another-mlb-franchise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/289796\/","title":{"rendered":"Orlando Can Dream, but Florida Doesn\u2019t Deserve Another MLB Franchise"},"content":{"rendered":"

Expansion is coming to MLB<\/a> in the next few years, and cities are lining up to make their case to current commissioner Rob Manfred for one of the expected two franchise expansion slots.<\/p>\n

Nashville wants in. The cities of Raleigh and Charlotte in North Carolina are both interested. Canadian cities like Vancouver and Montreal seem to be in the mix. And most recently, we\u2019ve seen new efforts from Portland and Sacramento to bring another franchise to the Pacific.<\/p>\n

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On the other side of the country, though, another city is trying to build its case why MLB should come to their town: Orlando<\/a>, Florida.<\/p>\n

Under the \u201cOrlando Dreamers\u201d project, a group of investors hopes to bring another major sports franchise to a city that already has the NBA\u2019s Orlando Magic.<\/p>\n

The team has already reportedly secured over $2 billion to bring a team to the city, with hopes that Manfred and the other owners will choose them.<\/p>\n

And while I have nothing against the \u201cDreamers\u201d group or their desire to bring an MLB franchise to their city, I\u2019m going to be straightforward here: No.<\/p>\n

More news: Surprising City Announces Plan for MLB Expansion Team<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Florida<\/p>\n

The roof of the Tropicana Field is damaged the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the region, Oct. 10, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. The storm caused extensive damage to Tropicana Field, tearing off parts of the roof and resulting in $55.7 million in repair costs.<\/p>\n

More news: These 2 Cities Are the \u2018Heavy Favorites\u2019 to Land MLB Expansion Teams<\/a><\/p>\n

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No to the Orlando Dreamers. No to the Orlando Sunshine. No to the Orlando Mickey Mouses. I don\u2019t care what they are called; I don\u2019t want an Orlando team in MLB.<\/p>\n

MLB currently has two Florida teams, the Miami Marlins<\/a> and the Tampa Bay Rays<\/a>, and attendance for both is abysmal. We can talk about how the Rays play too far from the city center or about the Marlins\u2019 bad ownership, but it doesn\u2019t matter when attendance for both has been atrocious for decades at this point.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if there was a good ownership in Florida, the fans would show up! Didn\u2019t you see the World Baseball Classic?\u201d<\/p>\n

I did, and the WBC was fantastic. And if Orlando wants a team, then let\u2019s move the Rays there. Or the Marlins. Flip a coin. I\u2019m not fully anti-Orlando, but I\u2019m more against the idea of a third Florida team in the state when one of them has a half-destroyed stadium, while the other looks half-destroyed because it\u2019s always so empty.<\/p>\n

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Orlando Rays or Orlando Marlins, maybe.<\/p>\n

An expansion Orlando franchise?<\/p>\n

I\u2019d rather they put a team in Mexico City or London.<\/p>\n

Related Articles<\/p>\n

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