Atlanta. And before anyone goes there, never mind the Braves. They and the Falcons were so bad for so many years that it'll take years to rebuild any trust with the fans. They haven't done themselves any favors by being baseball's best regular-season team and its worst postseason team. They don't deserve any fans. But maybe Atlanta's a soccer town- provided the team is in the top league. The proof is in WUSA, where the Beat were among the top-drawing teams. If a women's team in ATL can get better crowds than many of their WUSA counterparts, just imagine what a crowd would show up for Silverbacks matches if only they were MLS rather than A-league.
Minneapolis/St. Paul Great soccer state. We have the largest soccer complex in the US with the National Sports center. That's 55 fields. Plus we give good support to the Thunder. So yeah.
I'm not too knowledgable about the Atlanta situation but they seem like the best bet. I wish Houston would get one because its closer but with the Silverbacks already having a SSS of their own and Houston having to build, Atlanta seems more likely. I don't see why they couldn't be in MLS. They seem to have it all. IS it a financial problem with ownership not wanting to pay fees and more player salary for better talent? If not MLS, couldn't they directly link themselves as a reserve side for an MLS team? Do like MLB and have minor league teams in other states not just just locally. Would that help gain a nationwide following but interweaving teams and affilates throughout the country?
Philadelphia. Maybe we can finally get a team that actually wins stuff instead of almost winning stuff. Flyers and the stanley cup back when I was 8, sixers a few years ago, and the eagles for the past 3 years. What's weird is I don't watch any of those sports and I'm still annoyed that they haven't won anything.
Someone mentioned DC should get a team... ...I am all for it only if this other capital team takes the name 'AC DC'. If not, a no go for me. take care... DPW
So, the bottom line is you need several professional soccer divisions, thus every major city could afford its own team, its own fans and wait for better tomorrows. Drawback : splitting of a shallow fanbase... No, really the MLS should be more agressive against the strike struck NHL Bury them for god sake !!
It's not likely that you're going to take many fans from the NHL. The NHL's problem is that its fan base is very dedicated and that it has little or no support outside the fanatical adherents. In the U.S. context a few people love hockey to a fault, and most other people couldn't give a damn.
What's attendance like for the Silverbacks in Atlanta? The last numbers I can find are from 2002 and it's not pretty. The league needs to stay away from putting teams in cities that already have teams. I cannot understand why they're discussing (even preliminarily) expanding into NYC when the team they have there is floundering like a beached whale. I think it'd be nice if Philadelphia got a team but there's no real push, is there? I haven't heard anything about it in a year or so. I'm in favor of bringing in the Rhinos for the same reason I'm in favor of Philly, Northeast regional rivalry. The Rhinos have the fanatical fanbase MLS is looking for. If Rochester had a sizable Latino population they'd have a team by now.