This comes to us from a very reputable, highly placed source who wishes to remain anonymous:
Race for Team 20 Heats Up
As the race for MLS team #20 continues to develop, new players emerge and old players fade. We reported last month about Orlando’s ascendency into the upper echelons of expansion talk discussion. The continued attendance success of third division Orlando City SC and the strong local and English based ownership group continues to attract the attention of MLS. Now, Las Vegas has entered the fray with several potential interested investors. New York and Miami appear to be fading forces. The finances of the Wilpon’s and demands of the Cosmos continue to weaken NYC2, while Miami’s Marcelo Claure has yet to find interested investors to take a flier on what is considered a tough soccer market. Miami’s attractiveness may be improved by the continued strong attendance for the second division Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Word on the street is that the MLS team #20 could cost an expansion fee of $100 million, which is a strong indication of MLS’ recent marketing success.
And just prior to receiving that we got the following report sent to us from a reader in our inbox:
With eyes on Detroit, Silverdome owners submit Major League Soccer expansion bid
Here is an excerpt:
Triple Sports and Entertainment, the owners of the Silverdome, have taken the next formal step toward acquiring an expansion team by submitting an application to MLS with the goal of fielding a team in the next few years. However, they will have to get in line as bringing a second franchise to the New York market is currently front and center according to MLS officials.
“We’re in discussions with the league, and we’ve met several times,” said Steve Apostolopoulos, the president of sports at the Silverdome. “There is a process that potential ownership has to follow and we’re very happy with how things are progressing.”
Continue reading at M-Live….
