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Migration Flight: Big Four Team Relocations Since 1972
MLB last relocated a franchise in '72, when the Washington Senators moved to Arlington and became the Texas Rangers. Since then, the NFL, NBA and NHL have seen 23 relocations. Most have brought an increase in attendance for the franchise immediately after the move. The following presents an attendance breakdown of team relocations since '72 (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, issue 9/27).
TEAM RELOCATIONS AND AVG. ATTENDANCE SINCE 1972AVG. ATTENDANCE YEAR OF RELOCATION^ TEAM^^ OLD MARKET NEW MARKET LAST YEAR, OLD MARKETFIRST YEAR, NEW MARKET% +/-MLB 2005 Montreal Expos Montreal Washington, DC 9,013 ^^^NANA1972 Texas Rangers Washington, DC Dallas 8,0888,8409.3%NFL 1997 Tennessee Titans Houston Nashville+ 31,82528,095-11.7%1996 Baltimore Ravens Cleveland Baltimore 64,04958,958-7.9%1995 St. Louis Rams Los Angeles St. Louis 42,31262,06146.7%1995 Oakland Raiders Los Angeles Oakland 52,71952,9220.4%1988 Arizona Cardinals St. Louis Phoenix 27,82159,117112.5%1984 Indianapolis Colts Baltimore Indianapolis 41,96860,16343.4%1982 Oakland Raiders Oakland Los Angeles 48,98956,79815.9%NBA 2002 New Orleans Hornets Charlotte New Orleans 11,28615,65138.7%2001 Memphis Grizzlies Vancouver Memphis 13,73714,4154.9%1985 Sacramento Kings Kansas City Sacramento 6,40810,33361.3%1984 L.A. Clippers San Diego Los Angeles 5,5789,36968.0%1979 Utah Jazz New Orleans Salt Lake City 8,8837,821-12.0%1978 L.A. Clippers Buffalo San Diego 6,1587,60523.5%1973 Washington Wizards Baltimore Washington, DC 6,43110,10257.1%1973 San Antonio Spurs Dallas San Antonio 2,3956,153156.9%1972 Sacramento Kings Cincinnati Kansas City 3,6886,38773.2%NHL 1997 Carolina Hurricanes Hartford, CT Raleigh + 13,6579,108-33.3%1996 Phoenix Coyotes Winnipeg Phoenix 11,31615,58737.7%1995 Colorado Avalanche Quebec Denver 14,39516,01711.3%1993 Dallas Stars Minneapolis Dallas 13,91016,11915.9%1982 New Jersey Devils Denver East Rutherford, NJ 8,18012,48952.7%1980 Calgary Flames Atlanta Calgary 10,0247,217-28.0%1976 New Jersey Devils Kansas City Denver 7,356++8,55016.2%NOTES: ^ = For NFL clubs, year refers to the first year the team played in its new market. ^^ = Current franchise name. ^^^ = Expos' average attendance through Tuesday, September 28 (80 games). + = Franchise played temporarily in another in-state market (Titans: Memphis; Hurricanes: Greensboro, NC) before moving to this permanent home in a later season. ++ = For the '74-75 season. Attendance for the '75-76 season was not available. NA = Not applicable.
