Expansion Rumors Megathread

MagnusPax

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Please use this thread for all MLS Expansion RUMORS. There has been a lot of Expansion bid rumor threads popping up, all of which devolve into a discussion about general expansion topics. All new threads regarding expansion rumors will be either merged with this thread or removed. Thanks!
-Edited by Admin Staff 3/18/17
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david-beckham.jpg


Last week, David Beckham said this:
“We’re pretty close to announcing certain things and then the stadium will come after that. You can’t build a stadium overnight, so finding the right site, finding the right place in Miami is important for us. But it will all start coming together pretty quickly and everything will start happening pretty soon. I’m really excited about that. Being an ex soccer player to have my own team, I’m excited about that.”

Then news came out that this coming week, the Miami-Dade county commissioners were voting on a resolution to support Beckham and MLS in setting up temporary shop at Miami's Florida International University football stadium. Word has it that its got full support from all the commissioners even before the vote is going to take place. Even the local supporters are rallying behind idea. This might have traction.
https://www.facebook.com/SouthernLegionMLS/posts/913564835329294

Its possible that Beckham really does have a stadium plan ready. If so then this is good news. However some think its just a ploy by Beckham and MLS to get around their own "guidelines" and get Beckham a team faster.

I love Miami, I think its a perfect place for MLS to work. And if you like, we can have long conversations about the Miami sports market and the Fusion's "failure". Personally, I'm only worried that this happens without due diligence on the stadium. Miami is eerily similar to NYCFC in that both got their start with no stadium plan. NYCFC is only going ahead because of the Yankees connection (IMO). I agree that Miami needs a stadium plan first, before they start playing.
 
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I saw this news earlier and wasn't sure what to make. I'm hoping this means he has a plan I'm place and a team will come there soon. A good Miami team drawing huge crowds would be fantastic for the league and a destination team that could draw a lot of talent to the team. Also we would have the two strongest market in the south and Orlando.
 
Just don't like Miami as a sports city. Heat games are empty now. Built a beautiful baseball stadium. No one goes. You just don't get good fans down there. Too many transplants maybe? Other things to do?
 
Just don't like Miami as a sports city. Heat games are empty now. Built a beautiful baseball stadium. No one goes. You just don't get good fans down there. Too many transplants maybe? Other things to do?
You sure about the Heat? As for the Marlins, well if the team sucks...
Kings-Attendance-Figures-2014.jpg

also- http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance

Sorry this argument works just as strongly for places like LA and Orlando. They seem to work in MLS. Its getting tired.
 
You sure about the Heat? As for the Marlins, well if the team sucks...
Kings-Attendance-Figures-2014.jpg

also- http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance

Sorry this argument works just as strongly for places like LA and Orlando. They seem to work in MLS. Its getting tired.


You must not follow the NBA. Those are 2014 numbers. Like when Lebron James was there.

the Kings stink. But when they were kid, it was a great atmosphere.

But Miami never supported the Dolphins when they were good. Never supported the Marlins when they won. And now they have left the Heat quickly. It's just a miserable sports town.
 
Any chance you clicked on the link I provided for 2015 NBA numbers? Probably not...
 
In fairness to the anti-miami sentiment, it exists in all sports. I remember the first year the big-trio was signed in Miami and they literally were begging fans to show up because they could not sell out games. The general sports consensus, especially in the northeast where we are used to flying down to Miami and making NFL/MLB games virtually home games for us, is that Miami is not the greatest sports market. If that is a fair assessment, I don't know.
 
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Looks like the Miami-Dade county commission will approve using the FIU football stadium for MLS. Supporters are encouraging fans to come to the meeting to support the resolution. Still unknown if Becks people or MLS support it. Seems like the supporters talk to Beckham's people, can't imagine they would just do it without approval.

The place most mentioned as the permanent stadium site is near the Miami airport. There's a new Grand Central Station (ha) there. Hopefully Beckham announces that 2 seconds before they announce temp site of FIU.
 
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It seems as if Miami/Becks are getting a team finally and I really hope the city and its residents support this club.
 
At the top of that screen shot it says 2014.

It's not a good sports city. That's been the rap on Miami for 20 years now. It's a necessity for MLS to have a franchise there. But it's an awful sports city.
 
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It's not a good sports city. That's been the rap on Miami for 20 years now. It's a necessity for MLS to have a franchise there. But it's an awful sports city.
So you keep saying.

Since most of us here aren't south Florida residents, I don't see the point of arguing the pros and cons of the market.

I much rather discuss what Miami and Becks will mean to the league, if it happens.
 
Great. It means the largest uncovered regional media market is covered now. More tv dollars. Maybe he can attract players. Probably can.

But don't expect a Seattle or Portland like atmosphere at the game. All I was saying. Apathetic sports city.
 
I am from South Florida and am a huge SFL sports fan. Dolphins, Marlins, Heat, Panthers, fusion... a big issue with attendence is poor management among other things.

Dolphins
First, let me establish that Miami is the best bandwagon fans in the country. Dolphins have sold out religiously until recently. The team has not made the playoffs since 2008 and have not be contenders since Marino retired. I think we have had 17 QB in 20 years. Fans still go to the games and the stadium gets about 90-95% filled.

Marlins
The main issue with the marlins over the years were the stadium and the ownership. Attendence was good when the marlins were founded. The team had a fire sale in 1997, 2005 and the fans were continuously lied to. The current ownership has a unique view on the team. If the roster cannot win the world series in the next 3 years, blow it up and start again. This rubbed fans the wrong way over the years and caused attendence to dip. Also, for most of the years, the marlins played is a football stadium. I used to attend about 30 games a year in dolphin stadium and it sucked. The new stadium is nice but it is a far drive from broward and palm beach which makes up a majority of marlins attendees when they played in dolphin stadium. In addition it is far from the downtown area where fans cant just walk up or take public transportation.

Panthers - playoffs once in 19 years... enough said.

Heat - attendence is still good with out lebron.

Fusion - played in a high school football stadium in a warehouse area of broward county. Soccer will take off down there if the stadium is in the downtown area where beckham wants it. His two plans that he pushed both got turned down. The cruise port, fill in the slip next to the heat arena. Both would be great plans.