Expansion

[HiBall]

Two unrelated comments/questions in regard to expansion:

1) There's been a fair amount of talk about how the Revs have done little to improve rah rah rah. We lost Rusty and Kamler to expansion rah rah rah. But every team lost something to expansion. By the nature of adding two teams, the league dilutes its talent a little bit and the average quality of teams decreases. Granted neither of the expansion teams is in our division, but that doesn't mean that the other teams in our division weren't affected. I don't know the other teams well enough to say exactly who was hurt most, but for me I find some consolation in our offseason frustrations in knowing that the norm around the league, in a year following expansion, is bound to be slightly backwards.

2) general question: when is the league expanding again? 2006? How many teams? where? i know i can go to the other board and figure it out, but i was curious if anyone knew off the top of their head.

[Jeremy Goodwin]

Two unrelated comments/questions in regard to expansion:

1) There's been a fair amount of talk about how the Revs have done little to improve rah rah rah. We lost Rusty and Kamler to expansion rah rah rah. But every team lost something to expansion. By the nature of adding two teams, the league dilutes its talent a little bit and the average quality of teams decreases. Granted neither of the expansion teams is in our division, but that doesn't mean that the other teams in our division weren't affected. I don't know the other teams well enough to say exactly who was hurt most, but for me I find some consolation in our offseason frustrations in knowing that the norm around the league, in a year following expansion, is bound to be slightly backwards.

2) general question: when is the league expanding again? 2006? How many teams? where? i know i can go to the other board and figure it out, but i was curious if anyone knew off the top of their head.Two of the top three winningest regular season teams came from 1998. Goal scoring was up slightly from 1997, but what was really happening was massive consolidation of power in the east and west's top teams. DC and LA were ready to go that year, and no one else really was to start the season. The big cats were on the prowl. I think it's fair to say that based on the 1998 precedent, in an expansion year, you're either a hunter or you are one of the hunted, and you have to get your house in order fast or you'll be out of the chase early.

No earlier than 2007, no more than two teams. This is why there is substantial demand for relocation franchises at the moment.