The Major League Soccer expansion train continues to pick up steam while showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
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MLS commissioner Don Garber said at a public rally in the streets of Sacramento on Thursday that he “hopes and expects” the California capital to be next in line in being granted an expansion franchise, per ESPN FC’s Jeffrey Carlisle (below tweet).
Not sure half the teams already in MLS could pull this off. pic.twitter.com/ZmbExr5Gmz
— Brian Straus (@BrianStraus) April 14, 2016
With 20 teams currently in operation, plus two more — Atlanta United and Minnesota United (soon-to-be United no longer, though) — aiming to make their MLS debuts in 2017, followed by Los Angeles FC and David Beckham’s Miami franchise in 2018 and/or 2019, the league is a year ahead of its self-imposed schedule to field 24 teams by 2020.
Why stop there, though, with a handful of other major markets across North America impatiently waiting to fork over something in the neighborhood of $100 million for an expansion fee? (We’ll worry about the size and quality of the American and Canadian player pools at a later date, right?)
Don Garber makes official that MLS will expand to to 28 teams. Garber said "We hope and expect" that Sacramento will be in next exp wave.
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) April 14, 2016
And yes I thought the announcement of MLS expanding to 28 teams had already been made but I'm told this is the "official" announcement.
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) April 14, 2016
Same, Jeff. Same.
Sacramento Republic, who currently play in USL, even without having been officially awarded an expansion franchise to date, continue to push forward with plans, including the purchase of land, to build their very own, brand new soccer-specific stadium in downtown Sacramento with a new set of renderings released on Wednesday.
BREAKING: Republic FC release new Railyards stadium renderings.
— Republic FC (@SacRepublicFC) April 13, 2016
Read --> https://t.co/i2DksF9Yc2#BuiltForMLS pic.twitter.com/Bj2VHFpWGP
St. Louis, San Antonio, North Carolina, Las Vegas, San Diego, Phoenix and Nashville … there are three more expansion spots unofficially/officially unspoken for; you’re all on the clock.