Nashville SC execs said they have continued to remain in touch with season-ticket holders and sponsorsGETTY IMAGES
MLS expansion clubs Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF are "feeling particular strain as they try to launch franchises in a challenging environment," according to Mark J. Burns of SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL. One source said that with the postponement of regular-season matches, both teams "have lost well into the low seven figures per contest when combining gate revenue, merchandise and food and beverage." Inter Miami and Nashville club execs said that they have "continued to remain in touch with season-ticket holders and sponsors" throughout the stop in action as they "explore if and when they'll need to reallocate sponsorship assets away from game day to other platforms, like digital media." Nashville last month "launched a new livestreaming show with eMLS gamer Cormac 'Doolsta' Dooley, where fans competed in FIFA 20 live on Twitch." Nashville CEO Ian Ayre said that the club also is "developing its app, which is slated to launch closer to when matches resume." Inter Miami -- together with Texas-based technology company Pumpjack Dataworks -- is "using the stop in play to build out additional content for its app that launched on March 10, with over 11,500 downloads to date" (SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/13 issue).
KEEP PUSHING FORWARD: In St. Louis, Ben Frederickson notes local MLS fans in the making are "more concerned that the coronavirus pandemic could scramble plans" for '22, and it is a "threat to future ones." This is something the MLS4TheLou ownership group is "working through as it prepares to launch MLS expansion team No. 28" in March '22. Without the coronavirus pandemic, fans "would probably know the new team's name and colors by now." Meanwhile, MLS4TheLou leader Carolyn Kindle Betz said, "Stadium-site preparation and initial construction have begun. We are making progress but obviously, given world events, it is too early to say if and how any of this will affect our schedules and timeline" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 4/15).
