[Abdul-Hakim Shabazz] I'm hearing @IndyMayorJoe may be announcing a new soccer team coming to town this afternoon. Stay tuned. The announcement will be streamed at @WISH_TV
I love the Indy Eleven, I have been a season ticket holder since day 1. I was downtown when they announced the name and crest on the circle, but I hate our owner. I would support a new MLS team if it means we get rid of Ersal. Hope we keep the crest and name though.
Or forgot all his promises to the Indy 11 (Like Scott's Tots) and hands everyone in attendance a new Subbuteo soccer game with a stadium expansion pack cause he does not have the money for Eleven Park...
But from what I'm reading -- and I'm hardly up on it -- the mayor is unilaterally pulling out support for Indy 11 to announce a bid for an MLS team ... but like, is there a billionaire willing to pay? Have they even talked to MLS with any seriousness?
Yep, it is weird to be this aggressive on this. I have no idea if the mayor jumped the gun or MLS gave assurances or there was a deadline for the financing. It all is a bit fishy.
When San Diego came in fairly quickly, there were rumors for a couple of months and a couple of comments from Garber in formal settings about San Diego being very attractive.
Then when they announced, it wasn't the mayor; it was ownership and Garber together.
The only group that seemed to come together faster was Tepper in Charlotte. But the fact that the mayor announced this, doesn't have a lead investor he's willing to name, did it without Garber and literally said that they don't know if they will get one ...
... feels like he had a meeting with MLS and is just winging it.
Which makes me think there's some other motivation out there.
My money is either on something personal between the mayor and the Indy 11 folks or it's very aggressive negotiating on the fact that the approved site apparently is a real problem and Indy 11 are likely asking for more money. He also may just want an out, too.
The real question is is there a lead investor who can put up $500M? Because the minority owners are largely irrelevant these days. LAFC wasn't that long ago, but it's hard to raise that much across that many people. You need the lead person.
It'll be interesting. Obviously, MLS wants it to keep going up, but I think it'll largely rest on how much real competition for the spot is out there right now and if this unknown funder can figure that out.
Good questions would be, since I'm pretty sure MLS is not that eager to move today unless the fee is decently larger ... if an Indy owner holds the line at $500M, would they take it?
We're starting to reach the point where there's simply not a lot of folks who are going to want in at this price in the markets remaining. I mean, there's a lot of billionaires, but there's only a few cities left where the money makes sense.
"there's only a few cities left where the money makes sense."
and Indianapolis is certainly not one of them. this thread is hilarious. mayor makes a nothingburger announcement, half of reddit starts reading tea leaves.
What if the Indy 11 owner is dumping his USLC teams branding to avoid paying the exit fee and announcing a MLS team to play in 2026? I thought it was weird when the stadium was delayed a year. It would line up perfectly with San Diego getting some time in the spot lightÂ
Makes no sense why the city would pull out of the stadium deal in that case. You can do everything you just said without disrupting building the stadium you need for that anyway
Hmmm that came fast and hard. I didn't think there was any financial issues or whatever. That would have came out like it did for Rio Grande. Also if they were in such a monetary tough spot they could have gone much smaller in the project.
The owner is definitely fine financially. They wanted this stadium. The city pulling out and supposedly shopping around for a new project on the site reeks of outside interference - with one fairly likely entity, I'd say.
I'd say MLS right away feels unlikely for Indianapolis. I am just speculating, but maybe an MLSNP team with plans to go to MLS in a few years? That could entice the city to come on-board.
Guess we'll find out shortly, but a sudden turnaround from the mayor after attending the groundbreaking feels fishy.
First it was Austin, Indianapolis have come to finish the job.
Indy Crew coming soon.