Location of NFL Franchises

[TahoeHorn]

Question 1: Are the 32 NFL teams located in the 32 best places? (What markets should have an NFL team that don't? What markets have an NFL team that shouldn't?)

Question 2: If you added four teams where would you put them?

Defining a market precisely is not easy. The Atlanta market might be the Atlanta metro area for some purposes, the Atlanta media market for some and might fight with Nashville for North Alabama for others.

The demand for NFL product varies. Some markets (e.g. Portland) have less interest in football than others (e.g. Dallas). Some markets have competition from college football (e.g. Austin). Some have competition from other pro sports (e.g. Salt Lake City). Some have poor demographics (disposable income) for their size (e.g. San Antonio.

The answer is complicated but we can guess.

I took a quick look, assuming that the top 29 metro areas should have a team, with the top 3 each having a second.

There are eight markets which are short and eight which are long:

Underserved
2. LA (2) [has no teams instead of two]
3. Chicago [has one instead of two]
12. San Bernadino
23. Portland
24. San Antonio
25. Sacramento
26. Orlando

Overserved
11. San Francisco [has two teams instead of one]
33. Charlotte
35. Indianapolis
37. Nashville
39. Milwaukee
40. Jacksonville
46. New Orleans
49. Buffalo

Other markets to think about (out of top 29 and not served)
30. Las Vegas
31. San Jose
32. Columbus
34. Austin
38. Providence
41. Memphis
42. Louisville
43. Oklahoma City
44. Richmond
45. Hartford
47. Raleigh
48. Salt Lake City
50. Birmingham

Question 1:
I'll guess two changes: Add LA and San Antonio. Subtract New Orleans and Buffalo.

Question 2: In addition to LA and San Antonio, I'd add Orlando and Las Vegas. The problem with San Bernadino is the demographics, not to mention the governments are too broke to buy the owners a stadium. Las Vegas has money, no other pro teams and is growing like a weed. Or, and lots of "visitors" with money.

I might sway San Antonio and Las Vegas in priority.

Disclaimer: I did this with five minutes thought. You can do better.

 

[SabreHorn]

Las Vegas is an economic disaster. I believe they still lead the nation in foreclosures. Unemployment is huge. Add to the fact that they have no facility and likely can't expand the bandbox that is at UNLV, they are looking at a minimum of $500 million for a new stadium to be filled with unemployed residents, who can't afford tickets.

LA offered Bud Adams significantly more than Nashville to move the Oilers there. LA is a crappy sports town because virtually no one is a native of SoCal, and because there is so much more to do than watch a bunch of spoiled, overpaid people give 40% for 95% of the time.

 

[Basketball Jones]

If San Diego can't build a new stadium, likely they will be gone.

 

[Horns11]

New Orleans and Buffalo don't necessarily cater to just a metropolitan area. The Saints are basically a team of all Louisiana and gulf area bayou persons everywhere. Buffalo is generally the team that all Canada roots for, except for maybe the Seattle fans in BC and the Vikings fans in the central provinces.

San Francisco has two teams because of the whole area... if you include the lower bay cities it makes sense. San Jose is basically getting the 49ers because they're moving to Santa Clara.

I agree that LA needs a team. I don't really think that San Antonio/Austin need one considering the Cowboys/Texans coverage of the state. Jacksonville needs to pack it up and go... they're not loved in Florida or the surrounding area.

 

[TorontoMick]

Toronto!!!

 

[dillohorn]

Conway, Texas. All NFL drug users would be in jail after 2 seasons.

 

[l00p]

Roger G. is saying LA or London. LONDON?! Are there that many expats there who give a damn?