Can the city of Chicago Sustain Two NBA Teams?

[TFJava]

With the NBA potentially expanding the league in the future, I was looking at cities across America, that has two MLB teams. LA, New York, Chicago. Can the city of Chicago sustain another NBA team, to become a cross - town rival of the Chicago Bulls, like the White Sox - Cubs rivalry? Also, the expansion team doesn't have to be located in the city of Chicago, but in the surrounding area. What say you all?

[JustBuzzin]

Yes easily.

It's the biggest market on the East besides NY. If any city deserves 2 teams it would be Chicago.

[Hatrick Ewing]

They do have 2 teams. The Bulls and the Sky.

[One_and_Done]

Yes. Easily. Moreover, a 2nd team would force the Bulls to be run better.

[LordCovington33]

They are having troubling sustaining one

[Dan Z]

I'd say no. The Bulls still get great attendance, but for Chicago sports fans it generally is: The Bears, Cubs, Blackhawks/Bulls and White Sox (in that order...or close to it).

What The Bulls need is a new owner.

[doogie_hauser]

Chicago fans don't want or need one (I assume)

They need better ownership, unfortunately family run ownership groups passed down through generations is not healthy (something Lakers fans know about since Dr Jerry Buss passed)

Unless Jerry or one of his kids does a Donald Sterling, Bulls fans are stuck with their rotten ownership, unless Adam Silver changes the ownership constitution (highly unlikely)

[jkvonny]

Yes. Huge market in the midwest!

MLB they also have the Cubs and White Sox.

[pipfan]

I'd say no. The Bulls still get great attendance, but for Chicago sports fans it generally is: The Bears, Cubs, Blackhawks/Bulls and White Sox (in that order...or close to it).

What The Bulls need is a new owner.

I would agree here, although I haven't lived in Chicago for a while. I think the fans are lukewarm to the team in general. It might work but would probably not be a big success-better to tap some other market

[Chuck Everett]

No. But Anaheim and Newark, NJ (even with close proximity to Los Angeles and New York) could.

[Godymas]

Chicago is just below 10 million people

by comparison, LA is almost 13 million and NY is almost 20 million

It's borderline there, but not really justifiable imo.

Personally I think it makes more sense for Baltimore to get a team again before Chicago gets a 2nd one. When you combine DC and Baltimore you get about 10 million total people. However Baltimore has a great sports fandom due to having two elite franchises in the MLB and NFL.

[CBS7]

Chicago is just below 10 million people

by comparison, LA is almost 13 million and NY is almost 20 million

It's borderline there, but not really justifiable imo.

Personally I think it makes more sense for Baltimore to get a team again before Chicago gets a 2nd one. When you combine DC and Baltimore you get about 10 million total people. However Baltimore has a great sports fandom due to having two elite franchises in the MLB and NFL.

DC has a team though

[Optms]

Chicago is just below 10 million people

by comparison, LA is almost 13 million and NY is almost 20 million

It's borderline there, but not really justifiable imo.

Personally I think it makes more sense for Baltimore to get a team again before Chicago gets a 2nd one. When you combine DC and Baltimore you get about 10 million total people. However Baltimore has a great sports fandom due to having two elite franchises in the MLB and NFL.

DC already has the Wizards so you are back to square one when comparing Chicago to the DMV area.

[Godymas]

Chicago is just below 10 million people

by comparison, LA is almost 13 million and NY is almost 20 million

It's borderline there, but not really justifiable imo.

Personally I think it makes more sense for Baltimore to get a team again before Chicago gets a 2nd one. When you combine DC and Baltimore you get about 10 million total people. However Baltimore has a great sports fandom due to having two elite franchises in the MLB and NFL.

DC already has the Wizards so you are back to square one when comparing Chicago to the DMV area.

Chicago is just below 10 million people

by comparison, LA is almost 13 million and NY is almost 20 million

It's borderline there, but not really justifiable imo.

Personally I think it makes more sense for Baltimore to get a team again before Chicago gets a 2nd one. When you combine DC and Baltimore you get about 10 million total people. However Baltimore has a great sports fandom due to having two elite franchises in the MLB and NFL.

DC has a team though

Did you ignore everything I said about Baltimore. Baltimore already has the Orioles and the Ravens. DC has the Commanders and the Nationals. Baltimore alone is 3 million people. The difference is Baltimore is it's own place.

Any area that can support 2 NFL teams can support 2 NBA teams.

[ThunderBolt]

Looking at the NBA through a financial lens, they could do it. As a fan, it's a waste. Id much rather see a smaller market embrace and suport a team than a larger one make bank when no one cares about them.

[CBS7]

Chicago is just below 10 million people

by comparison, LA is almost 13 million and NY is almost 20 million

It's borderline there, but not really justifiable imo.

Personally I think it makes more sense for Baltimore to get a team again before Chicago gets a 2nd one. When you combine DC and Baltimore you get about 10 million total people. However Baltimore has a great sports fandom due to having two elite franchises in the MLB and NFL.

DC already has the Wizards so you are back to square one when comparing Chicago to the DMV area.

Chicago is just below 10 million people

by comparison, LA is almost 13 million and NY is almost 20 million

It's borderline there, but not really justifiable imo.

Personally I think it makes more sense for Baltimore to get a team again before Chicago gets a 2nd one. When you combine DC and Baltimore you get about 10 million total people. However Baltimore has a great sports fandom due to having two elite franchises in the MLB and NFL.

DC has a team though

Did you ignore everything I said about Baltimore. Baltimore already has the Orioles and the Ravens. DC has the Commanders and the Nationals. Baltimore alone is 3 million people. The difference is Baltimore is it's own place.

Any area that can support 2 NFL teams can support 2 NBA teams.

Sorry, you worded it weirdly. "When you combine Baltimore and a city that already has an NBA team, you can easily support an NBA team" is how it came across.

[durden_tyler]

They can’t even sustain one franchise.


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[CBS7]

I feel like a well run second team in Chicago would seriously win over a lot of people who currently root for the Bulls, since they are so terribly managed.

1 ECF appearance in 26 years
If not for MJ the Bulls would be a poverty franchise

[CBS7]

They are having troubling sustaining one

They can’t even sustain one franchise.

I know this isn't 100% serious but they did lead the league in attendance and are the 4th most valuable franchise

[Sofia]

Not with the head start the Bulls already have on monopolising the fan base.

At least for the Clippers, they were already there for a decades when league popularity would get bumps