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MLB or NHL in New Orleans
Posted on 8/4/25 at 8:39 am
Posted on 8/4/25 at 8:39 am
Hear me out:
The easy answer is “they wouldn’t make it” there’s no support locally. I don’t know about that. It would really depend on a few factors.
NHL:
expansion team path. It sets up the new team for instant success and builds the fan base. I really do believe Nola and nearby areas such as Br, Acadiana, Northshore, South MS, mobile out to Pensacola would get behind a Nola NHL team if they were winning. People love a winner plain and simple. Plus people love an excuse to spend a weekend in the big easy. There’s enough tv eyes in that central gulf coast region to make it worth while. It’s bigger than just the 504 it would be a team for the region. Like the Saints. Wouldn’t have to build an arena. Smoothie King would work just fine. If you ask nhl officials, they’d much rather have a team in Nola over Houston for the sure fact that they can host all star games and other events in the city.
MLB:
Much longer shot due to the lack of a modern indoor ball park. If you’re gonna play professional baseball in the gulf south you must have an indoor park. It would need built and that’s a lot of money that nobody knows where it would come from. But for all the same reasons above, MLB could thrive in Nola if the conditions were right. It’s much harder to pry away fans from teams they’ve rooted for their entire lives. NHL doesn’t have that in the south so it’s much easier. MLB doesn’t seem eager ti expand so relocation seems more likely.
Again this is a long shot but stealing the White Sox away from Chicago would be huge. Keep the name and everything just call it the “Nola White Sox”. They’re stacked in that area with the Cubs and Brewers. It’s too many teams for one market.
Charlotte and Nashville are names I see for new MLB teams. Sure on paper that makes sense but do you really think the Braves want new teams in their footprint? Nola is sorta in their footprint but not even close to Charlotte and Nashville.
The easy answer is “they wouldn’t make it” there’s no support locally. I don’t know about that. It would really depend on a few factors.
NHL:
expansion team path. It sets up the new team for instant success and builds the fan base. I really do believe Nola and nearby areas such as Br, Acadiana, Northshore, South MS, mobile out to Pensacola would get behind a Nola NHL team if they were winning. People love a winner plain and simple. Plus people love an excuse to spend a weekend in the big easy. There’s enough tv eyes in that central gulf coast region to make it worth while. It’s bigger than just the 504 it would be a team for the region. Like the Saints. Wouldn’t have to build an arena. Smoothie King would work just fine. If you ask nhl officials, they’d much rather have a team in Nola over Houston for the sure fact that they can host all star games and other events in the city.
MLB:
Much longer shot due to the lack of a modern indoor ball park. If you’re gonna play professional baseball in the gulf south you must have an indoor park. It would need built and that’s a lot of money that nobody knows where it would come from. But for all the same reasons above, MLB could thrive in Nola if the conditions were right. It’s much harder to pry away fans from teams they’ve rooted for their entire lives. NHL doesn’t have that in the south so it’s much easier. MLB doesn’t seem eager ti expand so relocation seems more likely.
Again this is a long shot but stealing the White Sox away from Chicago would be huge. Keep the name and everything just call it the “Nola White Sox”. They’re stacked in that area with the Cubs and Brewers. It’s too many teams for one market.
Charlotte and Nashville are names I see for new MLB teams. Sure on paper that makes sense but do you really think the Braves want new teams in their footprint? Nola is sorta in their footprint but not even close to Charlotte and Nashville.
25
Posted on 8/4/25 at 8:45 am to turnpiketiger
quote:
MLB or NHL in New Orleans
Neither will happen.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 8:49 am to turnpiketiger
Neither
Posted on 8/4/25 at 8:49 am to turnpiketiger
2 Professional Sports Teams in New Orleans, nobody watched the AA in the 70s nor the AAA team that just left, other than Baseball at The Box, Baseball isn't given much attention.
The NHL is not coming to New Orleans, we would have an empty arena much less than Phoenix had and would move quicker than The Jazz.
Boxing was a followed sport here with many World Title Fights, but everything shifted to Las Vegas and New Orleans stopped pursuing Title Fights.
The NHL is not coming to New Orleans, we would have an empty arena much less than Phoenix had and would move quicker than The Jazz.
Boxing was a followed sport here with many World Title Fights, but everything shifted to Las Vegas and New Orleans stopped pursuing Title Fights.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 8:50 am to turnpiketiger
I find it hard to believe MLB would come to New Orleans in our lifetimes. Another minor league team is possible, but they'd have to build a new stadium in the perfect location.
NHL has maybe a 5% chance. Pretty sure the Smoothie King Center is one of the worst arenas in the NBA in terms of amenities, so I would assume any expansion hockey team would only come if a new arena was built. Definitely a longshot.
NHL has maybe a 5% chance. Pretty sure the Smoothie King Center is one of the worst arenas in the NBA in terms of amenities, so I would assume any expansion hockey team would only come if a new arena was built. Definitely a longshot.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 8:54 am to turnpiketiger
If anything go with a AA Minor League team that can be in the Southern League with Biloxi, Pensacola etc...
Posted on 8/4/25 at 9:00 am to turnpiketiger
We have LSU baseball. That pretty much scratches the itch.
NHL is more likely but I don’t see it happening
NHL is more likely but I don’t see it happening
Posted on 8/4/25 at 9:02 am to jcaz
I think baseball only goes into markets with 2.5 to 3 million.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 9:25 am to turnpiketiger
I'm all for ditching the Pelicans and adding an NHL team. That would be amazing
Posted on 8/4/25 at 9:27 am to turnpiketiger
I'm not sure either would generate the fan support needed.
The NHL is indoors vs baseball in the sweltering heat and humidity of summer. That is a plus for hockey.
Baseball is a sport locals are much more familiar with and more have played, so that is a plus for baseball.
I'm pretty sure both baseball and Hockey have had minor league teams that have failed though I think baseball stuck for a very long time
Baseball Minor League Teams
New Orleans Pelicans (1887-1959, 1977)
Notable Pelicans included Shoeless Joe Jackson, Jimmy Dygert, Henry "Cotton" Knaupp, Bill Lindsay, Zeke Bonura, Gene Freese, and Hall of Famers Dazzy Vance, Joe Sewell, Bob Lemon, and Earl Weaver
New Orleans Zephyr/Baby Cakes (1993-2019)
Hockey Minor League Team
New Orleans Brass (1997-2002)
The NHL is indoors vs baseball in the sweltering heat and humidity of summer. That is a plus for hockey.
Baseball is a sport locals are much more familiar with and more have played, so that is a plus for baseball.
I'm pretty sure both baseball and Hockey have had minor league teams that have failed though I think baseball stuck for a very long time
Baseball Minor League Teams
New Orleans Pelicans (1887-1959, 1977)
Notable Pelicans included Shoeless Joe Jackson, Jimmy Dygert, Henry "Cotton" Knaupp, Bill Lindsay, Zeke Bonura, Gene Freese, and Hall of Famers Dazzy Vance, Joe Sewell, Bob Lemon, and Earl Weaver
New Orleans Zephyr/Baby Cakes (1993-2019)
Hockey Minor League Team
New Orleans Brass (1997-2002)
Posted on 8/4/25 at 9:29 am to turnpiketiger
Because the black middle class in NOLA will support the two whitest sports there is 
Though I do think MLB has a chance if they build a stadium in Mandeville.
Though I do think MLB has a chance if they build a stadium in Mandeville.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 9:33 am to turnpiketiger
Neither will happen unless the Pelicans were to relocate. NOLA market isn't big enough to support both an NHL and NBA team.
MLB has zero chance. Small market plus the need to build a stadium. Even if you could get the city and state to put up the money to build an MLB stadium, where would it go? MLB in NOLA would be cool with a downtown stadium that was within walking distance to hotels, restaurants, and entertainment. But there's no spot for a stadium in that area. You'd struggle to draw crowds for a stadium that gets built in Avondale or NO East.
MLB has zero chance. Small market plus the need to build a stadium. Even if you could get the city and state to put up the money to build an MLB stadium, where would it go? MLB in NOLA would be cool with a downtown stadium that was within walking distance to hotels, restaurants, and entertainment. But there's no spot for a stadium in that area. You'd struggle to draw crowds for a stadium that gets built in Avondale or NO East.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 9:35 am to Tiger Prawn
New Orleans is more likely to support an NBA team than NHL. When it comes to NBA viewership, NOLA is third in the country.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 9:43 am to turnpiketiger
would love an mlb park in nola but wouldn't be crazy about it being somewhere in downtown nola.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 9:50 am to Chad504boy
Neither will happen. NFL and NBA are the most appropriate 2 leagues for NOLA as far as fan interest weather etc.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 9:55 am to turnpiketiger
quote:
NHL: expansion team path. It sets up the new team for instant success and builds the fan base. I really do believe Nola and nearby areas such as Br, Acadiana, Northshore, South MS, mobile out to Pensacola
lol!
How many people around here know or watch hockey? Enough to consistently put thousands in the seats for games (NHL tickets aren’t cheap either)
This post was edited on 8/4/25 at 11:24 am
Posted on 8/4/25 at 10:20 am to turnpiketiger
quote:
Again this is a long shot but stealing the White Sox away from Chicago would be huge. Keep the name and everything just call it the “Nola White Sox”. They’re stacked in that area with the Cubs and Brewers. It’s too many teams for one market.
Not one team that’s been a staple for over 100 years is coming to New Orleans.
Posted on 8/4/25 at 10:28 am to LSUFanMizeWay
quote:
nobody watched the AA in the 70s nor the AAA team that just left
Minor league Baseball doesn't draw huge crowds anywhere, because it's minor leagues.
but New Orleans isn't big enough to support a team that will play 81 Home Games on top of already having an NFL and an NBA team.
the cheapest average seat in MLB is $22 for the Marlins.
that's almost $1,900 for 81 games.
Average cost for a Saints ticket is $111.
that's less than $900 for all 8 home games.
Average cost for a Pelicans game is $122
that's $5,000 for all 41 home games.
that's a huge ask for a smaller city.
New Orleans would be the smallest Metro area in MLB if they had a team.
in fact, the entire state of Louisiana would be somewhere around 14th largest market in MLB (and that's dividing NY, LA, and Chi in half for having 2 teams).
Posted on 8/4/25 at 10:38 am to GeauxPanthers2
the Smoothie King Center needs major renovations just to keep Pels
would likely need a brand new arena for both NBA and NHL
concerts are terrible acoustic wise in Smoothie King Center
as far as MLB, New Orleans would never get funding for a indoor/outdoor stadium that would also be in competition with Superdome
would likely need a brand new arena for both NBA and NHL
concerts are terrible acoustic wise in Smoothie King Center
as far as MLB, New Orleans would never get funding for a indoor/outdoor stadium that would also be in competition with Superdome
Posted on 8/4/25 at 10:39 am to nicholastiger
MLB could work, but NHL…not a fricking chance in hell. Would be the worst city for a NHL team. No one watches hockey in Louisiana
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