MLS Expansion?

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by bryce

article:

http://www.rochester-citynews.com/gb...oid=oid%3A3508

The problem with Rochester is they are not sure the ownership group in Rochester is committed long term to the level of salaries etcetera needed to compete in MLS

[Critch]

Rochester knocked the Metrostars out of the Open Cup tonight 3-1 in front of a crowd of over 10k. I'd like to see them in the MLS, they may not have a huge fan base, but it's solid.

Personally I'd like to see promotion and relegation between MLS and the A-League. Smaller cities with their team in the top league would be good for sparking interest. And the Metrostars in the A-League would be funny too.

[Mr. Wednesday]

It'd be cool in some ways, not so much in others, and business realities dictate that it will never happen.

[chris3627]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Sounds like Houston has a team on the way, though...

Bad that one's gain becomes another's misery. But congrats to Houstonians if it's true.

Originally Posted by Critch

Rochester knocked the Metrostars out of the Open Cup tonight 3-1 in front of a crowd of over 10k. I'd like to see them in the MLS, they may not have a huge fan base, but it's solid.

Personally I'd like to see promotion and relegation between MLS and the A-League. Smaller cities with their team in the top league would be good for sparking interest. And the Metrostars in the A-League would be funny too.

The Metrosluts deserve to be in the A-League, along with a few others too

Two 16 team divisions with promotion and relegation is the dream, but somebody isn't going to invest $10 mil for a franchise, another whatever million for a SSS and then watch their attendance plunge as they get relegated to the 2nd division. It seems like in the end we're gonna have to be happy with one 18 team MLS. Unless if Paul Allen wants to be my best friend and spend a half billion or so

I think Rochester should be in too. I read where the plan is to go to 18 teams. But as SirFozzie said, can their owner commit the money? At this point it seems to me like there will be between 6-8 new franchises in the next 10 years or so. Half of the current teams are having problems with either a bad ownership situation or a bad stadium situation. There are at least 10 potential expansion sites I can think of mentioned and not enough owners and stadiums are stepping up.

After being around for ten years there is a need for the league to make a statement to the rest of the soccer world that it's expanding and getting better. With there being more question marks than answers I think you let any team in who has good owners, good stadiums and a good market.

[MylesKnight]

Promotion and relegation would be a cool thing if it were possible.. Problem is you'd see franchises folding left and right after being sent down. A franchise like Colorado for instance, would be lucky to draw a couple of thousand per game if they were relegated to the A-League at some point.....

Good to see the Fire take out New England last night in the US Open Cup.. On to the Quarters and a visit to Rochester to face the Rhinos. This will be a toughie.. Wouldn't be surprised at all to see Rochester win the whole thing.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Too bad NE didn't really care about winning the match. Would be nice to see the Revs going for something other than just MLS Cup. Oh, and go Rhinos!

[ISiddiqui]

Seems the Metros got themselves a new stadium in Harrison. Maybe this can help with the woes:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlin...338070&cc=5901

MetroStars secure stadium deal

Ives Galarcep

ESPN Soccernet.com

Anschutz Entertainment Group, the MetroStars parent company, has agreed to fully fund the proposed $90 million MetroStars Stadium in Harrison, paving the way for construction to begin on the team's 25,000-seat home in the southern part of the tiny Hudson County town. Sources with knowledge of the agreement confirmed the deal late Wednesday. Previously the Metros came close to securing stadium deals on several occasions, only to have both New Jersey and Hudson County officials balk at past proposals that included contributions ranging from $15 million to $30 million from AEG. A recently proposed deal which would have made AEG partners with the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, with each footing $45 million of the deal, stalled in recent weeks. With few options remaining, AEG decided to take advantage of the $28 million it made from the recent sale of MLS champion D.C. United and secure the stadium in Harrison. The entire deal will be officially completed once the Hudson County Board of Freeholders meets on Aug 12 and votes to approve $80 million in county-issued bonds that will help pay for the purchase of land and construction of a 1,500-space parking facility adjacent to the stadium. Sources close to the deal say the vote is merely a formality, with a ceremony to announce the stadium deal scheduled for this afternoon in front of the Harrison library. Acting Gov. Richard J. Codey is scheduled to attend.Construction on the project will begin after Harrison reaches an agreement to buy the land from the owner of the property near Cape May Street in Harrison, Isadore Spiegel. The MetroStars are hoping to have the stadium complete for the start of the 2007 season, but a more reasonable timeline would have the stadium open by June of 2007.The agreement makes the MetroStars the fifth team to secure its own soccer-specific stadium deal. The Columbus Crew was the first team to have its own stadium when they opened Crew Stadium on May 15, 1999. The stadium is part of a $1 billion redevelopment project in Harrison that will include retail, corporate and residential properties in a portion of the town previously occupied by abandoned industrial facilities.With the stadium deal now complete, the MetroStars are expected to finalize an agreement to build a $10 million corporate office and practice facility in Pequannock, a project that was put on hold by the delays in securing a stadium.