I think if MLS is smart, they will be cautious in developing many small markets and instead work on their current ten teams and leave expansion for later. Small cities in a developing league tend to give it a minor league cast; something to avoid until the league is firmly established. Wonder what the attendance would have been at Gillette last year with a Rochester-Oklahoma MLS final? I know it would have been far less than 61,000 and fear it might have been far less than half. Something to consider.
joe_guy, which would you rather have as MLS...? ~ Eight team league with three owners, 3 SSS, all teams in large markets, some far apart from each other (Dallas) ~ Ten team league with five owners, 5 SSS, most teams in large markets with two in medium sized, loyal markets, all relatively close to at least one other team I'm definately going to go with the latter, even with the risk of an Oklahoma City/Rochester final. Then again, NBA risks New Orleans (43) v. Memphis (41) as a championship series. The NFL risks a Super Bowl of Green Bay (69) v. Jacksonville (53). The NHL risks a Stanley Cup between Calgary v. Ottawa (both markets smaller than Okla City and Rochester). Why should MLS not risk Okla City (45)/Rochester (71) final? So what if some of our cities are small? Other leagues have small markets as well. If I were to be bold enough to suggest an expansion plan (and yes, I am), I would suggest to attempt expansion in 8 markets, all in pairs systematically over the next decade. First Pair- Rochester Oklahoma City Both have everything ready to go Second Pair- Seattle Philadelphia Both seem to be getting ready to go Third Pair- Tampa Bay Portland (OR) They seem to be proven markets Fourth Pair- Houston Miami Adds to the "legitimacy" of the league with larger cities And before people start blaring that the quality of play will suffer, this is a nation of 325 million people. We can surely find 325 tier-one quality soccer players. Of course, this is all hypothetical... but I would imagine that the first pair will be expanded by no later 2006. If not, something is wrong, very wrong. Expand in OC
Sorry SP, but I've been through all of this with the NASL. They didn't work on their base, hence the league folded. MLS already has ten teams; they need to develop KC, SJ, Dallas franchises badly. They also should get their teams out of huge NFL stadiums and concentrate on SSS's throughout the League. When MLS contracted to ten teams the quality of play improved greatly. By 2005 do you think the league can find twenty quality American players to stock a pair of teams? As you'll notice, not many of the recent MLS college draftees will survive the season. They never have in the past and as of today many have already been cut. Doubtful prospect for future players. I've been a rabid American soccer fan since 1975 (Portland Timbers) and I'd love to see them enter the MLS, but I am realistic about it and can see there is little chance of that happening in the near future. A MLS I/O requires DEEP POCKETS and COMMITTMENT, something that is not easily brought to American soccer and I have doubts concerning some of the current prospects. Let's develop MLS before expansion. Don't put the cart before the horse.