I voted for Portland, soccer is big on the west coast and the Northwest doesn't have a MLS team anywhere up there.
In next couple years I'd like to see Portland (west) and Rochester (east), because they have great USL support. However I have to agree with what Mike Segroves said, the next two should be the first two to follow those requirements.
I'd like to see Houston because it's a major city we need a presence in and it has the highest MLS television ratings of any non-MLS city. And I'd like to see a team from the northwest, be it Portland or Seattle, to expand the 'geographic footprint' of MLS. Frankly, if we want to be treated as a national major league, we need a truly nationwide presence. Right now we have nothing in the northwest and nothing in the southeast (where we'll eventually have to return). Placing teams in new regions is particularly important if you believe MLS will limit itself to 18 teams (though I kinda doubt this). In the long haul, I think all of the cities listed could host well-supported MLS sides except for Cleveland and possibly Toronto.
Rochester, Seattle, Portland. Rochester: Fan base is already better than Dallas'; will only get bigger. Portland: My goodness; have you seen the Timbers Army? Jeez. Seattle: Lots of soccer tradition for the Sounders.
I also wouldn't mind seeing seattle get in as well. I would probably be a good thing if Portland and Seattle came in at the same time since they have a good rivalry going on between them. The 1st game of the Northwest Classico would be an ESPN game for sure. But I can see how keeping the 2 conferences even (as far as # of teams) would make that hard to do. But if MLS heads towards a single table in the future, then that takes care of that problem. However, reality rules.......... ......quoth the seagroves 1) A committed ownership group 2) An experienced front office 3) A stadium
no, we have a stadium. we just need grass. and no baseball team. and an investor. ummm... and a pony. we DO have, however, a chainsaw-wielding and handspringing mascot who sings and climbs up a freaking 100-foot tree trunk every game. so that's something.
I know you have a stadium, but its built around a baseball field. Don't get me wrong, if I ran MLS I'd bring you guys up right away. But its not my call. ponies blow, get a donkey
I always get a chuckle every time someone thinks Rochestor is a major league sports town. Attendance alone does not make a major league sports town.
And Atlanta can support an MLS team? I always get a chuckle from people that think they know what they are talking about and there own team doesn't even come close to even meeting any criteria that the MLS has said. Rochester diserves this team more than any other city. If you disagree say why.
It should be somewhere where soccer is "huge" and where there is an active you soccer program. I'll bet a fomer NASL city would fit the bill nicely, especially one with a large, ethnic fan base.
Rochester will be another Columbus. For better or for worse, that is the future Rochester could bring and I voted for them over Houston. 8)
You may not know this but...We play in the summer Cant have players and fans dying at everygame now can we? I would like to see Rochester and Miami in the east, and Portland and Seattle in the west.
Seattle and Portland and (to a lesser but just as important extent) Vancouver need to all be in the same league together. If any of them move up a division without the others, it will weaken the viability of the teams left behind. This would be especially true for Portland. They would have trouble surviving in the USL without Seattle and Vancouver providing 4 home games and 4 away games as they have never been in any league without those cities as rivals. Our regional rivalries provide a lot of the juice for the supporters. It also makes good business sense for MLS to preserve our three-way rivalry. If they stick one team up here to represent the region, sure, it might be successful because it is "major league", but add in the three-way rivalry, and believe me the success of the teams would be much greater than a regional team by itself. It would also help further cement the long-term viability of MLS, whereas a single team would just be another generic MLS team starting from scratch *yawn*. Don't mess with a good thing. Use it to your advantage. - Paul
Would Rochester, Seattle, and Portland all keep their team names and uniforms if they moved up to MLS? I sure as hell hope so because they're all great. Rochesters especially...I've been thinking for a longtime now that MLS needs a classic black and white kit a la Newcastle/ Juventus.