A way too early look at XFL expansion cities

When ask why the city of San Antonio was chosen as its newest franchise Dany Garcia had this to say, “We didn’t have a 1-year, 2-year plan we have a 5 to 10-year plan about commitment and investing in the community and staying and building.” That shows this ownership group has a well-thought-out plan for growing its fan base and branching out methodically.

The buzz after the first week surrounding the XFL inevitably created talk of expansion, however, it’s way too early to realistically expand. But, It’s never too early for a game of “what if”. Here is a list of teams I think would be a good fit based on culture, fan base, and having a facility already in place.

So without further ado here’s my way, way, way too soon list of potential cities, in no particular order.

Portland, Oregon

With a metro population of 2.5 million, this city has the Trailblazers and the MLS’s Timbers and could share their 25,218-seat stadium. Having a team here creates an instant rivalry with Seattle. Not to mention the fan bases of both Oregon and Oregon State Universities.

Salt Lake City, Utah

A city that doesn’t come to mind when people think of football, has a devoted following for their NBA franchise, the Utah Jazz, and has great attendance. Utah versus Utah State is a must-attend game for football fans from all other state. America First Field hosts Real Salt Lake city and seats over 20,000. Having a team in this part of the county is ideal with its proximity to Seattle and possibly Portland.

Oklahoma City, OK

The University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University routinely sell out huge stadiums. Need I say more? The city has 1 professional sports team, the Oklahoma Thunder, and has a raucous college atmosphere. With a metro population of close to 1.5 million people and a short drive to Arlington, this is an ideal location. That could cultivate a killer rivalry!

Toronto, Canada

Now here me out, with a population larger than every city in the NFL, except N.Y., L.A., and Chicago at 6.7 million (metro area), Toronto has 2 potential stadiums, the Rogers Centre and BMO field. The NFL has had success here before with the Buffalo Bills and the CFL Toronto Argonauts. There’s great potential here for success. The NBA’s Raptors also have a rabid fan base showing they are capable of supporting an XFL team.

San Diego, California

After losing the Chargers and the Fleet of the AAF, this city is deserving of a franchise. Having replaced the “Murph” (IYKYK) with a brand new 35,000-seat Snapdragon Stadium, home to San Diego State Aztecs, they are one of the best options for a team.

Chicago, Illinois

I’ve attempted to stay away from NFL cities, but I love the idea of playing in the historic 61,500-seat Soldier Field. With the major tenants potentially moving to a new stadium in Arlington Heights, this just feels like a good fit.

Honorable mentions:

• Columbus, Ohio
• Vancouver, British Columbia
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Phoenix, Arizona
• New York, New York
• Los Angeles, California

Let the “What Ifs” begin.

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