MLB Expansion WireESPN / Jeff Passan Report

MLB Expansion Contender Evaluator & Ballpark Estimator

Projected Franchise Fee $1.2B – $1.8B
Target Entry Window 2028 – 2032
League Target Size 32 Franchises (2 Slots)

Current Expansion Odds Matrix

Calculated dynamically from Jeff Passan's reporting metrics

Projected Frontrunners: Salt Lake City & Nashville
Salt Lake City Shovel Ready Site
Big League Utah / Larry H. Miller Co.
Ballpark Status & Cost
$1.5B (Power District)
$900M state public financing approved
Metro Population & TV Rank
2.7M • DMA #27
Top 5 fastest growing US metros
Geographic & Division Fit
AL West or NL West
Bridges West Coast & Mountain zone
Ownership Wealth & Anchor
Gail Miller & LHM Group
Ready franchise fee liquid backing
Passan notes Salt Lake City has leapfrogged competitors with state-approved public financing, dedicated land at the 100-acre Power District on the Jordan River, and unified civic commitment across Utah leadership.

32-Team Expansion Realignment Simulator

How inserting the top 2 projected markets (Salt Lake City & Nashville) solves MLB's 8-division blueprint.

Format: 8 Divisions × 4 Teams (Balanced Geographies)