American expansion possibilities

It is the training facilities I am wondering about. That is what KC has like no other.

 

If I recall correctly, the Thorns are going to have their own training facilities. Presently, they share with the Timbers, although the Thorns players apparently prefer (and ususally practice at) Providence Park.

 

So are they going to proceed having their own separate training facilities or going with what the Thorns players prefer?

 

I think KC is an anomaly. Sure, it's nice to have a dedicated location specifically designed for training, but I don't think it's common or expected - and, importantly, won't make up for a lack in other areas of a bid. It can differentiate two otherwise equal bids, but it's probably a tertiary concern at best for the bid evaluation committee.

 

I believe they are going to have their own facility. I think their Providence Park preference is as compared to sharing the current training facility with the Timbers.

 

SCOOP: The @NWSL has hired Inner Circle Sports to run its first-ever competitive expansion process.

League is looking to add two teams for 2024 season. Utah seems extremely likely, will be a lot of interest in 14th slot. @_emcaron and I have more 👇https://t.co/8GSjuOcuXJ

— Eben Novy-Williams (@novy_williams) July 13, 2022

 

Feel like Minnesota Aurora would be the way to go. They already have 5k average for that club.

 

By the way, why the heck most of the teams are from the east side?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USL_W_League

 

They're not interested. Besides, already on record as saying the relatively massive financial support they've gotten from public ownership is absolutely nothing compared to NWSL budgets. Far and away definitely not "the way to go" for a pro team.

Because that's who was interested. (And where most of the US population is.) Remember, it's always about who comes forward - leagues never create teams out of thin air.

 

As the @NWSL looks to expand, the league will consider the status of abortion and reproductive rights in prospective and current markets.https://t.co/Yl4VXh9x8p

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) July 15, 2022

 

EXCLUSIVE: The owners of @realsaltlake have a roughly $2 million option to revive Utah Royals FC as an NWSL expansion team,

This price is significantly lower than the tens of millions that the league is expected to fetch for its other expansion slot. https://t.co/PSLCs3cJFC

— Sportico (@Sportico) October 28, 2022

 

Lede is buried there: the expansion option is expected to be exercised within the next few weeks.

 

So Utah Royals get announced shortly, how much longer before the league announces team #14? Before the start of the 2023 season?

 

I think everyone would hope that #14 is announced more than a year before they kick off, so yeah this offseason would be desired. There hasn't been much on the grapevine recently about who might even be remotely close, though.

 

Austin would be great.

 

There's also the speculation of certain current teams relocating. Potentially Chicago(stadium issues) & Orlando(owner & staff issues). All the cities listed in the last report all have legit reasons to be in the league, but after the success of Angel City & San Diego, I think the league might look to whoever has the deepest pockets. Surely MLS Atlanta, Austin, Cincinnati & Toronto would likely top any independent owners.

 

The Orlando owner also owns the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota did well to support the Aurora USL W League this year and they use the Vikings training stadium (sold out every game I believe). Would the Vikings owner move the Pride to Minnesota?

 

Actual speculation, or just fan wild mass guessing? I haven't seen anything of the sort circulating around journos or picking up traction on Twitter.

Remember that you need extreme circumstances to actually force sales. Either a team needs to be floundering (in which case it's usually a voluntary sale by the cash-strapped owner anyway) or something with the oomph of MLS-dealing-with-racism to make a sale come from the top down. That's why RSL+Royals were sold fairly quickly but nothing has really happened with Portland.

Sure, the league might *want* the cachet of any of those other MLS organizations. But unless those orgs are actually moving on wanting an NWSL team of their own, NWSL can't make them buy in.

TBQH I think the success of Aurora would make NWSL swooping in *less* likely to succeed. The Vikings owner might see it as an opportunity, but I bet most fans would see it as Big Money (tm) swooping in to force out a fan-made success story. IIRC something very similar happened in the men's lower division in Detroit.

 

Well, it's still not Orlando being moved, but I will eat my words from earlier: despite previously saying otherwise, it seems like the Minnesota Aurora have officially submitted interest in NWSL Expansion
https://www.twincities.com/2022/11/...it-bid-to-join-national-womens-soccer-league/
The big problem with their bid at the moment is that they don't have a majority owner, so they still need to get one that meets NWSL minimums. I imagine that going public with their bid is an effort to try finding that owner interest.

Also of note: apparently teams in this round of bidding could also be selected for 2025 expansion.

 

There is also an Oakland group separate from the previously established Bay Area group
https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/aaseg-the-town-fc-eye-nwsl-expansion-in-oakland/

 

NEWS: Minnesota Aurora FC will submit expansion bid to join National Women's Soccer League by Friday, the @PioneerPress has learned.https://t.co/xBVs1dRFpb

— Andy Greder (@andygreder) November 3, 2022

 

they're also part of getting a WNBA expansion franchise. Doubtful they get either as the Golden St Warriors are also looking at a WNBA expansion franchise.

 

#NWSL 2024 expansion in a nutshell:

Utah is coming back for ~$2 million, as I reported on ESPN in June:https://t.co/W0gRF5Hedl

A whole bunch of others want in for what I currently expect to end up in the $20 million+ rage (reported in the link below).https://t.co/j0WxtZH9O1

— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) November 3, 2022

 

Interesting figures. For comparisons, here are some MLS expansion fees when teams came into that league:
The league began play in 1996.

1998 Miami Fusion $20 million
1998 Chicago Fire $5 million

2005 chivas LA $7.5 million
2005 Real Salt lake $7.5 million

2007 Toronto FC $10 million

2008 San Jose Earthquakes $20 million
(Revival of original Earthquakes that were moved to Houston in 2006 over stadium issues)

2009 Seattle Sounders $30 million

2010 Philadelphia Union $30 million

2011 Vancouver Whitecaps $35 million
2011 Portland Timbers $35 million

2015 NYCFC $100 million
2015 Orlando City FC $70 million

2017 Atlanta United FC $70 million
2017 Minnesota United $100 million

2018 LAFC $110 million.

2019 FC Cincinnati $150 million.

2020 Miami $25 million ( part of Beckham deal when he joined LA Galaxy)
2020 Nashville SC $150 million.

2021 Austin FC $150 million.

2022 Charlotte FC $325 million.

2023 St Louis $200 million ( pending)



So 9 years after founding MLS expansion fees were $7.5 million. Two years later it rose to $10 million.

if Kassouf is right and NWSL fees will be $20 million 10 years after founding that would be amazing.

 

I also see them expanding to 16 teams as well with that many groups interested in starting a team. Minnesota still needs a primary owner and a bigger stadium to play at. Could we see 2 teams added for 2024, one more for 2025 and #16 added in for 2026?