---------------The case for MLS2 is called USL-C---------- Its too bad all the anti-trust people get bent out of shape, but we all know a stabile, under one-roof 3 divisions of pro soccer MLS < USL-C < USL-1 is the only way to go and really should be marketed as MLS-Premier, MLS-1 & MLS-2 I hope MLS stays as 32, 16 west and 16 east. Regular season is home and away within conference to hold travel expense and build rivals. At end of regular season, West #1 plays East #1 for the Shield MLS Cup then becomes an end of season with all 32 teams, ideally seeded #32 at #1, #31 at #2 etc across conferences. Gives a chance to play teams in other areas of the country. Also remember you could play teams in the other conference in the USOC and in theory, the CCL as well as pre-season. OK, its April fools day, but thats what I was thinking about on the freeway !
MLS expansion: Where does Sacramento stand? This will surely raise some eyebrows: "initial discussions have taken place between MLS and SDSU regarding the framework of a deal that would see an MLS expansion team play in 35k-seat Aztec Stadium, which is projected to open in Sep. 2022.” someone cross-post to whatever San Diego expansion thread may exist lol
What a random assortment of people... means nothing without a billionaire whale as majority owner. So here is the answer to my prior tweet! It is my ‘like a brother’ @adamhousley and his incredible wife Tamera Mowry......see below (and see my prior tweet!) and congrats to #Sacramento pic.twitter.com/Bo2pT3iSdL— Greta Van Susteren (@greta) May 4, 2021
Cameron Salerno @cameronsalerno1 Some interesting notes from @Sactown1140 this morning: - Sacramento Kings GM Monte McNair was in attendance for the Sac Republic game last night - There were two potential MLS investor groups in attendance watching last night
Fans, city leaders want Sacramento Republic FC in the MLS following huge US Open Cup semifinal win The MLS passed on Sacramento in 2017, choosing Nashville for its next franchise slot instead. And even though the league announced in 2019 that Sac Republic would be joining the league, those plans were scrapped after a lead investor pulled out. The future looked bleak then, but now the team knows the national spotlight is back on Sacramento. https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-republic-fc-mls-push-us-open-cup/40749590#
The problem is no whale. Has been and still is. 'Id love Sac to get back in it. But that article is just wishin' and hopin'.
That was basically it, said he was going to take San Diego and Vegas slow. Then said they would “most likely be done at 30”. That is a lie. Feels like san Diego has moved to the lead based on his tone . Explicitly made a point ti say Sacramento isn’t dead. He didn't have ti say that. Basically he’s using the 30 deadline to push someone over the finish line
--------------- Part of Garbers job is to say that no one is ever really out, thus he will mention Sacramento, Las Vegas, San Diego all the time or all together until an announcement. The league will do their due dilligence. Truthfully, if the league goes beyond 30 (and it probably will) whose to say all 3 don't come in? Then the question is who would be next up in the east to keep some semblance of east/west balance? Money will ultimately be the final decider.
As big of a territory that the USA and Canada are, I can easily see a regional circuit with 10 teams across three divisions. Or rather, West -Central -East...... MLS will then at that point become somewhat of a regional league with an unbalanced schedule. Each team would play their division opponents home and away 18 times. That would be more than half of the regular season schedule. It will actually be better for both traveling fans and may also help with travel and fatigue of players and teams, especially in the summer months.
---------------- Everyone has a fantasy plan depending on how many teams we end up and since only Garber knows for sure....here are a couple of mine I would prefer the league to stay at 32. I would replace the current MLS Cup with a true league cup with all 32, maybe set up as an east /west challenge considering if the regular season is 30 games within your conference, you won't really play the other conference except maybe in the Open Cup or CCL. Use the regular season as the seeds #16 at #1, #15 at #2 etc. Should be at the end of the year- Now I know a true league cup like England should include our other pro divisions, USL-C & USL-1, but for now the USOC needs to be built up more so I would settle for that first. Next idea also with 32 teams would be the 3 Canadian teams go to the CPL, because its 3 more USA based teams we can add beyond the 3 we have to come up with for #29-32 So 6 more and truthfully, if we add 6, we really will have all the best large markets. USL-C & USL-1 would still have plenty of markets to work with. I really hope with stay with 2 conferences. Multiple division degrades the regular season value. You see this now in MLB , so many teams in the playoffs, World Series final is kind of an afterthought. My overall worry is we start looking like every other American sport league. I wish we could keep it more pure - just a league champion and a cup champion. That boat left when we went beyond 20 teams. And since we will never have pro-rel, we are what we are at this point. (sorry for the rant)
Just move Minny to the East at you are at 16. Tons of cadidates in the east: Detroit, Indy, Tampa, Raleigh, Cleveland, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New Orleans, Milwaukee.
Eventually, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver will have to go. The new Canadian league could use them, and teams in US cities will take their places. The money thing will get worked out. It may not be fair to the Canadian MLS teams. But what's fair, at this point, about taking up space in another country's league and not being part of an admirable initiative in their own country? They've paid their dues and contributed to MLS. But circumstances will force their departure from the league.
---------- As much as I would like the 3 to go to the CPL so MLS can add more US based teams, I have some other thoughts on this. Will the CPL with the addition of those teams bump up interest in soccer in Canada? Will that interest compare to the CFL? I don't think it will ever compete with the NHL in my lifetime. At least those teams paid relatively low entrance fees into MLS compared to the expansion fees now. How would the money piece work ? Does MLS have to pay them to leave? Or do they pay an exit fee? Or what if they left with no money involved, is that even an option? I would really think MLS would like this. You have team #29 coming this year and I would have expected #30 , #31 & #32 in the future. (so thats 3 teams). Then add 3 more replacements for the Canadian teams leaving. That means MLS literally could add 6 more teams and still keep the league at a reasonable (compared to other US sports leagues ) size of 32. Truthfully, the MLS has done very well with expansion cities over the last decade. If they can really come up with 6 more solid markets, I think then you have tapped out. The next levels are USL-C & US-1 size markets.
Toronto is a bigger market than any market left open in the USA. Montreal is bigger than everything save Detroit & Phoenix. Vancouver is comparable in size to many of the rumored contenders for expansion: Vegas, Indy, Sacramento. Smaller than SD, Tampa, and some others. There are certainly examples on one nation's teams playing in another nation's league. Cardiff & Swansea & Wrexham in England, for example.
------------------------ Very true. BUT what would MLS look like with St Louis, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, Sacramento, Tampa, Detroit, Indy all on board? Does that make MLS better than having TOR, VAN & MON in. Only the NHL has more teams in an "American League" and even most Americans realize hockey is a big deal in Canada. Do American soccer fans feel the same with the 3 Canadian teams in the league or would they be more excited about 3 more American teams. (Obviously fans of these cities would be excited)
So Garber seems to be praising the expansion efforts of San Diego and Las Vegas but there doesn’t seem to be much or any noise about Sacramento. I read the last potential owner bought Bournemouth and no longer wants Sac.