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Watch the MLS expansion announcement in Atlanta

DonGarberMLSStateoftheLeague1 (USATodaySports)

By DAN KARELL

Major League Soccer will be making a “major announcement” on Wednesday evening in Atlanta.

All signs point to Atlanta being named the league’s latest expansion franchise and the league’s 22nd club, with the future team being operated by Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank. The new team is expected to play in the new Falcons stadium, which is expected to be ready by 2017.

Blank will be joined by MLS commissioner Don Garber, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Frank Poe, the executive director of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, at the event in downtown Atlanta.

Watch the live stream of the announcement after the jump:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sud6WpRn8A

Comments

  1. Perhaps MLS can change its name to EFPS (Expansion Fee Pyramid Scheme). Businesses that rely upon increasing the number of franchises every so often to make revenue tend not to last so long. Expansion made sense when the league was small and the targets were towns with pre-existing clubs and/or soccer-specific stadiums. Going back to the bad old days of half-empty NFL stadiums without having any connection to the region’s soccer history seems like a bad move to me.

    Reply
    • I am not sure if you are serious or sarcastic.

      Why shouldn’t the MLS provide a business announcement for a new expansion team for 2017 today? Because Spain has a club cup final? Not a problem for me.

      Reply
      • Being very sarcastic. MLS shouldn’t have done it right then because naturally most of the soccer world is going to be paying closer attention to a Classico matchup. It could have easily been done an hour later and avoided all conflict is all.

      • Except nobody in America and most importantly Atlanta cares about the Copa final. So it was fine when it was done.

  2. since the league is expanding will the salary cap expand from 3 million to 5 million by 2020 or will it take until like 2030 before the salary cap reaches the 5 million mark.

    Makes no sense. what are they afraid of? the league isn’t going away. It’s only going to grow. Give us 25 years and MLS is 1 of the top leagues in the world. Maybe in 20 years.

    Reply
    • What do you mean by one of the top leagues? Top 5? Top 10? MLS lacks prestige and history to rival the major leagues in Europe and South America. Plus, the European leagues will only expand in popularity in the US. By the mere fact that they are on (Sat or Sun mornings) when no other US sports are on. Thus they aren’t competing against football, basketball, or baseball, which MLS will always have to compete with.

      Reply
  3. O/T but does this mean Everton have no shot at qualifying for 4th? 1 point behind Everton with 4 games to go and they have a much rougher last few remaining games.

    Reply
  4. so NYCFC being 20th, Orlando being 21st, Miami being the 22nd, Atlanta being 23rd. 24th/25th/26th(?) being St. Louis, Minnesota and San Antonio?

    26 teams I could back as the maximum. Maybe after that we can restructure the 2nd/3rd/4th divisions of soccer in the USA. Maybe have MLS reserve or youth squads play in the 4th division like they do in Germany

    Reply
    • Atlanta is 22nd, Miami has not been granted a franchise. Beckham has exercised his right, but until a stadium deal is done they will not be announced as an actual team. Atlanta is official TODAY.

      Reply
      • I believe in MLS but I don’t wanna see it overflooded. There are what 30/32 teams in the big 4 pro sports. I just don’t see 30 teams for MLS. 25/26 seems ideal to me but just my opinion. Don’t need an MLS team in somewhere like Oklahoma or Vermont you know. Maybe a 2nd division team. I hope MLS does more to get colleges involved witht he lower divisions. Maybe have colleges lend their players off season to play in the 2nd or 3rd division games.

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