The list was based on the US city having 2+ million. I just noted some of the pops on the other side (Windsor/Tijuana). El Paso is well short. Though I do not necessarily think 1+million level cities are out of it. Rochester was considered in the past. Louisville is making some noise. Just no bids from them at the moment. And I do think it is interesting that their are 40 US/CAN markets at 2+ million at the moment. Just a good, round number.
I'd expect good news next week. Labor Day at the latest. Beyond that, DOOM! Frankly, I do not see another viable bid at this point. Charlotte has work to do. Still. They are the new mid-market city MLS will use to try & spur others onward. You guys are in.
I do remember growing up in Kansas City in the mid-70s when Kansas City was, briefly, in all four then-major leagues. The metro population was roughly 1.2 million. Times have definitely changed.
Bills. Saints. Hornets. Grizzlies. Jaguars. Thunder. Packers. And that does not even touch the NHL (Edm, Win, etc). Some of those are pretty recent (OKC, Hornets, Jags, Grizz). Edit: Though, to your point, they are not in all four. CSAs with 4 (or more) teams in the traditional "big four" leagues & at least one in each: 1) NY: 9+ 2 MLS 2) LA: 8 + 2 MLS 3) DC/BALT: 6 + 1 MLS 4) SJ/SF/OAK: 6 + 1 MLS 5) CHI: 5 + 1 MLS 6) Boston: 4 + 1 MLS 7) Dallas: 4 + 1 MLS 8) Philly: 4 + 1 MLS 9) Miami: 4 + MLS incoming 10) Toronto: 4 (CFL) + 1 MLS 11) Minny/St. Paul: 4 + 1 MLS 12) Denver: 4 + 1 MLS ----------- 13) Detroit: 4 + MLS bid 14) Phoenix: 4 + MLS bid Houston & Atlanta go 3/4 and have an MLS team. Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Tampa go 3/4 and do not have MLS teams, though Tampa is trying. 2/4 WITH MLS: Seattle (NHL on way for 3/4), Montreal, St. Louis, Charlotte, KC, Vancouver, Cincy, Nashville.
If not MLS, then why not give NWSL a rip? Merritt Paulson spoke on Wednesday night about three groups committed to joining the #NWSL over the next two years. A source says they are Sacramento Republic, Louisville City FC and Atlanta United FC, with Sac/L'ville being the most advanced discussions.https://t.co/BVoZafiG72— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) August 23, 2019
Hmmmm.... Then he (Merritt Paulson) got even more specific: “One of them’s an MLS team, one of them will be an MLS team, one of them’s a USL team. That’s probably more than I should have said.” UPDATE (8/23; 4 p.m. ET): A reliable source confirms that the three ownership groups Paulson is talking about are Louisville City FC, Sacramento Republic FC and Atlanta United FC. Timelines, however, are not yet set in stone. A likely scenario would see the NWSL add one team in 2020 to reach 10 total teams, and then add two teams in 2021 to go to 12 teams. Sacramento looks like the team most ready to join the NWSL next year, as of right now. Expansion talks are inherently fluid and change often. Two new teams would be possible if a current team — Sky Blue FC for example — did not carry on in its current form.
And shortly afterwards an Atlanta Journal Constitution writer came out and directly contradicted the Atlanta United FC part based on "reliable sources".
Kevin Nagle wandered into the SacRepublicFC Reddit subforum in the middle of last Saturday night's craptastic performance. I give him props for that, as he caught a lot of flak from some fans. But he also left a few of comments regarding SRFC's status with respect to entry into MLS. Here are a few of his replies to some of the expressed discontent: 1. "And btw, I agree with you, it’s MLS or we will move on." 2. "As for MLS? We are deep or deeper than ever in activities. We have been quiet for all the reasons we should be but this is one of those “trust me” responses." 3. "I would say with respect to MLS-it’s what I attempted to earlier. Things are moving at a very fast clip. I do not see those two cities you mentioned as moving ahead of us but I could not say that about St. Louis when it happened. I feel very good about where we are-in fancy never better." I think his frustration is starting show with the "it’s MLS or we will move on" statement. These quotes are from an extended conversation. so here is the thread (I will leave the link cold):
Better link: https://www.reddit.com/r/SacRepublicFC/comments/cy4j6w/this_is_horseshit/ I trust only in doom.
Thanks Knave, i left the link cold because some forums don't like to link to other forums....and i was too lazy to read BSF's rules.
Having read the reddit thread, Mr. Nagle's responses strike me as those of somebody who is no longer completely confident in Sacramento's MLS chances.
They’ve become MLS’s answer to the NFL to LA for most of the last 20 years. Bridesmaid but not bride.
Every league needs one or two. NBA has Seattle and Louisville, NHL has Quebec City and Houston. MLB has Montreal and Charlotte. NFL cashed their big chip in with Los Angeles but still has San Antonio and can conceivably use San Diego. I suppose if MLS tires of using Sacramento as a threat, they can move on to Vegas or Phoenix, but that assumes there would be a final determination one way or the other where SRFC is concerned. Dooooooom!!!
@MLS coming to Sacramento Sources: Major League Soccer and Sacramento agree to deal framework for expansion franchisehttps://t.co/YgLqbCfw1f— Marcos Breton (@MarcosBreton) September 6, 2019 (shrug) I've actually heard this type of verbiage before. When Garber deigns to grace us with his presence at a pre-announced press conference, then I'll start to get excited.
Looks exactly like what Nagle said in the Reddit thread last week. No additional information from SRFC or MLS beyond statements that were made two months ago. This "news" has the smell of a wilting flower trying to remain relevant to the bees.
Yeah this seems premature given Sac has been on the goal line before only to have it move 50 yards away.
Meanwhile, the club has put out a presser, and... Official Club Statement: We appreciate the great excitement and anticipation in our community about Sacramento’s bid to join Major League Soccer. (1/2)— Sacramento Republic FC (@SacRepublicFC) September 6, 2019 As we have stated all along, we are working tirelessly to finalize an agreement to bring MLS to a city and a fanbase that deserves it. We respect the league’s expansion process and will not be providing any additional comment at this time. (2/2)— Sacramento Republic FC (@SacRepublicFC) September 6, 2019