Expansion and franchise movement of major league teams in the post World War II era: 1945-1995

Abstract

The half-century following WW II has produced tremendous change in professional major league sports. Professional franchises, once the sole domain of the large urban northern and eastern cities now span the United States. As the demographics have shifted to the South and Sunbelt areas, franchises and leagues have followed suit. This dissertation looks at the expanding base of professional sports and the ancillary activities that make this cultural phenomenon a multi-billion dollar business. This work explores the cultural, governmental and financial problems that are inherent in franchise moves, league expansion, and the proliferation of new leagues. It is important to understand why a city or metropolitan area will spend millions of dollars to claim or retain a major league franchise. This desire to join the major league fraternity often comes at great cost to other city and county services such as schools and internal improvements. A city that thinks nothing of finding a way to placate a rich and arrogant owner will often quibble over other more necessary government expenditures. In the evolving world of professional sports the more important outcomes are determined in boardrooms, courtrooms, and governmental chambers. The common citizen is often overlooked in the process as civic and business leaders work with politicians, league representatives and owners to determine how much the public will ultimately pay to call their city ¿Major League.¿ This dissertation analyzes past franchise exploitation of citizens and gives some possible solutions to the problem. The issue of major league franchises and their demands for newer and larger facilities and how local governments weigh these issues is a dilemma taxpayers will be dealing with for many years to come.