Major League Soccer Expansion

[abomb]

A Valley MLS team should have the colors red, white and green.

 

[NightHawk11and81]

It will not be easy for Phoenix to get the fourth expansion team, but it also won't be impossible. Seattle is confirmed for 2009 as the league's 15th team. Philadelphia and St. Louis are likely to be the next two, as both are high on the league's radar.

An addition of another team in the east would require the league to split up Kansas City and St. Louis, something that would not be in MLS's best interest. So Phoenix has a shot, and would have to beat out Portland and Las Vegas among western cities.

 

[Zeno]

It will not be easy for Phoenix to get the fourth expansion team, but it also won't be impossible. Seattle is confirmed for 2009 as the league's 15th team. Philadelphia and St. Louis are likely to be the next two, as both are high on the league's radar.

An addition of another team in the east would require the league to split up Kansas City and St. Louis, something that would not be in MLS's best interest. So Phoenix has a shot, and would have to beat out Portland and Las Vegas among western cities.

Or better yet MLS could go to a single table format like the rest of the world.

 

[NightHawk11and81]

Or better yet MLS could go to a single table format like the rest of the world.

With the perspective of American sports fans being what it is, I don't think that's happening anytime soon.

 

[gr000000vy]

Yea I seriously doubt we will see a single table in the MLS.

I think it would be great to incorporate a single table and joint partnership with the USL and actually have promotion and relegation. The more interviews I see the more of a reality it could become we'll see.

Other thing is they need to change the calendar and go with the rest of the world, but I doubt that will ever happen either.

 

[AussieCardinal]

Whats the news on Montreal joining the MLS? While i was there i saw the new stadium that they had finished building, and was told they were entering the league for the 2008 season?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Whats the news on Montreal joining the MLS? While i was there i saw the new stadium that they had finished building, and was told they were entering the league for the 2008 season?

Not much on Montreal. San Jose is the new team for 2008, Seattle for 2009.

 

[gr000000vy]

With Toronto's success in the league it's only a matter of time before we get another wacky Canadian team....

 

[gr000000vy]

Looks like philly is pretty much a for sure now... they look to be approving a 45 mil $ soccer stadium.....

 

[AussieCardinal]

Not much on Montreal. San Jose is the new team for 2008, Seattle for 2009.

Oh ok thanks for the info

 

[Zeno]

From Soccer By Ives....

"Philadelphia awarded 16th MLS franchise
The wait is finally over Philadelphia, Major League Soccer is coming to your city.

MLS has chosen Philadelphia to become the league's 16th franchise, sources told SBI on Wednesday night. The announcement is set for next Thursday.

Philadelphia beat out St. Louis for the right to join the league, helped in no small part by the state of Pennsylvania's decision to approve $47 million in state funding for a proposed $115 million stadium in Chester, Pa.

The Philadelphia team is slated to begin play in 2010.

So why Philadelphia instead of St. Louis? The St. Louis expansion drive slowed in recent months as efforts to attract big-money investors proved difficult while Philly's push for public stadium funding provided the final boost for the efforts.

Don't fret St. Louis, there is always being No. 17. The city's chances for eventually joining MLS look good and a city with as much soccer history and love for the sport as St. Louis will surely make its way into the league sooner rather than later...."

I've also heard MLS plans to expand to 18 teams eventually and that will be it for the long term. I for one think they need to stay at 16 for awhile until MLS teams can field talented squads. If anyone watched the Galaxy Vs whatever Japanese team that was (Forget the name)..that was ugly, sure Ruiz & Donovan were out but that was terrible soccer for a bunch of so called pros.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Gamba Osaka also dropped Houston 6-1. I know its a preseason exhibition, but ouch.

 

[CaptTurbo]

YEAH Philly!!

Count me in for season tickets.

 

[Zeno]

Since I am in the DC area right now I am going to head over to RFK tonight and watch DC United play Harbor View from Jamaica for the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup series. It'll be my first MLS game...well sort of MLS game.

I'm like 45 minutes from RFK so hopefully I get to some other games this season too as I am here until June. I just have to get my work schedule to cooperate.

 

[Zeno]

DC won the game 5-0, it was a lot of fun. United has some dedicated fans.

 

[Zeno]

Steve Nash, the 2005 and 2006 NBA Most Valuable Player, accompanied the Major League Soccer commissioner this week on a trip to Montreal to discuss future MLS possibilities there. Nash, of the Phoenix Suns, is a native Canadian who comes from a soccer-entrenched family. He has used soccer extensively in his training (as he did in his upbringing), and has incorporated it in many of his videos and TV commercials.

I hear they may add 2 teams for the '11 season. St Louis is considered a front runner but another Canadian team isn't far fetched.

 

[gr000000vy]

my guess is st louis and montreal...

anyone see the new seattle jersey? pretty sweet...

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I'd like to see colorado do something like Aston Villa is doing though... if your not going to sell the spot at least do something useful with it.

The Premier League has given Aston Villa permission to have a charity’s name emblazoned across their shirts next season instead of a sponsor’s name. The landmark decision by the Premier League will allow Aston Villa to have Acorns Children’s Hospice printed on its shirts.

“Real credit must go to Aston Villa for being the first Premier League club to use its shirt sponsorship to highlight and promote its charity partnership with Acorns, a highly public way of demonstrating that this type of commitment is central to the modern football club,” said Richard Scudamore, chief executive of the Premier League.

Let’s hope that this decision by Aston Villa will make other Premier League clubs consider doing the same in the future. During a time when generating massive amounts of revenue is high on the agenda for all clubs, Aston Villa has bucked the trend by deciding to allow a charity to be featured on their shirts instead of collecting massive money from sponsorship rights.

Of course, Aston Villa isn’t the first football club in the world to make this move. Barcelona has never worn the name of a sponsor on their shirt, but recently featured the name UNICEF.

Congratulations to Aston Villa and Randy Lerner for being so benevolent.

 

[Zeno]

Barcelona was the first to put a non-profit organization on their shirts as far as I know when they put Unicef on it. I agree that if you don't have a sponsor heading in to a season then they should "adopt" a charity and stay with them for the remainder of the year.

 

[Stout]

Barcelona was the first to put a non-profit organization on their shirts as far as I know when they put Unicef on it. I agree that if you don't have a sponsor heading in to a season then they should "adopt" a charity and stay with them for the remainder of the year.

Or, you know, like, put the team logo and name on it *gasp*! That's the one thing I like about most American sports. They might have emblems here and there, but it's still the TEAM'S jersey first and foremost.

 

[Zeno]

Here are the expansion candidates...

Two MLS franchises should be established by 2011, expanding the league to 18 teams.

The current applicants and their prospective locations are: Arthur Blank (Atlanta); FC Barcelona and Marcelo Claure (Miami); The Saputo and Gillett Families (Montreal); Eugene Melnyk (Ottawa); The Paulson Family (Portland); Jeff Cooper (St. Louis); and Greg Kerfoot, Steve Nash and Jeff Mallett (Vancouver).

I have to believe with FC Barcelona being part of the ownership group that Miami has to be one of the favorites now. That doesn't make them a shoe in though...

My guess is that it will be between St Louis, Portland & Montreal for that last spot.

 

[Chaplin]

The only thing expansion will do is make the game even worse-which is quite a feat since it's not very good now.

 

[Zeno]

The only thing expansion will do is make the game even worse-which is quite a feat since it's not very good now.

I agree with you, I think they should wait until 2015 and not 2011. Give the league a little more time to build up the talent. Watering it down is definitely going to lead to less quality.

 

[gr000000vy]

i think its great that so many people want expansion teams.... I could see Barca helping teh Miami city out with the second being between Montreal and Vancouver.... i doubt vancouver gets in but i would love to see a team owned by steve nash get soccer some pub....

i'm a bit worried with the expansion too fast but would like to see us get to 20 teams play a home and home single table and be done with it unless they merge with USL which will never happen....

 

[Shzm13]

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Yuck! How can you think its good looking?

 

[Chaplin]

This weekend on the broadcast of the Barca thrashing of Almeria they mentioned that if Miami gets a team Thierry Henry might be the big name that makes the move to the club. Makes sense to me because Henry hasn't really fit in to the Barca side--Eto'o is pretty much forcing Guardiola to barely play Henry.