Could San Antonio Become Home to MLB Team?

SAN ANTONIO — With the eyes of the college basketball world gazing upon San Antonio, Major League Baseball threw a curve ball.

But a good one.

Speaking in San Antonio on Tuesday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned the city as one of two prime options when the MLB makes the decision to expand to 32 teams.

The city known for hosting the Final Four four times, including this weekend, and for its connection to the NBA's San Antonio Spurs, was joined by Montreal as two cities that Manfred said were possibilities for expansion.

"(Manfred) talked about a couple of places where, if they do expand to 32, are big league cities — Montreal and San Antonio," said Richard Oliver, Director of Partner and Community Relations for Visit San Antonio.

"I think him sitting there looking at an audience of business men and folks that are planning for and were responsible for bringing a Final Four to San Antonio, one of the de facto 'Super Bowl' events in the country, I think it makes a big difference. You can tell that in his statement."

Manfred was quoted in the San Antonio Express-News as saying the city is often mentioned as a possible potential MLB destination.

"As you might imagine, we regularly look at possible expansion markets," Manfred said in the Express-News. "Look at them. Analyze them. And I can't think of a time in recent history when San Antonio hasn't been on that list.

"I think it's the demographics, the size of the market, long history and tradition of baseball in San Antonio. I think the idea of having a Triple-A team here will be a nice test for this market."

Since the city constructed the Alamodome in 1993, the city has long been mentioned as a possible destination for NFL teams and even MLS squads. But it has not happened as the Spurs remain the lone major league franchise in a city visited by millions each year.

The city is a tourist destination that has helped it host Final Fours, bowl games, the Big 12 Championship football game and even hosted the New Orleans Saints after Hurricane Katrina. But what does it need to do to become a true major league city?

It's an effort that could likely involve the whole region.

Mary Ullmann Japhet, the senior vice President for communications and community engagement for San Antonio Sports, the city's non-profit sports commission, made it a point to take the National Championship Trophy on a tour of South Texas, including stops in Laredo, Corpus Christi and cities in the expanding Rio Grande Valley.

Ullmann Japhet said the event is an opportunity for the entire region.

"We take the trophy around and it is always fun to see how excited people get when they see the trophy — the real trophy — in person," Ullmann Japhet said. "It is great to see people's reactions. That makes it real. That makes it tangible when you can see that trophy and take a photo with it."

Ullmann Japhett said the city is essentially a new city compared to the last time San Antonio hosted the Final Four in 2008 with a new Hemisfair Park and a $60 million renovation to the Alamodome. The renovations helped expand seating for this weekend's Final Four from 43,000 to 70,000.

Oliver said the city had to "put its money where its mouth is" to bring the Final Four back to the 25-year old facility for a fourth time.

"(The renovations) were huge and absolutely necessary," Oliver said. "The NCAA, when the last bids came around and San Antonio did not get a Final Four a few years back, the city sat down with them and said 'Hey, what did we do bad and what do we need to upgrade?'

"They said we had to extend the concourses. You can't have people waiting in line for food, but blocking the concourse. Officials with San Antonio, San Antonio Sports, the city fathers all sat there and listened and they responded to it."

San Antonio's population has grown by 12 percent to nearly 1.5 million since 2010, according to U.S. Census Bureau Statistics, which increases the likelihood of sports leagues and events looking at the region.

Also, the Lower Rio Grande Valley Workforce Commision website stated the Valley could have more than 1.5 million people by 2024.

Throw in the Corpus Christi area's more than 350,000 residents and a potential MLB team could draw from more than 3 million people for a fan base that no longer would have to go to Houston or Arlington for games. Triple-A baseball is one of the first moves toward San Antonio becoming a city with more than one major league sports franchise and Manfred's words are a positive sign.

"(The Alamodome) is not going to host an NFL team any time soon, and we understand that," Oliver said. "Hosting the Spurs, Julio Cesar Chavez fights, George Strait concerts. There is a lot of stuff that has been here just because of that facility."

Ullmann Japhet said successfully hosting the Final Four only adds to San Antonio's reputation as a sports destination, which could ultimately open more doors for a city and region craving major sporting events.

"This isn't our first foray into being known as a sports destination," Ullmann Japhet said. "San Antonio is a sports destination, but of course hosting events like the Final Four only elevate our status as a sports destination in this country.

"We are going to take advantage of every opportunity this weekend to cement that reputation."

The city is a tourist destination that has helped it host Final Fours, bowl games, the Big 12 Championship football game and even hosted the New Orleans Saints after Hurricane Katrina. But what does it need to do to become a true major league city?

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