MLS Expansion: Who Will Be Next?

Four groups from three cities presented bids to Major League Soccer officials Friday in an attempt to claim the final two expansion bids. The league wants to grow to 24 teams by 2020 and is adding New York City FC, owned by Manchester City of the English Premier League, and Orlando City SC in 2015. Orlando spent the last few seasons in the USL Pro league, which is considered the third division of soccer in America.

This will give the league 20 teams after the folding of Chivas USA. The rights to that franchise were purchased by a group of investors including Vincent Tan, the owner of Cardiff City of the English Championship. They are currently known as LAFC and will begin play in 2017 along with Atlanta. They will be the 21st and 22nd clubs. That leaves two more spots available and the competition is heating up.  

First of all, what about Miami? Miami was all but a lock when David Beckham announced he was exercising his option to purchase an expansion franchise and he would place his team in South Florida. He has since run into political and logistical issues and won't be granted a franchise until he has a viable stadium plan in place. That is much easier said than done in Miami and he may lose out altogether. So if not Miami where would the league look to expand? Formal bids were presented by groups representing Las Vegas, Minneapolis (two separate bids) and Sacramento.

The longest shot of the group is Las Vegas. This bid hinges upon a stadium deal that will be voted on in December and is fighting the perception that it has no real interest in professional sports. It does however have an apparently solid ownership group with flashy stadium plans. The group is led by a local car dealer and a Baltimore real estate development group. This writer doesn't see them getting a team but if the stadium deal goes through and other bids fizzle out it could very well happen.

Sacramento is very much a contender and a bid that yours truly likes a lot. However, the league may not want another team in northern California and the San Jose Earthquakes may be very unhappy if they did get a team. The bid was presented by USL Pro team Sacramento Republic FC, which just completed its' first season by winning the league championship while setting attendance records. The team has a strong ownership group and is planning a downtown stadium. They are forcing their way into the conversation much like Orlando did but this bid may come down to what happens in Miami and could be the fall back option if they fail to figure out the stadium situation.

The final two bids come from Minneapolis. The league wants to strengthen its' presence in the Midwest and a team in Minnesota would certainly do that. The problem here is the two rival bids. If they could just combine into one bid they would be a lock for a team.

First, you have the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, seeking more revenue options for their new stadium. They have the backing of the mayor but lack the soccer pedigree. The other bid is from the NASL's Minnesota United. The club has existed in various forms since 1990 and has significantly strengthened the ownership group by apparently adding the owners of the Minnesota Twins and Timberwolves. They have a solid plan to build a downtown stadium as well.

The league is not rushing to make a decision, though it could occur in March or April. Minneapolis is the favorite and if the Miami plan fails Sacramento would be next in line. That would leave San Antonio on the outside looking in, as well as other potential cities such as San Diego, Phoenix and Austin.