MLS Expansion update

[DarthGrumpy]

Good news, the stadium for the new MLS team in the Twin Cities is moving forward with a stadium in St. Paul off the light rail line between St. Paul and Minneapolis. Good for the MSP market, which deserves this.

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s3944604.shtml

Too bad the stadium will not be open until 2018. I would love for the USMNT team to play a few Hex games in January against our Central American rivals. Revenge for all of the stuff that they pull that would not be tolerated in Europe.

Less thrilled about this. Miami is not sports town, too many distractions, and MLS has failed in Miami before. If Beckman wants to own a MLS team, it should be in a city that cares and not just because Beckman likes hanging in South Beach. That and I have never heard of a public school district helping to build a professional sports stadium. I think Miami schools have other more pressing needs, like the quality of education.

http://www.bizjournals.com/southflo...ade-schools-agrees-to-help-david-beckham.html

 

[Jaker]

It should of gone to Sac Republic.

 

[Adios]

Money talks. Too bad the Rochester Rhinos didn't get in.

 

[ZooCougar]

It should of gone to Sac Republic.

Sacramento is probably next. California is already saturated. Minnesota gives more presence in the center of the country which has been a weakness for a while. TV loves the central time zone.

 

[Drew]

Kind of surprised to not hear St. Louis mentioned. That's a big soccer market.

There was an article in the Charlotte business journal about the city trying to secure an MLS team in the next few years:

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlott...e-sports-exec-landing-an-mls-team-pretty.html
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article25590859.html
http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2014/...term-mls-expansion-usl-pro-club-changes-hands

I would love to see Hartford get one of these teams but Hartford's biggest problem now is that everyone is seeing the growing popularity of the MLS and wants to get in on it. Hartford needs to be in on the ground floor of one of these leagues and then be along for the ride. Would love to see Hartford try to land a MLL team, there's the possibility of that league growing into something bigger than it is and this is a big lacrosse area. If the city could land MLS it would be a big time win for the city, hopefully the first part of securing a couple of teams that would then alleviate the pressure for UConn to play 50% or more of their games there

 

[ZooCougar]

Kind of surprised to not hear St. Louis mentioned. That's a big soccer market.

There was an article in the Charlotte business journal about the city trying to secure an MLS team in the next few years:

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlott...e-sports-exec-landing-an-mls-team-pretty.html
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article25590859.html
http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2014/...term-mls-expansion-usl-pro-club-changes-hands

I would love to see Hartford get one of these teams but Hartford's biggest problem now is that everyone is seeing the growing popularity of the MLS and wants to get in on it. Hartford needs to be in on the ground floor of one of these leagues and then be along for the ride. Would love to see Hartford try to land a MLL team, there's the possibility of that league growing into something bigger than it is and this is a big lacrosse area. If the city could land MLS it would be a big time win for the city, hopefully the first part of securing a couple of teams that would then alleviate the pressure for UConn to play 50% or more of their games there

Exactly, how else would Columbus get in.

St. Louis is in the conversation. The Governor of Missouri hosted the Commissioner this spring and they are looking at a new multipurpose stadium for football and soccer.

Hartford should still try to get NASL, except with serious owners. Tampa, Minnesota and Indianapolis are great success stories.

 

[UCFBfan]

It should of gone to Sac Republic.

Take the stupid second LA team and make it Sacramento and MLS would have a winner. But instead, they need to add a team back to a spot where it failed miserably....crap like this makes you hate pro sport owners some times (or whoever makes the final call on this in MLS)

 

[Jaker]

Sacramento is probably next. California is already saturated. Minnesota gives more presence in the center of the country which has been a weakness for a while. TV loves the central time zone.

valid points

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Update on MLS expansion plans for 2017, 2018, and beyond 2020. Glad that Sacramento now seems to be on the short list; but, Altanta in a football dome is still in line along with a second LA team. Miami is still having stadium issues, wonder if MLS will realize before it's too late that Beckman may be the only person who wants a team in that market.

http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-s...to-high-on-mls-club-expansion-list-don-garber

 

[UCFBfan]

Looks like Miami is going to get done.

http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-s...m-says-new-miami-site-secured-for-mls-stadium

Wish they'd abandon ATL and the second LA team in favor of cities that have shown massive support for their NASL or USL teams (San Antonio/Sacramento) Just a bad idea and I think Miami is gonna flop as well.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Update on Oralndo's new stadium.

http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-s...ty-delays-new-stadium-debut-until-2017-report

PS - Heading down to Raleigh/Durham for work next week. Carolina is a big soccer state from what I have seen based on several good programs in the area - Wake, Duke, and UNC. The NASL team that they have draws about 4,500 per game, which is in the middle of the NASL pack (Atlanta is at the bottom, yeah, feeling good about that expansion pick, NOT). RDU only has 1 pro team, the Carolina Whalers during the winter, with additional competition coming from 3 P5 football programs, ditto basketball teams, and 2 minor league baseball teams. RDU is the 46th largest metro area, just ahead of Hartford; but, growing fast - of metro areas with 1 million or more, its #2 in growth behind Austin TX. I would put them behind Minneapolis, St. Louis, Sacremento, and maybe San Antonio and Indianpolis; but, ahead of a second LA team, Las Vegas, previously mentioned Atlanta, and a second run at Miami. They currently have a 10K stadium in place; but, looks like there is plenty of land around it to expand. Thoughts of RDU being a MLS expansion candidate? It has been mentioned before.

http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2015/03...-united-will-evalute-expansion-past-24-teams/

 

[ZooCougar]

I think St. Louis just rocketed up the charts.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I think St. Louis just rocketed up the charts.

From the Onion about a decade ago; but, it has been making the rounds again on the internet.

http://www.theonion.com/article/nfl-to-move-all-32-teams-to-los-angeles-1845

 

[DarthGrumpy]

St. Louis is getting serious about luring MLS to the city. Personally, St. Louis has a strong soccer tradition and they deserve a team and would pair-up well with existing teams in Kansas City, Chicago, and the pending Minneapolis team. A much better option that teams in Atalanta in an NFL stadium, in Miami, which has failed before and is a horrendous sports city, and a second LA team.

http://kplr11.com/2016/01/25/new-plans-for-mls-stadium-near-union-station/

 

[DarthGrumpy]

St. Louis is getting serious about luring MLS to the city. Personally, St. Louis has a strong soccer tradition and they deserve a team and would pair-up well with existing teams in Kansas City, Chicago, and the pending Minneapolis team. A much better option that teams in Atalanta in an NFL stadium, in Miami, which has failed before and is a horrendous sports city, and a second LA team.

http://kplr11.com/2016/01/25/new-plans-for-mls-stadium-near-union-station/

MLS seems to have confirmed interest in St. Louis as an expansion candidate, especially now as the city is looking to plug the gap being left by the departing Rams.

http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-s...y-focused-on-expanding-to-st-louis-don-garber

Also mentioned in the race to get to 28 are Sacramento, San Diego (poor sports town, I think that is a mistake), San Antonio, and Detroit. At least Las Vegas is not mentioned. I also wonder about adding a team in the Carolinas somewhere - RDU or Charlotte.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Update in Beckham United in Miami...

http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-s...-ready-to-fund-miami-united-fc-via-share-sale

 

[UCFBfan]

MLS seems to have confirmed interest in St. Louis as an expansion candidate, especially now as the city is looking to plug the gap being left by the departing Rams.

http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-s...y-focused-on-expanding-to-st-louis-don-garber

Also mentioned in the race to get to 28 are Sacramento, San Diego (poor sports town, I think that is a mistake), San Antonio, and Detroit. At least Las Vegas is not mentioned. I also wonder about adding a team in the Carolinas somewhere - RDU or Charlotte.

I think St. Louis would be a good spot for a team but not so sure they need that many California teams. I get that it's a big state and the climate is right but Two teams in LA plus San Diego and Sacramento would be insane. I know that they weren't saying all the teams are needed but I'd rather see one team in LA and the second LA team be placed in Sacramento instead. Then look to expand into other regions.

I agree that a team in the Carolinas would be a smart move. They are a major soccer hotbed. Not sure if they'd be impacted, attendance wise, by the team that will be in Atlanta.

I hope that if a team lands in St. Louis that they build a soccer specific venue. There's a very small, if any, chance that the NFL returns to St. Louis. They should take the plan they had for the NFL stadium and replace it with a soccer specific stadium. It could still transform the area around it like the NFL stadium would have possibly done.

 

[UCFBfan]

Also, what is the deal with 28 teams? That is insane and too large. I hope that they have a plan in place that if they hit 28, they'll split into two leagues, all under the MLS banner, and do some sort of relegation/promotion bit. After a few seasons of seeing how that goes they might implement it with other current leagues like NASL and USL. I know it would take some creative revenue concessions but it can and should get done.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Also, what is the deal with 28 teams? That is insane and too large. I hope that they have a plan in place that if they hit 28, they'll split into two leagues, all under the MLS banner, and do some sort of relegation/promotion bit. After a few seasons of seeing how that goes they might implement it with other current leagues like NASL and USL. I know it would take some creative revenue concessions but it can and should get done.

I agree that the US should use regulation; but, American owners egos couldn't handle spending millions of everyone else's money only be be regulated by a team owned by a guy with 1/10th of their assets who just happens to know how to run and field a competitive team.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I think St. Louis would be a good spot for a team but not so sure they need that many California teams. I get that it's a big state and the climate is right but Two teams in LA plus San Diego and Sacramento would be insane. I know that they weren't saying all the teams are needed but I'd rather see one team in LA and the second LA team be placed in Sacramento instead. Then look to expand into other regions.

I agree that a team in the Carolinas would be a smart move. They are a major soccer hotbed. Not sure if they'd be impacted, attendance wise, by the team that will be in Atlanta.

I hope that if a team lands in St. Louis that they build a soccer specific venue. There's a very small, if any, chance that the NFL returns to St. Louis. They should take the plan they had for the NFL stadium and replace it with a soccer specific stadium. It could still transform the area around it like the NFL stadium would have possibly done.

I am also against a second LA team and worries about a San Diego team; but, Sacramento draws well already and is fan enough away from San Jose to represent a separate market. Thus, I am OK with them.

Carolina is about a 3 to 5 hour drive from Atlanata, so that is OK market wise. The question is Charlotte or Raleigh - their both have second tier team's with 5,000 seat stadiums in place. Charlotte is a bigger metro than RDU; but, RDU has more soccer history and no pro team to compete with in the spring, summer and fall.

 

[ZooCougar]

I can't stand the idea of 28 teams either. The league is going to become as non-descript as the NHL. They have way too many teams.

The truth is the league is addicted to expansion fees since they aren't making as much on TV, and the gate is not really as profitable as you would think. At 100+ mil and growing, they stand to gain about a billion $.

What's funny is that an American group is buying Everton for about 200 Mil. So at a 100 mil in fees and then after building a $100-200 million stadium, one could say that an MLS expansion team costs more than mid-table EPL club, even though the TV money from the EPL is insane.

So I can't tell if these MLS expansion guys are setting their money on fire giving their money to a grand sports Ponzi scheme, or if it's actually worth the $100 mil to get in on the ground floor so to speak.

 

[UCFBfan]

I am also against a second LA team and worries about a San Diego team; but, Sacramento draws well already and is fan enough away from San Jose to represent a separate market. Thus, I am OK with them.

Carolina is about a 3 to 5 hour drive from Atlanata, so that is OK market wise. The question is Charlotte or Raleigh - their both have second tier team's with 5,000 seat stadiums in place. Charlotte is a bigger metro than RDU; but, RDU has more soccer history and no pro team to compete with in the spring, summer and fall.

I think they should take the Railhawks and just upgrade them. Similar to what Minnesota United is doing and what Sacramento FC will hopefully do if they get the nod. The Railhawks pull about 4400 fans. I would have preferred they'd be the team instead of adding an Atlanta team. However, my disdain for Atlanta is probably more related to the fact that they're going to be playing in a NFL stadium.

 

[UCFBfan]

I can't stand the idea of 28 teams either. The league is going to become as non-descript as the NHL. They have way too many teams.

The truth is the league is addicted to expansion fees since they aren't making as much on TV, and the gate is not really as profitable as you would think. At 100+ mil and growing, they stand to gain about a billion $.

What's funny is that an American group is buying Everton for about 200 Mil. So at a 100 mil in fees and then after building a $100-200 million stadium, one could say that an MLS expansion team costs more than mid-table EPL club, even though the TV money from the EPL is insane.

So I can't tell if these MLS expansion guys are setting their money on fire giving their money to a grand sports Ponzi scheme, or if it's actually worth the $100 mil to get in on the ground floor so to speak.

28 teams is just not feasible. I think they are trying to dilute something that is just starting to get off the ground. I know this league came from absolutely nothing and is now gaining traction. However, they still don't pull sell outs in most stadiums and their TV numbers are not good. Were those things to increase, then maybe add more teams. I agree though that right now they are just looking for easy money. Unfortunately, they are also running the risk of running this whole league into the ground with a poor product. There's just not enough talent to fill 28 teams. Not with the salary restrictions they have in place.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

28 teams is just not feasible. I think they are trying to dilute something that is just starting to get off the ground. I know this league came from absolutely nothing and is now gaining traction. However, they still don't pull sell outs in most stadiums and their TV numbers are not good. Were those things to increase, then maybe add more teams. I agree though that right now they are just looking for easy money. Unfortunately, they are also running the risk of running this whole league into the ground with a poor product. There's just not enough talent to fill 28 teams. Not with the salary restrictions they have in place.

Basically an outdoor version of the NHL when it comes to expansion...

 

[ZooCougar]

28 teams is just not feasible. I think they are trying to dilute something that is just starting to get off the ground. I know this league came from absolutely nothing and is now gaining traction. However, they still don't pull sell outs in most stadiums and their TV numbers are not good. Were those things to increase, then maybe add more teams. I agree though that right now they are just looking for easy money. Unfortunately, they are also running the risk of running this whole league into the ground with a poor product. There's just not enough talent to fill 28 teams. Not with the salary restrictions they have in place.

They will have to allow more international slots and raise the cap to keep the product from regressing.