Bid cities: In their own words

Over the course of 2017, 12 groups will be making their case to MLS as to why they should be one of the league’s next four expansion clubs. SportsBusiness Journal reached out to each of the groups to ask them what led them to bid for an MLS club, and what they think sets their bid apart from the rest of the field. Answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Charlotte
› Who: Marcus Smith, Speedway Motorsports Inc. CEO
› Why MLS?: “Major League Soccer is a great fit. MLS is growing, vibrant and global just like Charlotte. MLS has smart, dedicated, visionary leadership and so does Charlotte. Our community plays to win and sees MLS and a state-of-the-art stadium as enhancing our city’s appeal.”
› Why Charlotte?: “Charlotte’s unique combination of key factors is the difference. A county/city/club partnership on a state-of-the art stadium connected to uptown with a strong corporate presence and a large and growing population of passionate soccer fans, all located in a region with MLS-friendly demographics should make Charlotte home to an MLS club.”

Cincinnati
› Who: Jeff Berding, FC Cincinnati president and general manager
› Why MLS?: “Cincinnati is a major league sports town. We have a strong majority owner in Carl H. Lindner III and a market that fully embraces its sports teams. We averaged over 17,000 fans for our first USL season with just over 6,000 season tickets and are on pace to reach 11,000 season tickets in the second year. There is a proven passion for professional soccer in the Greater Cincinnati region, sufficient to support a successful MLS franchise.”
› Why Cincinnati?: “We are a proven city — proven ownership, proven management, proven market, proven supporters culture and proven game-day experience. In our inaugural season, we demonstrated this city’s ability to far exceed expectations and our growth in advance of Year 2 proves we continue to build and grow the soccer movement here. Cincinnati is a rising city blessed by an outsized Fortune 500 presence and a dynamic startup community. And, while Cincinnati has proven strong enough to support a pro soccer franchise, our draw area from Lexington to Dayton gives added value to our market.”

Detroit
› Who: Arn Tellem, Palace Sports & Entertainment vice chairman
› Why MLS?: “Soccer has a global impact that mirrors Detroit’s. The city’s automotive and emerging technological sectors, in addition to the growth of soccer since being a host city during the 1994 World Cup, provide an untapped opportunity for top-tier soccer. A Major League Soccer team would satisfy Detroit’s appetite for the world’s game.”
› Why Detroit?: “It starts with the ownership group of Tom Gores and Dan Gilbert. Michigan natives and NBA team owners, Gilbert and Gores have been key players in the resurgence of Detroit and Southeast Michigan. Gilbert has led the city’s revitalization efforts, and Detroit will be the only U.S. downtown with four major league teams playing within four blocks once Mr. Gores’ Pistons move to Little Caesars Arena in the fall.”

Indianapolis
› Who: Ersal Ozdemir, Keystone Realty Group founder and CEO; owner of NASL’s Indy Eleven
› Why MLS?: “Indy Eleven’s goal has always been to operate at a first-division standard on and off the field. We believe our fan and corporate support we’ve received have checked off that ‘off the field’ box. Now it’s time to provide Indiana with the highest level of soccer possible, and that’s MLS.”
› Why Indianapolis?: “Because Indianapolis supports sports better than any city in the country. We are confident a private-public partnership on a new stadium will happen, which combined with our strong, locally based ownership group and proven fan support will make our bid among the strongest.”

Nashville
› Who: John Ingram, lead investor in the Nashville bid; Ingram Industries chairman
› Why MLS?: “Our group has a sincere desire to bring the world’s game to Nashville. There is a large, energetic, and motivated soccer fan base in Nashville, and we want the city to be a part of the global soccer community at the highest level possible.”
› Why Nashville?: “Nashville is an international city with a unique brand. We are a global destination with a robust entertainment industry in the heart of the South. Outside of New York or Los Angeles, there is not another city that brings to the table what Music City has to offer.”

Phoenix
› Who: Berke Bakay, Phoenix Rising FC governor
› Why MLS?: “Phoenix is the largest city in the U.S. without an MLS team. More kids and families are involved in youth soccer here than any other sport, and we have a massive Mexican-American base of soccer fans. As owners of Phoenix Rising FC, we want to bring the gift of Major League Soccer to our community.”
› Why Phoenix?: “Building television viewing audiences is MLS’s greatest opportunity for financial growth. Phoenix offers the largest number of TV households, and the greatest total population, millennial population and Hispanic population. Phoenix will add more value to MLS and its national sponsors than any other expansion city.”

Raleigh/Durham
› Who: Steve Malik, North Carolina FC chairman and owner
› Why MLS?: “We aspire to be at the top level of both men’s and women’s soccer in North Carolina and the country. We listened to our fans’ desire to have the highest level of men’s professional soccer right in their back yard. Last December, we made the conscious decision to brand ourselves as North Carolina’s professional club in order to galvanize the state of North Carolina with a club providing soccer opportunities from recreational youth soccer to development academies to pro teams. We feel the Raleigh-Durham area (commonly known as the Triangle) is the market of the now and market of the future, and ready for an MLS team, based on population growth, high net income especially on a per professional franchise basis, as well as incredible history of support for the game.”
› Why Raleigh/Durham?: “We feel that the support of the sport and the long history of professional soccer in this area, paired with the diverse demographics, limited first-division professional sports competition (NHL), exceptional day-to-day training environment and leading youth soccer clubs, separate our market from the rest. The Triangle is consistently one of the fastest growing regions in the country, giving it the highest growth rate among MLS-contender markets. It is a top-25 television market with over 6.5 million people in driving proximity with no overlap with other MLS teams.”

Sacramento
› Who: Kevin Nagle, Sac Soccer & Entertainment Holdings chairman and CEO
› Why MLS?: “Simply put, we believe in the future of MLS. This sport, and this league, are on an incredible upward trajectory. Commissioner Garber has a compelling vision for the future of soccer in America, and we’re seeing it come to life firsthand in Sacramento.”
› Why Sacramento?: “Sacramento is the total package. We’re the largest city in the U.S. with only one pro sports team. We’re a proven market with passionate fans that have shattered virtually all USL records. Nobody has a more shovel-ready stadium plan. And our ownership group has deep local roots and sports expertise. On all fronts, Sacramento is #BuiltforMLS.”

San Antonio
› Who: Spurs Sports & Entertainment
› Why MLS?: “Joining Major League Soccer aligns with our organization’s goal of bringing the very best in professional sports to south and central Texas. We are convinced that an MLS franchise in San Antonio would be an exciting addition for the sports fans in our community and provide a new, vibrant growing market to the league.”
› Why San Antonio?: “We are a community that’s excited and totally united in this effort to bring MLS to San Antonio, including the full political and financial support of city and county leadership, corporate sponsors already in place, as well as soccer fans throughout the region.”

San Diego
› Who: Nick Stone, FS Investors Partner
› Why MLS?: “San Diego is very hungry for its own soccer team. The popularity of the sport here has skyrocketed in recent years at every level. One example: During the last World Cup final in 2014, San Diego had the second-highest television ratings in the nation.”
› Why San Diego?: “We offer a large, thriving binational region, with the city of Tijuana, Mexico, just 15 minutes away. The combined populations of San Diego County and Tijuana — which total more than 4 million people — provide MLS with a huge fan base and an ideal environment in which to expand the sport.”

St. Louis
› Who: Paul Edgerley, chairman of ownership group and Bain Capital senior adviser
› Why MLS?: “The convergence of recent circumstances — the league’s plan to expand, opportunity created by the NFL’s departure and availability of land perfectly suited for a downtown stadium — combined with traditional St. Louis strengths that include its soccer history, geographic location, television market, world-class universities and impressive tech and startup community.”
› Why St. Louis?: “St. Louis is the birthplace of soccer in our nation and the game remains central to the identity of the city. There is an understanding, appreciation and respect for soccer in St. Louis that cuts across every demographic and spans generations, all of which will serve MLS extremely well.”

Tampa/St. Petersburg
› Who: Bill Edwards, Tampa Bay Rowdies chairman and CEO
› Why MLS?: “We want to join Major League Soccer because it’s major league. Our intention is to bring the highest level of professional soccer in the country to Tampa Bay.”
› Why Tampa/St. Petersburg?: “Tampa/St. Petersburg is the largest TV market Major League Soccer is not in — No. 11 TV market in the country.”