Charlotte MLB Expansion: All you need to know about rumored baseball team in North Carolina

Could there be a Charlotte MLB expansion team? Rumors are beginning to spread that the league may be interested in bringing a franchise to the North Carolina city within the next few years.

But how accurate are these rumors? Fans from Vancouver to Nashville to Las Vegas have all heard rumors of expansions to their respective cities in recent years, only to be left disappointed.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has said that he intends to expand the league to include 32 teams, an increase of two franchises from the current number of 30. There will also reportedly be a $2 billion entry fee for new teams entering the league.

"When the MLB expands to 32 teams, it should forget the AL and NL. Embrace a dramatic geographic realignment. Here's one way @JimBowdenGM thinks it could look" - @ The Athletic

The Charlotte MLB expansion has been outlined as one of the most likely moves that will be made to increase the number of franchises in the MLB in the coming years. The city currently has just under 900,000 inhabitants, making it the largest city in the state of North Carolina. The city currently hosts the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA and the NFL's Carolina Panthers.

Rick Curti, a media consultant and business leader, is leading the charge for the Charlotte MLB expansion. He claims that Charlotte has proven its ability to draw large crowds that are big enough to sustain another major sports franchise in the city.

A major obstacle that has been outlined is the lack of an existing MLB-grade stadium in Charlotte. Currently, Truist Field is the largest stadium in the city. It hosts the Triple-A Charlotte Knights, who are affiliated with the Chicago White Sox. Currently, Truist Field has a capacity of just over 10,000, making it far too small for an MLB outfit.

"The United States is the only country with a Truist Field (Charlotte) AND a Truist Park (Atlanta). We are blessed." - @ Anthony Castrovince

When can Charlotte fans expect an MLB team in the city?

There is no exact timeline for when the proposed new teams could come to fruition. If successful, the Charlotte MLB expansion will be the first time a new team has entered the MLB since the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998.

If you haven't guessed, having an MLB team is incredibly profitable. Even poorer MLB teams like the Oakland Athletics have the resources and ability to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in profit.