Don Garber does not
have an easy task ahead of making a final decision on the league future,
especially on its expansion business when you have twelve candidates for just four
posts if not five.
So far, for Major
League Soccer expansion has been a perfect ten, in this campaign going to twenty-two
squads in this 2017 with another one coming in 2018.
The arrival of
Orlando City and NYCFC put the league totals to twenty, as in this campaign, Major
League Soccer went to its already planned expansion with two more squads in Minnesota
and Atlanta United’s.
As twenty-two squads
currently make out the league total, next campaign the arrival of a second
squad in Tinsel Town, the LACFC and elevating its number to twenty-three.
One question arises
for Don Garber suppose Miami United project leaded by David Beckham, that so
far has not shown any signs of this project being a complete go and this can open
the possibilities of a another city making its entry in the last minute.
Getting back to the
expansion business currently in the commissioners agenda, this does not look
like an easy decision given by this extraordinary man looking forward to see a
league of 28 squads competing in its near future.
When news broke of
the amount of squads looking forward to a future expansion to award in the year
2020 by the league, the numbers of entries were very impressive if not amazing
to see the interest of professional soccer coming to these cities.
Man this game is
catching on, I must say, with a total of twelve entries and just four spots
available per the league sources, the way this game is getting all sorts of
attention in the Union is impressive.
Yes, becoming as popular
as professional baseball, basketball, and hockey and now nearing in attendance but
still a bit far away to overcome those figures in football, by several factors in
the size of stadiums in comparison to some of MLS.
Still the arrival of
Don Garber to lead the destinies of the league affairs one being in shambles
since taking over, since then the league has grown considerably alongside
seventeen squads with their own venues to call home.
Very well others that
have already an ownership in their stadiums due to a fellowship with some NFL squads
in the likes of the Seattle Sounders and New England Revolution.
By far this
association once destined to fracas is now building and solidifying its roots in
the professional American sports landscape with a growing and impressive interest.
Getting back to this expansion
business and the way it’s working out not in the most charming for Commissioner
Don Garber coming with such not an easy choice, still he is following his instincts
in reference to this city’s history and past support of this sport.
As many state why did
this league will be growing to 28 squads, one for its geography and number of important
cities in it as well its location as for the man in charge of league affairs,
he would like to see each region with a strong presence in MLS.
So far the South has
a presence in Orlando, Atlanta, Houston and Dallas, the Pacific Northwest with
Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, the northeast with New York and New York City,
New England, DC and Philadelphia.
The Midwest Chicago,
Kansas City and Columbus, the West with Los Angeles and San Jose as well Canada
with Toronto and Montreal, Central with
Minnesota, Salt Lake City and Colorado.
Rounding up the
league all of its regions, with more squads to come but from where.
With an application process
placed by the following cities, many of these hope to get the nod by the league
and its commissioner reaching a decision soon in some heavily favored cities to
make up the definitive list.
The following cities
are the ones already putting an application to try to lure a franchise as well
bring the thrill and excitement that the beautiful game.
As I was reading one
of the posts the league in its MLS website, shows off a very heated competition
and with various groups putting in detail of why they will be the ideal ones.
Let me start with
Charlotte North Carolina, the ideal location for the league to add another franchise
in the Deep South, with its USL team the Independence playing in Mecklenburg
Sports Complex with a seating capacity of 2300.
Cincinnati with its
FC currently playing in the USL and making all sorts of headlines with its record-breaking
attendances in the regular campaign of this league as well in exhibition matches,
this squad is a heavy favorite to get a franchise as its followers already showed
up a bold plan to the league Boss.
The Motor City,
Detroit Michigan as in the days of the old NASL from 1978 to 1981, the Express
had a solid managing base with then GM Jimmy Hill ex Coventry City director,
later this club moved to the indoor scene and enjoyed great deal of support
from its fan base.
Indianapolis is
another city looking forward to get the nod of getting their feet in MLS, with
a squad currently playing in the new NASL, founded in 2013, under the Indy
Eleven and playing in the stadium of the campus of the Indiana- Purdue
University.
Phoenix will be an
attention magnet to the league top brass, the only thing that can be a
deterrent is the summer days around 120 degrees weather, still one thing in
favor of this city is its population and its turnout whenever the Mexican National
team plays to a total sold outs in NFL Cardinals stadium.
Nashville, Tennessee
another heavily favorite southern city that is a wish list for the league as originally
envisioned by a group of diehard fans asking via the social media of purchasing
a sort of stock, currently its squad plays in the formative league and under
the ownership group.
Raleigh/ Durham North
Carolina, the presence of two squads from the same state will indeed start the so-called
Carolina Derbies, still this group is in need of a stadium infrastructure and
seems a long shoot, still nothing is impossible, and their geographical location
will be their advantage.
Sacramento the Golden
State capital currently with a USL squad in the Republic and with strong
interest of staging cross Interstate derbies with their Silicon Valley foes the
Quakes, their entry is considered a strong one and with the arguments of possibly
getting awarded a franchise.
San Antonio currently
in the new NASL and with its own venue been followed closely by league inner circles,
the group owners of the NBA giants San Antonio Spurs and with their own venue
holding 8000 plus fans and already a major sponsor in Toyota Stadium.
The NASL ownership of
the Scorpions besides of being heavily favored to be one of those fortunate
cities their all-around compromise of expansion their own venue can land them a
franchise.
San Diego, with
Americas finest City a group entrepreneurs in the investment field, have been
lobbying with the city and currently former All American soccer great Landon Donovan being
a part of this group and with a mega project the return of professional soccer
to this city can be a reality.
The Tampa Bay/ St.
Petersburg return to Major League Soccer after their disappearance as the
Mutiny and brief stay in the league, now as the Rowdies they have a chance of
getting back to the big scene and favorable for them- their Florida location that can
be an asset.
Lastly, the
application of Saint Louis returning to MLS after this city losing their NFL squad
left to return to Los Angeles, the Blues capital is one of the sure and possibly
the next city to became a part of the audacious and bold expansion announced
for 2020.
With some of these
metropolises having a certain edge over others, the long planned announcement
made by the league commissioner held around sometime this year of who will be
next two squads to make their debut in the above-mentioned year.
One of the major
factors the league takes inconsideration to make a final verdict, is the
ownership structure and solid finances, Stadium if already is an existent one
and the way this will be expanded to MLS standards if not the plan, financing
and government authorizations.
The main one will be
how financial projections in the end of this club will be to be a solid entity
in MLS and not disappears with time due to a financial dismay and support.
At the end as many
state Miami progress to be heard anytime soon, the arrival of a second squad to
Los Angeles will be the 23 and 24 squads respectively as the 25 and 26 to be
named soon will start league play in 2020.
For the highest authority
Don Garber issuing a decision and being this one of its utmost rules to give,
due to its difficulty in the mentioned candidates advantages and importance that
will bring to this league.
As not even the
European leagues have the number of squads that MLS will have as the case of
Argentina with this number and a league known to be a major exporter of players
to the world clubs, the aim of this American association is of developing
players and later selling them.
To conclude this game
is really catching and the overall proof is the interest of many cities across
the Union vying for a spot in this league, still with the amount, why not MLS
takes over the reins of NASL and re structures it.
The main idea will be
one day of having a relegation or promotion as in the European an South American
leagues, something too new and difficult to understand but not impossible to
implement one day to increase the levels of competition.
One thing for sure I would
not like to be in the shoes of the Commissioner and the way he will decide will
be for the best of the league, best of luck to any of the candidates already
putting an entry and looking forward to a franchise.
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