While normally I post about up and coming teams and players, today I'd like to post something a little different. Sports teams are some of the most important institutions in America. They are also some of the most polarizing. They can lead to the beginning of a beautiful relationship or the ending of one you thought would last forever. They can lead to fight or good laughs. Sports teams are a good reason to feel local pride as well. Nothing is better than the feeling of your hometown team winning a championship. However, there are many places that are incredibly deserving of a sports team, but don’t have one. Today, I’m going to list the top 3 places (in the US) that don’t have a professional team, but definitely deserve one.
1. Alabama
When one thinks of Alabama, the first images that come to mind, besides the country, the racism, and the Confederate Flag, are of the Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers, mascots for the University of Alabama and Auburn University, respectively. The Crimson Tide has an illustrious history when it comes to sports, specifically football. They have won 17 national championships in college football. Their baseball team has appeared in 5 College World Series. The Tigers are no slouch either as they have won 2 national championships in football and boast many notable athletic alumni, like Cam Newton and Charles Barkley. Both schools are highly ranked in the attendance rankings. This is indicative of a highly dedicated fanbase and it’s more than likely that they’d love the opportunity to cheer for a professional sports team, no matter the sport.
2. Hawaii
Hawaii is a special case. It is an amazing tour destination and a sports teams would more than likely boost the economy, but there are plenty of difficulties with having a professional sports team there. Jet lag will not only be a factor for any team traveling to Hawaii, but also for the Hawaiian team when they travel to play in the mainland United States. But Hawaii has a rich history with sports teams. Many football, baseball, and basketball teams go to Hawaii in the offseason for training and bonding time.
3. El Paso
While all other places listed are states, this next location is a city. There are teams in Texas for all the major sports in the U.S., but they are missing a big market with El Paso. In 2015, El Paso had an estimated population of 679,000, making it the 19th most populous city in the U.S. It also has a large Hispanic population that would love to support a local team. There are also initiatives with professional teams playing in Mexico. With El Paso being right next to the Mexican border (it is only 30 minutes from the city of Juarez), it would definitely help push the international goals of the major sporting leagues in the United States.
...
If I had to chose which place got a professional sports team, I would chose Alabama. I just know too much about their sports history and their large fanbase to feel otherwise. There are also a plethora of major athletes that come from Alabama and that would just be icing on the cake for fans of whatever new sports team emerges there.