Relocation: as American as apple pie

The relocation of professional sports franchises in the United States has been commonplace since the turn of the 20th century.

One of the first significant relocations occurred over 100 years ago when baseball's Milwaukee Brewers became the St. Louis Browns.

In fact, baseball has witnessed some of the most historic relocations.

The New York Yankees franchise is one of the most popular in all of sports--a Yankees cap is almost instantly recognizable anywhere in the world--but the history of the storied team isn't well known.

The Yankees began as the Baltimore Orioles before the team moved to New York to become the "Highlanders" in 1903.

In 1958, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants accounted for one of the most infamous moves in relocation history.

Both of the New York squads headed west for Los Angeles and San Francisco respectively, and became the first two major league teams on the west coast.

The Dodgers' home of Ebbets Field and the Giants' Polo Grounds weren't seen as suitable for Major League Baseball any longer, thus the team's owners searched for new places to call home.

Sadly, the insufficient stadium trend carries on today and seems to be the major source for relocation talks.

The Tar Heel state has found itself in the middle of relocation plans on more than one occasion.

The Carolina Hurricanes recently extended their lease with the RBC Center, ensuring the team will remain in Raleigh until at least 2024. The extension was part of two years of negotiations involving the Hurricanes, ownership of the RBC Center, the city of Raleigh and NC State.

Of course, the Hurricanes are a product of relocation themselves, having moved from Hartford, Connecticut in 1997.

Hurricanes President/General Manager Jim Rutherford recognizes the agreement as an important milestone for the Hurricanes.

"The extension of our lease displays the confidence that we have in the growth of hockey in this market," said Rutherford in a press conference last week.

So, would Rutherford have confidence in hockey in NC if they had not reached a deal?

It seems securing stadium rights has always been more important than the team's popularity and fan base.

The Charlotte Hornets led the NBA in attendance in their early years before fans developed a hatred for owner George Shinn, who threatened to move the team unless he got a new stadium.

The city of Charlotte finally agreed to a new stadium, but only if Shinn sold the team. Shinn responded by packing the franchise up and moving them to New Orleans, where the team is now thriving.

The Minnesota Twins flirted with a move to the triad region of NC in the mid-1990s, but reached a stadium deal in the final hour to keep the team in Minneapolis.

As recently as two years ago, talks circulated around the Florida Marlins jumping ship in Miami, with Charlotte serving as a potential home for the two-time world champions. This goes to show that even winning franchises are not immune from relocation.

The NFL's Baltimore Colts, a famed and successful franchise, moved to Indianapolis after the 1983 season. In a bitter departure, the team's property was literally moved in the middle of the night without any warning.

Ironically, Baltimore was part of another hostile transfer, when Cleveland's beloved Browns became the Baltimore Ravens in 1997.

The San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer were moved to Houston to become the Dynamo in 2006 despite having two MLS Cup titles to their name.

Since the move, the Dynamo has won back-to-back MLS titles, bringing the franchise's championship tally to four.

The relocation trend is almost exclusively indigenous to North America, especially in the U.S.

In recent years, Liverpool football club in England has planned a move from historic Anfield to a new 70,000-seat stadium.

When matters get complicated, you don't hear threats of moving the team to another city. The idea of moving a storied football club around England would be met with the fiercest of outrages.

However, two American businessmen, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, do lead the club. I wouldn't get too comfortable if I were a Reds supporter.

This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.