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

2. 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.

3. 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

4. Current NFL Teams
Blue Dots: Existing Teams

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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

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

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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)

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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