FC Barcelona launches MLS bid in Miami

[Shmee]

Seven markets submitted official expansion bids today. They are:

Atlanta - Arthur Blank

Miami - FC Barcelona and Marcelo Claure

Montreal - The Saputo and Gillett Families

Ottawa - Eugene Melnyk

Portland - The Paulson Family

St. Louis - Investment group led by Jeff Cooper

Vancouver - Greg Kerfoot, Steve Nash and Jeff Mallett

[Lee.]

I dare say that given the markets, and the money involved, that we're probably going to see all but Ottawa get teams in the near future. There's just no real history of soccer in Ottawa, in fact I don't think they even have a team in USL-1 or Development.

I know it's all part of a plan to get the CFL a cheap, suitable replacement stadium for Frank Clair, but I think they're in the cold.

[Drew22]

Thanks Arthur Blank! I hope Atlanta gets a team.

I hope they build the stadium in Cobb County. Gwinnett is already getting the Braves, so I doubt the county will spring for another new stadium. The other suggestion is College Park. Oy.

[rams80]

I've never seen Milwaukee as a soccer town, illwauk. How did the Wave do when the MISL was around?

IIRC fairly well.

[TBGKon]

Thanks Arthur Blank! I hope Atlanta gets a team.

I hope they build the stadium in Cobb County. Gwinnett is already getting the Braves, so I doubt the county will spring for another new stadium. The other suggestion is College Park. Oy.

What about Re/Max Greater Atlanta Stadium, where the Silverbacks play? Based on their Wikipedia page, they have plans to expand the stadium to 15,000.

Wonder if MLS could prompt a larger capacity.

[-kj]

The Wave have usually done well indoors, but Wave United did very poorly outdoors. The Rampage had some decent years, as I understand it, but eventually went under.

Peter Wilt, former GM of the Chicago Fire, was at one point trying to organize an ownership group in Milwaukee, but nothing much came of it.

I'm kinda hoping Atlanta's bid fails, not so much because it's Atlanta, but because it's a group that has nothing currently to do with soccer there. As far as I understand it, the Silverbacks aren't involved at all (as of yet) with Blank's bid. That's similar to Zygi Wilf's claims a while back that a new stadium for the Vikings could also host an MLS team--yeah, that's great and all, but you don't know a damned thing about soccer, and you'd be pissing on twenty years of Thunder history in the process.

Plus, well, I'm still holding out false hope for St. Louis.

[Jer15]

Ok, call me dumb if you must, but wouldn't it make sence for markets like Montreal, Miami, and Vancouver to get these MLS teams? (I'd include Atlanta but like it's been mentioned on here, apparently the Atlanta bid has nothing to do with the Silverbacks)

I mean, you've got USL 1st divison teams, who in this case are good (well, Miami wasn't horrible) established franchises, who either A) have a soccer specific stadium that they can expand or are in talks to build a new SSS.

Like, Maybe it's just too easy, but it seems to be working for Seattle.

P.S. Does Eugene Melnyk really think he has a chance? Honestly? The government would rather shell out the cash to rebuild Frank Clair and bring back the CFL. IF he want to own another pro sports franchise he should just take his efforts to the CFL and help out that case....then again, that's another story.

[gosioux76]

If anyone cares, here's the brief story I wrote for my paper yesterday about the ownership groups, who they are in a bit more detail, etc.

http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/s...fn&brthrs=1

[maz]

Personally, I think an MLS team would fair pretty well in Pittsburgh.

[AJM]

I wonder why Phoenix hasn't presented itself as a candidate for expansion yet. One of the nation's largest cities with an exceptionally large Hispanic population and another very large group of young people would be a perfect landing spot for an MLS team. The rapid population growth of the metro area along with its perception as one of America's "cooler" cities also seem to make it a prime target for growth. In addition, the success of teams in Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, and Denver has shown that the Southwest is ready and able to support MLS. With Glendale dying to portray itself as a real place (they're still a suburb, no matter what they say) I doubt that MLS would have any difficulty securing some public funding for a soccer-specific stadium. Thoughts?

I've wondered this myself. In fact when Chivas USA was first announced as a franchise, they hadn't announced their home city yet, and I was fully expecting it to be either Phoenix or Houston, not a second team in L.A.

Occasional rumors pop up here in PHX about LAA Angels owner and Tucson native Arte Moreno being interested in putting an ownership grop together...mostly rumors though. A group (http://www.mlsphoenixrising.com/) usually post information about MLS in PHX. I am personally glad that Chivas USA landed in Cali and not in AZ...I'm a Club America fan myself.

A lot has been stated as to whether or not the MLS would hold a Phoenix based ownership group to building a SSS or allow them to play indoors (possible University of Phoenix Stadium). I have a hard time seeing the approval of a 22K-25K seat indoor stadium being built.