Utah’s pro-sports footprint may be about to get even bigger.
The Utah Mammoth are still the newest addition to the state’s sports scene, and the idea of another major league team landing there is already gaining traction. This time, the buzz is centered on Major League Baseball, which remains one of only two major sports leagues with 32 teams.
ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan recently weighed in on expansion when asked by John Leone of the Daily Utah Chronicle, and he sounded pretty confident about one city in particular. On Nashville, Passan said, "I mean, Nashville is happening", and he added that the real debate is about the league’s western candidate: "(The) Question is who is going to be the West Coast team?
I think Salt Lake actually... I think Salt Lake has got the best chance."
A Nashville team would give the city a third major pro franchise, alongside the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators. It would also technically make it the fourth major team in the state, with the Memphis Grizzlies in Tennessee as well.
Salt Lake City, though, is the name that stands out here. The West already has a heavy concentration of MLB teams in California, plus Seattle, and the Athletics’ move from Oakland to Las Vegas has only added to the league’s western presence. Portland, Oregon, is another city that could fit the bill, especially given its larger population compared with Salt Lake.
Still, Utah has been building something distinct. With the Mammoth joining the Utah Jazz, the state’s fan base is growing into something that looks increasingly like a major-league market of its own. An MLB team would only deepen that identity.
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