With Portland and Vancouver set to join MLS in 2011, and Montreal preparing to be announced as team 19, we are moving ever closer to that magic number of 20 MLS teams.
Our question to you this morning is a simple one. Which city do you think should be awarded the 20th MLS franchise? Should it be in the Southeast, where no team currently resides, or should New York get a second team? Love the idea of a team in Las Vegas, or is sunny San Diego a better destination?
Cast your vote here:
Which city did you pick? Which city do you think would be the worst pick?
Share your thoughts below.
San Francisco!
St. Louis also couldn’t do anything in the World Cup until they got players from Philly 🙂
Jay Dubs wrote: “More teams -> more tv airtime -> more revenue -> better players -> better league”
You make no argument for this position. Why is this true? Why wouldn’t the average talent level per team decrease with a dramatic increase in the number of teams? There are just not that many good North American players.
I think MLS should stop at 20 for 5-6 years, and certainly not go to 30 for another 15-20 years. I could see 24 teams in 2020, though.
I’ve met two Charlotte USMNT supporters (I believe AO), and they were very knowledgeable and passionate. If there are growing factions of supporters just like those two throughout Charlotte, then maybe MLS will flourish there. But when we see that only TFC and SSFC are profitable, with huge markets like LA, NY/NJ and Chi-town in the black, then we have to be selective.
The questions to ask: which cities have a history of support? which cities have soccer-loving immigrant populations? and which cities have non-condescending, young American sports fans?
I simply don’t know if Charlotte has that. Where’s the evidence?
After reading these comments what is painfully obvious here is that it sucks to be a fan of MLS and not live near one of it’s teams, and you would die to have a team in your market.
I would piss my pants if MLS brought a team within 3 hours of Birmingham, AL.
I say miami. why? because they are alot of latinos in miami of course. espcially from central america and mexico. Also is close to the famous beaches like south beach. A great spot for tourist. It would even be great for big events. such as the mls cup, mls all star games.
No your missing the point. I understand ATL would pull from all of the south. But if the MLS would focus on where teams fans could travel to each game home and away, you pull from TWO MLS fan bases. Again I respect people want teams in their area. FL has had teams and they were in great markets. But they failed. Would it fail in ATL, one only knows. I’m not saying there isn’t soccer fans down there. I’m saying by putting teams next to each other, you allow both home and away fan bases to buy tickets thus doubling your exposure. People in multiple cities can make the arguement you make. Your biased because your from ATL. Again I respect you want a team. Fight for it, I’m not telling you not to. But from a business standpoint it doesn’t make sense to have satallites dotting through out the entire US.
I had that thought too. It’s the only city among the serious candidates with no MLB team to compete for fans during the summer. Might make some sense if there was a stadium in place. Wouldn’t want the games at the Alamodome.
St. Louis should have been given a team a long time ago. That they haven’t by now is a travesty. Not only do you have a city with a rich tradition in soccer, but you’d be setting up a natural derby rivalry with both Chicago and Kansas City – something the league needs to grow.
Having St. Louis as the 20th team would take care of the soccer cities MLS needs. After that, then you can look at your Atlantas, your Miamis, whatever.
LOL, and I can’t stress enough how wrong you are about pulling from multiple areas for Atlanta. I live in Cobb County, a suburb of Atlanta so let me just shed some light on the nearby geography for you.
How would Atlanta only draw from one area is my main question. You realize the closest team to us here is DC United? Like I said, I live in suburban Atlanta and affluent areas of SC, NC, and TN are all less than 3 hours drive from me. Birmingham and Auburn, Alabama are also no more than 3 hours away. Not to mention the people we actually already have living here in one of the top up and coming youth soccer areas in the US.
Games either in the actual city of Atlanta, or better yet in one of the nearby suburbs like Gwinnett or Kennesaw, would consistently sell out with passionate fans filling the stadium from areas all around us.
So you’re mistaken in your assumption that Atlanta wouldn’t draw from other areas. I respect that the midwest wants as many MLS teams as they can possibly fit, but there are some other soccer fans that would like a nearby team as well.
Being from what Ive seen and stats Ive read the teams that have abandoned this type of attack have done extremely well. Sounders, Toronto, Chicago, LA all go after the target market we are talking about. Not the family experince that MLS was trying to force down peoples throats. Would it work in ATL, I’d have to take your word for it. I’m not sure about the soccer following in the south. But if teams just focus on the soccer moms and AYSO and happy happy fun time experience it will turn away the 20-40 male sports fan, that likes to drink, curse and be loud at soccer games. Thats all I think we are trying to say. Does AYSO cause the younger generation to like the game? yes. But many abandon the game once HS hits. Its just not as big as a factor in the markets Ive mentioned.
Agreed with both of you. The so-called “facts” people are spilling on here about Atlanta have been just completely false for the most part. It’s good to see other people sticking up for ATL and providing the REAL facts on the subject.
Just pointing this out but both of you said something about “It may be different in other places, but that’s how it is in Chicago” when talking about youth soccer affecting MLS.
Right, in CHICAGO. You already have a team – what makes the Fire such a strong team is probably MUCH different than what would drive a team in Atlanta for example (where I’m from and continue to live). I can definitely vouch for the fact that youth soccer would play a tremendous part in supporting and working with an MLS team here, a huge reason why I believe Atlanta deserves and could support MLS soccer.
Btw, my caps use isnt meant to be antagonizing, I’m just trying to get the point across that different areas in the USA are indeed just that, different. So the whole “soccer mom” marketing plan actually is a pretty smart plan of attack for a lot of us.
until this is sorted out.. lets get an MLS CUP in Vegas!
or an All Star game in St. Louis, Atlanta, Minneapolis or Charlotte!
i had a great time in Seattle for the cup but Vegas in November would be so much better!!! the only issue is that their stadium is nowhere near the strip.
TAMPA… we had 1,500 fans show up to a preseason game
i see Miami and the potential Barça ride as a player development team not a spectator league (like MLS is trying to build). Its just a matter of time until Barça or another team is serious about opening up the Caribbean and Florida (great athletes) to soccer.
If i was in charge of that idea it would be serious investment into Miami’s USL team’s youth system with a European partnership.
I mean if you can’t sit down with a cold drink for 2 hours in 90-degree weather and watch a sport you love then I don’t know what to tell you man. That tells me more about how willing a person is to actually watch a game than whether or not the city can support a team.
And I’d be willing to bet Atlantans wouldn’t mind TOO much having to sit in the sunshine and watch good soccer. Doesn’t really seem too bad to me.
id say help out the fan who don’t already have a team in walking distance but if you want real local rivalries DC-Baltimore-Phily-NY-Boston (in the city) would make a great Accela rivalry. keep building your USL team and it could happen
It’s both. Dimwit.
no need to try florida again until 2020
i have heard a lot from atlanta fans that makes me think otherwise but a Raleigh-Durham-Cary or Charlotte team sounds great. Fast growing area with limited number of pro sports, especially during the summer. and look at how many MLS players come out of WAKE!, duke and the other NC schools.
Watching the fans there take to the old Hartford Wallers just looks like an opportunity (seriously who plays hockey in NC?, compared to soccer?)
Blind hatred toward the South again. I’m a hardcore conservative and I love college football, yet I would be at every single game if Atlanta got an MLS team.
Liking soccer isn’t a mutually exclusive trait. Although it seems to be the case with some of you. It’s perfectly normal to like soccer + another sport(s).
But I guess I’m just a retarded hick from the South right? We have no money or rational intellect. We live for NASCAR, college football, moonshine, and sex with our sisters. I forgot, my mistake.
Milwaukee and St. Louis. I can’t stress that enough. Combine fan bases and its that much easier for sellouts thus making teams profitable. Those games would have instant sell outs when they played each other or the Fire. St. Louis vs KC sellout. Why put a team in Miami (which has failed) or ATL and only pull from one fan base? Focus on regions and this league will finally have a solid base to build on.
I respect that people from random areas want teams, but focus on the business. The sooner MLS becomes extremly profitable, the talent will increase. I only bring that up, because I agree about the analogy of the NHL diluting.
wait were is there a plan for a MLS stadium in Vegas with a retractable roof??? that would be way to cool.
Your reason for saying “pro sports will never ever work in Las Vegas. Ever” is based off of what?
Couldn’t agree more. The league continues to try and market to suburban moms, but its the exact description of the common fan that you describe that shows up to each game. Well atleast here in Chicago. Give that target market what they want, great crowds and rivalrys and this league will take off…
MLS needs another flashy, international destination that attracts international attention – only Miami or Las Vegas would work, and a Miami-based has already folded once.
As a Las Vegas local, I can proudly say there’s plenty of support for the game here. I can go down to the park by my house on any given weekend and there’ll be people of all ages playing pick-up games.
Vegas is the largest market in the entire country that does not have a single top division sports team.
Its an international destination that can attract attention from the rest of the world. Would you think an MLS Cup final in Vegas or St. Louis would get more coverage in the rest of the world? Would St. Louis be able to attract a DP like Ronaldinho?
While Vegas doesn’t have the backing right now to pull the last expansion slot, I am convinced Vegas should be the first destination on the list for any teams that will be relocated/re-franchised (the last time we made a bid, the Vegas-based investor group bought a significant chunk of Columbus Crew instead of pushing for another bid the next year)
Put a soccer-specific stadium in downtown Raleigh.
I’d like to see a team in St. Louis and Miami.
Well said.
Aaron in Stl, stop BLINDLY spewing hate against Atlanta. Good lord you are pissing me off. Look, i will admit St. Louis should get a team! I admit it, i’m not disputing that.
Now to Atlanta, you cannot use NHL’s success/failures as any indication of MLS success. NHL over-expanding themselves…it’s very obvious. Plus, hockey is not a “natural” sport in the South. No colleges in the South have varsity hockey teams because hockey is mostly for the North/Canada.
Give the game of soccer a little more credit. It’s not a niche sport like hockey is. And for the record, the Falcons sell their games out, and the Hawks – despite price gouging on their tickets – are starting to get GREAT attendance compared to earlier years. Maybe go to Atlanta before spewing this crap? I’ve never been to St. Louis and you don’t see me saying “ohhh St. Louis sucks and could never work out.”
Jesus. Can you imagine the crazy drunken train rides between cities for games!? AHH Thats what I’m talking about…
St. Louis is supposedly soccer-mad, and certainly a good number of players come from that area.
Atlanta has potential should MLS ever decide to expand beyond 20 teams. Don’t expand to the southeast just for the sake of having a team in the southeast.
I don’t know what people think of soccer in San Diego, but my first preference would be to relocate Chivas USA to San Diego over expansion.
New York – I really cringe at the idea of having more than one team in the same city. Okay, so NYRB is in New Jersey. Whatever, close enough. Let’s see how FC New York fares before putting a second MLS team in New York (and it should be _in_ New York City).
Miami – if it’s done right, I’m sure it could work. But do we want to go with “could” over “will”? That FC Miami struggles to draw (though to be fair, that’s as much of their own doing as anything else) and a Miami team already folded out of MLS, not to mention the struggles other pro sports have in Miami, I don’t see this as a soccer city.
Phoenix – Honestly don’t know.
Charlotte – First I’m hearing of it. Can’t say, though USL teams seem to have fared alright in the Carolinas.
Las Vegas – pro sports will never ever work in Las Vegas. Ever.
this is a business just like MLB and the NBA and NHL. You wanna go all insular about the league knock your self out. theres realities and then theres just having your head in the sand.
I’m an LA fan, but even I will be dissapointed if St. Louis doesn’t get an expansion team.
Exactly! Finally someone who actually knows Atlanta and is talking sense. Everyone else has never even been to Atlanta and are just making things up.
Can I vote that we wait a couple years before jumping into this? We’re about to have 3 new teams! Let’s let the talent pool build up a little before spreading more. And it might help to increase the number of foreign roster positions as well. But if I must vote, I’d say North Carolina should get a team. It really depends on ownership and stadium location though. I’d like to see some of the proposals before jumping to conclusions
Voted for Charlotte, well basically because I live here…. And we are expecting 65,000 for Mexico vs Iceland tonight at BOA Stadium, so I think CHarlotte could support a team…
Like a few posters mentioned, I think the city would adopt a team easier than tring to adopt the Bobcats as your team or the Panthers for that matter and the Panthers draw well…
It could help MLS gain a grasp of the SE part of the country…There is even a great sight for an SSS in uptown, if we ever got so lucky… If there is a movement to bring a team here, someone let me know, I’m all on onboard to do my part despite Charlotte probably having the worst odds of any of these cities…
Zing! And Nick comes in for the kill! Just imagine an Atlanta MLS team man. Summers would be so exciting! I know me and you would be at every single game screaming our heads off
Ehhhhh I definitely don’t think it’s fair to say an MLS team would compare to NHL in Atlanta. I’ve lived here my entire life and MLS excitement would blow NHL out of the water. There is very little to no interest in hockey here for the most part, whereas Atlanta is assuredly one of the top up and coming soccer “hotbeds” in America.
Go back and read the plan for the Vegas stadium. They addressed the issues of heat with plans to have a retractable roof and air conditioning.
There are all sorts of ways you can play in that heat, it just takes an intelligent and well-funded ownership group, which is exactly the type of group that was assembled and bidding from/for Vegas.
I don’t know how anyone can question the fan base of St. Louis…
silly metaphors, silly opinion
You are delusional if you think fans from Richmond will have any impact on a Raleigh bid. Richmond is closer to DC, anyway.
San Diego baby! The Flash are starting back up and will be playing in the USL next season, so I’m sure if they could find some investors Garber would love a team in America’s finest city
Ford plant would be great…good thought.
Conferences do help breed stronger rivalries in my opinion, so they are at least good for one thing.
I would love to see a team in Vegas.
You people talking about atlanta’s fan base have no ideas what your talking about! The only reason teams like the hawks and thrashers have and had bad attendence is because they were and are bad. The hawks were so bad for so long that people stop caring, if you look at them for the past 3 year their popularity and attendence has gone up because they got better. Let’s not even try to talk about the braves they are one of the most winningest franchises in MLB, people from all over the south support them. They only have the one championship that is why people became a bit jaded but don’t let that fool u. The falcons continue to sell out games, did u all forget how it was with vick? Now Matt Ryan is starting to earn that kind of support.
Atlanta hands down has to be the selection for 20. With Arthur blank as owner the team will prosper… As long a they don’t suck, then they might go through what the hawks had to or so long bit the fans would still support the team. The fan base in atlana and the metro area is there and will show up to games and support the team. If the bid goes to another city it would be completly stupid, Atlanta is a diverse area and would draw fans from that diversity from all over the south..,
Atlanta #20 enough said!
I’d love to see Atlanta and Charlotte each get one. The South East needs some rep and those cities I believe have populations that would support soccer. I do think you would need both to make it work though, from the idea that regional rivalries help drive interest. Miami has proven to have trouble supporting a soccer franchise I don’t think they are ready to try again. St. Louis has an argument but the midwest has some rep between KC, Chicago, and Columbus.
As an aside I don’t get this idea that latinos won’t support MLS. If you have ever been to a DC United game they make up a large portion of the crowd, and are some of the most vocal. Just because some teams haven’t tapped into the market doesn’t mean they can’t. Heck United games have a Spanish radio broadcast but not an English one and every stadium announcement comes out in English and Spanish.
I’d vote to move Chivas to San Diego before giving them a new team, though I am not sure San Diego is really in need of one.
No team in the South. Miami FL is the logical location for # 20.