Detroit I think would work really well with having a MLS team. However, there probably needs to be a new stadium for a MLS team, which seems to be a big problem in Detroit. I think there is a bigger probability of Windsor having a CPL and a NSL/SLN team, which is a Canadian city quite close to Detroit.
@@MLSMoves Milwaukee, for sure. Wisconsin has a strong sports culture with the Packers, Bucks, Brewers, Badgers, and Marquette. An MLS team here would have built-in support and an instant rivalry with Chicago Fire and Minnesota United.
@@cutekenny2772Thank you, it seems like no one ever says this but it's so obvious. San Antonio is 64% Latino, and that alone would make it an almost guaranteed success. Sure it's close to Austin, but it has 2.6m in its metro and no major sports aside from NBA. But first I'd like to see Detroit, Indy, Vegas and Phoenix. And maybe even Tampa as Mr. MLS Moves said (don't know his name, he should mention his name at the beginning)
Given the size of the USA, I can see MLS expanding up to 40 teams. My five expansion picks for the East would be Milwaukee, Tampa, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland. For the West, I’d go with Las Vegas, Phoenix, Calgary, New Orleans, and San Antonio. With 40 teams, I’d love to see MLS split into two tiers: MLS Premier and MLS Championship.
Totally agree with all 5 but only if its the USL team getting a promo into MLS, for 1. these clubs already have some of the most developed fanbases in lower league US and 2. some great branding on all of these clubs, especially the names. Still salty that we lost the Loyal for both of those reasons
I’m a Phoenix Rising Season ticket holder and I can confidently say that an MLS move for Rising would be overwhelmingly supported. The energy and atmosphere at the matches is incredible, and Phoenix has become an extremely young city as of late with a mass population boom since 2020.
Phoenix, Vegas, Indy in no particular order. REALLY wish my hometown of Milwaukee would step up and get a club. Great soccer history there. Bavarians, for one. Growing up in 70s the Mke Journal would publish semi pro soccer standings. Instant rivalry with Chicago and Sota. And I hope Sacramento figures things out. They got screwed.
I don't know how much it would cost to renovate a NFL stadium to MLS standards, but if the Cleveland Browns move out to the burbs, their current stadium would be a great spot for MLS. There's so many markets that would be great for MLS
I live in Albany, NY. I’m a New England fan, so that’s like 2 1/2 hours away. My friend is a RBNY fan, so that’s like 2 1/2 hours the other way. There’s currently talks about an independent MLS Next Pro team coming to Albany which would be cool don’t get me wrong, but I’d love an actual MLS team here in the Capital Region as well. People are against the MLS Next Pro team, but I feel if it was an actual MLS team, there would be less clash. Currently, we’ve got a couple college soccer teams, a minor league baseball team, and a NPSL team up here. Back when I was a kid, we used to have the River Rats (minor league hockey), before they rebranded as the Devils and moved downstate to be closer to the NJ Devils
For a league that has famously had awful tv viewership numbers, it really doesn't change anything. If MLS insists on expanding further, it is just going to be about a deep pocketed owner who has the expansion and a stadium.
Phoenix and Vegas. Couldn’t agree more. Vegas for the destination and the $$$ and Phoenix because it’s a huge market that loves soccer and also just lost its NHL franchise.
My top 5 5: I would love my local team bid to MLS I have see them play in person a ton we good side to compete MLS or USL championship my team is forward Madison!! + our culture is growing. 4: I could see union Omaha play USL league one they deserve to play USL Championship or MLS they won title think 5 times would like to see them try to bid 3: I would also love to see Duluth be a MLS team been to Duluth before nice city. It would be nice rivalry in Minnesota. 2: I would like to see Milwaukee bid into MLS 1: I also would love to see Ontario bid. There my top 5!!!
On the one hand, I'd like to see more Canadian teams, but on the other hand, I'd like to see MLS take a chance on smaller markets. Think about it: Salt Lake City is an easily forgotten city, and yet it's worked in this league. Most Americans wouldn't think to put a soccer team in a cold climate like Colorado or Minnesota, yet we see those places with teams. So why not expand into other places (and out west), like Boise, Bismarck, or even Albuquerque?
MSA’s above 1,000,000 population without a team: Phoenix Inland Empire (yes, LA3) San Francisco -Oakland Detroit Tampa Baltimore San Antonio Pittsburg Sacramento Las Vegas Cleveland Indianapolis Virginia Beach Jacksonville Providence Milwaukee Raleigh OK City Louisville Richmond Memphis Birmingham Fresno Grand Rapids Buffalo Hartford Tucson Rochester Tulsa
Tampa would be great. It'll expand the Southeast Rivalries. An honorable mention to San Antonio. I went there last year for a US men's game. Got to learn from the fans of how much of a good organized team SAFC is. They're even owned by the same group that owns the Spurs and that's a very class organization.
There is one crucial thing that was not mentioned. The heat!!! Indoor air conditioned stadiums and training facilities will have to be built to accommodate soccer in the top 2 suggested cities, which averages over F100 degrees in summer!!!
Possibly, there will be two more (no more than 32) MLS expansion teams because Don Garber wants to be “like any other (American) league” that’s what he publicly stated. However, in my opinion Garber would like to cash in franchise expansion fees in the next several years (maybe before he leaves the MLS Commissioner position). In my opinion, overall I don’t see positives from a sporting sense - to expand. There are only so many U.S. sports billionaires to go around, but MLS could expand if they allow multi-club ownerships (again? Right?)
I would say if every game is under Apple TV paywall, then the whole talk about media/tv market in specific region doesn't have as much importance. I would say check stats in which states more job opportunities are created, where are people moving in, and what's trending amongst young people. It's also better to focus on states which don't have team in any of top 5 sports leagues in US (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS), why? Because it will make people focus on that one new MLS team. Especially if that state also doesn't have college football and anything like that.
US soccer should insist that if in any of the new market is already USL team that the new owner should by it , a specially if they already invested money in a stadium. So we could avoid harming development of USL. To avoid s\the situation from 1996 when the new MLS Denver Colorado team have forced already existing Colorado Foxes to move out.
Curious of your opinion on this: if the MLS does expand beyind 30, will they maintain the Wet vs East conference format or will they be forced to switch to Divisions format like in the other American Leagues? I personally would perfer they maintain the conference format as it is the most "football league" esque way to do it.
To be fair Will you living in the US, you'll know more than me about this subject than me, so i cant add too much to the conversation, but even I've heard that they really like Vegas so I think that'll only be a matter of time, I think if they get to 40+ teams the MLS 2 division discussion might become a discussion again, whether the owners go for it however, I have my doubts
Phoenix, Tampa, Vegas, Detroit, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Sacramento would be my next 10 and then split the league in two and have MLS and MLS 2 pro/reg system
With so many teams now, the MLS really should add some of the biggest USL teams and divide it up into two divisions of 18 or 20. Not as in Eastern and Western conference, but like in 1. and 2. Bundesliga, with promotion and relegation. Then add the remaining UCL teams as the third tier - and lean back and watch as the sport is rapidly overtakes all the others due to the promotion/relegation drama that all the other sports are missing. It's a risky, revolutionary step, but man, I think MLS should go for it. Also, create regional leagues whose winners can get promoted / relegated into the professional system just like in the rest of the world. So that a plucky little hometown team can grow and unexpectedly enter the big leagues and real tradition can develop, while former giants can tumble when leadership is failing. Real stories and drama. US soccer fans should start a grassroots movement and demand this, don't you think?
They might never do promotion/relegation, even into a lower league that’s controlled by the MLS. MLS does not want to lose a market like Chicago via relegation and get Rochester, just because that’s what is “fair” & “competitive”. Nobody within American sports wants to pay +$500m on a franchise just to end up getting relegated to a lower division of the MLS and the league will relocate a team before they let the value of a franchise tank. They’ll probably just add more conferences. Maybe if they max out every major market and there’s like 40ish team, they might create a MLS 2 East & West, but that will made up of already existing MLS teams. There’s basically no chance Chattanooga, Charleston, Detroit etc are getting into the MLS without coughing up the money. The whole value of the league is its closed system.
Detroit is low on the list since Gilbert shafted MLS. The USL team has low interest in moving up and would fight it. They are building their own stadium currently.
I'm from Tampa and I think the Rowdies should get it. We have a large and growing Latino population here, especially from Miami.. so there's already an interest in soccer. The Rowdies have a long celebrated history here. So it would be like combining our history with a new world of opportunities because of the changing demographics. Currently the Rowdies are in St Pete, but they may need to move to the other side of the bay in Tampa where there is a larger population. It's true, though, that Tampa already has a professional football team, baseball team and hockey team. But, I think there's still room for soccer. I admit, though, I'm also biased.
We will have to see how the baseball team does. The Raiders are an NFL team so they will always have visiting fans. The Golden Knights were the first team in Vegas and the city really embraced them and they’ve done really well. The A’s might do well, but do people really want to watch baseball when coming g to Vegas? If they do, then I don’t see why soccer wouldn’t work, but I’m not optimistic. Vegas isn’t some great sports town, owners just want tourist money.
A Vegas team could do well if there was no salary cap and the team was allowed to get world class players. It could become an exciting tourist destination to watch the best soccer players
I don't think travel is a problem if you end this silly east-west bullshit straight table. Play ever team once and have a play off with home and away end even the final is a two leg perfect MLS
Vegas?ehhhhhhh MLS would like it, but they will have the same issue of the raiders, it would be great for visiting fans. I think the A’s is going to be a massive flop, and Vegas is becoming heavily saturated
We need promotion and relegation. The teams are in place. MLS is just fascist and are frightened by competition. Thus holding US soccer back. It’s awful.
There is pro/rel in a few (amateur/semi-pro) leagues (e.g. San Francisco Football Soccer League - since 1913). There could be pro/rel, but possibly only for non-profit run organizations. (e.g. USSF /State Associations if they operate their own leagues and clubs.
Would love for it happen but if an MLS commissioner ever meaningfully proposed that, they’d get JFK’d by the other owners lmaoo. You’re essentially asking the league and the owners/operators if they want to lose tens of millions in dollars in the valuation of their assets in the spirit of fair competition. That defeats the entire purpose of the closed system of American sports.
What city should get the next MLS team?
San Antonio should get one
Detroit I think would work really well with having a MLS team. However, there probably needs to be a new stadium for a MLS team, which seems to be a big problem in Detroit. I think there is a bigger probability of Windsor having a CPL and a NSL/SLN team, which is a Canadian city quite close to Detroit.
@@MLSMoves Milwaukee, for sure. Wisconsin has a strong sports culture with the Packers, Bucks, Brewers, Badgers, and Marquette. An MLS team here would have built-in support and an instant rivalry with Chicago Fire and Minnesota United.
@@cutekenny2772Thank you, it seems like no one ever says this but it's so obvious. San Antonio is 64% Latino, and that alone would make it an almost guaranteed success. Sure it's close to Austin, but it has 2.6m in its metro and no major sports aside from NBA.
But first I'd like to see Detroit, Indy, Vegas and Phoenix. And maybe even Tampa as Mr. MLS Moves said (don't know his name, he should mention his name at the beginning)
Tampa, Fl already have an existing rivalry with both Orlando and Miami that is very intense in all sports.
makes a lot of sense
Given the size of the USA, I can see MLS expanding up to 40 teams. My five expansion picks for the East would be Milwaukee, Tampa, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland. For the West, I’d go with Las Vegas, Phoenix, Calgary, New Orleans, and San Antonio.
With 40 teams, I’d love to see MLS split into two tiers: MLS Premier and MLS Championship.
One day it could happen. MLS 1 and MLS 2 would happen at that point
MLS should be 40 teams in 20 years
Totally agree with all 5 but only if its the USL team getting a promo into MLS, for 1. these clubs already have some of the most developed fanbases in lower league US and 2. some great branding on all of these clubs, especially the names. Still salty that we lost the Loyal for both of those reasons
I agree, Usl teams have devoted fans who deserve to see their team make it. Unfortunately it's all about the money.
Tampa Bay Rowdies should get it. COYR 💚💛
I hope so
I remember suggesting this video idea ages ago! 🤘 Calgary, Detroit and especially Oakland would be my shouts!
Oakland can barely support the teams it already had
@@nerychristianOakland roots fans show out all the time
What's the point of CPL when u bring another Canadian expansion team
I’m a Phoenix Rising Season ticket holder and I can confidently say that an MLS move for Rising would be overwhelmingly supported. The energy and atmosphere at the matches is incredible, and Phoenix has become an extremely young city as of late with a mass population boom since 2020.
Phoenix, Vegas, Indy in no particular order. REALLY wish my hometown of Milwaukee would step up and get a club. Great soccer history there. Bavarians, for one. Growing up in 70s the Mke Journal would publish semi pro soccer standings. Instant rivalry with Chicago and Sota.
And I hope Sacramento figures things out. They got screwed.
I don't know how much it would cost to renovate a NFL stadium to MLS standards, but if the Cleveland Browns move out to the burbs, their current stadium would be a great spot for MLS. There's so many markets that would be great for MLS
I live in Albany, NY. I’m a New England fan, so that’s like 2 1/2 hours away. My friend is a RBNY fan, so that’s like 2 1/2 hours the other way. There’s currently talks about an independent MLS Next Pro team coming to Albany which would be cool don’t get me wrong, but I’d love an actual MLS team here in the Capital Region as well. People are against the MLS Next Pro team, but I feel if it was an actual MLS team, there would be less clash. Currently, we’ve got a couple college soccer teams, a minor league baseball team, and a NPSL team up here. Back when I was a kid, we used to have the River Rats (minor league hockey), before they rebranded as the Devils and moved downstate to be closer to the NJ Devils
I believe Las Vegas will be the franchise team that's going to have the Messi ownership.
Sacramento not getting a team at this point if expansion continues is just criminal.
The goal of a league in the US is to cover the major TV markets. Which ones are left?
The ones I listed.
...And Sacramento!
For a league that has famously had awful tv viewership numbers, it really doesn't change anything. If MLS insists on expanding further, it is just going to be about a deep pocketed owner who has the expansion and a stadium.
My vote is for Indy 11 !
If the whitecaps do get sold to an American owner their moving to Vegas for sure
Phoenix and Vegas. Couldn’t agree more. Vegas for the destination and the $$$ and Phoenix because it’s a huge market that loves soccer and also just lost its NHL franchise.
I like all Five. Especially Las Vegas. Vegas would get a lot of traveling fans.
I'd go with Phoenix and Tampa. Tampa is ready in my opinion. Also if Vancouver gets bought, they could move to Vegas
My top 5
5: I would love my local team bid to MLS I have see them play in person a ton we good side to compete MLS or USL championship my team is forward Madison!! + our culture is growing.
4: I could see union Omaha play USL league one they deserve to play USL Championship or MLS they won title think 5 times would like to see them try to bid
3: I would also love to see Duluth be a MLS team been to Duluth before nice city. It would be nice rivalry in Minnesota.
2: I would like to see Milwaukee bid into MLS
1: I also would love to see Ontario bid.
There my top 5!!!
On the one hand, I'd like to see more Canadian teams, but on the other hand, I'd like to see MLS take a chance on smaller markets. Think about it: Salt Lake City is an easily forgotten city, and yet it's worked in this league. Most Americans wouldn't think to put a soccer team in a cold climate like Colorado or Minnesota, yet we see those places with teams. So why not expand into other places (and out west), like Boise, Bismarck, or even Albuquerque?
Technically, MLS is not allowed any new MLS teams in Canada. Any new team would go to the CPL.
@Truman5555 ah, that would explain it
MSA’s above 1,000,000 population without a team:
Phoenix
Inland Empire (yes, LA3)
San Francisco -Oakland
Detroit
Tampa
Baltimore
San Antonio
Pittsburg
Sacramento
Las Vegas
Cleveland
Indianapolis
Virginia Beach
Jacksonville
Providence
Milwaukee
Raleigh
OK City
Louisville
Richmond
Memphis
Birmingham
Fresno
Grand Rapids
Buffalo
Hartford
Tucson
Rochester
Tulsa
is this in order
Yes. By population size.
I agree with your top 2 but I have them flipped 1 Phoenix, 2 Vegas I would also add San Antonio to get a rivalry going with Austin
Tampa would be great. It'll expand the Southeast Rivalries. An honorable mention to San Antonio. I went there last year for a US men's game. Got to learn from the fans of how much of a good organized team SAFC is. They're even owned by the same group that owns the Spurs and that's a very class organization.
In the future, could MLS follow the brasilian format and have regional leagues and a "MLS brasilerao"?
i saw someone say the mls team for vegas would be called the las vegas lights and i think that would be such a great name for an mls team!
They already exist.
Sacramento needs an MLS team with Railyard Stadium about to go and a Native American investor. Either expansion or relocate the Vancouver Whitecaps FC
London and Mexico City
lol
That would be cool
There is one crucial thing that was not mentioned. The heat!!! Indoor air conditioned stadiums and training facilities will have to be built to accommodate soccer in the top 2 suggested cities, which averages over F100 degrees in summer!!!
Possibly, there will be two more (no more than 32) MLS expansion teams because Don Garber wants to be “like any other (American) league” that’s what he publicly stated. However, in my opinion Garber would like to cash in franchise expansion fees in the next several years (maybe before he leaves the MLS Commissioner position). In my opinion, overall I don’t see positives from a sporting sense - to expand. There are only so many U.S. sports billionaires to go around, but MLS could expand if they allow multi-club ownerships (again? Right?)
I would say if every game is under Apple TV paywall, then the whole talk about media/tv market in specific region doesn't have as much importance. I would say check stats in which states more job opportunities are created, where are people moving in, and what's trending amongst young people. It's also better to focus on states which don't have team in any of top 5 sports leagues in US (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS), why? Because it will make people focus on that one new MLS team. Especially if that state also doesn't have college football and anything like that.
I haven’t watched yet but I hope whatever cities you say actually do get a team and if they have a usl club keep the branding and history
I think Raleigh and the “research triangle” would be a good one they only have the hurricanes and college sports
Maybe one day
Thanks I'm always thirsty for videos about this topic
Glad you enjoyed
Vegas needs a dome. That's why it hasn't won out yet. A domed SSS hasn't been done yet so it's a big hurdle.
US soccer should insist that if in any of the new market is already USL team that the new owner should by it , a specially if they already invested money in a stadium. So we could avoid harming development of USL. To avoid s\the situation from 1996 when the new MLS Denver Colorado team have forced already existing Colorado Foxes to move out.
Curious of your opinion on this: if the MLS does expand beyind 30, will they maintain the Wet vs East conference format or will they be forced to switch to Divisions format like in the other American Leagues? I personally would perfer they maintain the conference format as it is the most "football league" esque way to do it.
Now you may have a Vancouver Whitecaps FC team for sale & might move them to a American city
I wonder the same. There has been a lot of rumors of this
ok..
but.. MLS playoff & rule sucks
Viva Las Vegas!
Maybe soon?
I want Tampa to keep their name sounds unique
To be fair Will you living in the US, you'll know more than me about this subject than me, so i cant add too much to the conversation, but even I've heard that they really like Vegas so I think that'll only be a matter of time, I think if they get to 40+ teams the MLS 2 division discussion might become a discussion again, whether the owners go for it however, I have my doubts
Let’s hope! That’s the only form of Pro/Rel MLS will ever have
Phoenix, Tampa, Vegas, Detroit, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Sacramento would be my next 10 and then split the league in two and have MLS and MLS 2 pro/reg system
With so many teams now, the MLS really should add some of the biggest USL teams and divide it up into two divisions of 18 or 20. Not as in Eastern and Western conference, but like in 1. and 2. Bundesliga, with promotion and relegation. Then add the remaining UCL teams as the third tier - and lean back and watch as the sport is rapidly overtakes all the others due to the promotion/relegation drama that all the other sports are missing.
It's a risky, revolutionary step, but man, I think MLS should go for it. Also, create regional leagues whose winners can get promoted / relegated into the professional system just like in the rest of the world. So that a plucky little hometown team can grow and unexpectedly enter the big leagues and real tradition can develop, while former giants can tumble when leadership is failing. Real stories and drama. US soccer fans should start a grassroots movement and demand this, don't you think?
They might never do promotion/relegation, even into a lower league that’s controlled by the MLS. MLS does not want to lose a market like Chicago via relegation and get Rochester, just because that’s what is “fair” & “competitive”.
Nobody within American sports wants to pay +$500m on a franchise just to end up getting relegated to a lower division of the MLS and the league will relocate a team before they let the value of a franchise tank.
They’ll probably just add more conferences. Maybe if they max out every major market and there’s like 40ish team, they might create a MLS 2 East & West, but that will made up of already existing MLS teams.
There’s basically no chance Chattanooga, Charleston, Detroit etc are getting into the MLS without coughing up the money. The whole value of the league is its closed system.
Detroit is low on the list since Gilbert shafted MLS. The USL team has low interest in moving up and would fight it. They are building their own stadium currently.
Cleveland!!
Indy 11 can’t afford to build that stadium. It will never happen. There are better cities.
Id Love to see Detroit and Las Vegas
I'm from Tampa and I think the Rowdies should get it. We have a large and growing Latino population here, especially from Miami.. so there's already an interest in soccer. The Rowdies have a long celebrated history here. So it would be like combining our history with a new world of opportunities because of the changing demographics. Currently the Rowdies are in St Pete, but they may need to move to the other side of the bay in Tampa where there is a larger population. It's true, though, that Tampa already has a professional football team, baseball team and hockey team. But, I think there's still room for soccer. I admit, though, I'm also biased.
3 MLS teams in Florida makes too much sense
You forgot the Indians fever
Sacramento
Pittsburgh Riverhounds are due
MLS missed their chance at Vegas. Hockey, MLB and NFL already stole the market money. Too late.
We will have to see how the baseball team does. The Raiders are an NFL team so they will always have visiting fans. The Golden Knights were the first team in Vegas and the city really embraced them and they’ve done really well. The A’s might do well, but do people really want to watch baseball when coming g to Vegas? If they do, then I don’t see why soccer wouldn’t work, but I’m not optimistic. Vegas isn’t some great sports town, owners just want tourist money.
A Vegas team could do well if there was no salary cap and the team was allowed to get world class players. It could become an exciting tourist destination to watch the best soccer players
Vegas will get a franchise. It’s just a matter of time.
San Antonio or New Mexico
It will be tough
W Phoenix pick
Play me NHL hockey might come back to Phoenix maybe a little bit sooner or later
I don't think travel is a problem if you end this silly east-west bullshit straight table. Play ever team once and have a play off with home and away end even the final is a two leg perfect MLS
Florida shouldn’t get three teams before New York.
Vegas should have been picked over SD
Soon
Buffalo hear me out
2025 and Phoenix still doesn't have an MLS team it dont make sense!!
Soon hopefully
Vegas?ehhhhhhh MLS would like it, but they will have the same issue of the raiders, it would be great for visiting fans. I think the A’s is going to be a massive flop, and Vegas is becoming heavily saturated
16 in the west,16 in the east would be great for regional pro/rel in the future
how about none
Nope
Las Vegas isn't class
what!?!?
First
We need promotion and relegation. The teams are in place. MLS is just fascist and are frightened by competition. Thus holding US soccer back. It’s awful.
Relegation ain't going to happen Bubba!
If it were I don't think it's gonna happen the way people think it will.
need pro/rel somehow first
Won't happen the typical way we think of it.
There is pro/rel in a few (amateur/semi-pro) leagues (e.g. San Francisco Football Soccer League - since 1913). There could be pro/rel, but possibly only for non-profit run organizations. (e.g. USSF /State Associations if they operate their own leagues and clubs.
Would love for it happen but if an MLS commissioner ever meaningfully proposed that, they’d get JFK’d by the other owners lmaoo.
You’re essentially asking the league and the owners/operators if they want to lose tens of millions in dollars in the valuation of their assets in the spirit of fair competition. That defeats the entire purpose of the closed system of American sports.