This is my idea for a 16-team MLS by 2009 (Where I think they should play, at least temporarily) West CA Houston Eagles (Either Renovated Delmar, or retrofitted Dome) CD Chivas USA (Renovated Titan Stadium - Fullerton, CA) Colorado Rapids (Commerce should be open by then) FC Dallas (Pizza Hut Park) Kansas City Wizards (Johnson Co., there is no place besides Arrowhead) Los Angeles Galaxy (HDC) Real Salt Lake (Should have a SSS built by then) San Jose Earthquakes (Rebuilt Spartan Stadium) East Chicago Fire (Bank of Bridgeview?) Columbus Crew (CCS) D.C. United (Poplar Point, or renovated/retrofitted RFK) Miami Fusion (back in Lockhart) Milwaukee Warriors (New Stadium) New England Revolution (renovated Nickerson Field) New York Metro (Renovated Mitchel) Rochester Sentinels(PTP) I know you guys aren't fans of playing at some of these places, but I still think a renovated stadium for a lot of these teams could work really well. With the Angels abandoning Anaheim (in name only) Chivas could market themselves as "Orange County's home team" if they played at Titan. I also think that New England would draw better in Boston as opposed to Foxboro. As far as New York is concerned, anything beats Giants Stadium, right?
West: Los Angeles Chivas Salt Lake City Colorado Dallas Houston Milwaukee Portland East: D.C. Columbus KC Chicago New England Metrostars Toronto Rochester
Seattle isn't ready for MLS yet (which is painful to say considering that I'm moving up there next year). Portland DEFINITELY has what it takes to support an MLS team...we just need to have a quality investor up there. I'd love to have Philly, but not at the expense of Toronto. Philly can come into the league in 2011...AFTER Toronto
16 Teams West - Los Angeles Galaxy Kansas City Wizards San Jose Earthquakes Dallas Bulls Colorado Rapids Salt Lake City Royals California Goats Houston Eagles East - DC United Chicago Fire Columbus Crew New England Revolution New Jersey MetroStars Rochester Rhinos Milwaukee (can't think of a good name for them yet? ideas?) Philadelphia Independence
See this is exactly what I would rather see Philly over Toronto. Not because I think that Philly can support a team better than Toronto because I dont know, no one does for sure. But because of the location, the rivarly's it would create would benefit the league. Not to mention the extra fans that would go to the Philly home games for Metrostars, D.C. and possible NYC expansion team fans.
I tried to pick places with a stadium ready or near-ready, or with plans to build one, and not just the places I want to get one. That's why there's no Philadelphia and no Seattle. As for Portland, I think they'd be great if they can resolve the issue of the baseball team playing at PGE as well. If a stadium is built for them or for the Beavers, then of course, Portland should be in MLS. Some guy in another thread suggested Milwaukee Warriors, I thought that was good, so I went with that.
Just wondering, what is your assessment of Seattle based on? The Sounders poor attendance? Because I have read numerous times on these boards that Seattle and Houston consistently have the highest MLS TV ratings outside of MLS markets. Totally agree about Portland - watched them play the Sounders on FSC and the place (I believe it's a baseball stadium, PGE Park, right?) looked and sounded great. Some renovations and I think that could be a suitable MLS stadium.