MLS to 28 teams. Tampa Rowdies in discussion

Knightrogen · Feb 3, 2017

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber announced plans Thursday for the league’s expansion to 28 teams, including a deadline for owners to apply and a new franchise fee.

The fee for the two teams expected to be granted next year is jumping to $150 million. Garber also set a Jan. 31, 2017, deadline for interested potential owners or ownership groups to apply.

Ten markets have expressed interest in an MLS team, including Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, Raleigh/Durham, Sacramento, St. Louis, San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa/St. Petersburg.

Sacramento is considered one of the strongest candidates. The USL side, the Sacramento Republic, hosted Garber for a rally in April to demonstrate the city's enthusiasm for a top-level team.

Sacramento already has an agreement on a public-private soccer-specific stadium.

Quicken Loans Inc. founder Dan Gilbert, along with Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores, first announced a bid for a DetroitMLS team in April, with plans for a $1 billion mixed-use stadium.

Another strong bid is expected from St. Louis. The potential ownership group for SC St. Louis includes former Bain Capital managing director Paul Edgerley and Jim Kavanaugh, owner of St. Louis FC of the USL.

MLS soccer has been really successful in recent years. Orlando City is a typical example. We have a new stadium now. It is going to be a great experience to watch the game inside.

San Diego

Submission announced: 2:30 PM ET - Monday, Jan. 30

Mike Stone, the leader of a prospective MLS ownership group, hand-delivered San Diego's expansion application bid to MLS Commissioner Don Garber in an event held on Monday afternoon on the deck of the USS Midway in San Diego. The city's mayor, Kevin Faulconer, and MLS legend Landon Donovan also attended the event.

The bid's stadium plan calls for a privately-financed 30,000-seat facility on the Mission Valley site where Qualcomm Stadium sits.

The local ownership group includes: former Qualcomm President Steve Altman, technology entrepreneurs Massih and Masood Tayeb, Padres owner and local investor Peter Seidler and sports media executive Juan Carlos Rodriguez.

Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg

Submission announced: 3:00 PM ET - Monday, Jan. 30

The Tampa Bay Rowdies delivered their expansion application to MLS headquarters in New York City on Monday afternoon. Their interactive expansion application, featuring more than 200 letters of support from politicians and local celebrities among others, included a modern rendition of “A Kick in the Grass.”

Also part of the application were details and renderings of the privately funded renovation and expansion plans to Al Lang Stadium and the proposed ownership group led by Rowdies Chairman & CEO Bill Edwards, who headed the delegation that traveled to Manhattan on Monday morning.

I have been to St Pete and Rowdie's stadium is just old and ugly.

Do you think that we need Tampa so that we can create a rivalry?

Cincinnati

Submission announced: 12:15 PM ET - Tuesday, Jan. 31

FC Cincinnati owner, CEO and chairman Carl Lindner delivered the expansion application to league headquarters on Tuesday

Sacramento

Submission announced: 3:30 PM ET - Tuesday, Jan. 31

Sac Soccer & Entertainment Holdings officially submitted their expansion bid on Tuesday, while also announcing the addition of Meg Whitman, president and CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprises and Dr. Griff Harsh, a professor of neurosurgery otolaryngology at Stanford University Medical Center, to the prospective ownership group. Several local investors in the Sacramento Kings, as well as Jed York of the San Francisco 49ers also form part of the group.

The club has a "shovel-ready" downtown stadium plan for a 20,000-seat MLS stadium that has already cleared all regulatory approvals.

San Antonio

Submission announced: 4:00 PM ET - Tuesday, Jan. 31

Spurs Sports & Entertainment, owners of USL side San Antonio FC, announced their formal application for expansion.

Raleigh/Durham

Submission announced: 4:30 PM ET - Tuesday, Jan. 31

A group led by North Carolina FC owner Steve Malik has confirmed an expansion bid has been submitted for the Raleigh/Durham area.

In the statement announcing the official expansion application, North Carolina FC noted that it will reveal more information about its stadium plans in the coming weeks.

St. Louis

Submission announced: 4:43 PM ET - Tuesday, Jan. 31

Prospective ownership group SC STL, headed by lead owner and chairman Paul Edgerley, announced they have filed an expansion application and supporting documents with the league office. Edgerley is joined on SC STL's executive committee by CEO of World Wide Technology Jim Kavanaugh, managing director of Tortoise Capital Terry Matlack and former Anheuser-Busch president Dave Peacock.

The group is proposing a new 20,000-seat downtown stadium adjacent to and west of St. Louis Union Station.

Phoenix

Submission announced: 4:46 PM ET - Tuesday, Jan. 31

USL club Phoenix Rising FC officially submitted its expansion application bid on Tuesday.

The bid features letters of support from more than 45 political and business leaders from the Phoenix area and a plan to privately fund the building of a new, climate-controlled, soccer-specific stadium on a 45-acre site that is under contract. The soccer complex will include the club's academy as well as light-rail access for fans throughout the Valley.

The ownership team is headed by the club's governor, Berke Bakay, and includes a group of investors who purchased Arizona United Soccer Club in August 2016. Phoenix Rising is coached by long-time MLS manager Frank Yallop.

Detroit

Submission announced: 4:58 PM ET - Tuesday, Jan. 31

Tom Gores, owner of the NBA’s Detroit Pistons and Chairman and CEO of Platinum Equity, along with Dan Gilbert, owner of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers and Founder and Chairman of Quicken Loans and Rock Ventures, LLC submitted Detroit’s expansion application bid to MLS headquarters Tuesday afternoon.

The bid's stadium plan calls for a 23,000-seat facility in the heart of Detroit’s sports and entertainment district.

Indianapolis

Submission announced: 5:06 PM ET - Tuesday, Jan. 31

Indy Eleven founder and owner Ersal Ozdemir, also the founder and CEO of Keystone Realty Group, delivered the club’s official application book to MLS earlier on Tuesday.

The club has commitments from prospective owners who live and work in Central Indiana, including: Mickey Maurer (chairman, National Bank of Indianapolis and IBJ Corp.), Jeff Laborsky (president and CEO of Heritage), Mark Elwood (CEO of Elwood Staffing) and Andy Mohr (founder and owner of Mohr Auto Group).

Indy Eleven's bid features a proposal for a 20,000-seat downtown stadium at a previously identified location with convenient access for motorists and pedestrians. The new stadium will be within walking distance of the shopping, dining and entertainment districts of downtown Indianapolis.

Nashville

Submission announced: 5:10 PM ET - Tuesday, Jan. 31

Mayor Megan Barry joined members of the Nashville MLS Organizing Committee in submitting the city's expansion bid at league headquarters in New York City on Tuesday.

Charlotte

Submission announced: 5:37 PM ET - Tuesday, Jan. 31

Charlotte sports entrepreneur Marcus Smith, president and CEO of Speedway Motorsports, officially submitted a bid for the Queen City to be considered for an MLS expansion team.

Newbee question for soccer fans: What is the "Champions League" for MLS?

Instead of going to Europa, why not look west. Chinese Soccer League blows up with billions billions buying players from Europe and it is a top 5 spender in the world. It is considered one of the hottest league in the world.

Also Australia is in Asia league now. (smart choice)

World's 3rd market Japan is always there and so is South Korea.

Asia Champion league is extremely popular. And those Iran and Saudi, Qatar teams are very competitive too.

Just throw a big rookie suggestion right here.

No "Champions League" really hurt.

My feeling right now is that: So what, if a franchise won a MLS Cup and so what. (Soccer is a little different than NBA, NFL when all the talents play within..)

I know this is just plain foolish of me.

tmbj#UCF · Feb 3, 2017