MLS Expansion Thread

[BrySmalls]

Anheuser-Busch's involvement didn't bring any money to the bid. A-B was only offering land for another stadium proposal - the one thing that the St. Louis group didn't need.

It was a publicity stunt. Cooper knew what MLS wanted to see from his bid, but he couldn't deliver, so he found a little smoke and a mirror.

Yikes....talk about shooting themselves in the foot. When 2012 Expansion comes around, I hope STL has more of a competent group spearheading their bid.

[Brian in Boston]

Guess the fiscal backing by Albert Pujols and Anheuser-Busch was seen as a last ditch effort.

Even as a multi-millionaire Major League Baseball star, Albert Pujols doesn't flash the same kind of cash as the likes of Paul Allen, Greg Kerfoot and Hank - oh, I mean Merritt - Paulson.

As for Anheuser-Busch, their so-called "fiscal backing" came in the form of donating a suburban soccer park to Cooper. InBev, Anheuser-Busch's new parent company, is looking to rid their newly-acquired American brewery of non-revenue-generating assets. A suburban soccer park with a 6,000-seat soccer stadium as its central component isn't exactly filling the coffers at Anheuser-Busch. So, InBev figured they could position themselves as benevolent types in the local community by "selflessly" backing Cooper's MLS efforts handing-over operation of the soccer park... a facility they don't regard as an asset, built on a flood-plain which will - at the very least - drive-up the pricetag of future development of the facility.

Bottom line? The Pujols and Anheuser-Busch developments did nothing concrete to address the fact that Cooper's bid on behalf of St. Louis was undercapitalized in the estimation of MLS. If anything, Cooper is now responsible for the upkeep of the soccer park... which would actually amount to a capital outlay on his part.

[Gothamite]

Exactly.

As for Pujols, the initial reports didn't say how much cash he was contributing. To my knowledge, the actual dollar amount was never publicly disclosed. MLS would have to have been told, however, and it obviously wasn't enough. But Pujols is a big name, and it got the St. Louis bid in the papers.

Again, it has all the appearances of a publicity stunt, just like Anheuser-Busch's land offer. Why should MLS have taken the bid seriously?

If St. Louis really wants a MLS club, then they'll have to throw Cooper into the Mississippi.

[Brian in Boston]

Well, it is official: the Cascadia Cup is moving on up to Major League Soccer. Don Garber has announced that Portland, Oregon is joining Seattle and Vancouver as Pacific Northwest-based MLS franchises.

FYI: Team owner Merritt Paulson has officially revealed that the Portland Timbers name is making the move to MLS.

[BrySmalls]

Well, it is official: the Cascadia Cup is moving on up to Major League Soccer. Don Garber has announced that Portland, Oregon is joining Seattle and Vancouver as Pacific Northwest-based MLS franchises.

Keeping the nickname Timbers in the process?

[Seadragon76]

Here's what I think would happen for MLS at this point.

2010: The league adds Philadelphia to the Eastern Conference and gives it eight teams as well. The Comissioner and the 16 general mangers of the league decide on a new format for the league. Each conference still has eight teams, but they are spilt into two four team divisions.

Eastern Conference

Eastern Division

-Red Bull New York

-New England Revolution

-MLS Philadelphia

-D.C. United

Central Division

-Columbus Crew

-Chicago Fire

-Kansas City Wizards

-Toronto FC

Western Conference

Southwest Division

-FC Dallas

-Houston Dynamo

-Colorado Rapids

-Real Salt Lake

Pacific Division

-Seattle Sounders FC

-San Jose Earthquakes

-Los Angeles Galaxy

-CD Chivas USA

2011: Vancouver and Portland are added and move into the Pacific Division, forcing Chivas to move into the Southwest Division and forcing FC Dallas to move into the Eastern Conference's Central Division in order to even the conferences at 9 teams each.

2012: The final expansion teams are given to Ottawa and St. Louis. Ottawa is placed in the Eastern Conference's Eastern Division and St. Louis is placed in the Central Division. FC Dallas moves back into the Western Conference's Southwest Division. The league finally ends expansion and caps the league at 20 teams. It would flourish for the next 10-15 years in this format.

[Brian in Boston]

Keeping the nickname Timbers in the process?

Yes. Team owner Merritt Paulson confirmed that would be the case during his address to the fans at this morning's press conference.

[DEAD!]

Keeping the nickname Timbers in the process?

Yes. Team owner Merritt Paulson confirmed that would be the case during his address to the fans at this morning's press conference.

and if you look at the Timbers website "Secure your 2011 Timbers MLS Season Tickets Today"

[BrySmalls]

Keeping the nickname Timbers in the process?

Yes. Team owner Merritt Paulson confirmed that would be the case during his address to the fans at this morning's press conference.

and if you look at the Timbers website "Secure your 2011 Timbers MLS Season Tickets Today"

There's a thread int he Sports Logos section that has an image of the website and kit concepts.

[Saturn]

I can't figure out how to do the schedule with Portland and Vancouver...The only way I see is a single table but then they would HAVE to scrap some games from somewhere; probably superliga.

[gosioux76]

Just got back from covering the press conference in Portland -- conveniently next door to my office -- and it was unlike any I've ever seen. The Timbers Army was singing thundering chants from an upper ballroom that were audible from the moment you walked into the hotel. A guy I work with who loathed the idea of bring MLS to Portland is suddenly a fan.

Craziness. But good times.

[Gothamite]

They sounded amazing on the web feed alone.

I'm convinced that the Timbers Army is as responsible for the MLS franchise as anything.

[BrySmalls]

I can't figure out how to do the schedule with Portland and Vancouver...The only way I see is a single table but then they would HAVE to scrap some games from somewhere; probably superliga.

Simple. Move Dallas and Houston to the Eastern Conference for 2011 and when two Eastern Cities are awarded expansion teams in 2012, move them back.

Then again, they can always do the three Conference thing from the early 2000s.

[gosioux76]

They sounded amazing on the web feed alone.

I'm convinced that the Timbers Army is as responsible for the MLS franchise as anything.

Agreed. They coalesced into an incredibly effective lobbying group in the effort to land this franchise. And their devotion is just remarkable. I watched an exhibition game a few weeks back between the Sounders and the University of Portland. The Timbers Army -- by far the loudest element in the stadium -- was there just to jeer the Sounders.

[Lee.]

2012: The final expansion teams are given to Ottawa and St. Louis.

I must ask.

Why does everyone here seemingly have such a hard-on for Ottawa to get an MLS franchise? It's a city with little to no soccer history, who only entered the fray because Eugene Melnyk wants to build a new stadium in the hopes of getting an MLS team, in order to stick it to the CFL expansion owners who HAVE a team, but need a new place to play?

I understand a lot of you hold Toronto in such reverence that they must absolutely HAVE a close regional rival, but I want to know the logic behind it.

[Gothamite]

I think it could just be that Ottawa and St. Louis were the only two bids to go all the way and not pull out before the decision was made.

[WJMorris3]

It wouldn't be hard to schedule for 18 teams. Home and away is 34 games.

[Brian in Boston]

I'm convinced that the Timbers Army is as responsible for the MLS franchise as anything.

The Timbers Army... and the fact that Major League Soccer marketing partner adidas maintains its United States headquarters in Portland. Garber actually went so far as to mention adidas' presence in the city during his comments at today's press conference..

[Brian in Boston]

Why does everyone here seemingly have such a hard-on for Ottawa to get an MLS franchise?

Eugene Melnyk

I want to know the logic behind it.

Eugene Melnyk and his deep pockets are the logic behind Ottawa's MLS expansion bid. Garber and Company are enamored of his financial resources.

Money talks... bulls**t walks, as far as MLS is concerned. Just ask Jeff Cooper.

[Gothamite]

I'm convinced that the Timbers Army is as responsible for the MLS franchise as anything.

The Timbers Army... and the fact that Major League Soccer marketing partner adidas maintains its United States headquarters in Portland. Garber actually went so far as to mention adidas' presence in the city during his comments at today's press conference..

Wow - Portland has the market cornered on international sporting wear companies?

And how ballsy of Adidas, to set up shop in Nike's backyard?