How does Raleigh stand as a possible Major League Baseball expansion team?

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – As Major League Baseball considers the escalating possibility of expanding to 32 teams sometime in the next decade, enthusiasm continues to build about Raleigh emerging as a potential future home for another pro franchise.

Forbes published a report last week, explaining the case for why league commissioner Rob Manfred and MLB team owners should consider the state capital of North Carolina as an expansion site.

“Besides healthy increases in population growth and domestic migration, North Carolina has become a melting pot for athletics, education, innovation and technology,” the publication wrote. “Even though the city of Raleigh is aggressively pursuing an expansion franchise in MLB, their passion and efforts represent every county in the state.”

The report cited numerous factors, stating that Raleigh “maintains a competitive advantage” over the list of other competing U.S. expansion sites. This includes the likes of Nashville and Orlando on the East Coast, as well as Salt Lake City, Portland and Austin in the West, among several possible locations across North America.

The publication wrote that the city’s unique desirable features are “based on an engaged prospective owner, community involvement, political support and potential ballpark locations.”

Proven ownership

For starters, Forbes highlighted a key component behind the push to draw the MLB to Raleigh: Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon.

“Under Dundon’s leadership since becoming majority owner in 2018, the Hurricanes have experienced on-ice success while enjoying significant increases in corporate sponsorships, season tickets and average gate revenues,” the publication wrote.

Dundon, who became the sole owner of the Hurricanes in June 2021, recently struck a tentative agreement with Paul Allen’s estate to buy the Portland Trail Blazers. However, this deal will not affect his pro sports aspirations in Raleigh.

“This will not impact the Carolina Hurricanes,” sources told CBS 17 after the Trail Blazers’ purchase announcement in August 2025. “And Tom still wants to bring Major League Baseball to North Carolina.”

He has been a major driving force behind the idea of bringing America’s pastime to Wake County, making several financial investments to reinvent the area surrounding the Lenovo Center.

“Dundon’s commitment to professional sports in Raleigh is evident in his agreement with the Centennial Authority on a multi-year, $300 million renovation project for the Lenovo Center and development rights to approximately 80 acres of land around the venue,” the publication wrote. “The Hurricanes’ arena lease was extended through 2044 because of the agreement as Dundon envisions mixed-use development and MLB in Raleigh’s future.”

Community involvement

Also noted in the Forbes report is the tireless, ongoing efforts from MLB Raleigh, a grassroots movement working for years in hopes of enticing another professional sports organization to the Triangle.

“You’re not starting from scratch with baseball,” original MLB Raleigh partner Ryan Foose told CBS 17 in May 2025. “Baseball’s been here for a long, long time.”

“We started this never saying we were in an ownership group, nor being the ones that would find said ownership group,” he added. “It was mostly just to amplify the voice of baseball lovers within this area.”

The group has significantly raised the city’s profile in the eyes of the MLB due to “education, events and merchandise while connecting investors with politicians,” the report states.

Meanwhile, as the support for the Carolina Hurricanes has shown tremendous growth in recent years, so have the ambitions of attracting an MLB team.

The Lenovo Center brought an average of 18,795 fans per game during the 2024-25 regular season, which marks 100.6% capacity, according to Hockey-Reference. This number ranked fifth among NHL teams, only trailing Vegas, Minnesota, Boston and Nashville.

“You see it during the NHL playoffs – the amount of times they talk about the environment the Lenovo Center has,” Foose said. “We would hope that something like that could be very possible for a Major League Baseball team.”

While expansion would take many years, it appears inevitable that MLB will increase the number of ball clubs. Currently sitting at 30 teams, a noticeable gap exists in the growing Southeast, with the three franchises closest to Raleigh being the Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles.

“We’re one of the fastest growing regions, we’re the largest state in America that doesn’t have Major League Baseball,” Lou Pascucci, another MLB Raleigh founder, told CBS 17 in February 2024. “[MLB] is missing out on a lot of money by not being here.”

Triangle benefits

In the report, Forbes also mentions that Raleigh’s greatest asset in convincing MLB leadership might be the Research Triangle itself.

A WalletHub study from June 2025 concluded that two of the top six most educated cities in the country included Durham-Chapel Hill and Raleigh-Cary.

“Besides opportunities for economic growth, the educated workforce and diverse business ecosystem in the region provide ample opportunities for strategic partnerships and sponsorship opportunities that go well beyond alcohol, gambling, insurance and soft drinks,” the publication wrote.

On top of these business interests, the sport of baseball is “deeply woven” in North Carolina at the youth, amateur, college and pro levels, the report states. In fact, the town of Cary is the current headquarters for USA Baseball, the national governing body for amateur baseball.

Multiple powerhouse college baseball programs also refer to the Triangle as home, as North Carolina, Duke and N.C. State have all enjoyed monumental achievements in recent years, producing winning traditions as well as maximizing their talent on the field.

According to Baseball Reference, 18 players from high schools and colleges in North Carolina became first-round selections in the MLB Draft over the past five years, while receiving a combined $77,214,490 in signing bonuses.

Regardless of whether the MLB moves forward with Raleigh as one of its expansion locations, Forbes reiterates the massive impact that North Carolina could generate for the sport as a whole.

“Raleigh doesn’t need MLB to legitimize its status as a professional sports city,” the publication wrote. “But North Carolina deserves serious consideration given its economic infrastructure and passion for America’s national pastime.”