Nashville's MLS Expansion Seen As Milestone For City; Unclear When Club Will Begin Play

With Nashville landing MLS' 24th franchise yesterday, the Music City now has three major professional sports teams, "reaching another milestone in the city’s breakneck growth," according to Garrison & Organ of the Nashville TENNESSEAN. MLS Commissioner Don Garber said, "Everything about it fits our brand. We're young. We're on the rise. We're very diverse. We're very interested in trying to do things a bit differently than the other pro sports leagues have done." It is "unclear" whether the club will begin play in MLS in '20, as originally proposed, or earlier in '19, which the commissioner "didn't rule out." Garber said that a decision "will be announced later." Nashville was a "self-described 'underdog' in the beginning," but Owner John Ingram "steadily steered Nashville up the ranks." Ingram said that Nashville "accomplished in one year what might have taken other cities two or three years to accomplish." The new team's name "isn't picked." But Ingram said that he has "envisioned" Nashville SC, the name of the city's USL team, "becoming the MLS name as well." Stadium construction "won't begin" until the end of '18. In the meantime, the franchise will have to "find a temporary venue." Ingram said that Nissan Stadium is the "most likely option, but he didn't rule out other possible venues" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 12/21). SI.com's Brian Straus noted Nashville SC will "wear the blue and yellow colors found on the city flag" (SI.com, 12/20).

MUSIC TO THE EARS: Asked about Nashville's winning bid, Garber said Ingram "quickly put a team together and started really selling how great this city is in so many different ways -- its ability for the public and private sector to work together, which is important for sports teams to be successful." Garber: "They had a great stadium plan that came together very quickly in a reimagined fairgrounds that we're really excited about." Garber said, relative to the other finalists, "Nashville was the most complete and had been very complete almost from the very beginning" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 12/21). SI.com's Straus wrote Ingram’s "billions, his deep local ties and his productive relationships with leading political figures also played an obvious and significant role in Nashville’s success" (SI.com, 12/20). The TENNESSEAN's Joey Garrison writes Nashville "is on fire." Above all, MLS "wanted to cash in on that sort of buzz -- even if it meant disappointing other cities that had been waiting in line far longer than Nashville" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 12/21).

PATIENCE PAYING OFF: In St. Paul, Andy Greder notes the Wilf family, which owns the Vikings, was "eager for a second chance" at MLS after missing out on Minnesota United FC. Vikings Owner Mark Wilf said his family's bullish view of soccer in the U.S. “never wavered for one second.” The Wilfs, including Zygi and Leonard, will have a "minority share of the Nashville club and provide advice based on leading an NFL franchise for 13 years as well as their experiences building U.S. Bank Stadium" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 12/21). 

INTRO TO ANXIETY: MLS this morning announced it remains in discussions with Sacramento, Detroit and Cincinnati, the other three cities up for the final expansion spot. The league said it will take additional time to review those cities' bids and will announce a final decision in the new year (THE DAILY). SOCCER AMERICA's Paul Kennedy notes MLS' announcement yesterday "triggered lots of angst" in Cincinnati and Sacramento. Either MLS' BOG has "made a decision but isn't telling ... or the board indeed hasn't made up its mind." Measuring the two bids is "not easy because Sac Republic FC's strength -- its ready-to-go urban stadium project as part of the Railyards development -- is FC Cincinnati's weakness -- it has been working on a plan to build a stadium in the Oakley neighborhood, which is located six miles from Nippert Stadium" (SOCCERAMERICA.com, 12/20). 

LONG-TERM APPROACH: In Louisville, Danielle Lerner notes while sports fans are "understandably eager to bring a major league team to Louisville, the future of soccer in the city remains just as bright -- and perhaps better off --without MLS." Louisville was "not passed over by MLS," as it did "not submit an application for expansion" by the January '17 deadline. Louisville City FC Chair John Neace said that the club's focus is on "building a soccer-specific stadium now and reaching for MLS later." Neace said, "MLS remains a possibility for Louisville and will be but we are continually focused on retaining our status as the best club in USL." That is "probably a wise approach given the level of success Louisville City FC has achieved in the second-tier." The country's soccer landscape "could very well undergo more changes by the time Louisville is ready to apply." But the developments in Nashville "help paint a more complete picture of MLS' goals" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 12/21).