Manchester City owner to aquire MLS expansion club in New York?!

[Cashcleaner]

Couldn't find this being discussed on any other threads, so I'm putting it here. Personally, I'll believe it when I see it, but stranger things have happened. And apparently Beckham has been approached for a role within the club.


Rumors that Manchester City's (http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/manchester-city) owners are the favorites to purchase a potential New York City MLS team are picking up steam. Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan is prepared to pay the $100 million expansion fee and privately finance the stadium that would cost another $300-350 million, according to Bloomberg News (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-14/manchester-city-said-close-to-becoming-owner-of-mls-queens-team.html). The team would apparently be called New York City FC.


So far, MLS has taken the lead on acquiring land and permits in Queens, but nothing has become official. The hope is for the league to have a shovel-ready project ready for whoever owns the team, vastly increasing its potential value.


The report also suggests David Beckham (http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/players/110214/david-beckham) has been contacted about a role within the team. The former Manchester United (http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/manchester-united) star has a clause in his MLS contract that gives him the right to own a MLS team, but it does not allow him to own a team in New York. He could play a different role with this team.


http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2012/12/14/3768320/manchester-city-mls-new-york-city-fc

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-14/manchester-city-said-close-to-becoming-owner-of-mls-queens-team.html

[Mark in Ottawa]

"Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan is prepared to pay the $100 million expansion fee"
100 Mill?? Really??

[Detroit_TFC]

UAE/Sheik Mansour might be involved in an ownership group but I doubt they would do a direct tie with MCFC. It is possible though, the execs running MCFC commercial operations are from FC Barcelona and may have been involved in the FCB/MLS Miami thing that never really got off the ground a few years ago. More likely would be a loose affiliation deal if anything, which has typically been a press conference, a few news stories and not too much beyond that.

[ensco]

or maybe not

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/183969.html

[Super]

"Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan is prepared to pay the $100 million expansion fee"
100 Mill?? Really??

Yes indeed, that's the cost to become the 20th team in the MLS.

[Redpunkfiddle]

Or maybe its the cost to become the new New York franchise? Are Orlando or Minnesosa going to put that up the future.

I only have my doubts about this rumour because it makes the coolest name in sports possible. New York City.

Oh, sorry- New York City FC

[ryan]

Or maybe its the cost to become the new New York franchise? Are Orlando or Minnesosa going to put that up the future.

I only have my doubts about this rumour because it makes the coolest name in sports possible. New York City.

Oh, sorry- New York City FC

This is MLS. You can't get away without slapping some arbitrary and over emphasized EFF SEA at the end of verbalizing a team name. Probably my biggest pet peeve for MLS, even over their BS international status for Canadian players and shady contract tactics.

I can't believe they are oblivious to how stupid they sound with things like that.


I also agree though, New York City is an outstanding club name.

[Macksam]

Yes indeed, that's the cost to become the 20th team in the MLS.

However, it's a one time thing specific to this New York franchise. It will probably go back down to $40 million afterwards.

[jaahuuu]

or maybe not

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/183969.html

This means nothing. There is a bit of a difference between MCFC buying a team, and MCFC's owner buying a team.

[Super]

However, it's a one time thing specific to this New York franchise. It will probably go back down to $40 million afterwards.

I hope not. Expansion beyond 20 teams should be done with extreme care, and a hefty price tag may help to prevent less serious investors from stepping into our league.

[Macksam]

I hope not. Expansion beyond 20 teams should be done with extreme care, and a hefty price tag may help to prevent less serious investors from stepping into our league.

You can't be serious. $40 million is already a hefty price tag that weeds out less serious investors. Most teams in this league aren't even valued anywhere near $100 million so asking for an expansion fee like this is beyound rediculous. New York is an exception. Also, why should expansion beyond 20 teams be taken with extreme care? Is something going to make investing in an MLS team extraordinarily more dangerous for the 21'st team compared to the 20'th?

[Super]

You can't be serious. $40 million is aleady a hefty price tag that weeds out less serious investors. Most teams in this league aren't even valued anywhere near $100 million so asking for an expansion fee like this is beyound rediculous. New York is an exception. Also, why should expansion beyond 20 teams be taken with extreme care? Is something going to make investing in an MLS team extraordinarily more dangerous for the 21'st team compared to the 20'th?

I personally worry that they may thin out the quality of home grown players by adding more teams, but also introducing teams in risky markets may jeopardize the entire league. We saw this with the failed NASL league. Also, don't forget, the more teams in this league, the harder it will be for each individual team to win the Championship. I like 20. It's a nice number, and very similar to what we see around the world. 30 or 40 would just be too much - in my opinion anyway. So, if you want to join this league, put up big money.

[Macksam]

I personally worry that they may thin out the quality of home grown players by adding more teams, but also introducing teams in risky markets may jeopardize the entire league. We saw this with the failed NASL league. Also, don't forget, the more teams in this league, the harder it will be for each individual team to win the Championship. I like 20. It's a nice number, and very similar to what we see around the world. 30 or 40 would just be too much - in my opinion anyway. So, if you want to join this league, put up big money.
The bolded, and I take it you mean domestic players, is the only real issue here. I think the partnership with USL Pro will help in a big way with that, and help with the homegrown player problem.

When it comes to risky markets, the league would just re-locate the problem teams. The league should be fine if they swiftly rectify the situation.

When it comes to more teams making it harder to win the league, it's a good thing. It makes the competition more prestigious. However, it's not like MLS wouldn't adapt the rules as the number of teams increases. When the league gets to around 30-32 teams, MLS will probably have 16 teams in the playoffs not unlike the Champion's League knock out stage, and who doesn't like the excitement of knockout stage CL soccer?

[TOBOR !]

I'm still convinced it'll be the Cosmos, rather than NYCFC, getting in the league next.

[Alonso]

The bolded, and I take it you mean domestic players, is the only real issue here. I think the partnership with USL Pro will help in a big way with that, and help with the homegrown player problem.

When it comes to risky markets, the league would just re-locate the problem teams. The league should be fine if they swiftly rectify the situation.

When it comes to more teams making it harder to win the league, it's a good thing. It makes the competition more prestigious. However, it's not like MLS wouldn't adapt the rules as the number of teams increases. When the league gets to around 30-32 teams, MLS will probably have 16 teams in the playoffs not unlike the Champion's League knock out stage, and who doesn't like the excitement of knockout stage CL soccer?


Well actually another issue would be unbalanced schedules. The more teams, the more unbalanced the schedule is as it would be impossible to play everyone home and away with much more then 20 teams. Not enough time with FIFA dates, CCL, NCC (whats it called now?), and US open cup; AND 40 MLS games per year.

Something has to give. There should be 16 MLS teams with a relegation system which is a good solution that will never happen. It would also give MLS places to loan out players that aren't seeing enough minutes but are considered assets.

[Macksam]

Well actually another issue would be unbalanced schedules. The more teams, the more unbalanced the schedule is as it would be impossible to play everyone home and away with much more then 20 teams. Not enough time with FIFA dates, CCL, NCC (whats it called now?), and US open cup; AND 40 MLS games per year.

Something has to give. There should be 16 MLS teams with a relegation system which is a good solution that will never happen. It would also give MLS places to loan out players that aren't seeing enough minutes but are considered assets.

Yes, something has to give...and that something is a balanced schedule where everybody plays each other twice. MLS already has an unbalanced schedule currently and the regular season should never exceed 34 games. I don't have a problem with Toronto playing Chicago for example one time more than any other club. Don has already stated there will be more teams beyond 20 and promotion relegation will never happen.

I personally see MLS' grand vision being with 32 teams like the other big 4 sports and a 16 team double legged playoff system.

[Initial B]

^ I don't think that size is possible and still be viable. No major sports league in North America has that many teams. I think the magic number is 24 teams as that would allow for a 34-game schedule, with 11 home-at-home series within the division and 12 opposing division games with half at home and half on the road, alternating the home and away teams each year.

A 32 team league in 4 divisions would require 7 home-at-home series and 24 out of division tilts for a total of 38 games. There's no way they could fit that many into a schedule without having two games a week and seeing a corresponding upswing in injuries.

[Cashcleaner]

Well actually another issue would be unbalanced schedules. The more teams, the more unbalanced the schedule is as it would be impossible to play everyone home and away with much more then 20 teams. Not enough time with FIFA dates, CCL, NCC (whats it called now?), and US open cup; AND 40 MLS games per year.

Something has to give. There should be 16 MLS teams with a relegation system which is a good solution that will never happen. It would also give MLS places to loan out players that aren't seeing enough minutes but are considered assets.

An unbalanced schedule is something the league really doesn't care that much about, and I think the days of a simple 1 Home and 1 Away format between teams is gone. I'm not precisely sure how they are going to work out a schedule with 20 teams, but don't expect the all-star game to be dropped or playoffs shortened. Believe me, I'd love to see the league drop the all-star game, bring in balanced schedule, and have only 8 teams make the playoffs - but I don't see any of that happening in the near future.

[London]

30+ teams water down any league

the only place a 30+ league works is the nfl. and the reason it works is because they have access to the worlds best players without other leagues taking players or signing players.