Sacramento have a full stadium plan
Teams Bid for MLS Expansion Teams
Having been dropped by the NFL, both St. Louis and San Diego are among those bidding for four Major League Soccer expansion places. With ensuring that stadium financing is in place being just one condition for selection, two teams which have $150 million expansion fees will join the league in 2020. With twelve applications expected, the review process will begin in February, led by New England’s Jonathan Kraft. An announcement concerning two new teams is expected by the end of 2017, with the likes of Charlotte, Detroit and Sacramento among others all vying for places. The other seven are Nashville, Phoenix, Raleigh/Durham, Indianapolis, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Cincinnati and San Antonio.
The new MLS season kicks off in March, and with teams beginning preparations for the upcoming year. Betway are already taking bets on who could possibly dethrone the Seattle Sounders as MLS Cup champions, with LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls among the early favourites.
Just 10 teams were there from the outset of the MLS back in 1996, with 22 this year following the additions of Atlanta and Minnesota. Meanwhile, with a second Los Angeles based team expected to open next year, as well as the much-talked about David Beckham’s Miami franchise, it is certainly an exciting time for soccer stateside. The League recently announced that it plans to expand to 28 teams in the future.
Having first announced plans to bring a soccer team to Miami back in 2014, Beckham has struggled over the last three years, with several setbacks affecting their intentions. With three potential sites for stadiums failing to come through, a new site in the overtown area of the city is the new hope. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid man plans to privately fund the 25,000 seater, $150 million stadium, having purchased six acres of land for $19 million recently. Beckham’s former team the Galaxy are favourites for the MLS Cup with Betway despite losing Steven Gerrard and Robbie Keane last year.
Elsewhere, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced recently that the 2017 MLS All-Star Game will take place on August 2 at the Soldier Field in Chicago.
