Indianapolis too, could add Phoenix to that list of Potential and throw in Tampa Bay while you're at it. All those teams won't get in but point is its not so slim. More potential cities than spots, especially if MLS says we're only going to 32 teams.
This I've explained it before from a business standpoint. There are 4 slices of pie and the NFL has about 50% NBA 25% MLB 10%NHL has some of the rest but not all.
The system has established and formed with that dynamic jobs careers etc. It's in the establishment advantage to not want to talk about it(soccer).
To those that might say we'll they do see EPL/Champions League... I'm happy you might mention it. EPL and European Soccer pose no threat. They are played in the morning/early afternoon and are mainly out of the way of our traditional US Sports time frame. Those in media can pretend and some really indulge to like soccer but just the European kind. It doesn't interrupt their ecosphere and they get to be appear cool young and hip tweeting about Champions League etc.
To appear to embrace, promote and talk up about European soccer EPL is easy it doesn't interfere with their work career or moneythe way domestic soccer MLS would if they properly talked about it like they should. MLS domestic soccer can only get so big because traditional sports media has a benefit to keeping the established hierarchy.
You're already see some further down the tier like MLB struggle to maintain its media deals and revenue. Now imagine MLS universally acknowledged in sports media as the 5th Major Pro League even though it meets metrics that were established historically as being a Major League Revenue $2b+, Geographic Foot Print, Attendance (relevency).
I think ppl are confusing the media hype and buzz with thinking the WNBA has made it. Which is why there's confusion with why the pay is what it is. It's the wrong type mindset or just envy at the MLS stature. If MLS is a afterthought lord let WNBA be the same afterthought with similar resources lol.
Keep seeing this take, but it's an inaccurate one. MLS didn't fall into irrelevancy. It simply matured and got money and expanded and grew its footprint quietly.
The WNBA is getting their media hype machine run much like XFL/F1 got before the hype has died down some. MLS was able to parlay the hype with Beckham yrs ago into a league now generating Billions of revenue annually and packed stadiums and investors throwing down $500m for stadiums. Don't confuse hype with creating a true Major Professional League. At the end of all this the W needs to follow the MLS path.
Terrible take wish the WNBA well without petty envy. WNBA would switch places in a heartbeat with MLS. MLS has billions in revenue and is the 3rd most attended Major Professional Sports League with 23,788 only trailing MLB 26,629 and NFL. u/BuffyTheBison is spot on
Sometimes I think people don't really think about things because if MLS is a afterthought with all its success then WNBA will forever be a afterthought after Clark's buzz dies down if that's your perspective.
Let's hope for continued good success it's exciting see MLS sister League get its moment though or really second chance. Hopefully they make the most out of it like MLS did with Beckham 17 yrs ago.
I clicked and provided the info why not both 🤷🏽♂️
Exactly have seen more than enough soccer fans in Michigan and around Detroit that have stated they'd love to have a MLS team.
“This is clearly our domain and we feel that some significant financial compensation must be in place to redress our loss in playing time,” stated on D.C. United spokesman.
Sources say that this is just the tip of the iceberg for the fight for the burgeoning Union youth player as the Philadelphia Union are ready to counter that just because he may have a United descendant that Raccinho was, in fact, a Union academy member for the past 4 years.
“The Raccoon is from Philadelphia and debuted in Chester, he will stay in Philadelphia,” stated one Union official.
The Nutmeg News will have more on this when Major League Soccer indicates that Inter Miami will have the first right to sign the new international start.
A relegation yo yo team but a EPL team none the least lol.
Private Charter Airlines Sun Country signed a 5 yr deal in 2026 to become the leagues official Charter Carrier. Here's an article I found. Any ideas who the W is going to use will they have a exclusive Carrier deal or just use what's available?
BTW did you DV if not people can be so petty the OP mentioned MLS specifically which is why I added clarity. Lol DV for being factual.
https://simpleflying.com/mls-flying-arrangements-alterations-guide/
Agree unlike the WNBA case MLS is/was full of billionaire owners and the league has billions of dollars in revenues coming in to afford it. Honestly MLS could have afforded charter flights in 2015 but it was considered a luxury and not a necessity. It took a global pandemic and concerns around health after the bubble for owners to reconsider their cheap ways.
Another that i remember well is "Carrots are good for your eyes".
That's actually true this is a funny one myth to truth. Carrots are actually a good source of Vitamin A and Beta Carotene that promote eye health. The haha carrots don't promote eye health they're worthless is sort of a urban myth.
Obviously(started by I cow I believe lol)but in this instance it certainly was a outright steal on the Chicago Fire team name with at the time the Fire had the old school Fire Department style badge.
NBC ripped the idea for a show about a Fire fighter drama based in Chicago straight from the Chicago Fire team name 🤣 its so OBVIOUSLY blatant. They were only able to get away with it at the time likely because they slid it in the contract of the deal at the time ir just did it because it wasn't likely MLS was going to gripe on it being they were all too happy to sign that deal which at the time was seen as much needed money lol going from the $5-7m Fox Soccer Channel paid to $10m and getting on Broadcast NBC.
How far MLS has come, no other league would have allowed that outright rip of a license branded team name. There's a reason at the end of every game every Major League does that license and consent branding thing of the league.
🤷🏽♂️I mean I remember during this time on Big Soccer we all thought how funny it was that NBC was creating this show after they got MLS rights.
They "suddenly" came up with the idea let's create a show called Chicago Fire. I distinctly remember someone joked yeah total coincidence at least it's not the Chicago ZooKeepers🤣😂
Picturing NBC getting these upcoming NBA rights and they go we're gonna create a new Crime fighting show starring David Caruso we're gonna call it Miami Heat
NBA: No😆
No that's not accurate MLS flies exclusively charter has done so since the pandemic yrs.
MLS has flown Charter since 2021 it's about WNBA got it too.
Lol it's ok.
No I'm not arguing to pay $30m. People were saying if they changed to a new name like what's been mentioned Racing Indy it could cause confusion I was arguing against that. They'd only pay $30m if they kept the Indy 11 branding.
Different times with the Chicago Fire and the NBC show. MLS was in a much different place then as far as popularity. I wouldn't get hung up over that. I doubt it's going to confuse new fans when they Google Racing Indy Soccer team or Indianapolis new soccer team.
The hype and buzz from the new team will fix that it's not 2011 MLS anymore; when a new NBC show by the same name created a issue. In fact the league the size and might not of MLS would slap a trademark/copy rights infringement now a days. NBC was sly and used their contracted league deal as a means to spin a show using the same name. They paid MLS $10m and fretted when MLS asked for more after 3yrs which in hindsight was ridiculous considering the money they've made the 12 seasons that show has run using the name "Chicago Fire" blatantly stolen from MLS.
Which all gets me back to my original point few people now confuse or get confused with the Chicago Fire and the NBC show Chicago Fire.
Late stage rounds of Open Cup like the Qtr Final rounds. I've seen some teams still not play the entire first team until the Final, however normally by the Qtrs Rounds a majority at least 60% of MLS squads are regulars, vs the earlier rounds where it's 3 first 18 field players, a bunch of supplementary roster/homegrown contract/backup type players mixed in with some MLS 2 players that got a call up for Open Cup.
As a USL fan you sort of take the win however you can get it. It would be nice if MLS sides played their regularly lineups. It would help USL quality overtime playing higher level guys DP/TAM/Max budget MLS players. I'm just not sure of the catalyst to force MLS to play those guys.
Would have to do a Portland in order to expand on the east/west side of the stadium building up is the only way unless they get city clearance to build up more on the Heineken suite side (city restricted capacity) on that end.
That's how I watch via Roku as I finally cut the cord in January for Sling on my Roku. Imagine being this uniformed.
I don't have Apple products and can watch all these games. So......
I think PHX is ideal if not for needing a indoor stadium like the Cardinals and D-backs. Maybe they can get something going with the AZ Cardinals ownership or if they get a billionaire investor. So I see the focus shifting to the east once San Diego joins. I have Indy in the lead just because of the recent news, but I wouldn't sleep on Detroit if they sell cash out to a big money billionaire like Dan Gilbert. I think the last west team for a bit os San Diego, only leaves Sac/Vegas out west.
Beckham says “bringing Messi to MLS was not just for Miami”
MLS