# What is the largest US city without an NFC/AFC franchise? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 2, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-us-city-without-an-nfc-afc-franchise/711620 "2015-02-02T17:44:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-us-city-without-an-nfc-afc-franchise/711620/41 "2015-02-04T19:27:03Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > My vague recollection (not necessarily reliable!) is that L.A. wouldn’t let itself get extorted into coughing up the dough for a new stadium, so the NFL pulled up stakes. > > But what’s undeniable is that ever since, the NFL has found the existence of an L.A. without an NFL franchise to be a convenient tool to keep the other cities in line, i.e. “give us the new stadium of our dreams, or we’ll move your team to L.A.” I agree. L.A. is far more collectively valuable to the league in its current state than it would be for the area to actually have a franchise. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-us-city-without-an-nfc-afc-franchise/711620/42 "2015-02-04T19:29:09Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > But what’s undeniable is that ever since, the NFL has found the existence of an L.A. without an NFL franchise to be a convenient tool to keep the other cities in line, i.e. “give us the new stadium of our dreams, or we’ll move your team to L.A.” I thought it was the owners, not the actual league itself, that’d have that kind of leverage. “Dear City, I need a $900 million stadium or I’m moving. Sincerely, Owner.” ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-us-city-without-an-nfc-afc-franchise/711620/43 "2015-02-04T19:39:40Z")
I’d say Tokyo is the largest city without an NFL franchise. After that, you have Jakarta and Delhi, I think. Not sure what the largest city after that is… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-us-city-without-an-nfc-afc-franchise/711620/44 "2015-02-04T20:46:20Z")
I would like to point out that according to the NFL, Toronto is a part of the Buffalo market. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-us-city-without-an-nfc-afc-franchise/711620/45 "2015-02-04T20:50:16Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I thought it was the owners, not the actual league itself, that’d have that kind of leverage. > > “Dear City, I need a $900 million stadium or I’m moving. Sincerely, Owner.” It’s a brilliant scam. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-us-city-without-an-nfc-afc-franchise/711620/46 "2015-02-04T20:59:22Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I thought it was the owners, not the actual league itself, that’d have that kind of leverage. > > “Dear City, I need a $900 million stadium or I’m moving. Sincerely, Owner.” The league _is_ the owners, though, and the league itself pushes for new stadiums at the same time individual owners do - new stadiums often end up with a Super Bowl in the first few years of operation. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-us-city-without-an-nfc-afc-franchise/711620/47 "2015-02-04T21:53:07Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > The league _is_ the owners, though, and the league itself pushes for new stadiums at the same time individual owners do - **new stadiums often end up with a Super Bowl in the first few years of operation.** Clearly sending less than subtle messages to cities planning rebellion against the Great New Stadium Caper. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-largest-us-city-without-an-nfc-afc-franchise/711620.md?page=2)