Expansion Teams

As previously discussed, starting in the 1950s, the four major professional sports leagues in North America (Major League Baseball [MLB], the National Football League [NFL], the National Basketball Association [NBA] and the National Hockey League [NHL]), moved some of their franchises to different cities.

Beginning in the 1960s, they started adding new franchises. 

MLB 1961 Washington Senators (Texas Rangers in 1972), Los                              Angeles Angels

          1962 New York Mets, Houston Colt .45s (Astros)

          1969 Kansas City Royals, Seattle Pilots (Milwaukee Brewers              in 1970)

          1969 San Diego Padres, Montreal Expos (Washington                        Nationals in 2005)

          1977 Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners

          1993 Colorado Rockies, Florida (Miami) Marlins

          1998 Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Devil Rays (Rays)

NFL  1960 Dallas Cowboys

         1961 Minnesota Vikings

         1966 Atlanta Falcons

         1967 New Orleans Saints 

         1970 from the American Football League: Boston Patriots                   (New England), Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver                 Broncos, Houston Oilers (Tennessee Titans), Kansas City                   Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders                   (Las Vegas) and San Diego (Los Angeles) Chargers

         1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks

         1995 Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars

         1996 Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore (Ravens)

         1999 Cleveland Browns

         2002 Houston Texans                                    

NBA 1976 New York Nets (New Jersey 1977, Brooklyn 2012)

         1988 Charlotte Hornets

         1966 Chicago Bulls

         1970 Cleveland Cavaliers

         1980 Dallas Mavericks

         1976 Denver Nuggets

         1967 San Diego Rockets (Houston 1971)

         1976 Indiana Pacers

         1970 Buffalo Braves (San Diego Clippers 1978, Los                           Angeles Clippers 1984)

         1995 Vancouver Grizzles (Memphis 2001)

         1988 Miami Heat

         1968 Milwaukee Bucks

         1989 Minnesota Timberwolves

         2002 New Orleans Hornets (Pelicans 2013)

         1967 Seattle Supersonics (2008 Oklahoma City Thunders)

         1989 Orlando Magic

         1968 Phoenix Suns

         1970 Portland Trailblazers

         1976 San Antonio Spurs

         1995 Toronto Rapters

         1974 New Orleans Jazz (Utah 1979)

         1961 Chicago Packers (Zephyrs 1962, Baltimore Bullets                     1963, Capital Bullets 1973, Washington Bullets 1974,                         Washington Wizards 1998)    

NHL 1967 Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota North Stars (Dallas                     Stars in 1993), Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins                     and the St. Louis Blues

         1970 Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks

         1972 New York Islanders, Atlanta Flames (Calgary in                         1980)

         1974 Washington Capitals, Kansas City Scouts (Colorado                   Rockies in 1976, New Jersey Devils in 1982)

         1979 Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers (Carolina                             Hurricanes in 1997), Quebec Nordiques (Colorado                               Avelanche in 1995) and Winnipeg Jets (Arizona Coyotes in                 1997)

         1991 San Jose Sharks

         1992 Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning

         1993 Florida Panthers, Anaheim Mighty Ducks (Ducks)

         1998 Nashville Predators

         1999 Atlanta Thrashers (Winnipeg Jets in 2011)

         2000 Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets

         2017 Vegas Golden Nights

         2021 Seattle Kraken

Who's next?