Expansion Rumors Megathread

Over-the-Rhine would be an amazing area for a stadium. That would be on fire!!!!
Agreed. Not at all a fan of having the stadium be in not-Cincinnati.

ETA: And can you imagine MLS playoffs happening there at the same time as Oktoberfest? That'd be killer!
 
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Agreed. Not at all a fan of having the stadium be in not-Cincinnati.

ETA: And can you imagine MLS playoffs happening there at the same time as Oktoberfest? That'd be killer!
Yeah, Oktoberfest would be Wild with it.

The OtR location would be great on a more personal level for me since a former college professor had pretty much made it his (professional) life’s goal to rejuvenate that district though thoughtful & inclusionary design via multiple organizations and non-profits. He recently passed, and I can’t help but think the district is far better off for his tireless efforts and foresight. I don’t know if he ever envisioned a sports arena there, but if the community is behind it, he’d likely have been too.
 
Yeah, Oktoberfest would be Wild with it.

The OtR location would be great on a more personal level for me since a former college professor had pretty much made it his (professional) life’s goal to rejuvenate that district though thoughtful & inclusionary design via multiple organizations and non-profits. He recently passed, and I can’t help but think the district is far better off for his tireless efforts and foresight. I don’t know if he ever envisioned a sports arena there, but if the community is behind it, he’d likely have been too.

My girlfriend lived on W 14th St right on Washington Park in 2014/2015. Vine Street is awesome. Very trendy/nice neighborhood.
 
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Someone else put together the net worth numbers to back up my stance on ownership:

1. Detroit - $5.8 billion+ (Dan Gilbert only, not counting Tom Gores)
2. Nashville - $4.2 billion (Jon Ingram only, not counting Wilf)
3. Cincinnati - $1.7 billion (Charles Lindner III)

https://www.thebluetestament.com/20...oenix-detroit-sacramento-miami-power-rankings

Phoenix's lead investor is Berke Bakay, who's estimated net worth is around $100 million. Yikes.

Steve Malik (Raleigh) and Bill Edwards (Tampa) are also likely to be well below Lindner.

Remember, ownership is the #1 factor. Detroit is a shoe-in. This also explains why Garber has been so high on Nashville as well.

#2 is a stadium proposal, which is sort of binary. Either you have it or you don't.

And #3 is financial projections, corporate support, and fan support. We usually focus on this topic as fans when debating expansion teams, but #1 is the bigger controlling factor.

If you're not on this list, you're a long shot: https://www.forbes.com/sites/chasew...every-american-billionaire-2016/#62dd042237ac
 
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Someone else put together the net worth numbers to back up my stance on ownership:

1. Detroit - $5.8 billion+ (Dan Gilbert only, not counting Tom Gores)
2. Nashville - $4.2 billion (Jon Ingram only, not counting Wilf)
3. Cincinnati - $1.7 billion (Charles Lindner III)

https://www.thebluetestament.com/20...oenix-detroit-sacramento-miami-power-rankings

Phoenix's lead investor is Berke Bakay, who's estimated net worth is around $100 million. Yikes.

Steve Malik (Raleigh) and Bill Edwards (Tampa) are also likely to be well below Lindner.

Remember, ownership is the #1 factor. Detroit is a shoe-in. This also explains why Garber has been so high on Nashville as well.

#2 is a stadium proposal, which is sort of binary. Either you have it or you don't.

And #3 is financial projections, corporate support, and fan support. We usually focus on this topic as fans when debating expansion teams, but #1 is the bigger controlling factor.

If you're not on this list, you're a long shot: https://www.forbes.com/sites/chasew...every-american-billionaire-2016/#62dd042237ac

i mean was portland/ impact/ Minnesota/ that high in billionaire status?

thing is that i always say against pro/rel people saying "oh many millionaires will be interested in owning team to promote to first division" im like yea thats great but at the top level you area dealing with billionaires. Can a millionaire make a good team in a "pro/rel" world? sure but it sure as hell be hard when you dealing with others with deeper pockets than you

as for us seems like we skipped 2 & 3....garber just wanted this team
 
http://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...-motors-ddot-gilbert-jail-proposal/688929001/

A tentative deal to swap the massive former American Motors headquarters in Detroit in exchange for 11 acres of city-owned land needed to build a new criminal justice complex near I-75 has been reached— bringing the $520.3-million offer from billionaire developer Dan Gilbert's Rock Ventures, one step closer to fruition.

There are a number of choke points for this deal to fail yet, but things are sure looking good in Detroit. They are a lock to get selected given their top market size, incredible downtown stadium plan, and massive ownership wealth.

Gilbert is on record saying construction will be complete by November 2020. Factoring in a year of delays, they would probably need two years in a temp venue if they were to launch in 2020. I think if MLS's other eastern selection has an active USL team (e.g. Cincy or Nashville), they would promote that team first as #25/26 and Detroit as #27/28.

2020 - Sacramento
2020 - Nashville
2021 - Detroit
2021 - Cincy/San Diego/Phoenix? Tough race for the last spot. Does Zombie St. Louis rise from the dead?

I could easily see going straight to 30, especially if St. Louis revives their bid.
 
On one hand, this is smart.

On the other hand, make a fucking decision.
It seems like so many bids are close, but waiting to put a piece or two together. MLS delaying things a bit could give them more options, less uncertainty, and perhaps bigger expansion fees.
 
Sounds like the cities they want to get in, aren't ready.

Yeah, I think they really want cities from their "Top 4" ownership groups/markets, in order to keep open the possibility of getting all four top picks.

I'm thinking Sacramento and Detroit will be the next two, and if Detroit needs until spring, they may wait until spring.
 
Not exactly Expansion, but close enough and not worth it's own thread at this point.


Columbus Crew to Austin?????

(Edit: I pulled the link because I saw it's behind a paywall. So annoying. It was first talked about on the twitter verse by some of those top MLS reporters.)

I always figured they would be the top target once expansion was done (if it ever is) due to their cheap and now aging stadium. Who knows if this is just strategy or an actual gameplan.
 
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Not exactly Expansion, but close enough and not worth it's own thread at this point.


Columbus Crew to Austin?????

(Edit: I pulled the link because I saw it's behind a paywall. So annoying. It was first talked about on the twitter verse by some of those top MLS reporters.)

I always figured they would be the top target once expansion was done (if it ever is) due to their cheap and now aging stadium. Who knows if this is just strategy or an actual gameplan.

Yeah i started a thread about it !! I Should of read this topic first.

Ill link the article here.

http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20171016/crew-sc-owner-considers-moving-team-to-austin-texas
 
I'll save comments on the relocation to the other thread, but as far as expansion impacts:

Clears the path for Detroit, Sacramento, Cincinnati, and Nashville as the next four. They have great ownership groups and great stadium plans (provided Nashville crosses the finish line as expected and Detroit maintains momentum.) Surely the runaway favorites at this point.

PACIFIC - Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, San Jose, Los Angeles FC, LA Galaxy
MOUNTAIN - Salt Lake, Colorado, Minnesota, Kansas City, Dallas, Austin, Houston
CENTRAL - Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, Nashville, Atlanta, Orlando, Miami
EAST - Toronto, Montreal, New England, New York City, NY Red Bulls, Philadelphia, DC United

Twice against your division, once against everyone else, and one additional rivalry game gives a 34-game schedule.