Hoping to see two new teams join MLB in the future? Well, it's not going to happen anytime soon.
On Tuesday, commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters the league will not look into expansion until the Rays and Athletics get new ballparks.
Manfred said expansion on "back burner" until #Rays#Athletics stadium situations resolved.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 12, 2016
Both clubs have been trying to secure new stadiums for years now. The A's have received resistance from the Giants, who have territorial rights over much of the Bay Area. A proposed ballpark deal in Fremont fell apart a few years ago.
The Rays, on the other hand, received approval from the St. Petersburg City Council to look for stadium sites in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties earlier this year. That doesn't mean a new park is imminent, of course. They first have to find a site, get funding, get approval, then design and build the park. They're still very early in the process of getting a new stadium.
Based on Manfred's comments and where the A's and Rays currently sit in their efforts to get a new ballpark, it seems expansion is at least 10 years away. Maybe more. MLB is healthier than its ever been financially, so the league could certainly support two new teams, but they need to take care of their existing clubs first.
The Rays currently have baseball's lowest attendance at 16,615 fans per game. The Indians are next lowest (18,586), then come the Athletics (19,165). No other team is averaging under 20,000 fans per game.
