Could the Milwaukee Brewers end up relocating from their longtime home in Wisconsin at some point soon? It’s become at least somewhat of a possibility.
The MLB team announced recently that American Family Field needs roughly $440 million in renovations over the next two decades. Unfortunately, the mid-market team can’t afford to foot that bill alone.
While Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (R) supports public funding, the Republican controlled Wisconsin Legislature is against it. This has led to a threat from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred that relocation could be in the future should the financing not take hold.
The Milwaukee Brewers’ current stadium is 22 years old. In comparison to other “modern” venues, it is showing its age.
With the Oakland Athletics nearing relocation to Las Vegas, it seems ridiculous that another team would up and move. But as we’ve seen around the Major League Baseball world in recent years, it’s all about the money. There are also a ton of cities that would love to host a Milwaukee Brewers team that has been a staple in Wisconsin since 1969. Here, we look at four options.
Portland, Oregon
Despite never hosting a MLB team, this Pacific Northwest city has a rich history of baseball. It dates back to 1894 and includes several minor league clubs having a ton of success in the mid-market.
Portland had in the past been interested in taking on an expansion team. It would need public funding to build a state-of-the-art venue. But given the politics in Oregon, this likely wouldn’t be too much of an issue. Portland is currently the United States’ 26th most-populated city, ahead of Nashville and right behind Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Providence Park could potentially house the Milwaukee Brewers over the short term. It has a capacity of north of 26,000.