http://www.nbcsports.com/sports/1569872/detail.html
Looking at the top "MSA"s without an NFL team:
Metro area populations on Wikipedia
Your top candidates are:
2. Los Angeles
21. Orlando
23. Sacramento
26. Portland
29. Columbus
30. San Antonio
31. Las Vegas
32. Milwaukee
33. Virginia Beach/Norfolk
34. Salt Lake City
35. Raleigh-Durham
37. Greensboro
38. Austin
39. Louisville
40. Grand Rapids
41. Hartford
43. Memphis
44. Oklahoma City
About a third of those cities though are probably too college football focused to get a team (Columbus, Austin, Louisville, etc). But, add in Mexico City and possibly Toronto (where there's been speculation they'd want an NFL team eventually as opposed to just the CFL), and you've got at least 10-14 viable markets to start out with, although you are locked out of most of the Top 20 markets other than Los Angeles, which is what will really hurt this league for TV marketability purposes. And deciding to compete with "pro" football in NFL markets in the fall seems like suicide.
If I was speculating on what the "UFL" would look like if it comes to fruition in 2008:
East - Orlando, Milwaukee, Virginia, Canada (Toronto or Ottawa), Carolina (either Raliegh or Greensboro)
West - Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Sacramento, Portland, Mexico City
As far as TV networks, I can't see any major players being too interested, despite the people involved. I think you are looking at probably a "Versus" on cable, and possibly if they wanted to try to get on network TV, maybe "MyNetworkTV".
Various unique statistical compilations across the world of sports.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
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