Baseball last expanded in 1998, with the arrival of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. This brought the number of Major League Baseball teams to thirty. Similarly, the NBA expanded to 30 teams in 2004, following a 29-team expansion in 1995. The NFL expanded to 32 clubs in 2002. The NHL grew to 32 teams with additions in 2000, 2017, and 2021. Major League Soccer has grown practically annually since 2002-2004, when it was reduced to ten teams. It will have 30 teams by 2025.
It’s inevitable. Leagues with 30 teams will add two more franchises (and collect enormous buy-in fees) sometime soon.
The reasons for expanding, where the franchises will end up, and if it’s necessary can and will be debated into the foreseeable future, but that’s not what this article is about. This is about what expansion means to your favorite team and the role they play in providing players to the new franchises.
THE EXPANSION DRAFT
While the rules could change from what was in place in 1997, they would likely be very similar. In the last edition of the expansion draft, each team was allowed to protect 15 players, while recently drafted players were exempt. If the next iteration followed the same rules, teams would essentially be allowed to protect 15 players from their 40-man rosters, while all other players would be exempt from the draft.
