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Pro sports field is growing

Last Tuesday when I caught site on line of an Americas Rugby News report that the Ontario Arrows had finally come to an agreement which will see them join Major League Rugby (MLR), in 2019, I was more than thrilled.
rugby

Last Tuesday when I caught site on line of an Americas Rugby News report that the Ontario Arrows had finally come to an agreement which will see them join Major League Rugby (MLR), in 2019, I was more than thrilled.

Rugby, specifically 15s rugby, is a personal favourite sport of mine, although my interest has been stymied by the lack of a pro league in North America. The launch of MLR earlier this year changed that, and when the Arrows took flight for a series of exhibition games as a prelude to applying to the league I began to figuratively hold my breath awaiting the official word the Toronto-based team would be joining.

So the Arrows, along with a New York squad join the initial seven teams for 2019, as the league also doubles its schedule to 16 games, up from eight this year. You can bet I’ll be searching out the Arrows games on whatever online platform they are offered in the new year.

With the good news on the Arrows, and the recent addition of the Mississauga MetroStars to the Major Arena Soccer League, I did begin to think about the growth of professional sports leagues in North America.

While the big three sports; baseball, basketball and football are generally stagnant in terms of expansion, over the next decade it is not too hard to envision up to 40 new professional sports franchises. About half that number will come to life between Dec. 1, this year and Dec. 31, 2020.

The aforementioned Arrows and NY teams in MLR will be joined in 2020 by Boston and Atlanta, which have already been announced. That will bring the league to 11 teams, and I have every confidence in suggesting the league will boost at least 16 teams within a decade. That is nine new franchises for MLR alone.

The National Lacrosse League is on the same sort of growth curve. This December Philadelphia and San Diego start play, and two more teams are already in the mix for the fall of 2019. League commissioner Nick Sakiewicz said soon after taking the position that his goal was a 16-team league, and I expect that by the start of the 2020-21 season. Since taking the position Sakiewicz has also suggested interest exists to see the NLL reach 30 teams one day. That won’t be accomplished within a decade but 18-24 teams is likely.

The outdoor Major Lacrosse League sits at nine teams today. The MLL’s new commissioner Alexander ‘Sandy’ Brown has also come out with a statement that league needs to grow, and his initial target appears to be 16 teams, something that in all likelihood will be achieved over the next decade if the league is to prosper.

Major League Soccer continues on its growth plan as well. Cincinnati joins the prospering field soccer league in 2019, with Miami and Nashville slated for 2020. The league has a plan to reach 28 teams, which would mean two more teams arriving post 2020, and certainly this decade.

And then there is the likelihood of a new pro league or two launching sooner than later.

USA Volleyball chief executive officer Jamie Davis mentioned shortly after assuming the position in 2017 that he would be working toward a pro volleyball league by 2020. A search on Google doesn’t bring up much information on the effort, but if it is to happen I’d expect news on a launch within the next year.

I also fully anticipate over the next decade a pro T20 crocket league will launch. There have been suggestions plans are under way, although again recent news is scant. That said a tournament in July in Canada had teams representing five Canadian cities, an effort that could evolve into a more traditional league.

Whether a Canadian league, or a larger North American effort, recent immigration patterns would suggest an audience for cricket exists, and audience which may not currently have a great interest in existing sports here, and that makes a league all the more likely.
The result of all this growth will be far more variety in terms of top league sports to watch in the years ahead.