Major League Baseball In North Carolina? It May Be Getting Closer
It’s been a hot topic for years and at this point it’s a matter of when and where and not “if”. The timeline is not set in stone but MLB…
It's been a hot topic for years and at this point it's a matter of when and where and not "if". The timeline is not set in stone but MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred wants to expand the league from its current 30 teams to 32. ESPN reported about a week ago that Rob Manfred wants to have a plan in place for the expansion before he steps down in 2024. So could that mean Major League Baseball possibly in North Carolina?
Charlotte or Raleigh for Major League Baseball In North Carolina?
Several cities across the country have expressed interest in landing one of these teams. And why wouldn't you want to as a city? Among these are both Charlotte and Raleigh. Both cities have a good case for being awarded a team. Currently, North Carolina is an underserved market with the closest teams being the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals. Both metro areas are steadily growing at some of the highest rates nationwide. There are an abundance of minor league teams in the state of North Carolina as well.
Both the Charlotte Knights and Durham Bulls draw respectable crowds to their downtown stadiums. So it certainly seems as though the interest is there. It's also the only major professional sport the state doesn't have. Charlotte is home to the Carolina Panthers (NFL), Charlotte Hornets (NBA), and Charlotte Football Club (MLS). While Raleigh is home to the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL).
ESPN analysts suggest that Raleigh is the more likely destination of the two North Carolina cities. Raleigh has a more organized push, and even Governor Roy Cooper seems to be pushing the idea of MLB coming to Raleigh. The capital city also offers a more clear location to build a stadium- in the vicinity of PNC Arena (Carolina Hurricanes/NC State Basketball) and Carter Finley Stadium (NC State Football). Raleigh also already has a deep-pocked investor ready to foot the bill for the project. Billionaire Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is ready and willing to purchase a team and owns the land around PNC that would be needed for the stadium.
Charlotte doesn't have an easy spot for a prime stadium location. The current Charlotte Knights Stadium doesn't have room to expand to accommodate Major League Baseball. Raleigh has also shown more interest in the team. And with Charlotte being home to 3 professional teams compared to Raleigh's one, that helps as well.
The biggest obstacle to both cities though? Is Nashville's interest. It's unlikely (and nearly unthinkable) that neighboring states would be awarded teams. And as ESPN says Nashville is the "sexier pick". Dundon and the Bring MLB To Raleigh group however still think Raleigh is the best pick. And I have to agree! Though I'm clearly biased. However, I do feel confident in saying if Major League Baseball comes to North Carolina, it will be to Raleigh.
Learn about the initiative to land a major league baseball team in Raleigh North Carolina here. Read the full ESPN analysis of potential expansion cities here.
Do You Know Every North Carolina Minor League Baseball Team?
Baseball is widely regarded as America's pastime. Without a major league team closer than Atlanta or DC minor league baseball takes the stage in North Carolina. So it's a good thing that we have plenty of North Carolina minor league baseball teams to be a fan of! It can seem like there are so many teams that it's hard to make sense of what they all mean. It seems like every town has a baseball team. Are they all the same level?
The short answer is no. Minor league baseball is made up of several different levels. These are used for player development and getting players ready to hopefully one day compete in the "big leagues". Each major league team has 4 minor league teams affiliated with them for a total of 120 teams in the country. Additionally, there are other independent baseball leagues that players can play in and fans can take in games.
Minor league baseball can be a fun and relatively inexpensive outing for families and friend groups alike. Most tickets are very affordable with fun promotions as well as food and drink specials. North Carolina is home to 10 official minor league teams in the triple A, high A, and single A levels. We also have 5 independent baseball teams. Keep reading to learn a little about each of the teams, where they are located, their major league affiliate, and their level!
Triple A Teams
Triple-A is the level just under the major leagues. These players are often good enough to play in the major leagues but there just isn't space on them on the roster. They can easily be called up due to injury or other situations. North Carolina has 2 Triple-A teams.
Charlotte Knights
Major League Team: Chicago White Sox
Location: Charlotte, NC
Durham Bulls
Major League Team: Tampa Bay Rays
Location: Durham, NC
High A Teams
High-A formerly known as Class A-Advanced the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball. North Carolina has four High A Teams.
Asheville Tourists
Major League Team: Houston Astros
Location: Asheville, NC
Greensboro Grasshoppers
Major League Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
Location: Greensboro, NC
Hickory Crawdads
Major League Team: Texas Rangers
Location: Hickory, NC
Winston-Salem Dash
Major League Team: Chicago White Sox
Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Single A Teams
Single A or Class A is is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball. North Carolina has 4 single A teams.
Carolina Mudcats
Major League Team: Milwaukee Brewers
Location: Zebulon, NC
Down East Wood Ducks
Major League Team: Texas Rangers
Location: Kinston, NC
Fayetteville Woodpeckers
Major League Team: Houston Astros
Location: Fayetteville, NC
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Formerly Intimidators)
Major League Team: Chicago White Sox
Location: Kannapolis, NC
Independent League Baseball Teams
North Carolina is also home to 5 teams that play in independent baseball leagues that are not part of Major League Baseball.
Burlington Sock Puppets
League: Appalachian League
Location: Burlington, NC
Gastonia Honey Hunters
League: Atlantic League
Location: Gastonia, NC
High Point Rockers
League: Atlantic League
Location: High Point, NC
High Point Thomasville HiToms
League: Coastal Plain League
Location: Thomasville, NC
Wilson Tobs
League: Coastal Plain League
Location: Wilson, NC
