It is "looking increasingly likely that Minnesota United FC will enter MLS" in '17, and that could come "with a new name" for the franchise, according to Brian Straus of SI.com. A new privately-financed stadium is scheduled to be ready in '18, but sources said that MLS execs "don't want to wait that long." A source said that there is "only a 'slim' chance" the club waits until '18, while another said that NASL "already is planning on playing its 2017 season without United." Atlanta United FC already is slated to join MLS in '17, and that "apparently has caused some consternation among those who believe it might look strange to add two Uniteds in the same season." Atlanta was "confirmed as an MLS market" in April '14, "nearly a year before Minnesota." Because of that, MLS believes that Atlanta United "was part of the league first." A source said Atlanta United Owner Arthur Blank "is very good at persuading people.” Meanwhile, sources said that there "was no issue with Minnesota’s popular gray and blue logo, which features a shield, loon and star, and one said that it could easily be tweaked to reflect a new name like Minnesota FC" (SI.com, 2/17). In St. Paul, Andy Greder cited a source as saying that if Minnesota United joins MLS in '17, it is "leaning toward playing home games" at the Univ. of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium. The venue "is considered a better option over United’s other favored venue, Target Field." The source said that TCF Bank Stadium "better meshes with United because soccer field dimensions are similar to those for the Gophers football team." The source added that UM's football schedule from September to November "is an easier fit than working around the Twins’ schedule, which runs from April to September." Greder notes United’s season "runs concurrently with the Twins’" (TWINCITIES.com, 2/17).
UNITED NATIONS? In Minneapolis, Jon Marthaler noted Minnesota United was announced as an MLS expansion club at the start of ’15 -- months before Atlanta United “announced its new nickname.” Why MLS, which is “apparently nervous about having an additional United in the league, okayed a new United in Atlanta is confusing enough.” Why they would do so, then “turn around and force yet another new nickname on Minnesota soccer, verges on pure nonsense.” Marthaler: “I've found it impossible to come up with a rationale for the change that doesn't make the league out to be either craven or stupid” (STARTRIBUNE.com, 2/17).
