Why not get rid of the all-star game and have home and home position games between the conferences? This would raise the season to 36 games. For example, doing this by pairs (1+2, 3+4,.., 17+18) with home team first: 1w v 2e, 2e v 1w followed by 1e v 1w, 2w v 2e. So on for each pair of positions. This way each team plays 2 comparable level teams from the other conference during the regular season.
"Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber has not completely closed the door on league expansion, but he says MLS will not be adding any new teams for the foreseeable future." "Garber has indicated that MLS could eventually expand past 30 teams. But he reaffirmed this will not happen in the near future due to the need to onboard the new expansion teams correctly and then re-examine MLS and and the wider soccer landscape in North America." "We’ve been very strategic on how we’ve expanded the league. Right now we have six new teams coming into the league between now and 2022, which is more teams in any four-year period than we’ve ever had. So the idea that we go past that now is inconceivable." "Garber said that cities interested in joining MLS should not completely give up hope, though. “Lastly, Las Vegas, San Diego, Detroit, Phoenix are all actively interested in Major League Soccer. Now, what do you do with that? We’re going to continue to talk to them as we’ve done for many many years to keep their interest in the game growing. Maybe that is in another league, maybe it’s just waiting for a time when maybe MLS expands again,” Garber said." Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Diego already have USL Championship teams. There is no where else to go but MLS. Vegas may be out of luck. https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/garber-mls-expansion-not-over-but-firmly-on-hold/
If we do expand again... First round... Southwest: 31. Las Vegas Lights 32. Phoenix Rising Contenders: San Diego Loyal, New Mexico United, El Paso Locomotive, San Antonio, Oklahoma City* 2nd Round... Midwest/Northeast: 33. Indy Eleven 34. Detroit Contenders: Milwaukee, Cleveland, Louisville City, Oklahoma City*, Pittsburgh, Rochester, Baltimore 3rd Round, 35-36, or 35-40 Best of who’s left. Plus, add in return to Southeast: New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Raleigh, Memphis, Birmingham And Southwest: San Francisco, Riverside Prediction: 31. Las Vegas Lights ~ 2025/2027 32. Phoenix Rising ~ 2025/2027 33. Indy Eleven ~ 2026/2028 34. Detroit ~ 2026/2028 35. San Diego ~ 2030/2032 36. Louisville ~ 2030/2032 37. Oklahoma City ~ 2032/2034 38. Birmingham ~ 2032/2034 39. New Mexico ~ 2033/2035 40. San Antonio ~ 2033/2035
I think Raleigh would be able to support a Team. It just depends on how the MLS feels about NC. I guess that will also be dependent on the support CharlotteFC gets too.
Albuquerque is half a million The state only has 2 Mil Size-wise that's like saying all of Missouri is the fan base for STL
There's an article today in the Las Vegas Journal-Review about the Las Vegas Lights FC expansion talks between the city and an investment group. Unfortunately its behind a paywall. Anyone get a chance to read it?
now with NASH-MIA-CHAR going East and AUST-SAC_STL going west, is it still odds on that to get to 32, that we will still see 1 more in the west and 1 in the east? Would MLS do otherwise? IF we stay at 2 conferences of 16 each (and I hope we do), then E/W balance I think would still matter. IF we go to some unfortunate 3 /4 division set up, then it would seem you would want to pick the last 2 to fit your holes in a 3 or 4 division set up to make these division somewhat geographical/rival based. So does the league pick the best candidate cities first and figure the league structure later or does it think about where it needs team(s) to cover the map better, then in my opinion why Charlotte came in to fill a big gap between ATL and DC and why MINN was added to cover the gap in the upper midwest.
Minnesota weren't added to fill a geographical gap. Minnesota were able to average 30k+ in back to back seasons in the original NASL and had a well run club with a healthy fanbase in the newer version.
Now that is appears that Sacramento has lost it's MLS expansion franchise, it opens expansion up for the 30th franchise. Could be a fight between to finish between Phoenix, Las Vegas or some else who comes out. With the commissioner going on record that he doesn't see expansion 30. Could be the last chance.
Absolutely devastated myself. But one of the desert cities needs to jump and separate themselves from the other , could be either one. I’d guess Vegas because of sexy new sports market
I am betting on Phoenix. The intriguing aspect about Phoenix is they have local ownership, a Chinese Billionaire and Drogba. They also are ready to put a shove in the ground for a new stadium near Scottsdale. There is also the aspect that Vegas maybe over expanded into pro sports with the NFL, NHL, and the WNBA. Not the mention the casinos. Phoenix has a lot of disposable income.
The new site is in Chandler not Scottsdale. I think it is a bigger pop up stadium they currently use with much better parking and more room.
But the MLS stadium is not popup and has a capacity of more than 22,000. Is that also on the same site?
Since MLS has a new media contract coming after the 2022 season, this opens the opportunity to grant the 30th club to a larger market. With this in mind the largest market available that has made a bid is Phoenix, also helps their bid. Here are the TV market sizes of the know viable expansion sites: Detroit - #11 Phoenix - #12 Tampa Bay - #13 Sacramento - #20 Indianapolis - #25 San Diego - #28 Las Vegas - #42 With this in mind along with the ownership group, stadium plan and market size gives Phoenix an advantage. It has been said the the Phoenix Rising FC group has been quietly courting the MLS behind the scene. There maybe more to this bid than the public knows.
Well they put in a bid in the last round. Re my previous question: Phoenix Rising FC has broken ground on a new stadium, which is being built next to Wild Horse Pass Casino near Chandler and will hold around 10,000 fans upon completion.
Doesn’t MLS now prefer stadiums (stadia?) that are not out in the middle of nowhere like the FC Dallas Stadium in Friscoe. The idea of being within or near an existing commercial district seemed to loom large in the last several franchise awards.
Yes, that is a heavy weighing portion of criteria. And only a ten thousand seater? What do seat addition prospects look like? granted, they bent the hell out of that rule for Austin. Literally at the very northern edge of town