Analysing Miami’s MLS expansion bid

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Analysing Miami’s MLS expansion bid

By Dan Cunningham - November 17, 2016

February 5 2017 will mark the three-year anniversary of the announcement to bring Major League Soccer to Miami.

For those waiting, that wait still continues. But news concerning the franchise officially becoming a part of the league is expected by the end of the year, with that news could confirm entry for the 2019 season.

This is where the Beckham group have fallen short: they have seen bids for three potential stadium locations – on Miami Port, one in downtown Miami, and one at Marlins Park – all met with uncertainty from Miami county officials which ultimately rendered the franchise a non starter.

But recently, plans came as close to fruition as they’ve ever been when the group secured land in Miami’s Overtown neighbourhood worth $19 million, marking the first time they have actually purchased a piece of land, marking a major moment in their quest to join the MLS.

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With the total cost for the land and stadium looking around a significant $300 million, nailing down an investment partner to add some vim and funding to the proceedings is the decisive next move for the party to meet their ambitions in Miami.

Only one potential partner has been announced publicly so far: Wesley Edens.

Not only does Edens bring the funding the group are looking for in a partner, but also an acquired experience set, he is an owner of NBA franchise the Milwaukee Bucks, and other additional resources – he is a Miami-to-Orlando railway investor giving them access to some commercial rail real estate nearby to the Overtown land they have purchased, which reportedly provides them (and the stadium) with a solution to parking space.

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And given the league’s intention to expand to 28 teams (unofficially, Miami would be the league’s 24th franchise), they have a long waiting list of potential suitors for franchise numbers 25-28 should Miami not get this right.

Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Las Vegas, Nashville, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego and St. Louis form the growing shortlist of interested expansion towns somewhere along the process of putting together an ownership group, a stadium plan, and in most cases can already point to would-be fan bases with a history of supporting a local team no matter their performance.

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They have the right site, the right ownership group (boosted by the addition of MLS legend and the man responsible for Beckham’s original venture to L.A, Tim Leiweke – who joins partners Simon Fuller and Bolivian billionaire/ Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure), and are demonstrating, as a city, that they have a fan base ready to support a MLS franchise in Miami, they can point to the success of two lower division Miami sides as an example of soccer’s growing influence in the area.

So for now, things look to be on track for 2019. Great things take time.