A Local’s Wish for a Pro Sports Team in Montana
Missoula, MT ( KGVO-AM News ) - Montana is one of 24 states that does not have a single major league professional sports team. We are talking about the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. I would LOVE it if we got a pro sports team in one of these leagues, but I'm not holding my breath. With that being said, a guy can dream!
Take a Look at the Gallery Below to See Potential Team Names
I lived in San Jose, California for the first 18 years of my life and had the privilege of getting to watch the San Franciso 49ers, San Franciso Giants, and San Jose Sharks semi-regularly. As a young guy who played sports, it was always a blast getting to see the pros do their thing even though I may not have been their biggest fan.
My fandom is all over the place. I was born a New York Giants fan thanks to my dad. The Anaheim Mighty Ducks, now known simply as the Anaheim Ducks, have been my favorite NHL team since I was 3-years-old. I had no ties to any MLB teams until I started watching the San Francisco Giants. Now, they're my favorite. I am not a huge NBA fan, but I am loyal to the New York Knicks.
Having to Travel Now to Watch My Favorite Teams
Because of my loyalty to these teams, I'll spend my hard-earned money to watch them play in other nearby states. Since moving to Missoula in 2010, I've traveled to Seattle, Denver, and Arizona to watch the Giants play the Seahawks, Broncos, and Cardinals.
I've also gone back to California a handful of times to watch the Ducks and San Francisco Giants. Seattle got a hockey team called the Kraken in 2021 and Utah just got a team last year. My next trip will likely be to watch the Ducks play one of these teams because neither is too far of a drive away.
With all that being said, it would be great if I didn't have to travel out of the state to watch one of my favorite teams. Don't get me wrong, I love being a season ticket holder to Griz games and the atmosphere inside Washington Grizzly Stadium is one of a kind. It often feels like you're at an NFL game even though we can only fit 26,000 fans compared to some of the huge stadiums in the pros.
The average NFL stadium capacity is 60,000. Imagine if we had that many passionate Montana fans in one place. We might break the sound barrier with that one. Maybe that's why they won't let us have a team. Kidding. I know it would be really tough to fill a 60,000-seat stadium in Montana on a regular basis. But again, a guy can dream.
I even started thinking about what the team's name would be. Below is a list of 10 potential names I came up with that are inspired by the state's geography, wildlife, culture, and history. Let me know in the comments what your favorite is or if there is one I didn't think of that would be better.
