No idea. Edit, but I can't imagine they will part with the name after building a new Arena and signing a 10-year naming rights contract with Frontwave. Seems that the Sockers are planning remaining an indoor soccer team for some time.
Some of the best USL games were Austin - SA matches. The cities are very different despite the 'close' proximity. As far as I know, there's almost no Austin FC uptake down that way. There's plenty of space to expand SA's stadium, but the owner is very much NOT an MLS level owner. If some owners ever decided to make the jump, I'm sure that Austin would relish that derby.
People outside of Texas don't realize how different Hou, Atx, Dal, and SA despite being so close. Here in Houston it's all about the Dynamo. No Austin or Dallas soccer fans at all. San Antonio would be huge and great for MLS and Texas. All it takes is for an investor to realize that. SA wouldn't cut into any of the 3 existing MLS teams business or support at all.
I will admit that it's possible, as I haven't tracked them closely in a few years. I remember that there was some discussion of the Spurs considering it, but I don't recall if they actually did it.
They do. Spurs Sports & Entertainment owns the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, the USL Championship’s San Antonio FC, and the NBA G League’s Austin Spurs.
I don't see how. I mean, other than flatly disproving your idea that 90 miles is too close to have two MLS teams.
This. Although, I believe the Spurs ownership never intended to truly pursue MLS. IDK, maybe I'm totally wrong. When the city bought the stadium and Spurs bought the team, MLS was the idea and a bid to MLS was made,although it was a weak one compared to the others at the time. After that, NOTHING. Never heard anything about city/county votes for stadium or infrastructure. Never heard anything from the Spurs about any progress with the stadium or discussions with the city or MLS. This was before we knew anything about the Austin clause. Then AP and MLS came out wanting to move to ATX and it seemed like SA just gave up all together. Instead of being far along with a bid that would rival the ATX Idea, SA just drug ass and then folded without much of a fight. Now SA fan likes to blame ATX and MLS, I say blame the Spurs ownership. Even now I feel like SA could make a strong case, but we'll never know because I believe the Spurs never wanted MLS to begin with. San Antonio FC, forever 2nd division. idea.
Do you even know what words like "irrelevant" and "completely" mean? Because it sure does not seem like it. I am gonna put you on ignore now.
Do you understand what words like irrelevant and asinine mean? Because your suggestion that because cities with a combined metro populations of over 26 Million people can exist 94 miles apart is completely irrelevant as to whether San Antonio and Austin can co-exist. It is a completely asinine suggestion.
And Columbus and Cincy? Which are almost identical in size to SA & Austin. And identical in distance? What, you just happened to forget about those? I cannot ignore you because you are a mod, but your posts are so continually inaccurate and intellectually dishonest that any worthwhile discussion is not possible. And the idea that you are trying to have a legit, honest conversation but are somehow forgetting things that are so obvious is implausible. In short, for you to be an honest fool would require an almost incalculable level of intellectual defeciency. My conclusion, therefore, is that you are just basically a troll. Though your last post does lend credence to the implausible idiot theory. In any case, you are not worth talking to. We are finished.
Wow. you're a bit unhinged. But again, Cincy and Columbus don't have a Houston near by. I simply stated that "I just can't see San Antonio getting a spot when it is only 80 miles from Austin." You replied that there's NY-PHIL and COL-CIN - ok so what. Neither of those are reflective of the situation in AUS-SA. I've shown how they are different. Additionally, Cincinnati got a team because their owner is worth over $2B. If SA has someone with $2B, MLS will give them a team regardless of how it affects other teams. You and I disagree. I get it. It is ok to disagree. But your reaction is a bit over the top for an internet disagreement over absolutely nothing. Do you really need to be told "You're right" even though you're not? Is it that important to you? Chill.
Interestingly, looking back to 2015 or even the last 8-10 years for that matter, no one ever dreamed Cincinnati would field an MLS club. I recall a lot of talk about San Antonio and Sacramento but never Cincy. Then when the USL club set attendance records, people began to notice. I mean I’m happy the landed an MLS team but I never imagined it would ever happen in that city.
Some info about expansion from Don Garber, as well as other topics in this Q&A: https://theathletic.com/4273822/2023/03/04/mls-expansion-apple-tv-messi-don-garber-interview/ Expansion fee now well north of $325M. MLS is bullish on San Diego. Vegas and Sacramento mentioned, along with Tampa, Detroit and Phoenix.
Doubt all 6 mentioned will join but 5 CA teams, 3 FL teams, makes me wonder why San Antonio can't be a 4th TX team. I think then they his 30-32 we could see some major changes to the conference model to divisions. Probably fewer interconference matchups. Maybe at some point the Supporters Shield is a single playoff between #1s in each conference.
5 CA teams? Doubtful, unless something monumental changes with Sacramento's ownership/potential MLS Ownership. IMO, the exponentially rising expansion fee is likely what is preventing San Antonio from seriously entering the expansion conversation. The market, despite what some (one?) on here would lead us to believe can certainly support a MLS team, along with the teams in Dallas, Houston and Austin. Afterall MLS easily supports two teams in NY, a team in Philly and a team in DC which are within 4 hours drive of one another (traffic pending of course).
Using the format of the Leagues Cup as a model, and making some adjustments to reconfigure where some teams should be placed, and if we included the USLC and USL1 teams in the discussion, plus some expansion markets (which might be more USL expansion than MLS expansion), this makes the most sense to me….. WEST PNW - Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers, Spokane, Northern Colorado Hailstorm, Boise*, Montana* SOCAL - LA Galaxy, Los Angeles FC, San Diego Loyal, Orange County SC, Santa Barbara Sky FC, Riverside* NOCAL - San Jose Earthquakes, Sacramento Republic, Oakland Roots, Monterey Bay FC, Central Valley Fuego FC, San Francisco* MOUNTAIN - Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids, Colorado Springs Switchbacks, Phoenix Rising, Las Vegas Lights, Tucson* CENTRALMIDEAST - Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati, Louisville City SC, Lexington SC, Cleveland, West Virginia* MIDWEST - Saint Louis City SC, Sporting Kansas City, Memphis 901, Iowa, Union Omaha, Little Rock* PLAINS - Minnesota United, OKC Energy, FC Tulsa, New Mexico United, El Paso Locomotive, Wichita* GREAT LAKES - Chicago Fire, Indy Eleven, Milwaukee, Detroit City, Forward Madison, Grand Rapids* SOUTHSUN - Orlando City SC, Inter Miami, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Miami FC, South Georgia Tormenta, Jacksonville* PIEDMONT - Atlanta United, Charlotte FC, Charleston Battery, Greenville Triumph, Charlotte Independence, North Carolina FC GULF - Houston Dynamo, Nashville SC, Birmingham Legion FC, Chattanooga Red Wolves, One Knoxville, New Orleans* HEARTLAND - FC Dallas, Auston FC, Fort Worth, San Antonio FC, Rio Grande Valley Toros, Corpus Christi* NORTHNORTHEASTERN - New England Revolution, Philadelphia Union, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Rhode Island, Hartford Athletic, Rochester* ATLANTIC - New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, DC United, Queensboro, Richmond Kickers, Baltimore* CANADA-WEST - Vancouver Whitecaps, Vancouver FC, Pacific FC, Cavalry FC, Valour FC, FC Edmonton* CANADA-EAST - Toronto FC, CF Montreal, HFX Wanderers, Atletico Ottawa, York United, Forge FC
Group pitches $2.5-billion MLS stadium and sports complex on Chula Vista Bayfront in San Diego County https://t.co/nAjjAPJruS— Maurice Holder (@Mo_Holder) April 6, 2023 Potential competing bid in San Diego.
Not even close. The reveal of the ATX/AP/MLS agreement killed things, period. Not sure where you got the "weak" bid bit. Nothing happened BECAUSE of the ATX shenanigans and reveal of the fact that MLS was never taking SA seriously because it couldn't. The deceit and false encouragement to bid in order to drive up interest/value of the next slot destroyed everything. If you were SSE would you want to do business with an entity that did that to you knowingly and on purpose?
Ok then, educate me please. What did the Spurs ownership do when they came in 2015, to improve their chances for MLS promotion? Before they knew of the intentions of ATX/AP/MLS, what did they do? San Antonio fan has never answered this for me. There was a time period, before they knew about AP and ATX where they should have been working with the city/county on stadium expansion, infrastructure, etc, etc, but I have never heard anyone from SA say that that was the case. Even today, I believe that SA could make A LOT of noise about getting in MLS, but they do nothing. Ok, so the Spurs ownership doesn't want to work with MLS after what happened, I get that. But neither do the fans? The fans don't want MLS? It is still possible IMO. If the Spurs secured a plan to expand/upgrade the stadium etc. It would be hard to say no to SA. Deep pockets, The Spurs Stadium, Toyota Field Fan Culture, I think yall got that covered Add huge rivals in HOU, ATX, and DAL, sounds like a winning bid to me. Even against Las Vegas.
I haven't comment on this forum in a few years. Just seen Charlotte is new to the league in 2023 and bids are up for the 30th team by the end of 2023. It's my understanding that Garber would like to eventually get to 32 to possibly 34 teams. I played a lot of soccer as a kid and it's great to see the league and the sport exploding in popularity with kids. It will be interesting to see over the next 5-10 years what cities put in bids for MLS expansion With the teams that are in the MLS right now. EAST Atlantic Division Atlanta Charlotte Chicago Cincinnati Columbus D.C. (Washington) Miami Montreal Nashville New England New York New York City Orlando Philadelphia Toronto Expansion Team WEST Austin Colorado Dallas Houston Kansas City LA (G) Los Angeles (FC) Minnesota Portland Salt Lake San Jose Seattle St. Louis Toronto Vancouver Expansion Team Expansion Team If the league goes to 34 teams who are the next two cities? Here's a list of cities that have all considered or been mentioned for expansion bids over the years. Will any of them rise again with group to put a bid in? Cleveland Detroit Indianapolis Las Vegas Louisville New Orleans Oklahoma City Ottawa Phoenix Raleigh Sacramento San Antonio San Diego Tampa Bay