3 NFL franchises who could shift cities in the near future
NFL teams have been relocating to new cities ever since the league was formed. The majority of teams have moved at least once in their history, as the landscape in the NFL is constantly shifting.
In the last few years alone, the Raiders have moved to Las Vegas while both the Rams and the Chargers have shifted to Los Angeles. As the league is constantly expanding and teams are always looking to maximize their values, it's extremely likely that more relocations will occur in the near future.
Here are three teams who could potentially be the next to change cities.
The @NFL owners approved the relocation of the Oakland @Raiders franchise to Las Vegas. Here's what happens next → reviewjr.nl/2orIk0Y https://t.co/YrPBimuZ61
#1 - Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos play in a major market city and have a massive fan base. They consistently sell out Mile High Stadium for their home games and have always received great support locally and nationally from their fan base.
The only reason they are potentially a candidate to relocate to a new city is the fact that they are currently up for sale.
It's completely unknown who will represent the new ownership of the Broncos when the team is eventually sold. Depending on who buys the team, it could determine the fate of the franchise.
While there are many things to like about being in the city of Denver, the new ownership may have a different vision for the future of the franchise than continuing in their long-time home.
#2 - Jacksonville Jaguars
International expansion has been one of the main focuses of the NFL from a business perspective ever since Roger Goodell took over as the commissioner. NFL teams have been playing games in different countries and it's possible that one day, a franchise gets moved outside of the USA.
One of the leading candidates for an international move would be the Jaguars, potentially going to London. They already play a game in that city annually and have built a fan base doing so.
Jacksonville is a small market and the franchise sometimes struggles to sell out their home games, further fueling a possible move for the Jaguars.
#3 - Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers recently moved from San Diego to Los Angeles for a very small relocation in terms of distance, allowing them to stay in the same relative market. They joined the Rams in giving Los Angeles two teams after being without one for years, though they have been the home to NFL teams in the past.
Built for #Rams fans, designed for #Rams fans.
And definitely not #Chargers fans. https://t.co/MMOYTdboET
While Los Angeles is the second-largest city in the country, it has historically struggled, at times, in the past to support one NFL team, let alone two of them.
The Rams are clearly the most popular team of the two franchises, so if the city fails to show proper support, it seems likely that the Chargers will be the first of the two to relocate to a new city.