If you can't afford MLS, buy an EFL Championship Club!!!! https://www.espn.com/soccer/hudders...epublic-owner-agrees-to-buy-huddersfield-town
---------------- Yea, seems wrong. He buys Huddersfield and he has an instant team, stadium and fans Buys MLS, has to spend league entrance fee and build a stadium...and then stock a team! I have a feeling this is going to become more of a thing. Its too bad beyond our D1& D2 which are pretty stable, that the lower levels were more organized and stable here for more people to want to invest HERE. England has a very long head start on this.
Mayor Steinberg gives update on MLS-to-Sacramento efforts Topics Discussed Mayor Steinberg says “a few phone calls were made” and that things were resolved very quickly between the Republic and Cal Expo Sacramento’s next U.S. Open Cup match could come on July 9th or 10th The Mayor says this is another example of why Sacramento is an MLS-ready city “We are big league. No matter what, we’re going to support soccer big time in this city.” Is the potential of Cal Expo being fully utilized? The Mayor says the city of Sacramento “has done everything right” to bring MLS to the 916 “This saga can only end one way, and it will end with a stadium. I’m still confident. It might start out with a USL stadium and be expanded to MLS.” Mayor Steinberg says the city is in discussions with investors that could come to fruition in the coming months “We are in the midst of another intensive conversation with who we believe now is the right investor… I am committed before I leave office to get this done.”
Another one?! Sorry, left Sac State in 2000 so I am out of the regional loop anymore. Is Cal Expo problematic? Always looks pretty good on TV (though it'll need to obviously be expanded for MLS). Is Cal Expo in an undesirable neck of town? Never bothered going. I'm glad convos are still happening. Sac has been through a lot. Good city and it is still missed.
The new stadium will be at the railyards, whether it's straight to MLS or a USL stadium that can be expanded to MLS stadium. Cal Expo is a great location for a temporary erector set style USL stadium like the one they have now. But it also has the state fair. The first few bullet points about about how Cal Expo was saying the Republic's next Open Cup game vs the Sounders couldn't be held there because of the state fair... apparently that has been resolved (with the mayor taking credit). Railyards: Railyards would be a much better location than Cal Expo because it's just north of downtown Sacramento, and will have the Amtrak / high speed rail station.
Mostly it's Cal Expo management being terrible. Among other things: 1) There's an ongoing dispute between TBB and Cal Expo because Cal Expo decided to ban flagpoles this season. 2) They have no idea how to handle parking for multiple events. Last season there was a game at the same time as two other events at Cal Expo, and because no one was directing traffic outside the fairgrounds, it created one of the worst traffic jams I've ever seen (and I lived in LA for ten years). I planned to arrive half an hour before kickoff, and at halftime I was still stuck in traffic on Exposition Blvd. Parking is usually disastrous during the state fair too. 3) We've generally been unhappy with Ovations. BTW, I just checked -- we currently have the highest in-stadium beer prices of any pro soccer club in California. 4) There was the latest kerfuffle over Cal Expo wanting to make us forfeit the chance to host the next round of the Open Cup.
Those are the two that have active stadium plans that are in the news. Of course Vegas and Phoenix could be played in the NFL stadiums which are indoors but grass...
Does Garber really want them in though? I recall him writing a personal letter to the Vegas mayor stating their expansion bid is no longer considered. That wasn't that long ago so I can't see how anything has changed. Also, unless Phoenix is playing indoors, I can't see them playing too MLS games outdoors during the summer months.
Each market has its own pluses and minus -Sacramento only has NBA to compete for the sports dollar, a current successful team and a good location for the proposed stadium near transit. Great rivals with 3 other teams in the biggest state in the country. Makes #1 on my list. - Indy- No MLB or NHL in town. One of the those good size middle markets with a team with a history. Good location for the stadium. My question is there enough sports dollars/sponsorships in the city. - Phoenix- huge metro area that already has teams in every sport and a couple of colleges. I still think the sports dollars can be had for a team. My concern is an outdoor stadium in a desert area that is only going to get warmer. Does stepping up to build a "soccer-specific-indoor" stadium ( not NFL size) push the project over the finish line? -Las Vegas. NFL & NHL there, MLB coming and I bet NBA will be soon also. I am not sure there is room for soccer. City not as big as Phoenix, you would need an indoor stadium as well. My other concern is will you always have a "home" crowd? It's Vegas and people from other cities will combine a trip to Vegas with a soccer game. Maybe not on NFL levels, but still a percent of you crowd is visitors or neutrals. I guess set a real section aside for travelers /visitors, but still need to work to filling the house with home town fans. Sac & Indy make for perfect West & East adds. Both have several MLS teams nearby for traveling fans. I like these 2.
San Jose LA Galaxy LAFC RSL Portland They seem far away but Sacramento is about the same drive from SLC as SLC to Denver... and plenty of people there definitely drive to both lol