We missed this two months ago: https://www.vavel.com/en-us/soccer/...looks-towards-santa-monica-for-nwsl-team.html
Well, we said multiple times NWSL would need a team in California. We're going to see if it actually happens.
That is basically old news and I am not so sure the league is ready to allow FC Barcelona access to a market where LAFC is located. Still think the first team in California will probably be in Northern California, especially if Utah does really well, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Earthquakes, like Utah, finally commit. I think if FC Barcelona wants a NWSL team in California they would be better off going after the San Diego market. Of course, if FC Barcelona commits a huge some of money up front(franchise fee) who knows what could happen.
On the flip side, if LAFC wants to exist just as a men's team for several years before they gain a women's side - which is something they've explicitly said before - then getting in to CA as soon as possible would probably be something NWSL would be open to. There certainly hasn't been much visible movement, if any, from LAFC actually moving toward NWSL at all. Heck, the only real reason we keep talking about LAFC is that Mia Hamm is one of the MANY owners of the team. And it's not like we've seen LAG making any big overtures to NWSL either. LAFC will be the second active and third overall MLS team in the LA area, I doubt they would be all that bothered if they were the second NWSL team too.
The interesting dynamic in LA is that if one of the two MLS teams moves towards NWSL, the other one might, too. Not for rivalry or sporting concerns, but for marketing and branding reasons. If LAFC starts branding local youth programs with its brand - and it gives a professional women's target to the girls teams, that becomes a recruiting edge - especially in families with kids of both genders that play the game. Of course the financial impact will have to be studied. And LAFC doesn't have a comparable facility to the practice fields at the Stub Hub Center or a secondary stadium (where Los Dos play - and an NWSL Galaxy team could play that would be a lot cheaper than the main stadium). I think one team, long term, in LA is less likely than zero or two.
Recent comments by Amanda Duffy about LA, a "market of interest" for "future expansion", and "no timetable" doesn't really give me a strong sense they plan to jump into LA anytime soon. The proof of that may be in what they did by placing teams in Orlando and Utah, as well as relocating a team to North Carolina, markets that are not overly saturated with so many major sports franchises. LA being a Mega Metropolitan area with two major franchises in every major sport may not be a risk the league is willing to take for the time being. Of course a whole lot of money, something like FC Barcelona is capable of putting up, could speed things up.
The comments about LA may be somewhat telling, (I'm not convinced,) but all this I think is definitely selling things a lot larger than they are. "Placing" is a really strong term, IMO, when each of the three newer markets originally opined about entering the league on their own time. UT (and maybe NC) may have entered in a bit earlier than planned thanks to convenience, but that's about it. Also, it's not like leaving Rochester or Kansas City were huge steps away from "major metro areas" either... I've said in other places before that I hate when people talk about a league picking a city to go to (or not go to) on their own, as if a league can create a team out of thin air... It's always about who comes to them first with an expansion proposition. And right now, it looks like FCB is the only ownership group that sounds like it's in moderately advanced discussions with the league, so if they pick somewhere they want to place their US team, I doubt the NWSL has that much push to say they want the team somewhere else.
While we're on the topic of SoCal and MLS getting involved in WoSo... The Los Angeles Galaxy Orange County soccer club will be joining UWS this summer. From what I can tell, this is more like the old DCU Women or the Seattle Sounds Women, where LAGOC is officially its own club and just has permission to use LAG branding, plus some partnership stuff... It doesn't look like LAG actually owns or runs it. But it could be the first step of several to get LAG directly involved in WoSo if they make a big splash.
....and the impetus for an outright expansion team for 2019 has just increased significantly. IMO, FCB is the ownership group that seems the farthest along in talks at the moment... and the only group that has shown any real interest at all this offseason.
I am not so sure I understand that whole situation with FC Barcelona wanting a NWSL franchise. To me this would have been a golden opportunity for them to step up and actually do a big favor for the NWSL. By bailing them out of a bad situation, would have gained them some major brownie points. Could have let them finish out the 2018 season in Boston before starting the California franchise. There is also the possibility that there is more to it then what meets the eye. Maybe it is something with FC Barcelona and what their designs or purpose in having a team, and that that purpose could clash with what the NWSL's wants from them. There is also the possibility that the league doesn't want to alienate either of the MLS teams in LA, if that is where they want to have a team. And then there may be an even more sinister reason, one that would entail an exclusive league only for those MLS teams that own and/or operate their own stadiums. Like I say there has to be something that got in the way of it happening.
It could have gone much smoother for the league if Sporting KC had taken the KCFC franchise, allowing Utah to end up with the Boston one. However, it was not meant to be, so it begs the question as to how all this will affect expansion? I think it is highly unlikely that the league would want to have 3 expansion teams in the same year, so there will probably only be one expansion team in 2019. The one needed to replace Boston. Should another team be forced to fold, then that will require another franchise as well. Of course there is always the possibility that the league could allow the league to shrink back to 8 teams, and to do what they did with the Utah and KCFC situation, simply issue another franchise and transfer the roster of the team that folds to the new franchise, thus avoiding an expansion draft. Hopefully, any remaining struggling owners wanting to get out, can simply do it through a sale. So then will expansion be pushed back to 2020 or beyond? There is still the uncertainty of what will happen with other independent owners at this point. While it is disheartening to see what is happening, it is an inevitable part of the growing pains the league is having to go through. If it is any consolation, the MLS had their share of teams that had to fold.
And more on expansion to LA from MLS and Barca....Source with knowledge of situation confirms NWSL's Boston Breakers are folding. Source says an NWSL team in LA with partners Barcelona and LAFC is likely for 2019. Adds that another MLS team nearly certain to start NWSL team in '19 and one other MLS team is 75% likely to do so.— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) January 26, 2018 =edit= I was distracted while making this post and got ninja'd in the process.... But it sounds like this: is actually exactly what will happen: an LAFC/Barca partnership plus two other MLS teams. All depends on what this 13th-hour #SaveTheBreakers deal is, though.... Also This was the plan for the longest time. Utah getting Boston was apparently what the initial talks were about until the KC situation "suddenly" worsened - I use quotation marks because SKC had repeatedly been asked before and not been interested.
Sounds like an MLS take over is in the making. Still looming out there though, is the possibility that one or two of those MLS teams could end up with another one of the independent teams that would then need to be relocated. A lot of things could still happen by the end of 2018 season to change things. Who knows how this new group wanting the Boston Breakers can effect everything. What kind of impact would an addition of 3 new expansion teams have on an expansion draft. They will definitely need to increase the roster sizes this year to prepare for something like that. By the way, the Barcelona/LAFC partnership makes a lot more sense.
I think the age of independent teams is mostly passing anyway, not just in the US but around the world. As people pay more attention to WoSo, more money will come up but more money needs to be spent as well, and existing brands can get ahead of the curve much better. As long as the MLS organization treat the NWSL teams as respecting as possible I think we'll be okay. Yeah, a three-team expansion draft would be insane... As a fan, I would hope that one of my mystery MLS teams Wahl hinted at is now part of that 13th-hour effort to save the Breakers, and that would solve two problems at once by adding stability for current players and fans while making the 2019 expansion draft only two teams... Prop the team up for a year, then relocate it next year to where you are. The big roadblock to that would be telling the MLS organization that they'd be inheriting the Breakers roster wholesale instead of getting to build in the expansion draft, with the latter option potentially sounding like a more competitive on-field option... And yeah, I definitely like the sound of the LAFC/FCB partnership. Kinda like how ManCity and the Yankees paired up to form NYCFC. It certainly meshes well with how Barca has said they're aiming for the LA area.
Yeah with all the money FC Barcelona has, it would be a smart move on their part. Getting that Boston Breaker roster would help them avoid having to build the team from an expansion draft.
To the best of my understanding, SKC has been interested since the WPS days - and that interest continues. They're just not interested in FCKC right now. They've got several other things going on (SPR, the new NTC), and I suspect they would prefer to create their own organization instead of inheriting the mess that was FCKC off the field.
I can not imagine that the league would be making any effort to see that they get a new franchise anytime soon. At least not in the next couple of rounds of expansion..
It's a good thing the league is run by people who look at things from a clinical business perspective and not some sort of weird petty vindictive one then.
Are you sure about that? I wouldn't put it past Paulsen who has been heading up the drive for a MLS take over.
I have some criticisms of Portland's attitude toward running their teams, but being vindictive is far and away not one of those issues.
Or maybe that LAFC/Barcelona team can just buy the Reign and relocate them if the Sounders don't step up. And can the SkyBlue group just let either the Redbulls or NYC purchase them.?
I too thought it would be better to buy or get a team with it's roster already in place and they could have done that with Boston, but it may be Barca would rather build their the roster from scratch getting the players that would fit into their style of play. I could see a scenario where they fill some of their international slots with FC Barcelona's players off their women's team, while sending some of the American players there to learn the Barca way.
By 2020, NWSL and their ownerships should be as follows(*MLS owned): Houston Dash* Orlando Pride* Utah Royals* Portland Thorns* NJ SkyBlue* (RedBulls owned) Seattle Reign* (Sounders owned) LAFC women* (co-owned with Barcelona) North Carolina Courage Minnesota United women* Washington Spirit Chicago Red Stars +one other MLS owned team by 2020(San Jose? Nashville?)