Expansion Rumors Megathread

[franchise646]

What is the NFL Stadium like in St. Louis? Is is well located? Could it be reconditioned/rebuilt as a SSS?

It's located well, but it's a 60K so they would have to bring down 35K seats.

 

[MagnusPax]

What is the NFL Stadium like in St. Louis? Is is well located? Could it be reconditioned/rebuilt as a SSS?

 

[franchise646]

League wants two at a time. so it would be
WEST EAST
2017 Minnesota Atlanta
2018 LAFC Miami
201? Sacramento ??????

so MLS needs to find #26 in the east

 

[413Blue]

League wants two at a time. so it would be
WEST EAST
2017 Minnesota Atlanta
2018 LAFC Miami
201? Sacramento ??????

so MLS needs to find #26 in the east

MLS has shown that balance has vitually nothing to do with expansion choices. They allow the best markets that are ready to pay and enter the league. If an incredible group from San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas or some other western/central market come forward, they will get in. They won't hold a spot just to balance out the conferences, they would just shift a team over to the east.

 

[franchise646]

MLS has shown that balance has vitually nothing to do with expansion choices. They allow the best markets that are ready to pay and enter the league. If an incredible group from San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas or some other western/central market come forward, they will get in. They won't hold a spot just to balance out the conferences, they would just shift a team over to the east.

Yeah they will they will figure it out same way the bounce Sporting KC to the west they would bonce the right bzck to the east. But they rather find another team in the east than realign.

 

[MagnusPax]

League wants two at a time. so it would be
WEST EAST
2017 Minnesota Atlanta
2018 LAFC Miami
201? Sacramento ??????

so MLS needs to find #26 in the east

San Antonio will most likely come in with Sacramento in 2019-2020. And I agree MLS doesn't care too much about alignment of conferences.

 

[franchise646]

San Antonio will most likely come in with Sacramento in 2019-2020. And I agree MLS doesn't care too much about alignment of conferences.

The San Antonio situation is a mess right now, I can see the NASL and USL teams trying to make the jump before them. Charlotte want in pretty badly.

 

[MagnusPax]

The San Antonio situation is a mess right now

How so? The NASL owner is about a week away from selling the stadium to the county, city and the Spurs for $21 million; and all 3 have said they are doing this to get into MLS.

 

[franchise646]

How so? The NASL owner is about a week away from selling the stadium to the county, city and the Spurs for $21 million; and all 3 have said they are doing this to get into MLS.

Who's the owner?

 

[MagnusPax]

Who's the owner?

NASL Scorpions? Gordon Hartman.
MLS San Antonio? The San Antonio Spurs parent company, SSE.

 

[franchise646]

Then I stand corrected

 

[Gotham Gator]

Yeah, I can see why the NFL wants out of that dump. I mean, it's 20-years old. If the NFL were Donald Trump it would have divorced it years ago.

Seriously, the structure is obviously not ideal for soccer, but it's a perfect location - downtown, on a rail line, part of the convention center. My guess is that they wouldn't want to convert or rebuild to an outdoor stadium, particularly given the proximity to the convention center. But, they would certainly refurbish for soccer as best they could if the NFL left town. In Atlanta, they are installing removable draping to cover the upper decks for soccer. Should be easy to do here.

 

[MagnusPax]

Interesting article on MLS expansion from the guys who cover the Minnesota United club.

http://northernpitch.com/_/minnesota-soccer-news/where-will-mls-expand-next-r619

I found the info on corporate HQs and median income levels another interesting angle. I wonder where NYC ranks.

 

[BossNYC]

Las Vegas making a big push again

I'd love to see them get a team.

 

[21Architect]

Yeah me too.

I would plan one of my Vegas trips around their schedule.

Only option is a dome, though.

 

[MagnusPax]

Las Vegas making a big push again

I'd love to see them get a team.

They are? I hadn't heard anything outside of a push for a USL or NASL club.

Do you have a link or something?

Edit:
Here it is:

https://twitter.com/x/status/675673462199963648

 

[MagnusPax]

This newer Vegas push is being fronted by NJRB season ticket holder Jason Ader. They are the same group that was talking about starting a USL or NASL team first while they build fanbase and MLS stadium. I think this is a great strategy.

 

[LionNYC]

This newer Vegas push is being fronted by NJRB season ticket holder Jason Ader. They are the same group that was talking about starting a USL or NASL team first while they build fanbase and MLS stadium. I think this is a great strategy.

They certainly drink a lot of Red Bull at the clubs in Vegas.

 

[Gazza_55]

8 new clubs, taking it to 28, will bring in nearly $1B to the league in expansion fees. That's a lot of money to inject into a league supposedly losing money - granted, expansion fees are like a ponzi scheme if that's the sole source of positive revenue for certain teams - which it is for nearly half the league per a recent Forbes article for 2014 revenue.

Also, with so many teams, parity is the new Unicorn - it won't exist because due to numbers alone (unless parity actually refers to those that don't win), each team will only have a 3.57% chance of winning during a given season (all things being equal). With the current rules, and that many teams, once a club gets in to a funk, they'll never be able to pull themselves out without the ability to spend above the current cap. MLS can keep their Cap if they want, just institute a luxury tax on those that bust the upper threshold. Cheap owners have their operating expenses paid for via Lux Tax, and ambitious owners can field the teams they want.

As LionNYC mentioned above, 30 teams would make for a great Inter-MLS 20/10 promotion/regulation league(s). The lower league, MLS2, would still have the MLS moniker and moxy, and there would be extra interest created - which teams are primed to win MLS1, Relegate from MLS1, and Promote from MLS2. And the Cosmos will still be looking on from the outside saying what if & if only.....

And yet..... NYCFC still may be in Yankee Stadium if DeBlasio somehow wins reelection.....

Ponzi scheme? League's sole source of positive revenue? Pro/rel?
Not this same old crap again.

Expansion fees when divided up to the current owners are between $300k to $500k a year for usually a 10 year period. Some of these current owners are investing hundreds of millions in stadiums, youth academies and DP's (which by the way is the reason teams are losing $ - or do expect RBNY to offset $200m RBA in a couple of years?)
The current owners also have their shares in SUM and the league reduced by the number of new franchises.

Toronto FC joined in 2007 for $10m. They have partially paid for BMO Field then upgraded seating capacity twice and added a roof ($120m). Built the KIA Training Ground ($21m) and who knows how much on Designated Players. From 2009 to present they have received $2.7m from expansion fees. If it's a Ponzi Scheme it's the worst one in the history of the world.

 

[FootyLovin]

Ponzi scheme? League's sole source of positive revenue? Pro/rel?
Not this same old crap again.

Expansion fees when divided up to the current owners are between $300k to $500k a year for usually a 10 year period. Some of these current owners are investing hundreds of millions in stadiums, youth academies and DP's (which by the way is the reason teams are losing $ - or do expect RBNJ to offset $200m RBA in a couple of years?)
The current owners also have their shares in SUM and the league reduced by the number of new franchises.

Toronto FC joined in 2007 for $10m. They have partially paid for BMO Field then upgraded seating capacity twice and added a roof ($120m). Built the KIA Training Ground ($21m) and who knows how much on Designated Players. From 2009 to present they have received $2.7m from expansion fees. If it's a Ponzi Scheme it's the worst one in the history of the world.

Naw. It's the best. Cause you get to own a footy club. Money be damned.