While there isn’t yet a definitive process for MLB expansion — and the league is currently focusing on its new-look postseason — that isn’t stopping potential candidate cities from being more vocal about becoming one of the chosen markets.

The expected completion of new stadium deals for the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland A’s will satisfy long-stated requirements by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and predecessor Bud Selig to consider adding new teams. In recent days, both Montreal and Raleigh, North Carolina, have become the latest cities to restate their desire for an expansion club. 

Montreal had the Expos from 1969-2004, and a new report from a Quebec radio station suggests the league will accelerate its expansion efforts within 12-to-18 months thanks to renewed MLB interest. The Canadian city is particularly leaning on its metro-area population of more than 4.3 million — far larger than any other MLB expansion candidate.

The Carolina Hurricanes’ Tom Dundon told the North Carolina Sports Network that he wants “to try to bring another major asset to North Carolina” on the heels of completing a new lease and redevelopment plan for the NHL team’s PNC Arena. 

“I know I’m biased, but I think Raleigh is the best place in the country for a new MLB team,” Dundon said. “And when I say that, I think we have the facts to back that up.”

The pair joins other cities including Nashville, Salt Lake City, Charlotte, Orlando, and Portland in either making preliminary pitches or being discussed as potential candidates.

The new clubs are poised to bring at least several billion dollars in new money into MLB, and Dundon didn’t flinch when asked about a potential $2.2 billion price tag for an expansion franchise. “Sounds reasonable,” he said. 

Inter Miami has four games left to pull off a miracle and make the MLS Cup Playoffs, but Lionel Messi is still dealing with a nagging leg injury. Some projections give Miami just a 6% chance at succeeding even with him.

But after Messi’s incredible debut run in MLS, leading Inter Miami to the first-ever Leagues Cup title — interest is still high in the club that will certainly be among the favorites to win a championship in 2024.

Inter Miami season ticket prices for next year are reportedly close to double what they cost in some sections this year. Current season ticket holders are reviewing their options for 2024. Additionally, season ticket applications have reportedly surged by 1,215%.

In the meantime, fans with tickets to Inter Miami’s remaining matches — two home, two away — are left wondering whether they will get a glimpse of Messi as he recovers. The Chicago Fire, who host Miami on Wednesday night, have been anticipating four times more fans than they typically see for home matches. 

Final Farewell

Barcelona could get an official goodbye-to-Messi match in the coming years, so the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner can play in front of his longtime fans one last time.

“Inter Miami will go [to Barcelona] or we will have some kind of match,” Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said. “Messi’s departure from Barcelona was not to his liking.”

Real Madrid sits atop La Liga after eight matches this season — and all while forgoing an additional chunk of media rights revenue.

The top soccer league in Spain has huge media rights deals around the globe — including its $5.6 billion domestic pact with Movistar and DAZN and its $1.4 billion contract with ESPN for U.S. rights. It also has a $30 million deal with EA Sports.

With the influx of revenue, La Liga has been trying to incentivize its clubs to be more open when it comes to media access, allowing for fans to get a better behind-the-scenes look at team and game operations.

While 19 of this season’s 20 clubs are complying, Real Madrid isn’t. Since the beginning of the season, the club hasn’t allowed extra cameras and microphones near coaches and players — costing the team its $14.2 million share of the initiative’s $137 million pot.

“I would prefer to accept a pay cut for it not to come in,” Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said recently of the extra camera access.

Alternate Plans?

Real Madrid was so opposed to the extra media access that it filed a legal complaint ultimately thrown out by a judge.

In September, Apple CEO Tim Cook visited Real Madrid executives, sparking speculation that the club could be interested in striking a deal with the tech giant, which is getting more involved in sports media deals.

The highly crowded New York-area arena market continues to deliver a financial crunch to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

Facing competition for events and fans, not only from Manhattan’s Madison Square Garden and New Jersey’s Prudential Center but now Long Island’s UBS Arena, Barclays Center reported a $76 million loss for the fiscal year ended June 2023. The audited and newly released figure is on top of a $78 million loss for the prior fiscal year.

The arena posted an operating profit of $16 million in the most recent fiscal year and $14 million the year before, but that was offset by fierce battling for event bookings among the four arenas and ultimately was not enough to overtake 2023 depreciation expenses of $19.9 million and amortization expenses of $51 million.

In addition to the venue competition, the building received no fiscal favors from the primary tenant and building operator, the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets. The Nets have been been swept in the first round of the NBA playoffs the past two seasons and have hosted only four total playoff games in that time.

Barclays Center is owned by the state of New York, but the operating rights are held by a company led by Joe Tsai — part of his then-record $3.2 billion purchase of the Nets in 2019. The WNBA’s New York Liberty, who face the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in the Finals starting Sunday, are also owned by Tsai and play at the arena.

The latest financial report — a required filing since public bonds were used to finance the building’s construction — also detailed $99.1 million in total revenue during the fiscal year.

With the ongoing losses, equity in the building has steadily fallen to $138 million from $196 million a year ago and $236 million in June 2021.