When will MLS award its 28th team? League commissioner says ‘sometime soon’

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https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2019/02/20/when-will-mls-award-its-28th-team-league.html

When will MLS award its 28th team? League commissioner says ‘sometime soon’

Major League Soccer will award its 28th team “sometime soon,” but the league does not have a “specific timetable” regarding expansion. That’s according to Commissioner Don Garber, who made those comments in a recent interview on Sports Illustrated's Planet Fútbol TV.

“(Team) 28 will have to get resolved sometime soon, and then we’re going to spend some time over the next year figuring out do we go beyond that,” Garber said.

#MLS4THELOU, the ownership group seeking to lure a team to St. Louis, is among those vying for MLS’ 28th team. St. Louis, Sacramento and Phoenix are considered the frontrunners for the professional soccer league’s next expansion team.

In January, MLS awarded Austin, Texas, the league’s 27th team. Garber in December said MLS will award its 28th team within the next 12 months, adding “there’s no doubt in my mind that we can support having more than 28 teams.”

“Ultimately, I think there are many cities in our country that have ambitious potential owners with great stadium plans that ultimately could help our league be bigger, more influential. And if that’s something that we think is going to make sense, to grow the league, then we’ll expand beyond 28,” Garber told Sports Illustrated. 

Dan Courtemanche, MLS’ executive vice president for communications, told the Business Journal earlier this month the MLS board of governors is considering the feasibility of expanding beyond 28 teams.

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http://sportstalkflorida.com/soccer/mls/why-do-so-many-investors-want-to-join-the-money-losing-mls/

Why Do So Many Investors Want To Join The Money Losing MLS?

The money people are lining up with checkbooks in hand.

Here is a question that probably cannot be answered. Do any of the teams in Major League Soccer make money? There have been many reports over the years that team owners in the league lose money annually. Yet the MLS has grown from 10 teams to 2004 to 27 franchises although some of those franchises have not yet hit the pitch. Every time a league expands, owners, not players, share the expansion money so there is something of a payback for MLS franchise owners splitting that cash.  But there are people who still are looking to get into the league including a number of investors in Indianapolis. The league claims it has just one expansion slot open but the Commissioner Don Garber also has said that having 28 teams in the league is not set in stone. So it is possible that Phoenix, Sacramento, Detroit and Indianapolis could one day be part of the circuit.

The owners of the United Soccer League’s team in Indianapolis, the Indy 11, have a plan to move up into the MLS. It is going to require hundreds of millions of dollars to meet MLS requirements which includes an expansion fee and a MLS suitable stadium. The Indy 11 ownership group is asking Indianapolis money people to help them out and put up money for a stadium village. It would be a $400 million project with $150 million going to a soccer stadium that would seat about 20,000. Typically an MLS stadium is used about two dozen times a year. The MLS may change its business model. Garber also revealed something interesting recently. The MLS, which funds soccer academies throughout the United States and Canada, may not be all that interested in keeping local talent and will become a seller’s league. The MLS keeps attracting interest from wealthy investors. The question is why.

Orlando City SC’s Dominic Dwyer (18) reacts beside New England Revolution’s Scott Caldwell (6) during the first half of an MLS soccer game in Foxborough, Mass., Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

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http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/manchester-city-owners-chinese-soccer-sichuan-jiuniu

City Football Group buys third-tier Chinese club

Manchester City owners add Sichuan Jiuniu to global ownership portfolio.

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https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nashvillesc/2019/02/19/nashville-mls-team-name-logo-colors-announcement/2900230002/

Nashville MLS team expected to unveil name, logo, colors at Wednesday event

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https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/rising-us-soccer-star-zack-steffen-in-charleston-for-carolina/article_78e33116-345b-11e9-a48d-573c15689be4.html

Rising US soccer star Zack Steffen in Charleston for Carolina Challenge Cup

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https://www.frontrowsoccer.com/2019/02/19/experience-counts-armas-hopes-red-bulls-deep-runs-in-ccl-open-cup-mls-playoffs-will-propel-team-this-year/

EXPERIENCE COUNTS: Armas hopes Red Bulls deep runs in CCL, Open Cup, MLS playoffs will propel team this year

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http://www.samfordcrimson.com/20190219-nani-from-manchester-united-to-mls-side-orlando-city-football-news/

Nani: From Manchester United to MLS side Orlando City | Football News |

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https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/02/toronto-fc-independiente-ccl

Toronto FC embarrasses itself in CCL smacking

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https://ussoccerplayers.com/2019/02/minnesota-united-build-more-than-a-stadium.html

MINNESOTA UNITED BUILDS MORE THAN A STADIUM

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https://atlantajewishtimes.timesofisrael.com/atlanta-united-from-new-duds-to-men-in-blazers/

Atlanta United: From New Duds to ‘Men in Blazers’

Atlanta United is ready for chapter three, sharing its enthusiasm with a crowd of thousands last week during the new kit reveal.

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https://theathletic.com/828413/2019/02/20/five-candidates-who-might-be-more-deserving-of-mls-statues-than-david-beckham/

Five things that might be more deserving of MLS statues than David Beckham

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/02/20/nashville-mls-expansion-team-unveils-name-crest

Nashville MLS expansion team unveils name, crest

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https://ghanasoccernet.com/man-city-nyc-fc-melbourne-city-owners-buy-share-in-chinese-club-sichuan-jiuniu

Man City, NYC FC, Melbourne City owners buy share in Chinese club Sichuan Jiuniu

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https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2019/02/20/nashville-mls-stadium-state-fair-lawsuit/2927724002/

Tennessee State Fair Association withdraws suit against Nashville MLS stadium construction

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http://www.connecticutmag.com/the-connecticut-story/hartford-athletic-preps-for-first-season-as-expansion-soccer-team/article_6317248e-2fe5-11e9-85cf-f32eb40484ad.html

Hartford Athletic Preps For First Season as Expansion Soccer Team in the USL Championship

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https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1075776/former-visa-executive-named-chief-commercial-officer-of-joint-venture-between-los-angeles-2028-and-usoc

Former Visa executive named chief commercial officer of joint venture between Los Angeles 2028 and USOC

Sports business executive Chris Pepe has been appointed chief commercial officer of the joint venture between Los Angeles 2028 and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

Pepe had been consulting with US Olympic and Paralympic Properties for three months prior to his formal appointment to the role, Los Angeles 2028 said.

He will be tasked with the development and execution of the sponsorship strategy for the Los Angeles 2028 and Team USA brands and will report to chief revenue officer Kathy Carter.

The former Visa, Major League Soccer (MLS) and Yahoo executive will help Los Angeles 2028 in its search for partners of the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.

A Los Angeles 2028 spokesperson claimed Pepe "brings a wealth of experience in management, negotiation, market activation and business development working at premier brands, leagues and agencies".

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https://www.newschannel5.com/sports/nashvilles-mls-team-set-to-unveil-logo-branding

Nashville's MLS team to be called "Nashville Soccer Club," unveils new logo

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/02/20/nashville-mls-expansion-team-unveils-name-crest

Nashville MLS expansion team unveils name, crest

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https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nashvillesc/2019/02/20/nashville-mls-soccer-nashville-sc-logo-crest-usl/2885079002/

Nashville MLS: Team releases new logo, brands itself as Nashville SC

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https://fox17.com/news/local/nashvilles-new-major-league-soccer-team-unveils-its-new-look

Nashville's new Major League Soccer Team unveils its new look

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https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nashvillesc/2019/02/21/nashville-mls-nashville-sc-john-ingram-ian-ayre/2902680002/

Nashville SC has our attention, but can they own our hearts in MLS?

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https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2019-02-22/city-validates-anti-major-league-soccer-petition/

City Validates Anti-Major League Soccer Petition

"Fair Play Austin" PAC hopes to halt plans to build a soccer stadium at McKalla Place

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https://www.thebluetestament.com/2019/2/21/18233357/peter-vermes-on-mls-expansion-were-going-to-go-to-40-teams-in-mls-sporting-kc

Vermes on MLS Expansion: “We’re going to go to 40 [teams in MLS]”

Vermes: “At one point I thought we were going to go to 32, I guarantee we aren’t stopping there.”

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https://kmox.radio.com/articles/mls-commissioner-don-garber-says-decision-28th-team-will-come-sometime-soon

MLS Commissioner Don Garber says decision on 28th team will come "sometime soon"

St. Louis is likely competing with Sacramento and Phoenix for that spot

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https://www.si.com/soccer/2019/02/21/don-garber-mls-commissioner-expansion-owners-cba

Commissioner Don Garber and the Pressing Issues on the Docket for MLS

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https://www.wcpo.com/news/transportation-development/fc-cincinnati-stadium-deal-9-things-to-know-as-city-council-gets-set-for-final-vote

FC Cincinnati stadium deal: 9 things to know as City Council gets set for final vote

City Council votes on a zoning change Thursday

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https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2019/02/21/proposal-fund-indy-eleven-soccer-stadium-moves-forward/2936813002/

Indy Eleven stadium deal now would require team cash and MLS buy-in up front

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https://www.wibc.com/news/local-news/senate-panel-says-yes-soccer-stadium-no-eleven

Senate Panel Says Yes to Soccer Stadium, No to Eleven

Bill authorizes state financing for new stadium for an MLS team

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https://www.portada-online.com/2019/02/21/winning-over-hispanic-audiences-key-for-austin-fc-success/

Winning Over Hispanic Audiences Key for Austin FC Success

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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6728833/Wayne-Rooney-plays-scores-park-pitch-Florida-DC-Uniteds-pre-season-training-camp.html

A far cry from Wembley and Old Trafford as Wayne Rooney plays and scores on park pitch in Florida during DC United's pre-season training camp

Wayne Rooney scored for DC United in their latest pre-season friendly match

MLS side took on Philadelphia Union on little more than a park pitch in Florida

Game at the Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex in Clearwater ended in 2-1 defeat

The 33-year-old was grateful for minutes ahead of MLS kick-off on March 3

Former Man United and England star about to start first full season in MLS

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https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2019/02/21/indy-eleven-stadium-deal-funding-mls-expansion/2939309002/

An Indy Eleven stadium deal would require an MLS team. Here's why that's unlikely.

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https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/liga-mx-presidents-interested-in-north-american-league-with/5byxkjt58yow1vhu51s1w8lnm

Liga MX presidents interested in 'North American league' with MLS

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https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2019/02/21/city-of-austin-major-league-soccer-deal-would-not.html

City of Austin: Major League Soccer deal would not be affected by petition

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https://www.sportsmediapass.com/2019/02/22/why-the-mls-wont-grow-unless-it-goes-full-europe/

Why the MLS Won’t Grow Unless it Goes Full Europe