By TATE STEINLAGE
On the heels of setting a single-season USL PRO attendance record, Sacramento Republic FC is making headlines once again.
Representatives from the Sacramento Kings are reportedly in discussions with the USL PRO side to buy the franchise and expand it to Major League Soccer by 2020.
Kings President Chris Granger will travel to Portland this week for the MLS All-Star game to talk with current Republic owner Warren Smith and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. MLS officials are also scheduled to be in attendance during Wednesday’s meeting.
Minority Kings owner Kevin Nagle recently sounded off on the scope of soccer in Sacramento, providing insight on the Kings’ interest in the Republic.
“It makes all the sense in the world to figure out how to align collectively – soccer and basketball,” Nagle told the Sacramento Bee. “It would enable us to take advantage of all the synergies available in marketing and sponsorships … To be a better enterprise to respond to the wants and needs of our fans.”
One Sacramento group hopes to have a new Republic ownership and stadium plan in place by September when the MLS board of governors meets to talk soccer in Sacramento.
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What do you make of the Kings possibly purchasing the Republic? Could that help bolster expansion talks?
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