The Athletic published results of a Major League Baseball players’ poll that saw them vote on and answer several thought-provoking questions. One of the questions asked centered on which potential expansion site players preferred the most. The answer? Not too surprising.
69 percent of the 100 MLB players who voted in the poll deemed Nashville their preferred expansion site.
Major League players say Nashville is by far the best city for an expansion team.
69% of players polled told The Athletic that the Music City should be next to have a team.
Montreal, Charlotte and Austin followed.https://t.co/AlSz6foSIZ pic.twitter.com/OWChwDvkBV
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 20, 2023
Other notable cities that received substantial votes were Montreal, Charlotte, Austin, Portland, Vancouver, and Salt Lake City.
Nashville sitting No. 1 isn’t particularly surprising. It’s one of the most fun cities in the nation and has a great party atmosphere to it. There’s lots to like about it, and they already house an NFL and NHL team, so they are not unfamiliar with how to host a pro sports team. They also have a baseball team in the city — the Triple-A Nashville Sounds from the Milwaukee Brewers’ pipeline.
Baseball is a very popular sport in the southern U.S. It is true, though, that the Atlanta Braves probably have much of the territory really locked in. Nashville is a buzzing town that would support a sports team, but the dichotomy would be interesting.
The other locations are not too surprising. Salt Lake City, for instance, has become a popular potential expansion site. Portland and Charlotte make a lot of sense, and Montreal is, of course, yearned for by plenty of baseball enthusiasts.
