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Why Does Virginia Not Have Any Major-League Sports Teams?

Posted on December 08, 2021 by John Harris

Have you always wondered why Virginia does not have their own professional sports teams? This is something that actually applies to a number of states in the US. But, people are particularly surprised in Virginia because it is known to be a sport-loving state with a lot of football to baseball fans. So, has it always been this way and will Virginia ever get any major-league sports teams? Let’s take a closer look.

Are There Any Reasons for Not Having Major-League Sports Teams?

So, why does Virginia not have any huge sports teams in its territory? Well, there are a few reasons why this might be the case. Namely, there is no major city in Virginia. The places that have a lot of people living there are said to be too small to really have a professional sports team.

In addition, while it is argued that Virginia is a populous state and has enough people for a major sports team altogether, one of the problems is their distribution. In other words, people are spread out a lot in the state, which would lead to poor crowds since people are not going to be able to travel that far all the time. For example, someone that lives in Virginia Beach is not going to be able to attend games in Richmond all of the time.

But, it is important to note that this does not mean people in Virginia do not like sports. On the contrary, sports betting is something that is widely enjoyed here. It became legal to bet on sports in April 2020 and the industry is showing signs of doing very well. So, there are plenty of people that like sports and want to get involved. If you are from the state, you can check out the Unibet VA mobile betting app for example, and place a bet on games across the state and the country.

Has There Been Any Teams Rumored in Play in Virginia in the Past?

It is important to note that Virginia does have some sports teams. But, there are no teams that are in major-leagues in the state. It is interesting to note that there are professional teams that train and have their headquarters in Virginia. We are talking about the Washington Football Team and the Washington Capitals. But, they are teams that represent Washington D.C.

Over the years, there have been plenty of rumors regarding a team playing in Virginia. There have even been talks about a Washington D.C. team moving to the state. But, none of these plans have ever amounted to anything. For example, a NHL team was rejected in the late 1990s. Another situation that arose was regarding the Houston Astros. They almost relocated to the state in 1996 but circumstances changed.

Recently, there have not been any new proposals out there. But, there are more people talking about how they would like a team in Virginia. Perhaps we will see a change some time in the future.


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