Has MLS expansion come at the expense of the league’s established teams?
The league is spreading its reach across North America. But some believe MLS and its owners have forgotten about clubs who helped build the league in the first place
The routine is well practised by now. The great and good of the North American soccer community are invited for an announcement to be made by Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber, usually flanked by a league legend; someone like Alexi Lalas or David Beckham. Promises are made of a new stadium, a name revealed, a badge unveiled, official songsheets passed around and a new MLS franchise is confirmed.
In the past two years alone, this routine has been observed in Austin, Cincinnati, Miami and Nashville and with Garber recently revealing that MLS will expand to hit 30 teams over the next few years (26 by 2020) it won’t be the last time that such rituals are performed. Sacramento, St Louis, Charlotte, Detroit and San Antonio are already vying for position.