NFL Expansion Project By: N. D. K. H. D. N. J. F.

Background The NFL is expanding from 32 teams to 40. The Commissioner was planning on adding four new cities each to the NFC and the AFC. We had to find 8 new cities that had populations that could support a large franchise. We created 2 new teams in each region (North, South, East, West); one each for the NFC and AFC.

Process We started by creating a map with the existing NFL teams on it. We used 2005 census data to approximate necessary population size and income level. We categorized possible cities using: Total population of that city Approximate population growth Average family income

Current NFL Teams Blue Dots: Existing Teams

Population Range The existing NFL cities’ populations range from a little more than 300 thousand people, to several million. We used these numbers to approximate how many inhabitants a city needed to sustain a NFL franchise.

Family Income Range The median family income of the current NFL cities varies form over 70 thousand per family, to as little as 30 thousand These numbers helped us estimate the family income necessary for an NFL city.

Ranges The Population Range and the Family Income Range helped us realize that the population necessary is about 300 thousand people or more. The Median Family Income level also needed to be fairly high so that families could afford tickets to games, as well as merchandise and souvenirs.

New Teams NFC North: Louisville, Kentucky South: San Antonio, Texas East: Raleigh, North Carolina West: Anaheim, California AFC: North : Omaha, Nebraska South: Fort Worth, Texas East: Virginia Beach, Virginia West: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Current and New NFL Teams Blue Dots: Existing Teams Red Dots: New Teams

AFC North: Nebraska Nighthawks Based in Omaha, Nebraska Population: 414,521 3.1% growth rate in 2005 Income is approximately $51,637 per family First professional football team in this area. The excitement of a football game could bring people from surrounding states as well.

AFC East: Virginia Beach Vipers A possible natural rival to other Mid-Atlantic and New England teams. Dense population in the Northeast region can support another franchise. Population: 438,415 3.1% growth rate in 2005 Income is approximately $65,102 per family

AFC South: Fort Worth Fire Ants Population: 624, 057 15.3% growth rate in 2005 Income is about $47,064 per family Natural rival to other Texas teams. Has a fairly large population in addition to the high growth rate.

AFC West: Albuquerque Atoms First pro football team in New Mexico Could easily draw spectators from surrounding states due to New Mexico’s central location. Population: 494, 235 10% growth rate in 2005 Income is approximately $54, 570 per family

NFC North: Louisville Lancers Population: 556,429 1% growth in 2005 Income rate: $50,098 per family Natural rival to the Tennessee Titans Close to existing Indiana and Ohio franchises Can take advantage of Kentucky’s football fever (Kentucky Wildcats)

NFC East: Raleigh Rhinos Decent population size and relatively high population growth rate can sustain a team Relatively close to the densely populated Northeast Population: 341,530 people 19.9% growth rate in 2005 Income rate: $65,033 per family

NFC South: San Antonio Stars Population: 1,256,506 9.1% growth rate Median family income rate: $47,150 per family Texas’s large area and population can easily support another team Already has over one million inhabitants and still has a reasonable growth rate. Already has a successful basketball franchise.

NFC West: Anaheim Arrows California’s relative wealth can sustain another franchise California already has several successful pro sports franchises.                            Population: 331,804 1.2% growth rate in 2005 Income rate: $55,478 per family