An expansion team is a term used for a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the sport into new areas. This sometimes results in the payment of an expansion fee to the league by the new team, and an expansion draft to populate the new roster.

In North America, expansion takes place in response to population growth and geographic shifts of population, driven by the resulting financial opportunity made possible by such demographic change. For example, Major League Baseball was limited to 16 teams located north and east of St. Louis, Missouri for the first half of the 20th century. During this time, the United States population doubled and expanded to the south and west. Rival interests explored the possibility of forming a rival league in these untapped markets. To forestall this possibility, one of the measures MLB took was to expand by four teams in 1961 and 1962. Over the past four decades, MLB expanded further to its current 30-team membership. In the context of MLB, the term "expansion team" is also used to refer to any of the 14 teams enfranchised in the second half of the 20th century.

When an expansion team begins play, they are generally stocked with less talented free agents and inexperienced staffs. Additionally, prospective owners may face expensive fees to the league as well as high start-up costs such as stadiums and facilities. As a result, most expansion teams are known for their poor play during their inaugural season. This can be exacerbated by the fact that leagues often expand by two or four teams in one season, to eliminate the possibility of a bye-week in the draw from having an odd number of teams. In those cases, expansion teams must compete with their expansion rivals for available talent. Expansion teams are not usually doomed to mediocrity forever, as most leagues have policies which promote parity, such as drafts and salary caps, which gives some expansion teams the opportunity to win championships only a few years after their first season.

Most teams are considered as an expansion team usually in their first season and sometimes in their second season. A team that moves to another location and/or changes its name is generally not considered an expansion team. They are known as relocated teams. If the name changes they are known as renamed teams. In response to a negative attitude some fans have towards relocated teams, there have recently been instances where relocating clubs change their identity completely; name, colours and mascot, but because the roster is the same, and because the league does not expand as a result, they are not regarded as expansion teams. Teams which have been 'reborn' in this manner include the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL, the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA and Houston Dynamo in the MLS.

Cities and regions with large populations that lack a team are generally regarded to be the best candidates for new teams. For example, the National Football League (NFL) has recently considered Los Angeles, CA to be the best possibility for a brand new NFL team and Toronto as a second choice. The European Super League has added teams from France and Wales to cover a great demographic spread.

Contents 1 List of expansion teams in history 1.1 1890s 1.1.1 1899 1.2 1900s 1.2.1 1905 1.3 1910s 1.3.1 1910 1.4 1920s 1.4.1 1920 1.4.2 1921 1.4.3 1922 1.4.4 1924 1.4.5 1925 1.4.6 1926 1.5 1930s 1.5.1 1933 1.5.2 1935 1.6 1940s 1.6.1 1947 1.7 1960s 1.7.1 1960 1.7.2 1961 1.7.3 1962 1.7.4 1966 1.7.5 1967 1.7.6 1968 1.7.7 1969 1.8 1970s 1.8.1 1970 1.8.2 1972 1.8.3 1974 1.8.4 1976 1.8.5 1977 1.8.6 1978 1.8.7 1979 1.9 1980s 1.9.1 1980 1.9.2 1982 1.9.3 1983 1.9.4 1984 1.9.5 1985 1.9.6 1986 1.9.7 1987 1.9.8 1988 1.9.9 1989 1.10 1990s 1.10.1 1990 1.10.2 1991 1.10.3 1992 1.10.4 1993 1.10.5 1995 1.10.6 1996 1.10.7 1997 1.10.8 1998 1.10.9 1999 1.11 2000s 1.11.1 2000 1.11.2 2001 1.11.3 2002 1.11.4 2003 1.11.5 2004 1.11.6 2005 1.11.7 2006 1.11.8 2007 1.11.9 2008 1.11.10 2009 1.11.11 2010 1.11.12 2011 1.11.13 2012

[edit] List of expansion teams in history

[edit] 1890s

[edit] 1899

CC:

• Worcestershire CCC

[edit] 1900s

[edit] 1905

CC:

• Northamptonshire CCC

[edit] 1910s

[edit] 1910

NSWRL

• Annandale

[edit] 1920s

[edit] 1920

NSWRL

• University

[edit] 1921

NSWRL

• St. George Dragons

[edit] 1922

:CC

• Glamorgan CCC

[edit] 1924

NHL

• Boston Bruins
• Montreal Maroons (now defunct)

[edit] 1925

NHL

• Pittsburgh Pirates (now defunct)
• New York Americans (now defunct)

[edit] 1926

NHL

• Detroit Cougars (now Red Wings)
• Chicago Black Hawks
• New York Rangers

[edit] 1930s

[edit] 1933

NFL

• Cincinnati Reds (now defunct)

• Philadelphia Eagles

• Pittsburgh Pirates (now Steelers)

[edit] 1935

NSWRL

• Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

[edit] 1940s

[edit] 1947

NSWRL

• Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
• Parramatta Eels

[edit] 1960s

[edit] 1960

NFL:

• Dallas Cowboys

[edit] 1961

MLB:

• Los Angeles Angels
• Washington Senators (now Texas Rangers)

NBA:

• Chicago Packers (now Washington Wizards)

NFL:

• Minnesota Vikings

[edit] 1962

MLB:

• Houston Colt .45's (Now Houston Astros)
• New York Mets

[edit] 1966

NBA:

• Chicago Bulls

NFL:

• Atlanta Falcons

American Football League:

• Miami Dolphins

[edit] 1967

NBA:

• Houston Rockets
• Seattle SuperSonics (Now Oklahoma City Thunder)

NFL:

• New Orleans Saints

NHL:

• Minnesota North Stars (now Dallas Stars)
• Los Angeles Kings
• Oakland Seals (Defunct. As the Cleveland Barons was merged with the Minnesota North Stars)
• Philadelphia Flyers
• Pittsburgh Penguins
• St. Louis Blues

NSWRL

• Penrith Panthers
• Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

[edit] 1968

NBA:

• Milwaukee Bucks
• Phoenix Suns

AFL:

• Cincinnati Bengals

[edit] 1969

MLB:

• Montreal Expos (now Washington Nationals)
• San Diego Padres
• Kansas City Royals
• Seattle Pilots (now Milwaukee Brewers)

[edit] 1970s

[edit] 1970

NBA:

• Buffalo Braves (now Los Angeles Clippers)
• Cleveland Cavaliers
• Portland Trail Blazers

NHL:

• Buffalo Sabres
• Vancouver Canucks

[edit] 1972

ABA:

• San Diego Conquistadors

NHL:

• Atlanta Flames (now Calgary Flames)
• New York Islanders

[edit] 1974

NBA:

• New Orleans Jazz (now Utah Jazz)

NHL:

• Kansas City Scouts (now New Jersey Devils)
• Washington Capitals

[edit] 1976

NFL:

• Seattle Seahawks
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers

[edit] 1977

MLB:

• Seattle Mariners
• Toronto Blue Jays

[edit] 1978

PBA:

• Filmanbank Bankers

[edit] 1979

PBA:

• Gilbey's Gin

[edit] 1980s

[edit] 1980

NBA:

• Dallas Mavericks

PBA:

• CDCP Shippers

[edit] 1982

NSWRL

• Canberra Raiders
• Illawarra Steelers

[edit] 1983

PBA:

• Manhattan

[edit] 1984

PBA:

• Manila Beer

[edit] 1985

PBA:

• Shell Azordin Bugbusters

[edit] 1986

PBA:

• Alaska Aces

[edit] 1987

Australian FL:

• Brisbane Bears (joined with Fitzroy in 1996 to form Brisbane Lions)
• West Coast Eagles

[edit] 1988

NBA:

• Charlotte Hornets (now New Orleans Hornets)
• Miami Heat

NSWRL:

• Newcastle Knights
• Brisbane Broncos
• Gold Coast-Tweed Giants

PBA:

• Purefoods

[edit] 1989

NBA:

• Minnesota Timberwolves
• Orlando Magic

NLL:

• Detroit Turbos
• New England Blazers

[edit] 1990s

[edit] 1990

PBA:

• Sunkist Orange Juicers

[edit] 1991

NHL:

• San Jose Sharks (Officially an expansion team although the roster of Minnesota was divided between the North Stars and the Sharks. Both clubs participated in a draft to fill the remainder of the rosters.)

AFL:

• Adelaide Crows

[edit] 1992

CC:

• Durham CCC

NHL:

• Ottawa Senators
• Tampa Bay Lightning

NLL:

• Buffalo Bandits

[edit] 1993

MLB:

• Colorado Rockies
• Florida Marlins

NHL:

• Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (now Anaheim Ducks)
• Florida Panthers

PBA:

• Sta. Lucia Realtors

[edit] 1995

NBA:

• Toronto Raptors
• Vancouver Grizzlies (now Memphis Grizzlies)

NFL:

• Carolina Panthers
• Jacksonville Jaguars

NLL:

• Rochester Knighthawks

ARL

• Auckland Warriors
• North Queensland Cowboys
• South Queensland Crushers
• Western Reds

AFL:

• Fremantle Dockers

[edit] 1996

NFL:

• Baltimore Ravens - officially a new franchise although it maintained the roster of the Cleveland Browns, whose franchise was suspended until 1999.

PBA:

• Mobiline Cellulars

NLL:

• Charlotte Cobras

[edit] 1997

Super League:

• Hunter Mariners
• Adelaide Rams

WAFL:

• Peel Thunder

[edit] 1998

MLB:

• Arizona Diamondbacks
• Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now Tampa Bay Rays)

NHL:

• Nashville Predators

MLS:

• Chicago Fire
• Miami Fusion (contracted)

NRL

• Melbourne Storm

VFL

• Bendigo Bombers

[edit] 1999

NHL:

• Atlanta Thrashers

NFL:

• Cleveland Browns - officially reactivated. As part of the deal which permitted former Browns owner Art Modell to move to Baltimore, the Browns name and colors remained with Cleveland.

PBA:

• Tanduay Rhum Masters

[edit] 2000s

[edit] 2000

NHL:

• Columbus Blue Jackets
• Minnesota Wild

NLL:

• Albany Attack

PBA:

• Batang Red Bull Energy Kings

NRL:

• Northern Eagles
• Wests Tigers

[edit] 2001

NLL:

• Columbus Landsharks

VFL:

• Tasmanian Devils

[edit] 2002

CFL:

• Ottawa Renegades (defunct)

NLL:

• Calgary Roughnecks
• Montreal Express
• New Jersey Storm
• Vancouver Ravens

PBA:

• FedEx Express
• Coca-Cola Tigers

NFL:

• Houston Texans

[edit] 2003

WHL:

• Everett Silvertips

[edit] 2004

NBA:

• Charlotte Bobcats

[edit] 2005

MLS:

• Real Salt Lake
• CD Chivas USA

NLL:

• Minnesota Swarm

QMJHL:

• St. John's Fog Devils
• Saint John Sea Dogs

[edit] 2006

NTFL:

• Tiwi Bombers

Super 14:

• Cheetahs
• Western Force

MLS:

• Houston Dynamo (though they maintained the roster of the San Jose Earthquakes)

NLL:

• Edmonton Rush
• Portland Lumberjax

WHL:

• Chilliwack Bruins

Super League:

• Catalans Dragons — Although Super League used a promotion and relegation system at that time, Les Catalans, as the only French team in the otherwise all-English competition, were assured of a place in the league through 2008. Super League instituted a franchise system effective with the 2009 season, and Les Catalans retained their place in the league.

PBA:

• Welcoat Dragons (from the PBL, note that the promotion and relegation system was not used .)

MLL:

• Chicago Machine
• Denver Outlaws
• Los Angeles Riptide
• San Francisco Dragons

[edit] 2007

New South Wales Cup:

• Auckland Lions

A-League:

• Wellington Phoenix

NRL:

• Gold Coast Titans

NBL:

• South Dragons
• Singapore Slingers

MLS:

• Toronto FC

NLL:

• Chicago Shamrox
• New York Titans

[edit] 2008

Jim Beam Cup:

• WA Reds

Queensland Cup:

• Mackay Cutters
• Northern Pride

MLS:

• San Jose Earthquakes

NBA:

• Oklahoma City Thunder (though they maintained the roster of the Seattle SuperSonics)

WNBA:

• Atlanta Dream

[edit] 2009

A-League:

• Gold Coast United
• North Queensland Fury

MLS:

• Seattle Sounders FC

Super League:

• Celtic Crusaders – An expansion team only in the sense that they were invited into Super League. The club have existed since 2005.
• Salford City Reds – Also technically not an expansion team; they have existed since 1873, and played in Super League as recently as the 2007 season.

[edit] 2010

A-League:

• Melbourne Heart

MLS:

• Philadelphia Union

CFL:

• Ottawa CFL

UFL:

• UFL Hartford
• UFL Los Angeles

[edit] 2011

A-League:

• Sydney Rovers

AFL:

• Gold Coast

MLS:

• Vancouver Whitecaps
• Portland Timbers

[edit] 2012

AFL:

• Western Sydney