I think that's the hold up though. It's an open-air stadium and it's outside of downtown. Chase Field is downtown, has a retractable roof and could probably be renovated for the cost of a SSS.
it kinda bears the signature of all the mistakes San Antonio made to ge honest. It’s Austin vs San Antonio redux , and Vegas is the Austin
No way to rebrand this team... All they need is indoor stadium seating 25K and they are near the top of MLS. Let them in..
It bears ZERO resemblance. They are different markets, in different cities, in different states. MLS would take both as long as each city has an ownership group that has a plan that meets the criteria the league expects of its' new teams.
Its seems to me that MLS expansion committee is keeping a low profile due to the embarrassment of what happened in Sacramento. My guess is that they are doing their due diligence on the group (Phoenix, San Diego and Las Vegas). In addition, since two of the three leading candidates are located in desert climates, they maybe waiting to see the new cooling technology in action at the Qatar 2022 World Cup before signing off on either of them. As to the Phoenix ownership they seem to be completing the MLS expansion checklist under the radar.
Except that the urban cores of Austin and San Antonio are situated 80 miles apart, while those of Las Vegas and Phoenix are separated by 300 miles.
Las Vegas kicked off in 110 degrees on Saturday. I'm amazed it was allowed. I'm amazed the players and fans survived. But the Phoenix MLS stadium is supposed to have special, magic, cooling juju I think.
A look at the USL Championship & League One when developmental clubs pull out... EASTAtlantic Queensboro FC Charleston Battery Tampa Bay Rowdies Hartford Athletic Pittsburgh Riverhounds USL Buffalo USL Rhode Island USL League One Greenville Triumph Chattanooga Red Wolves South Georgia Tormenta North Carolina FC Richmond Kickers Dropped: Miami FC, Charlotte Independence MLS Developmental: New England Revolution II, Atlanta United II, New York Red Bulls II, Philadelphia Union II, Fort Lauderdale CF, Loudon United Central Memphis 901 Birmingham Legion Indy Eleven Louisville City FC USL Des Moines USL League One Forward Madison Fort Wayne FC MLS Developmental: Toronto FC II WESTPacific Sacramento Republic San Diego Loyal Phoenix Rising Las Vegas Lights Orange County SC Central Valley Fuego Oakland Roots Monterey Bay FC USL League One Central Valley Fuego USL Spokane Dropped: TBD* (Sacramento, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Diego) MLS developmental: Tacoma Defiance, LA Galaxy II Mountain-Frontier: New Mexico United San Antonio FC Oklahoma City Energy FC Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Tulsa Rio Grande Valley FC Toros El Paso Locomotive USL League One Union Omaha FC Tucson Northern Colorado FC Dropped: Austin Bold MLS Developmental: North Texas SC, Sporting Kansas City II, Real Monarchs
Now, with proposed expansion... EASTATLANTIC: Queensboro FC Charleston Battery Tampa Bay Rowdies Hartford Athletic Pittsburgh Riverhounds USL Buffalo USL Rhode Island Greenville Triumph (promoted) Baltimore, MD* Jacksonville, FL* USL League One Chattanooga Red Wolves South Georgia Tormenta North Carolina FC Richmond Kickers Virginia Beach, VA* Rochester, NY* Greensboro, NC* Bradenton-Sarasota, FL* Asheville, NC* Harrisburg, PA* + USLC Expansion: Rochester, NY*; Greensboro, NC* ~promotion candidates: Greenville Triumph, Chattanooga Red Wolves, North Carolina FC, Richmond Kickers + USL1 Expansion: Knoxville, TN; Daytona, FL; Cape Coral, FL; West Palm Beach, FL; Gainesville, FL; Charlottesville, VA; Roanoke, VA; Athens, GA; Savannah, GA; Dekalb-Gwinnett County (Silverback Park), GA; Peachtree City, GA; Columbus, GA; Macon-Warner Robins, GA; Augusta, GA; Columbia, SC; Wilmington, NC; State College, PA; Scranton, PA; Lehigh Valley, PA; Portland, ME; Vermont, New Hampshire, Syracuse, NY; Albany, NY; New Haven, CT; Westchester-Rockland County, NY; Waterbury, CT; Annapolis, MD; Dover, DE, Trenton, NJ; Staten Island, NY; Long Island, NY; Fayetteville, NC; Johnson City; TN; Ricardo Silva Stadium (Miami FC); Elizabeth, NC (Charlotte Independence) Dropped: Miami FC, Charlotte Independence MLS Developmental: New England Revolution II, Atlanta United II, New York Red Bulls II, Philadelphia Union II, Fort Lauderdale CF, Loudon United CENTRAL: Memphis 901 Birmingham Legion Indy Eleven Louisville City FC USL Des Moines Detroit, MI* New Orleans, LA* Cleveland, OH* Milwaukee, WI* Chicago, IL* (Bridgeview) USL League One Forward Madison Fort Wayne FC Grand Rapids, MI* Dayton, OH* Charleston, WV* Toledo, OH* Jackson, MS* Little Rock, AR* Lexington, KY* Mobile, AL* MLS Developmental: Toronto FC II +USLC Expansion/Promotion Candidates: Forward Madison, Grand Rapids, Dayton + USL1 Expansion: Lansing, MI; Baton Rouge, LA; Pensacola, FL; Tallahassee, FL, Montgomery, AL; Huntsville, AL, Biloxi, MS; Shreveport, LA; South Bend, IN; Evansville, IN; Peoria, IL, Champaign, IL; Springfield, IL; Rockford, IL, Green Bay, WI; Duluth, MN; Akron, OH; Bloomington, IN; Fargo, ND; Sioux Falls, SD; Clarksville, TN; Aurora, IL; Naperville, IL; Joliet; IL; Arlington Heights, IL; Kenosha, WI; Ann Arbor, MI; Kalamazoo, MI, Pontiac, MI; Springfield, MO; Columbia, MO; O’Fallon, MO; Cedar Rapids, IA WEST PACIFIC: Sacramento Republic San Diego Loyal Phoenix Rising Las Vegas Lights Orange County SC Central Valley Fuego Oakland Roots Monterey Bay FC Riverside-San Bernardino, CA* San Francisco, CA* Ventura County, CA* (expansion with Sacramento, Phoenix, San Diego, Las Vegas leave for MLS) USL League One Central Valley Fuego FC Tucson USL Spokane San Fernando Valley, CA* Long Beach, CA* Reno, NV* Santa Barbara, CA* Eugene, OR* Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena, CA* Bakersfield, CA* Dropped: TBD* (Sacramento, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Diego) MLS developmental: Tacoma Defiance, LA Galaxy II +USLC Expansion/Promotion Candidates: Central Valley Fuego, Ventura County; Honolulu, HI +USL1 Expansion: San Rafael, CA; Stockton, CA; Victorville, CA; Flagstaff, AZ; Yuma, AZ; Modesto, CA; San Luis Obispo, CA; Fairfield, CA; Santa Rosa, CA; Anchorage, AK; Anaheim, CA; Gateway Cities, CA; West Hollywood, CA; Yakima, WA; Olympia, WA; Salem, OR; Everett, WA MOUNTAIN-FRONTIER: New Mexico United San Antonio FC Oklahoma City Energy FC Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Tulsa Rio Grande Valley FC Toros El Paso Locomotive Union Omaha (promoted) Dallas-Fort Worth, TX* Boise, ID* USL League One Northern Colorado FC Wichita, KS* Waco, TX* Corpus Christi, TX* Laredo, TX* Lincoln, NE* The Woodlands, TX* Lubbock, TX* Midland-Odessa, TX* Billings, MT* Dropped: Austin Bold MLS Developmental: North Texas SC, Sporting Kansas City II, Real Monarchs +USLC Expansion: Waco, TX; Wichita, KS; Corpus Christi, TX + USL Expansion: Elroy, TX (Auston Bold FC); Topeka, KS; Plano, TX; Arlington, TX; Amarillo, TX; Nacagdoches, TX; Bryan-Collegestation, TX; Beaumont, TX, Tyler-Longview, TX; Sugarland-Pearland, TX; Atascocita-Pasadena-Baytown, TX; Abilene, TX; Killeen-Temple, TX; Garland-Mesquite, TX; Round Rock, TX; Cheyenne, WY; Helena, MT; Missoula, MT; Bozeman, MT; Provo, UT; Ogden; UT; Pueblo, CO; Las Cruces, NM; Overland Park, KS; Wichita Falls, TX; Texarkana, TX
I’m betting that they will or will be forced to at some point. It seems like the good thing that USL-MSL had for awhile has run its course, whereas MLS will want more control of development and probably also not see their teams get obliterated, and USL teams will not want games against kids and with only 500 people in the stands as part of the norm too. Moreover, I think USL is moving towards, if I suspect correctly, the catch-all for the teams that don’t get into MLS. For example, the Pittsburgh’s, Birmingham’s, Albuquerque’s, etc. that probably won’t ever get into MLS but have the population and the fan support to support soccer if it’s done well enough. Besides, with ESPN+ and other media, I also suspect that the USL is going to want to move towards being more TV friendly.
The Red Bulls plan to be in the Championship next year. https://www.onceametro.com/redbulls...ect-to-continue-in-usl-championship-next-year
I imagine it’ll be more than a year or so for it all to take in effect. If I was an organization, I’m betting on the sure thing and the surest thing tends to be the oldest thing. But at the end of the day, I expect it to break towards this way.
Have you considered sending this to USL. This is elaborate and well done. But if this idea were to happen, will this affect NPSL, UPSL, and all the other USASA leagues and is there not a danger of cannibalization of other leagues?? As the Impact have rebranded to CF Montreal, this will likely be one of my last posts as Impactsupporter, and I will probably have to apply under a new nickname for Bigsoccer soon, stay tuned.
It would take some time for all this to be implemented, but I see that ultimately there being four different spheres of soccer in the country.... (1) “The Major Leagues” - MLS level... mostly as it stands now, (2) “The Minor Leagues” which will consist of a first tier (USLC) and second tier (USL1)... this will be mostly located in mid to large metro areas without MLS spread across the country, (3) MLS developmental level and MLS Next - with all the reserve teams joining what will be a u23 league that serves the first team. Hence, a u23, u18, u16, u14, u12, etc. (4) All the amateurs and collegiate. Of note, hope Montreal goes back to the Impact. Unfortunately, can’t say I’m a fan of the rebrand.
Out of curiosity where do you see the NPSL, UPSL, various USASA regional leagues, do you think they will merge. And would you regard them as the 4th sphere of soccer ie amateur??
I’m not sure if they’ll merge... probably won’t for their own reasons. I see them as amateur, or semi-pro, at best.
It would be good to see UPSL and NPSL merge with promotion and relegation (which UPSL already has in some areas). I don't see anyone pushing for it though and every time you step up a level it increases travel costs and time commitments. Plus NPSL only has a 3 month season.
Why are you all talking about the USL in a MLS expansion thread? I think you need to take this discussion to the proper thread within the USL.
A strong second division only strengthens the top. I think this talk is relevant, but maybe not totally applicable for MLS expansion.