We hope to see a 30th MLS team “announced before the end of the year”.
- Las Vegas and San Diego are the most likely cities for MLS expansion teams, Garber said.
- With St. Louis City SC kicking off this season, 2023 marks the seventh consecutive year the league has expanded, adding nine new teams since 2019.
- Gerber added that he is open to the possibility of expanding the past 30 teams over the next few years.
Don Garber says Las Vegas and San Diego remain frontrunners for MLS expansion teams.
“The 30th team will be coming soon. We hope to announce it before the end of the year.”
In terms of expanding beyond 30, “never say never.”
— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) February 22, 2023
what garber said
Garber said of the league’s growth: And then you do the work, you bring in great partners, you build great stadiums, you get your community involved, and here we are Team 29. “
On the possibility of more than 30 people: “That 30th team is coming soon. Hopefully to the media people… I hope to announce it before the end of the year. I didn’t expect it to be 28.” I never thought I’d be 29. You say you’re going to quit at 30, but the other major leagues are bigger than that.I’ll never say that.Major League Soccer has an opportunity market for us. There are many others.”
Regarding other possible cities: “I think San Diego and Las Vegas are the most likely 30. But Phoenix doesn’t have a team. Sacramento doesn’t have a team. Detroit doesn’t have a team either. ; our All the big markets in the country.You know, you never know.Tampa is also a big city.Football has exploded professionally everywhere, both professionally and for men and women. doing.”
Do you find it surprising that Las Vegas and San Diego are designated as the 30th team?
Since Sacramento’s status was revoked in January 2021 following Ron Burkle’s failure to sign an expansion agreement, the two cities have been clear frontrunners for a similar entry into the West. bottom. Given the successful market entry of the Las Vegas Golden Knights and Las Vegas Raiders, Las Vegas seemed to be an early favourite.
However, Golden Knights owner Bill Foley has shifted his focus from investing in MLS to buying Premier League club AFC Bournemouth, calling it a “bargain” compared to MLS admission prices. MLS already has three clubs in California, but was poised to welcome his fourth in Sacramento, making San Diego a more viable proposition as a result. — router
Why did the MLS expand faster than other American leagues?
If a buyer is found…
MLS struggled to build a footprint during its first decade. His two clubs in Florida had to sign and merge as a 10-team league before expanding again with Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA in 2005. The league added one team each year from 2007 to 2010. Since 2011 (when Portland and Vancouver increased the league to 18 teams), MLS has added 12 more new members, leading to the dissolution of Chivas USA in 2014 and St. Louis City becoming his 29th active franchise. kicked off this weekend.
As you may have heard, American interest in soccer continues to skyrocket relative to other sports. From new clubs in leagues such as the MLS, NWSL, and lower division USL, to both the growing interest in fiction shows (Hello, Emmy-winning “Ted Lasso”) and non-fiction alternatives (Wrexham in the city) Until now, smart investors and celebrities want to own at least a piece of a football club. MLS sources speculate an inevitable growth to 32 teams in recent years, so it’s no surprise to hear that a 30th team is imminent. — router
What other cities are realistically viable?
As Rochester and Sacramento fans say, name checking by Gerber does not guarantee final admission. . Detroit was one of the club’s finalists in 2016, but was forced into the crowd by Ford because the owners wanted him to play on the field rather than build a football-only stadium. It didn’t work.
Phoenix and Tampa are among the Second Division’s most-followed and best-performing clubs for the fifth year in a row, helping MLS launch in mid-markets like Orlando, St. Paul, Cincinnati and Nashville This is the CV point you made. recent years. In 2020, the Louisville mayor teased talks with MLS about bringing his USL club with his state-of-the-art 15,000-seat stadium and his NWSL club, Racing Louisville, into the First Division. rice field. If the MLS grows to his 32 teams, there is no doubt that at least one (if not two) of these markets will fill the numbers. — router
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(Photo: Jeff Curry / USA Today)
