Minnesota United CEO Chris Wright said that private investors "have backed" Allianz Field, the "players and day-to-day operations, including league membership," to the tune of $450M. In St. Paul, Frederick Melo notes that number has "shot up as the club has invested" $50M more in Allianz Field and other investments, including a $100M expansion fee to MLS. Wright added that Minnesota United "cut off season ticket sales" for '19 at "about 14,000 to ensure there are at least 5,000 tickets available per game for everyday fans." Meanwhile, Melo notes Allianz Field "could host entirely different sports, too." Wright: "We're looking at lacrosse. We're looking at rugby. We actually had a meeting the other day on drone racing. ... There will be at least one concert weekend" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 11/14).
LACKING IN BACKING? THE ATHLETIC's Jonathan Sigal wrote a "looming question" about the Revolution is whether they "invest enough in the roster to compete with MLS' best." Per MLS Players Association data, the club has been in the "bottom half of total payroll" -- $7.5M in '17 and '18 and $5.9M in '16 -- each of the "past three non-playoff seasons." MLS teams "all have the same parameters to work with" -- $4.035M in salary cap, and up to $4M above that in Targeted Allocation Money for signing key players "under certain conditions." This "can include three Designated Players," but signing DPs "relies on a heavy investment" from club ownership. It is also "important to note" the Revolution do not have a USL affiliate (THEATHLETIC.com, 11/13).
TEMPORARY DIGS: In Philadelphia, Jonathan Tannenwald reported USL club Bethlehem Steel, the Union's minor-league affiliate, will "move next season's games to Talen Energy Stadium after the USL office barred the team from playing at Lehigh's Goodman Stadium due to a lack of floodlights." The Union will "offer free tickets to Steel games in Chester for this year's Bethlehem season ticket holders, and will include admission to all Steel games in the cost of Union season tickets." The move "might help boost [the] Steel's relatively low attendance figures," as the club averaged 2,376 fans per game this year (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 11/13).
