Members of the Nashville MLS Steering Committee, including Ingram Industries Chair John Ingram, announced Thursday the "formation of the MLS2Nashville Committee, a community initiative to support the city’s bid" for an MLS expansion team, according to Michael Murphy of the Nashville TENNESSEAN. In addition to Steering Committee co-Founders Bill Hagerty and Will Alexander, former NFLer Eddie George and model Lily Aldridge will "serve as honorary co-chairs on the MLS2Nashville Committee." Alexander announced the newly formed committee’s "lofty attendance goal" for this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup first-round match between the U.S. and Panama on July 8. Alexander: "We want the Gold Cup to be the best attended soccer game in the history of the state of Tennessee." The '15 U.S.-Guatemala match, which had an attendance of 44,835, "holds the record for the highest-attended soccer game in Tennessee history" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/12). SI.com's Brian Straus noted MLS Commissioner Don Garber and/or MLS Deputy Commissioner & President Mark Abbott are "looking toward the CONCACAF Gold Cup as a potential time to visit Nashville" for its "consideration for an MLS venue" (SI.com, 5/11).
ALL-STAR SQUAD: FS Investors, the group trying to build an MLS stadium and surrounding development in San Diego's Mission Valley area, said that former USWNT player Shannon MacMillan has "joined the group as a member of its advisory board and as an investor." In San Diego, Kevin Acee writes it is another "exceptional PR move that also demonstrates the group’s commitment to bettering the community." MacMillan played 176 games for the USWNT from '95-'06 and is a member of the National Soccer HOF. Her primary role will be teaming with Landon Donovan, who joined FS Investors in March, in the "creation of a youth soccer academy program" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 5/12).
