BusinessFeb 21, 2026
Your Hometown Sports Team Might Be Skipping Town — If Your Tax Dollars Don’t Pay for a New Stadium and Tax Breaks for Billionaires
Franchise Economics
Noah Weidner
Discover
You might love your hometown team — it might not love you back.
In recent years, major leagues have undergone seismic shifts. Some, like the National Hockey League and Major League Soccer, have expanded — adding new teams to their footprint. Others, like the NFL, have mostly stayed put.
Either way, the result feels like sports-themed musical chairs. Cities such as Phoenix, AZ, Oakland, CA, and St. Louis, MO have lost teams that were once central to their local identity. And soon, Chicago might join the list.
But why?
Moving for sport: Despite being pillars of community pride, most pro teams are owned by billionaires (with exceptions like the Green Bay Packers, which are fan-owned and run as a nonprofit). That means decisions often center on profit — not loyalty. When owners can find bigger subsidies, better tax deals, or wealthier fan bases elsewhere, they tend to pack up.
Relocating might boost certain markets, but they set a precedent — your sports team is a suggestion, not a necessity. What’s here now might not be next year.
Taking the over: In a few years, the fear is that pro sports could become borderline unwatchable, drowned out by the intermingling of monetary incentives, gambling, and sportslop that’s ruining the spectacle of one of America’s cultural cornerstones.
