Baseball is poised for a generational overhaul, with league realignment and expansion to 32 franchises imminent. Many potential host cities are already being considered, including Salt Lake City, Portland, Nashville, and Charlotte. The shift would eliminate the current divisional structure of the American and National Leagues, fundamentally altering the game’s perspective for fans, players, and announcers.

Why Expansion Is Back on the Agenda

There have long been whispers of expansion. The moment finally looks propitious. Commissioner Rob Manfred has publicly stated he plans to bring aboard two new franchises before his own expires at the end of 2029 and it makes business sense. New franchises bring ticket revenue, new opportunities at the Sponsorship Desk and broadcast rights that help extend the game’s footprint.

Portland and Nashville have been circulating bids. Salt Lake’s heavily financed Big League Utah bid committee is prepared with a cutting-edge ballpark and entertainment district. Realistic MLB targets, the potential markets meet essential checkboxes: growth, corporate support, and big-league sports demand. Expansion also provides leverage with existing franchises, like the Rays and A’s, whose stadiums have been longstanding problems.

How a 32-Team League Would Be Organized

Central to the proposal is a drastic realignment. Instead of having two leagues, MLB would move to one with eight divisions of four teams divided into Eastern and Western conferences. The structure mimics that of the NFL, with geography the guiding force. A West division could include the Giants, Dodgers, Padres and an expansion team based in Portland or Salt Lake City. An Eastern division could include the Red Sox, Yankees, Mets and Phillies. Those alignments would create headline-grabbing summer rivalries.

This realignment would significantly reduce travel distances, ease player fatigue and make scheduling cleaner. You would gain, too. Instead of scattered interleague matchups, each division would become a regional theater where rivalries play out more often. Local pride intensifies when teams fight for supremacy against neighbors. Broadcasters would benefit from dependable, high-interest matchups.

Possible Cities and Utah’s Contribution

One of the most intriguing possibilities lies in Utah. Salt Lake City has transformed itself into a vibrant, growing metro area with a reputation for strong sports fandom. The success of the NBA’s Jazz and Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake proves that Utahns passionately support professional franchises. A Major League Baseball team would round out the state’s profile on the national sporting stage.

Big League Utah coalition, led by business leaders and former athletes, boasts a multi-billion-dollar stadium and ancillary development. This initiative is more than just about baseball. It’s about local pride and community identity. By relocating a team to Utah, MLB shortens the geographic gap between Denver and the West Coast. It also opens the region up into the Mountain West and accesses another time zone to schedule televised programming.

Other frontrunners include Nashville, with its booming cultural appeal and music-driven branding potential. Portland boasts a strong baseball history and is also high on the list. Charlotte, a fast-growing hub for corporate sponsorship, remains in the mix, too. Each market carries distinct strengths, but Salt Lake’s organized campaign and regional uniqueness give it a strong case.

Effect on Rivalries and Divisions

If realignment goes forward, the ripple impact on rivalries will be tremendous. Old adversaries like the Braves and Mets or the Cubs and Cardinals could be reorganized. Traditional American League vs. National League divisions would vanish. For purists, this could jeopardize a hundred years of identity.

There is, though, one potential silver lining. Some of baseball’s most compelling matchups could get more intense. Division rivalries of Yankees-Mets would guarantee several big-pressure meetings every year. The Dodgers-Padres grudge game could be sharpened by configurations with some of the newer West Coast franchises. Expansion adds some new storyline lines, too. How would some upstart Utah team hold up against the Dodgers’ machine? Can Nashville ignite some Southern rivalry with Atlanta?

Fans often fear losing traditions. But baseball has evolved resiliently, from the designated hitter rule to interleague play. Rivalries do not vanish. They adapt and new ones often burn just as brightly.

What It’s About for Players, Fans and Bets

The shifts would allow for more balanced play for the players. Smaller distances traveled would reduce fatigue. The more regional scheduling would provide fresher bodies later into the season. You would have a more local, easily accessible game, watching their team compete with local rivals several times a year.

Betting lines will have to adjust. As realignment takes form with divisional races, bookmakers will recalibrate how they rate season-wide bets and rivalry games. Analytics websites are already tracking expansion buzz and rumours, which are directly affecting betting lines. Talk of a Utah team, for example, stirs thoughts of how competitive one would be out of the gate.

The role of the top sports betting apps will be significant in shaping fan engagement. As divisions change, so will the odds, providing you with new ways to follow the season. The entertainment factor expands. Wagers on emerging rivalries or first-year performances become part of the narrative. Betting isn’t only about outcomes; it’s about creating more drama and excitement throughout the season.

Financial, Travel, and Broadcast Considerations

Travel logistics have been one of the sore aspects of MLB franchises, particularly outlying western clubs. A realigned configuration with a focus on closeness mitigates such hardships, decreasing expenses and player fatigue.

Broadcasters would benefit, too. Divisions into regions produce clean storylines, simpler scheduling and consistent ratings. Annual, sure-thing rivalries such as Yankees-Red Sox or Dodgers-Giants increase networks’ ad value. Expansion also introduces fresh markets into the mix, which equates to robust local broadcast rights and greater national appeal.

The business model could resemble the NFL’s, with profitable shared rights supported by healthy local relationships. Including franchises in business-savvy metropolitan areas, such as Nashville’s business sponsors or Utah’s high-tech industry, enhances finances.

Colorado’s vision of a 32-team MLB is ambitious but has inherent promise. Expansion would provide greater representation of new cities, the potential of a new divisional setup focusing more on geography and rivalries and the maintenance of the game’s cultural salience. Realignment would involve losing some traditions. But baseball has continually adapted with the times. 

Night games and interleague play, once seeming radical innovations, are nowadays part of the game itself. The proposed redesign could save baseball’s soul while growing its reach. MLB’s move to 32 teams could transform the game if handled with vision and balance. It would make baseball more inclusive, modern and entertaining, cementing its place in America’s future as strongly as in its past.