What is this question asking?

"What appears to be the smallest population needed to support a professional sports franchise?"

What is the smallest city that has a professional sports team?

This question is asking for the minimum population size required to sustain a professional sports team.

This question is asking about the minimum population size required to sustain a professional sports franchise. Specifically, it wants to know the smallest population that would be capable of supporting a professional sports team. To find the answer to this question, you would need to consider several factors such as the popularity of the sport, the level of competition, the market demand, and the economic factors of the region in question.