The reddit post lit a spark. It asked where the league should look next, and the internet did not hold back. The usual leaders still hover over every talk. Yet fans kept throwing out fresh maps that stretched from Puerto Rico to Missouri. “Montreal would go hard.” A simple line, full of confidence. It set the tone for a thread that mixed memory, numbers, and hometown pride into a real debate.
Border to border cases: Montreal, Mexico City, San Juan
Montreal came up early and often. One fan said “Montreal would be a perfect candidate. Driving distance from multiple population centres. Major TV market.” Another fan added that it could share a building day to day with hockey and still draw. The numbers help. Montreal is a giant metro with a deep hoops culture that grows every year. When you scale for market size and corporate suites, it checks boxes that owners care about.
Mexico City brings international reach. The league keeps staging regular season games at Arena CDMX, which holds big crowds and runs like a top venue. Add the altitude factor. The city sits about 7,350 feet above sea level, which makes travel and recovery a real planning item for teams.
San Juan has proof of concept. This preseason, Miami and Orlando tip in Puerto Rico at Coliseo de Puerto Rico. That is not a full test, but it tells you there is demand and a ready building.
“Montreal would go hard.” – a fan said.
Heartland and East Coast cases: Pittsburgh, Tampa, Kansas City, Newark, St. Louis
Fans did not forget the middle. One fan wrote “Kansas City. Not the biggest city but a proven sports town that will fully support any and every franchise they home.” KC has a downtown arena that has hosted soldout preseason nights and major college events, which matters to owners who need simple, ready, and central.
Pittsburgh popped up in a media market talk. A fan listed it among larger markets with no team today. That tracks. Pittsburgh sits inside a top U.S. TV market, which is the currency for rights deals.
Tampa has a fresh case. The Raptors played a full season there during 2020 to 2021, which showed that NBA days and nights can work in that building and region. Newark has the same sort of receipt. The Prudential Center hosted the NBA Draft in 2012 and has NBA grade game ops, media space, and transit.
St. Louis stands out as a major city with an NBA sized arena and a sports identity that fills seats. Some fans think football will be the city’s front office focus, but an ownership group with patience could still make a play.
