MLS Commissioner Don Garber yesterday visited Cincinnati to explore the league's options there, saying that USL club FC Cincinnati and its owners "remain high on the list for one of the remaining expansion slots, and the league will continue to closely monitor Cincinnati’s progress," according to Patrick Brennan of the CINCINNATI ENQUIRER. Garber: "They've just got to keep doing what they’re doing because they’re doing it really well. Build their brand. Continue to expand their fan base. Continue to get embedded in their community with the civic leaders and business leaders. They have done a lot of things really well." Garber's daylong visit "included business lunches with local corporate leaders, meet and greets with fans and a black-tie dinner and speech." Garber's visit "was also a nod to the undeniable success of the upstart soccer franchise's first year of full operations." The public portion of Garber's visit concluded with an "appearance at a town hall-style event." Sources said that an "expected outcome" for FC Cincinnati was to "receive feedback on its organization and what it would need to do to bring itself up to MLS specifications." Garber "confirmed what many had long ago accepted -- that FC Cincinnati’s deal to play home matches" at the Univ. of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium "likely wasn’t a long term, MLS-level stadium solution." Garber also revealed that FC Cincinnati had "investigated sites for a possible stadium." Garber previously called USL Sacramento Republic FC an "MLS ready" project. Experts said that the league "finds St. Louis and Detroit attractive options," while San Diego, Nashville, Charlotte and others "also remain in the mix" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 11/30).
STRONG SUPPORT: In Cincinnati, Steve Watkins noted fans "reflected their enthusiasm during FC Cincinnati's first season." The club set the USL single-season attendance record, "twice broke the single-game attendance record, broke the playoff game attendance record and drew a crowd of 35,061 for a 'friendly' exhibition match" against EPL club Crystal Palace. That game set the "all-time soccer attendance record in Ohio." Garber during his visit "toured the city" and met with FC Cincinnati Owner & CEO Carl Lindner, President & GM Jeff Berding and city leaders. Asked about the team's stadium concerns, Berding "wasn't concerned." Berding: "We have our eyes wide open and we know what their preferences are. We need to continue to prove Nippert works. Long-term, if we need to move beyond Nippert, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it." Berding said that his goal now is to "simply keep building the franchise." He said that MLS "will develop specific expansion criteria later this year" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 11/29).
PARTY TIME: Several participants in yesterday's events took to Twitter to capture the atmosphere. Garber: "Thank you @fccincinnati and your passionate fans for the tremendous hospitality today!" MLS Exec VP/Communications Dan Courtemanche: "Big party atmosphere at the @fccincinnati town hall." ESPN's Taylor Twellman: "Touring Cincinnati today and enjoying meeting @fccincinnati staff. Amazing what they've done in such a short time." FC Cincinnati broadcaster Tom Gelehrter: "I am on the 5th floor of Nippert Stadium with the windows closed and I can hear @fccincinnati supporters outside chanting. #MLS2CINCY"
THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE: When it comes to the possibility of an MLS team in St. Louis, MLS Deputy Commissioner & President Mark Abbott said SC STL, an ownership group led by investors tied to other sports teams including the Cardinals, Blues and USL club St. Louis FC, is the "only contender" for team ownership. In St. Louis, Mike Faulk notes Abbott's comments come "less than a day after SC STL’s competitor, Foundry St. Louis,
announced a bid to pay" $80M of SC STL’s $200M downtown stadium proposal. Abbott: "We have worked with SC STL for over a year and we vet ownership groups very thoroughly. We have great confidence in their commitment and the capacity they have to fulfill their obligations under what’s required by the league" (
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 11/30).
