Around 900 people attended MLS' announcement of FC Cincinnati as its next expansion teamGETTY IMAGES
MLS Commissioner Don Garber "officially welcomed" FC Cincinnati to the league as its 26th franchise, making it the "last of two organizations to be accepted in the first of two expected rounds of expansion," according to Patrick Brennan of the CINCINNATI ENQUIRER. Celebrations were "sparked across the city" yesterday, as at least 900 fans "celebrated the announcement" at Rhinegeist Brewery, where it was made. Hundreds more "gathered on Fountain Square in Downtown and watched the simulcast of the Rhinegeist event on a large-format screen." FC Cincinnati "will play in MLS" beginning in '19. FC Cincinnati Owner & CEO Carl Lindner said the team "first learned of its confirmation for MLS about a month ago while attending the opening match" at LAFC's Banc of California Stadium (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 5/30).
WEST END STORY: The AP's Joe Kay wrote MLS is "rewarding a city that set attendance records during three seasons" of USL play and "has a stadium deal in place." Garber said, "You have shocked the world." FC Cincinnati will play at the Univ. of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium "while a 21,000-seat soccer stadium is built in the city's low-income West End neighborhood." The stadium is "expected to be ready" for the '21 season (AP, 5/29). SI.com's Brian Straus wrote it was the stadium that "sealed the deal for FCC, which already brought a wealthy, well-connected local lead owner" in Lindner and "impressive and proven fan support to the table" (SI.com, 5/29). FC Cincinnati President & GM Jeff Berding said that the club "will announce a team to design and build the stadium soon." Berding said that there also "could be logo changes coming." Berding added that FC Cincinnati will "just need to make 'tweaks, nothing major' to Nippert Stadium to be ready to go in MLS next year." In Cincinnati, Steve Watkins noted the team has already "widened the field and installed field suites at the stadium, which also features a new scoreboard and sound system" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/29).
HAD ME AT HELLO: Garber: "Almost from the very first time we saw what was happening here, we had a sense that Cincinnati belonged in Major League Soccer. The ownership group that Carl put together with his partners, the great management that (Berding) has put together almost had us at 'hello.'" Lindner: "Don and MLS, they've been great partners, encouragers and they've been extremely patient with us over the past year, in particular around the West End stadium kind of endeavors that we were working on." Garber said of FC Cincinnati, "They're MLS ready. They've operated a club with capacity crowds, with a great brand, with a real focus on performance and excellence on and off the field, getting into the community, dealing with philanthropy the right way. And that shouldn't be lost on anybody" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 5/30). Garber also tweeted, "Visionary ownership, passionate fans and a world-class stadium plan make Cincinnati a perfect fit for @MLS. Thank you Carl Lindner, @JeffBerding, Mayor @JohnCranley and the incredible @fccincinnati supporters" (TWITTER.com, 5/29). ESPN.com noted the club has been a "major success story" since joining USL in '16, averaging more than 21,000 fans in 16 home games last season, and "beating two MLS clubs in the U.S. Open Cup in front of 30,000-plus fans" (ESPN.com, 5/29). The CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER's Watkins noted attendance has "skyrocketed, with FC Cincinnati setting numerous attendance records in its third year of existence." The club has "averaged 24,417 fans per home game so far this season." That would "easily break" its own USL season "attendance record of 21,199 set last year." Only seven of MLS' 22 teams "topped FC Cincinnati's attendance last season." FC Cincinnati's merchandise sales, which reached nearly $2M, also "would have ranked among the top MLS teams in that category" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/29).
FEARLESS LEADERS: In Cincinnati, Paul Daugherty writes this "wouldn't have happened" without Berding. He has been "tireless and relentless, first in growing and energizing a stout fan base, then in getting the stadium deal done." Getting a "majority of Cincinnati elected officials to agree on anything is monumental." Getting them and the residents of West End to "play nice with FCC was Nobel Prize-worthy" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 5/30). Also in Cincinnati, Jason Williams writes no family has "done more for Greater Cincinnati" than the Lindners, and this is "as big an endeavor as ever" for them. By bringing MLS to town, Lindner "has shown he's not content to simply ride the coattails of his late father's legacy." Lindner has "shown a younger generation of Southwest Ohioans that the family remains committed to taking big risks and going all-in on Cincinnati's future" (CINCINNATI.com, 5/30).
TWITTER REAX: Fellow MLS expansion club Nashville SC: "Welcome to the club, @fccincinnati! What took y’all so long?" Xavier Basketball: "One of the best sports cities in America is getting even better. Congratulations to our good friends." WLW-AM's Lance McAlister: "For the 1st time in 51 years and four days the city of Cincinnati will add a professional sports franchise. Damn right it's a big day." Former USMNT F and current ESPN analyst Herculez Gomez: "Can’t wait for the FC Cincinnati vs @ColumbusCrewSC rivalry to start!!!!! #SaveTheCrew."
