The Revolution adding Bruce Arena could help the club make more headway in their local marketGETTY IMAGES
Growing speculation about MLS expansion "distracts from the very real issues" the league faces in big markets that "drive value and national relevance," especially as the '22 FIFA World Cup and the next round of TV rights negotiations approach, according to Brian Straus of SI.com. N.Y., the No. 1 MLS market, "remains a puzzle" that the league "has never solved." But Chicago (No. 3) and Boston/New England (No. 10) have been the "biggest concerns," as neither the Fire nor Revolution has "won a major trophy in a dozen years." Both play in "out-of-the-way venues ill-suited for the league MLS is becoming," and both have "fatigued fans convinced their owners don't care." But this month, those owners "made overdue statements of intent." Fire Chair Andrew Hauptman and Vice Chair Joe Mansueto "agreed to spend" some $60.5M to "cancel the club's onerous lease" at SeatGeek Stadium. Meanwhile, the Revolution "made genuine waves for the first time in forever" by hiring Bruce Arena. In cities like Chicago and Boston, a "successful, ambitious, relevant team would enhance the narrative and carry weight well beyond the borders of its metro area." While MLS is a "better league with Cincinnati, Columbus and Austin in the fold," it "needs Chicago and Boston, not to mention New York, Houston and Philadelphia." That is "going to take commitment, ambition and money" (SI.com, 5/15).
