Atlanta out

[forza_tfc]

Not sure if this was posted yet, but it looks like Atlanta is out of the expansion race...

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2009/01/15/blank_mls_soccer.html

[flatpicker]

I suppose this sort of thing was expected in today's financial climate.

[London]

USL team folded too , I think

[Razcle]

Well I didn't hear much talk of Atlanta being a front runner for expansion, but at least this puts more focus on the Ottawa, Vancouver, Miami, Portland and St. Louis bids.

So unless I am missing something. Canadian Cities have 2/5 bids which gives us a fair chance of landing our second MLS team.

[peter_tfc]

I'd like to see Atlanta get back into the USL. They were a good franchise and were pioneering the sport in a gridiron football dominated environment.

[Toronto Ruffrider]

I'm not surprised by this news. Atlanta was a longshot from the beginning, and the current state of the economy is not conducive to iffy MLS expansion bids. To be honest, I'm surprised that as many as five cities are still in the running for 2011 expansion spots.

Out of the remaining candidates, I'd say that Miami has the best chance of landing a franchise for 2011. I'd like to rank Vancouver's chances as second, but I think Portland has the inside track because Garber favours American entrants. Still, it will be interesting to see which left-coast city gets a franchise. Both Vancouver and Portland are strong markets.

[jrey]

Atlanta never had a chance, in my opinion.

For some reason I feel like St. Louis and Miami are the teams that get it.

Miami because of Barca backing.
St. Louis because of close proximity to a fair amount of other teams. Although portland is a strong market and with Seattle so close, could prove to be a strong rivalry.

I hate to count Canadian teams out - I think Ottawa has the funding... but that city has had a rough time supporting sports franchises in the past. Vancouver would be great, but I think they might just lose out on this one. Maybe in 2012.

Either way, they'd better get in soon if this league is going to be capped at 20 teams (which I hope it is).

[Ossington Mental Youth]

No surprise here.
I agree with jrey.
Vancouver maybe in the future, Ottawa i would say slim to never.

[Keystone FC]

USL team folded too , I think
They said they would sit out the 2009 season. When they said that then the speculation was that a MLS franchise would be pursued.
I think Atlanta will be back in the USL in 2010.

[Keystone FC]

Not sure if this was posted yet, but it looks like Atlanta is out of the expansion race...

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2009/01/15/blank_mls_soccer.html

But the possibility of 2013 has been mentioned, which to me is toooooo late. By 2013 all the clubs should be in place for the MLS. The only thing they can hope for is to get the Silverbacks up and running in 2010 and hope for a USL/MLS merger that would create a MLS 2.....which won't happen at least for awhile.

[ensco]

St Louis has no place to play, at all. Nobody is going to be able to get the money to build a stadium anywhere in the universe for the next couple of years.

It wouldn't surprise me if MLS defer this whole thing, unless they move off their "new SSS" criterion. I also think the Philly stadium, and therefore the Philly bid, has to be a real question mark in this environment.

If they do go ahead, I'd bet it'll be Miami (playing at FIU) only, replacing Philly.

Saputo could have been back in the mix here if he'd just withdrawn quietly, and gracefully. What a serious ass.

[Beach_Red]

^ Yes, it's really too bad about Saputo.

And the big question could be does Ottawa still have the money? If they really can finance a stadium that'll probably get them in.

Which would be okay, we'd get four teams in the Canadian Championship.

[redcard]

more bids may drop if the fee is not reduced...but if they drop the fee would that reduce the value of the current teams?

[Parkdale]

Miami because of Barca backing.

Miami has nothing, absolutely nothing, without that big club behind it.

[noochie]

I hate to count Canadian teams out - I think Ottawa has the funding... but that city has had a rough time supporting sports franchises in the past. Vancouver would be great, but I think they might just lose out on this one. Maybe in 2012.


I tend to agree especially considering that Toronto FC is among the lowest attendance draw for away matches (not including Columbus ;)) and Garber is worried about TV revenue with Canadian clubs in the league as this has not really been figured out at the league office yet by all indications.

[Roogsy]

Saputo is looking pretty smart at this point. If the recession is prolonged...MLS is going to regret not having an established, sure-thing in Montreal I think. Especially when the C$ takes off against the U$.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Atlanta gone? Not a big loss. One of the worst biggest sports cities in the world.

[rocker]

It's funny how people saw the Atlanta USL team fold and said that was a "sign" Atlanta was in cuz the USL team probably heard MLS was coming to town.. hahaha.

i think Vancouver has a decent shot if Portland's stadium stuff doesn't come through. I mean, Portland wants money from the government for upgrades to a stadium that was already upgraded not so long ago. Then they want money from the government for a new baseball stadium so they can make the current stadium soccer specific.
I don't think that's a sure thing. But Seattle needs a compatriot up in the north west, since they have the worst travel situation. At least with a buddy up there for 3 games, they would get some respite from the long flights. Vancouver has the stadium thing worked out and they still plan to fight for the SSS in the future. It would also help grow the Canadian TV rights.

[Lucky Strike]

Well I didn't hear much talk of Atlanta being a front runner for expansion, but at least this puts more focus on the Ottawa, Vancouver, Miami, Portland and St. Louis bids.

So unless I am missing something. Canadian Cities have 2/5 bids which gives us a fair chance of landing our second MLS team.

Not surprised about this bit of news. In fact, I was more surprised when the sun rose this morning than I was about the Atlanta bid not working out.

As for the 2/5 thing, yes mathematically that's true, but there's likely a difference between the quality of the bids which would skew the odds one way or another. For instance, if the Ottawa bid was very poor (conjecture), then its weight will decrease, making the odds something like 30% instead of 40%.

[Beach_Red]

Saputo is looking pretty smart at this point. If the recession is prolonged...MLS is going to regret not having an established, sure-thing in Montreal I think. Especially when the C$ takes off against the U$.

No more than baseball regrets not having a team in Montreal.

(I still miss my Expos. I had a great little apartment about three blocks from where they were talking about building a downtown, old-style stadium...)

[devioustrevor]

I don't think the MLS needs to be capped at 20 teams. 24 teams could work quite well.

Two Conferences (Either East-West or North-South) of 12 teams. Each team plays every team in it's Conference twice per season (Home and Away naturally) and each team in the other division one per season (alternating Home and Away every other year) and that would lead to a very workable 34 game schedule.

[NF-FC]

Well I didn't hear much talk of Atlanta being a front runner for expansion, but at least this puts more focus on the Ottawa, Vancouver, Miami, Portland and St. Louis bids.

So unless I am missing something. Canadian Cities have 2/5 bids which gives us a fair chance of landing our second MLS team.

Vancouver is in, I'm calling it right now. With Montreal and Atlanta out, St.Louis' money problems http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/othersports/story/642C7AC03C0B83E686257540001482C3?OpenDocument and Portland and Ottawa's lack of stadium funding, their chances keep getting better.

Don't count out Montreal either. With Philly's money problems, Saputo could swoop in and grab their franchise at any moment.

[MUFC_Niagara]

devioustrevor, this would work but i'd still give my left nut for 20 teams, single table, home and away fixtures

[Razcle]

^ Why would you give your left nut for that? Seems like you don't rate your nuts all that highly.

[Flipityflu]

^ Why would you give your left nut for that? Seems like you don't rate your nuts all that highly.

maybe he has three nuts. its a noble sacrfice he makes for us all.

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

^ Yes, it's really too bad about Saputo.

And the big question could be does Ottawa still have the money? If they really can finance a stadium that'll probably get them in.

Which would be okay, we'd get four teams in the Canadian Championship.


Melnyk still has the moneyand Ottawa still has to be Canadas best chance. But Miami is a given with Barca backing them. Why feel bad for Saputo? he tried to lowball MLS and payed the price for that risky manover, Montreal is a decade at least from joining MLS right now.

[Cashcleaner]

I have to echo a lot of the previous comments regarding Atlanta landing a franchise. I don't think the city was ever in a position to form and maintain an MLS club. As for the others, I like Vancouver's chances and think the Miami/Barce partnership will be too much for Garber to pass up.

I like Ottawa as a town and think roadtrips there would be great for Toronto FC supporters, and even though Melnyk has the cash and the plans in place for a franchise, I just really don't see them getting a team. They can't hold on to an CFL club and baseball packed up recently as well. The Sens do get good attendance, but I just don't see more than 8,000 making it out to watch soccer on a regular basis.

Vancouver and Miami for the next two clubs. If Philly drops out, I can sorta see Montreal coming in and buying their slot, but I don't think it will happen. Saputo has made it clear that he'll only come into MLS if its all under his terms, and even then I'm not so sure.

[Beach_Red]

Melnyk still has the moneyand Ottawa still has to be Canadas best chance. But Miami is a given with Barca backing them. Why feel bad for Saputo? he tried to lowball MLS and payed the price for that risky manover, Montreal is a decade at least from joining MLS right now.


I didn't say feel bad for Saputo, I said too bad about Saputo.

I remember when Ottawa got the Sens, no one saw that coming, they were nowhere near the top choice, but they offered cash. We'll see if MLS owners are like NHL owners and everything is secondary to cash.

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

Not holding on to a CFL team should not be held against them...Birmingham and Baltimore lost cfl teams does that make them bad grid iron towns? don;t think so. Ottawa will support MLS if given the chance, remeber people siad the same thing about Torontos lack of
suport football before TFC ever kicked off!!

[Cashcleaner]

Actually, with Baltimore they pretty much got the NFL franchise because of how well attended the Stallions were. The Stallions moved up to Montreal because everyone knew that they wouldn't be able to compete with the new NFL team.

My argument against Ottawa is just that speaking as a generality, its not a big sports town (aside from hockey).

[james]

A franchise in Atlanta i think would jsut be another Kansas City team with no fans.

I still say Montreal and Portland would generate the most ticket sales and have the best supporters out of all the teams trying to get an MLS club. To bad Montreal bailed out on the MLS bid!

[Cashcleaner]

While we're at it, can we strike Las Vegas off the list as well? I mean, it just makes sense and all...

[twistedchinaman]

A franchise in Atlanta i think would jsut be another Kansas City team with no fans.

I still say Montreal and Portland would generate the most ticket sales and have the best supporters out of all the teams trying to get an MLS club. To bad Montreal bailed out on the MLS bid!

Atlanta was a bad idea from the start -- name ONE player in MLS from that area that is somewhat prominent.

If anything, I'm shocked Minneapolis didn't try for it. St. Louis is too big a centre to deny for much longer, funding is their Achilles heel right now, but if they ever get sorted there they're a sure lock.

Florida is a market that was poorly handled, and maybe too soon to go back, but there is a market and with Garber, where there is a market there is money and with Barca money in a hot market...well..yanno.

Still...SOUTH BEACH ROAD TRIP!!! :D

Vancouver would be awesome - more games that I can catch! :)

[twistedchinaman]

While we're at it, can we strike Las Vegas off the list as well? I mean, it just makes sense and all...

It's a stillborn idea -- too close to Salt Lake I think, and not a pro sports franchise anywhere to be seen. Doesn't bode well, despite all the people who are insistent on Vegas. You don't cram sugar into the gas tank and expect it to work.

[Cashcleaner]

^ Minneapolis is a town I never even considered, but I think your right in that they might be able to make a go of things over there. They love their hockey and I think their new lacrosse team gets good numbers (between 10,000 and 12,000 or so). College sports is obviously big as well.

Hmmmm... Minneapolis, eh?