Expansion?

With all the revenue the league made on cable television contracts this past World Series, the league is abuzz about expanding. There has been some interest from outside parties in obtaining new franchises, so the ownership search could be quite quick.

The league first started as a six-team league back in 1991. 1992 was the first expansion year - one new franchise, the Scranton Sparrows joined. They filled out their roster by drafting along with the rest of the league and then basically having a solo supplemental draft after the initial 10-round draft. In 1993, three new franchises were added. They were allowed to draft five initial players during the 1992 season, claimed off waivers and turned into keepers for the 1993 season. They then drafted alongside the other seven teams and had their own supplemental draft after the regular draft. The last expansion in league history was in 1997 when the league expanded to its current 14-team format. The expansion teams, for the first time in league history, drafted players that were currently rosterd by the other 10 teams. All ten teams submitted protected lists, also for the first time, of 15 players and were allowed to pull back one player after another one was selected - up to a max of 2 players pulled back. In 1996, 2001, and 2006, there were dispersal drafts, but those were quite different from expansion.

Most likely any new expansion would be handled similarly to the 1997 expansion, with teams protected 12 or 13 players and pulling back a player after losing one. Playoffs, division structure, and player qualifications would still need to be discussed. If the league expands, we are looking at 2009 most likely, rather than 2008.

We'll take a look at the pros and cons of expansion tomorrow, as well as the immediate successes of the expansion teams.