Sorry, but that law, whether it stays in place or not has no bearing on if Charlotte/Raleigh get a MLS team. We are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars here. That law wont even come up in a board meeting.
I can't see that law, or any laws, preventing expansion. If anything, it would probably be a deterrent from hosting the All-Star Game based off of what we've seen in other sports leagues there
Don't underestimate the feelings and wishes of League Sponsors and media partners........Money talks. The league's sponsors and partners do have a say in the league's expansion. They won't make the final decision, but their input will be heard and taken into consideration assuredly. Also the league will take into account where players would be more willing to go. The main reasons for 2 teams in NY and LA? Media presence and the fact that most of the big name stars want to play and live in those markets. Out of all of the expansion candidate cities, San Diego and Miami I would reckon have the highest desirability as a place to live. Yes, I'm sure the quality of life in Sacramento, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Tampa-St Pete, Nashville, & San Antonio is excellent. I'm willing to venture that many players outside of the US have no idea where those cities are located or have heard of them. Hell there are a lot of folks in our great country who wouldn't be able to locate those cities on a map! We might not agree with or like this point, but it does and will have a factor (big or small) in where the next expansion teams are located.
I'd love to see some of those player surveys in how much foreign players take into account the destination city. I'm sure it's a big deal for the big names like Beckham, Henry, etc. For the middle tier guys we've been seeing more and more of lately, i'd imagine it's not quite the same draw that we some times seem to thing it is. Of course the opposite is also true, some of these guys haven't been able to walk down the street without being harassed their entire adult lives, the idea of an out of the way, quite place really appeals to them.
San Diego investors group unveils complete plan for new stadium site ESPN FC MLS Expansion: San Diego proposes to build 'Soccer City' SoccerAmerica
I cast one vote for other being Phoenix. Why it's not listed here is beyond me. My other four are: Miami (eventually) Sacramento Cincinnati Detroit
USL Stadium - cap 5,000 (2016 average att. at Scottsdale stadium: 1,470) Expandable to 20,000+, climate controlled stadium and soccer complex accessible by light rail. "Phoenix Rising FC's bid included letters of support from more than 45 political and business leaders from the Phoenix area and an impressive plan to privately fund and build a new, climate-controlled, soccer-specific MLS stadium on the 45 acre site recently put under contract by the Club with the Solanna Group, a real estate development company within the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community." link They've signed Sean Wright-Phillips and Jordan Stewart (Leicester and Watford), so they're showing ambition.
Not a bad guesstimate except for Miami. I think that if you add San Diego and Tampa Bay to your other choices of Sacramento, Phoenix, Cincinnati & Detroit and you've got your finalists for expansion teams no. 24, 25, 26, 27 & 28. Detroit & Phoenix don't seem to be quite as ready as the other candidates for selections 25 & 26, but they should be ready as MLS adds teams 27 & 28. Oh, and I guess that Tampa Bay slides into Miami's slot for expansion team no. 24 and that Sacramento is almost certain to get slot no. 25, leaving Cincinnati as the favorite for slot no. 26. Miami gets left out in the cold.
That stadium rendering! It looks simple enough that you wouldn't expect them to have to downgrade along the development process, but the way it's designed to flow with the landscape is a really nice touch
Much as Miami's bid is in the mud, they have an agreement with Beckham that he get's to own a team. So the only way Miami changes is if they can convince Beckham to go somewhere else, and caveat that with the fact that in doing so they also have to somewhat keep their golden boy from losing face. He's still their biggest face in promoting the growth of the sport here and they don't want it to seem like he couldn't get it done. So one of the next 5 spots will be his and if they turn him away from Miami, then my guess is that it will be for an even bigger coup like Las Vegas. The only way for him and MLS to save face on failing in Miami would be to make a splash in Las Vegas. San Diego probably doesn't go in at all in the next 5 if Sacremento goes in and likely the same vice-versa. The other will likely have to wait for 28-32. Why? First off, they will be oversaturated in California, and the stated goal is still expanding the footprint. Maybe San Diego fans aren't all Galaxy fans and maybe Sac fans don't watch San Jose, but Pheonix definitely brings you a new region and helps close the ratings gap with NHL (220k per match avg to 350k per match for NHL roughly based on what I remember reading). Vegas and Miami do that. Hell you could even go with St Louis if they get something together and put them in the Western Conference a la SKC. As much as MLS likes to award franchises to city's who've lost other sports and possibly wrest San Diego away from CD TJ, the reality is that Sacremento is far more along the path than any other applicant despite their recent mixup. San Diego is more of a fight (with an established club in TJ who has more money and will buy plenty of MLS players who show promise and play for the USMNT in order to keep pulling SD soccer fan's interest) than they need right now. MLS needs a more certain and immediate return on investment. SD could work and add a major market or it could become a bit more of a project as you try to push TJ out of that market. Sac is a more sure thing as far as that goes since the Republic already own that market. So I don't really think that San Diego gets in at all until the next round of expansion.
Yes, after St. Louis vote goes down, I'll change my mind: 1. Tampa (taking over for Miami) (#14 media market) 2. Sacramento (furthest along) (#20 media market) 3. Cincinnati (#35) 4. Detroit (#11) 5. Miami (#15) ------------------------------------ 29-32: San Diego (#28), Phoenix (#13), San Antonio (#36), + 1 more of St. Louis/Ralieh/Charlotte/Nashville.
Two developments in the MLS Expansion Race: PHOENIX: Didier Drogba joins Phoenix Rising as both a player and part-owner Didier Drogba, Famous Soccer Player, Joins Phoenix Rising, Not a Famous Soccer Team NY Times LOUISVILLE: See renderings for new Louisville City FC stadium in Butchertown The stadium is designed to go from 10,000 to 20,000 should they land an MLS expansion
I think its cool that Louisville is creating their own SSS at the USL level. However, with Indy putting in a MLS bid and Cinci doing the same with amazing attendance, they have no chance at MLS.
These are the types of plans I like to see. Go big for an MLS expansion but still leave yourself with something quality if you don't get the spot
If I hear about Sacramento one more time I think I will throw up. From day one they became a club all I have heard out of their mouths is MLS. Why don't they worry about being a team first and MLS second. The reason they even have an USL team is to better their chances of landing an MLS team.