Which MLS expansion city would you pick?

With the seven candidates for MLS expansion by 2011 now set, we should find out plenty about all seven bids as the weeks and months go by and we move closer to an announcement on the 17th and 18th MLS franchises.

As you may know, I ran a poll on what expansion cities SBI readers preferred. Now that we have seven established candidates, I want to do another poll and this one will be a little different. The question is a simple one. If you have a vote to pick just one of the seven expansion cities to join MLS, which would it be? Yes, there will be two cities chosen this time around, but I want to see which city more people consider their top choice.

poll by twiigs.com

Which city did you pick? Share your choices and reasons for your picks in the comments section below.

Comments

[jrnail23]

I picked St. Louis because it's pretty much the leading city in the U.S. in terms of soccer history and tradition without a team yet. I think there's great potential there for a strong fan base.

[Jason L.]

Miami would be in the best position to attract interest from quality international players. Given the dilution of talent associated with expansion, that international appeal is a huge plus.

[Joamiq]

I would pick Atlanta. It's a longshot and there are a lot of arguments for other cities, but SEC country needs a team.

[Aljarov]

I just don't get the love-in for St Louis>? Sure i get it's a hub of youth soccer...but how exactly is that going to help MLS? How is another surbuban (read The Dick) stadium going to help in the face of better alternatives? More over, all this does is further entrench a KC franchise that has been on life-support for years and is a blight on the league. For all the bitching about the Crew, at least their stadium is downtown and they get more fans than KC ever has.

Barca or no Barca, I don't see how Miami gets a second shot so soon...not with other viable, proven alternatives.

For my money...Montreal, Portland, Vancouver,

[RK]

Atlanta.

I live here.

[Doug]

I picked St. Louis because that's where I'm from. Easy enough.

Whatever happened, though, to the "requirement" of a soccer-specific stadium (SSS)?

[Doug]

I picked St. Louis because that's where I'm from. Easy enough.

Whatever happened, though, to the "requirement" of a soccer-specific stadium (SSS)?

[Doug]

I picked St. Louis because that's where I'm from. Easy enough.

Whatever happened, though, to the "requirement" of a soccer-specific stadium (SSS)?

[David]

Montreal, Vancouver, Portland. Proven cities with a good track record, not retreads from the past from areas where interest in anything other than pro football in negligible. Atlanta Braves couldn't even sell out playoff games after a while...

[mpatt75]

Miami- Hopefully the MLS lets Barca bring some of their young kids just out of their academy to play for them.

[White Kix]

Someone really needs to explain this love affair with St, Louis. I know that 50 years ago, they were big in US soccer, but what does that mean now?

My vote is for Miami. It would be the only team that I could drive instead of have to fly to go see and their location would draw the types of DP's only NY and LA can draw now. As far as the heat, you get used to. I would rather play in the summer in Flordia than November in New England.

[Miguel]

Miami! It gives me yet another excuse to get down there - road trip!

[Simon B]

Montreal or Portland. Both would make for great rivalries with either TFC or the Sounders, plus both have fan bases that care for soccer.

I would love Vancouver because I live here, but frankly I don't think it would work until there was a soccer specific stadium.

[kpugs]

I still think St. Louis should have been an original MLS city, so I'm going to keep picking them until they actually get a club.

[giaco]

The STL because we all (in Chicago) want an I55 rival.

Otherwise Portland. TA and the rest of the folks up there deserve an MLS side. I mean, c'mon, if they'll give Sh!ttle and their 'consumers' a club, it should go without saying that a real club with history and actual support base should already have a team. But I guess Hollywood marching band-man and Micro"Iowntheworld"Soft got first dibs.

[Furball]

Portland. The reasons are well established. Best fans, great local, vicious rivalry with the Sounders, downtown location, perfect stadium, solid ownership. Enough said.

[Hincha Tim]

Just for kicks, I set up the 7 candidates in head to head matches in a league to see who would come out on top. In the matches the prospective cities played against each other and scored goals based if one had a clear edge in five categories: 1) Ownership and proposal strength 2) Fan Support History 3) TV Market 4) Potential Support (corporate and fan) 5) Other: Rivalries created/ Geographic balancing. I tried to rule for each one as I thought MLS HQ might (not as I would but I can't help but be a little biased). Here is how the league table finished:

TEAM W L T GF GA
Montreal 5 0 1 18 3
Miami 5 0 1 18 8
Portland 4 2 0 11 7
St.Louis 3 3 0 7 10
Atlanta 2 4 0 11 13
Vancouver 1 5 0 9 11
Ottawa 0 6 0 0 22

I think that the MLS is going to only choose one team from Canada and its going to be Montreal which hurts Vancouver and especially Ottowa. I think they want to put one team in the SE for now, which will be Miami which discounts Atlanta's chances (they don't have a particularly strong bid or history).
Portland and St. Louis are extremely close but Portland gets the nod because they have a much stronger track record of fan support (Timbers USL) and have a decent stadium they could play in already (TV Market is close enough to be too close to call). I also think all things considered that the MLS would side with a U.S. city over a Canadian city if all else was tied with the exception of Montreal.

[mikeK]

Doug- The SSS isn't a requirement for the first year. What you need is serious plans and a timetable for the construction of your SSS. Building an SSS takes years, and they can't do it without significant capital and assurances by the league that they will in fact have a team.

[Barksdale]

Atlanta - It's closest to me and Atlanta is a large city with quality youth soccer. They should be able to draw crowds if the stadium is put in the right place.

[Mike G]

Given one vote I went with Montreal they have they have the best package of positives, An existing SSS that can be upgraded, a passionate fan base, a built in rivalry with TFC, an owner with a passion for soccer and deep pockets and a large metropolitan area. None of the other applicants bring this much to the table.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

pretty much sick of this topic.
its kinda like a huge bag of chips or popcorn, i do not have the selfcontrol to stop.

Same answer as any thread or poll ive partaken in, Montreal and Vancouver but realistically if they include any canadians team this round, itll be one team and that team will be Montreal. A perfect second addition would be Portland as they have the same recipe for success. i wont go over the details as theyve been repeated a billion times over. Seeing as Miami was ushered in as a whim, they can wait. Same goes for St Louis (who is even more deserving of the two).

Voted for Montreal btw.
I think we will see Montreal and St Louis or Portland

[Freddy]

I've been distracted with South Amer WCQs and just found out about the bids for the new MLS teams. The businessmen and businesses behind the bids reads like a who's who of well-known entrpreneurs:

*Vancouver-Steve Nash, Former Yahoo Prez Jeff Mallett
*Montreal-Saputo Family, George Gillett-Canadians owner and co-owner of Liverpool
*Ottawa-Senators owner
*Atlanta-Falcons owner
*Portland-Treasury Secretary's son
*Miami-Barca, Bolivian co-owner of Bolivar
*St. Louis

Unbelievable. I've had some decent conversations with other footy fans at work.

My choices-Miami (road trips would be sweet)
Portland

[kco]

If ATL got a club, what would happen to the Silverbacks? And would the ATL MLS club take over the Silverbacks digs?

[RK]

kco, it isn't big enough IMO.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

For the record visiting Miami for an away game does not mean it will be a successful team or good for the league

[Eric in Baltimore]

Portland

[Jeremy]

Not Atlanta. I live here and know it would not be supported well enough.

[DemonJuice]

It was a toss-up for me between Portland and Montreal, but since I live in Portland... well, it's obvious who I chose.

Miami? Please. What a joke.

[Joe]

This should be a question of which other team will join Portland in becoming new franchises.
There are so many reasons for Portland join is stupid.
- Downtown quirky stadium
- culture of city to support a club as Timbers have seen
- Nike hq
- Large Adidas office in Portland
- Rivalries with Seattle and general disdain for Californians so LA and SJ become rivals.
- Helps eliminate more travel for WC teams which is a huge problem.
- No other real sports competition in town. Big help for RSL coverage.

[seven]

The SSS might not be a requirement for the 1st year, but it should be & with the time-frame for these new teams it shouldn't be an issue. BMO was built in less time than these teams will have. Without BMO, TFC would not be as successful as it is.
The stadium doesn't have to be great - BMO is very basic, but you need the right location & size to create a great atmosphere.

[kebzach]

None. They all have flaws in their portfolios.

[mexicanbluefish]

Portland because:
The former Timbers were very popular.
The University of Portland has always had a strong following and has helped the city become relatively intelligent about the sport
It is the most popular participation sport.
The city's only professional team is beyond popular and could easily share the love.
There are recognizable, marketable spokespersons: Keller, Shannon McMillan, Tiffany Milbrett, Michelle French, et al.
The similarity between Portland's weather and that of London's (market rain's charms)
The amazing public transportation system
The huge hispanic base...(in many Oregon towns there are soccer leagues and every Sunday you see uniforms of America, Chivas, Cruz Azul, etc. running around, mmmmm and the smell of delicious food)
The automatic built-in high caliber rivalry with Seattle
Nike's headquarters is there, Nike is almost a point of Oregon pride.
Soccer is not very macho and neither is Portland.
Oregonians love fast, unimpeded running (Eugene is Tracktown U.S.A.)
Soccer is fashionable.

[Jason]

I don't know the history, so someone please fill me in on the gabs but why did the Miami Fusion fold? With Barcelona backing the Miami team, I figure it would at least have the financial backings but is Miami really the best option now?

I think Portland would be the best given they only have the Trail Blazers and the fact that the Timbers have been successful. There's enough of a sports fan base (without the distractions of other franchises) to do well.

I'd be interested in another Canadian city being added along with Portland. I'd say Vancouver or Montreal would be a great place. The fans are starved for something else other than hockey. I'm not saying they're done with hockey but they want something to go along with it.

I'll go with Portland and Vancouver (based on Steve Nash's backing).

[Drew]

Miami? Puhleease. If it failed once already, why would they go there now? Give another city a shot.
Atlanta? They can't even get the city to rally around the baseball team when they'd win year after year after year. I can't imagine soccer would be any different.
Ottawa? I'd love to go visit, but they don't have a legit shot.
Montreal, Portland, Vancouver and St. Louis are all good options...with Montreal being my 1st choice.

[Mario in SJ]

1) St Louis has been waiting too long.
2) Portland, they have a great following.

All the others are interesting but will have to wait for the next expansion.
Including NY(Queens), who are interested in post 2011, there will be 6 teams who more than likely will be interested in later expansion. At this rate maybe MLS should find an additional group of teams and create a second division with all its possibilities in the coming years.
With the fact that all these teams belong to one company, MLS, this should be doable in that the owners can come up with some mechanism that would spread around the worth of promotion and the loss in value of relegation. Just a possibility....

[Al17]

Montreal is the no brainer here. The battle would be for what other team will join them.

Portland and the Nike connection? The league is sponsored by Adidas, so that's a bit of a problem.

St. Louis - in the past I always felt they should have a team but if they can't put it in St. Louis then screw them. St. Louis has the space to build a proper SSS, so this building on the Illinois side of the river is B.S..

Atlanta - what about the existing USL team moving up? If they can't or won't do it then screw Atlanta on this one. The Silverbacks deserve to be in MLS is Atlanta is chosen.

Vancouver is the ONLY other city I'd consider on this list.

Ottawa - puhlease.

Miami - only because Barca is involved and they'd invest the money properly and try to do it right but this stadium needs to be in the actual city.

[markovitch]

Would it be bending FIFA rules to re-organize in to 2 leagues, A la the NL and AL in baseball? have a west coast leage, an East Coast league, one or two inter-league cups, maybe a bit of in-season inter-league play and make the playoffs more exciting?

PORTLAND ALL THE WAY. Bring Montreal or Vancouver in, save Miami for when ATL can come in too and be the beginnings of a SE division.

[markovitch]

@AL17 Portland is also home to Adidas North American Headquarters.

[MetroBull]

Off topic but HOLY CRAP:

Conway and Parke banned ten games
October 16, 2008 (Official Press Release)

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber announced today that he has suspended and fined New York Red Bulls players Jon Conway and Jeff Parke for violating the MLS Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health (SABH) Policy by testing positive for androstatriendione (ATD) and boldenone metabolites, performance enhancing substances.

Each player is suspended for 10 MLS games, including regular season and playoffs, effective immediately, and each has also been fined 10 percent of his annual salary. During the suspension, the players may not participate in any other competitions.

The players purchased and ingested an over-the-counter nutritional supplement containing ATD, a substance that metabolizes into boldenone. Both ATD and boldenone are banned substances under MLS's SABH policy. The supplement was purchased from a vitamin store that is part of a national chain.

"MLS has one of the strictest drug policies in professional sports and holds its athletes both responsible and accountable for what they put into their bodies," Garber said. "This is an important statement as to the high standards to which we hold our players."

[Jagermeister]

Portland is THE smart choice, if MLS wants there to be a successful, viable, long-term franchise.

Atlanta - please, the Silverbacks couldn't even draw 4,000 this year on average. They already have competition from all 4 of the 'major' sports, so MLS would be an afterthought for the entertainment dollar.

Montreal - strong case. Nice stadium with owner who has proven that he will spend money on soccer. I question their inflated attendance numbers, but they have solid support.

Miami - can we please not have another Fusion? If the market couldn't support it before, what makes people think that things have changed so much that it will be different? Even if Barca is taking the lead, do we want another Chivas USA?

Ottawa - next please.

St. Louis - 'the hotbed of youth soccer' is not a reason to get an MLS team. KC is close enough - does Missouri deserve two teams? I say no. Move KC there. Or try your luck with USL-1 first and prove yourselves.

Vancouver - the rivalry with PDX and SEA would be amazing, dating back 30 years. Their support seems strong, but when you can't consistently sell out a 5,000+ seat stadium and your team is near the top of the table all season, you don't have enough support.

Portland - drew over 8,200 per game average for USL team this year (+25% to prior year for a last place team - that's support, people). The downtown stadium across the street from light rail is a no-brainer, and would be the jewel of the league. With the Nike World Headquarters and Adidas North American HQ there, the corporate support is perfect. Plus, we hate Shi*tle, so the USA's best rivalry would be renewed.

PDX and VAN/MON in 2011.

[scott47a]

I love all of the anti-Miami arguments, they make me laugh.

Isn't it obvious the league wants a team there? They have been talking to the city for a long time, despite having no bidders.

Now they have a legitimate bidder with deep, deep pockets. I think Miami and one of the two Canadian teams seems likely.

[josh]

A United States soccer league without a team in St. Louis is like an English football league without a team in Sheffield.

[Sterlinho]

I voted for Miami because of the Barcelona connection and it's in the USA. Plus, it's a major market. Tri-state area people move to Florida to retire. Why can't aging European soccer stars? The Fusion were a fun exciting team to watch and I was dissapointed when the league contracted. In theory, Tampa & Miami should have first dibs on getting their teams back. Go Barca Miami and Tampa Bay Mutiny Streakers!

[Scott A]

When is the announcement for which cities MLS chooses supposed to be?

[pstar]

Montreal gets the edge, if only because Toronto's instantaneous fan support would likely be repeated. From a grassroots level, there's no question. If considerations other than fans come into it, probably Miami or Portland.

As for who NOT to pick, who in their right mind would give Atlanta another team to not support? They're like the kid who screams for a new toy, then abandons it a week after getting it. They should learn to show some love for the teams they HAVE before asking for another one.

[Hincha Tim]

Who do I think SHOULD get a team (not who I think WILL get a team): Montreal and Portland. Both bring to the table: Instant Rivalries, proven fan base, decent TV Markets, good stadium situations that can easily be upgraded, good ownership groups.

[Reid]

With not knowing until april who wins the expansion sites, then i can see this being worse then CR7 to real madrid flirt fest, and by the time february comes all we will want to hear is how a couple yanks are destroying the scouse.

[Eh!]

I voted for Ottawa because you all are a bunch of haterz.

[Helmut]

Ives, you're pretty quiet on the Red Bull steroid suspensions, I can't believe they got 10 games!

[Heffe]

Ives,

Have you heard about Conway and Parke being suspended for 10 games for using performance enhancing drugs? I am interested in why they are being suspended when the supplements they used were purchased over the counter from a national chain. Interesting. (Story via ESPN)

[nate]

"SEC country needs a team"

The SEC is exactly a reason why NOT to give a team to the southeast like Atlanta or Miami. Who's going to turn out for a Saturday night game from Sept - Nov?

Portland and Montreal where there are proven passionate fan basis.

[QuakesMon]

Based on this poll, all these comments and even the last poll, clearly Portland is the darling among engaged North American followers of the sport. Its what so many of us fans want.

I am another who has fallen in love with the Timbers from afar just because of the richness of their supporters culture, history, perfect old school authentic stadium.

Unlike other candidate cities where words like "market" and "investors" are used, look at how commenters on Portland use words like "deserve", "fan support" and "culture".

If the thousands of voters in these polls ran the league, Portland would be in. Problem is there are government and capitalist business forces at the helm and I am concerned they will not do what we want.

So if the business decision makers won't listen to what we want - I say we make any non-Portland decision business relevant!

I AM CALLING FOR A FAN BOYCOTT OF MLS IF PORTLAND IS NOT SELECTED FOR 2011 EXPANSION.

I urge you - if you believe this league should listen to its fans on expansion, then make a statement by promising not to buy MLS gear, tickets or watch games until Portland enters the league. Shift your attention to USL if you must - at least you'll get to follow some spirited international runs.

STAND UP FOR PORTLAND 2011!!!! BOYCOTT MLS IF PORTLAND IS NOT ANNOUNCED.

(who will setup a facebook page for this new movement?)

[Sterlinho]

I voted for Miami because of the Barcelona connection and it's in the USA. Plus, it's a major market. Tri-state area people move to Florida to retire. Why can't aging European soccer stars? The Fusion were a fun exciting team to watch and I was dissapointed when the league contracted. In theory, Tampa & Miami should have first dibs on getting their teams back. Go Barca Miami and Tampa Bay Mutiny Streakers!

[Sterlinho]

If St. Louis wants a team so bad then they should just buy the Wizards. St. Louis ownership has already cried about the expansion fee. Is that the type of owner you want in the league anyway? Portland deserves a team since they have fan support and Miami would have deep pockets in a major market. Not everybody in Miami loves college football. I'm sure Lil' Havana just looks forward to college football season. Miami has the diversity to have a great MLS fan base.

[Tom P]

Dear Ives:
I have a question Ives that hopefully you will address even though you don't seem to monitor and interact on your board topics like you once did in the early days of Soccer by Ives:

With Barcelona throwing its hat in the ring do you believe it is possible that MLS will change the number of franchises available for this round of expansion from 2 to 3 or 4?
I would hate to see Portland, Montreal or St. Louis get short changed because the league can't understandably resist the pull of a big star like Barcelona from a worldwide credibility standpoint.
( my own negative views of Miami as market not withstanding)

Please comment and Thanks in Advance.

[KingSnake]

Not New York. Too many drugs there ...

[Garrett]

Portland should be an easy pick for another American city. Montreal or Vancouver will be the 2nd choices. It's a fact Saputo inflates his numbers but the support there is decent.

Seriously...why would any real fan want a team in Miami? Who is going to go? Does it really help to put the sport back in a city where it has already failed? They barely support their pointyball team and don't even show up to MLB or NBA games when their teams are winning.

[CG]

The "hotbed of youth soccer" perception out there is certainly true, but misguided in this context. It isn't STL's only selling point. When soccer has been in St. Louis, it has been supported - throughout the entire hsitory of the sport in America and at every level. Not a big fan of the Collinsville plan at all, but I have no idea what type of resistance or financing Cooper got on the other side of the river. Oh, and it's not St. Louis' fault that KC has issues.

[Michael]

I live in Denver now, but I'm from the South and for the love of all that is good and holy, we need an MLS franchise down south.

[Dale Murphy]

Atlanta cuz that's where I stay at!

[scott47a]

I have no doubt that Portland would turn out. Really, what else is there to do.

But I don't think fan support in USL means anything to the MLS. Look at Toronto, where the USL team had sparse attendance. Look at Seattle, where they already have four times as many fans buying seats than went to see the USL side on a regular basis.

The USL-MLS comparison is not relevant to a league trying desperately to cover the country and get a bigger national TV contract.

Put the TV thing together with the Barca group and it's not hard to see why MLS would pick Miami, no matter what posters here think.

[John]

LOL QuakesMon,

you have fun with that

[Jags98]

Just being selfish here-
Give me Atlanta or Miami
First is my place of birth and could make a game, the other is where I live and could make a game.
Give us something in the south, we have nothing.

[Drew D (From FL)]

Miami, with a second being atlanta. The Southeast needs a team, plain and simple. Portland, a second nyc franchise, and canadian teams can take a number. I'm with everyone else who chose miami in which it's one of the few cities besides LA and NYC that can attract high profile DPs. And with Barca's backing, you almost can't lose. Either that or atlanta, but for the love of god we don't need anymore teams in the north or midwest. They can always wait til the next expansion comes around. Now yall are just getting selfish.

[huricano]

Montreal...Miami already failed. Great atmosphere. A French influence on the league. Otherwise, Portland. History & Rivalry.

[huricano]

By the way...Why Miami? Its a terrible soccer town. Their team already failed once, and its not that big. Atlanta makes more sense. But why not pick a big metro area w/o pro American Football or Baseball? Montreal, Vancouver, Portland . . .

[Ricky]

Miami are you kidding me a chance to get a powerhouse such as F.C Barcrlona to help the MLS it is a gimme

[duck1318]

I see the next two expansion cities being Miami and Vancouver just because of the big names they bring to the table before even getting the bid. I mean, how can you possibly turn down a bid from FC Barcelona and Steve Nash, come on.

[JoePlumber]

From Scott47a:

"I have no doubt that Portland would turn out. Really, what else is there to do. But I don't think fan support in USL means anything to the MLS. Look at Toronto, where the USL team had sparse attendance."

Umm - Toronto is an example where poor USL attendance in a shoddy suburban facility is not a harbinger for MLS attendance in a downtown venue.

But! You are trying to twist the Toronto and Seattle examples to suggest that a Timbers franchise that has GREAT USL attendance would do worse when it goes to MLS - in the SAME stadium????

Ridiculuous!

I can understand how moving up to a higher league and new stadium would increase attendance as in Toronto, but are you seriously saying that moving up a league would hurt attendance in Portland? Portland occasionally brings over 15k for USL league games - they already draw MLS levels as a bottom table team in the second league.

You should go into politics because that is some serious spin.

[Caldwell]

Gotta go with Portland. They support soccer strongly (for the level at which it is played there... burn!), and it would be the only realistic road trip for Sounders fans to make for an away match.

[paul lorinczi]

The real problem with St. Louis is they still don't have a solidified investment group, do they? It's been all talk, but very little action there.

[Homey]

Ives,
I have a related question regarding expansion. Did all these bids require a certain amount of money to MLS just to be considered? I'm guessing so. If so, do you know how much? Seems if they charged every bidder $100,000, it would be an easy way to make a little extra.

[John F]

I picked Atlanta, for the purely selfish reason that I live in Birmingham, a mere two hours' drive away.

[SL]

My picks;

Ottawa
St.Louis

Both have outstanding youth soccer programs that are amongst the best in their respective countries. Ottawa has the bonus of a solid owner with a proven track record in a growing community. Also neither of these teams would hurt the USL if they got a MLS franchise. I believe the MLS needs a strong USL to get even better. Portland, Vancouver, Montreal, Atlanta, Miami are the heart of the USL.

Looking at the previous post, I will organize a boycott of MLS products if they give a franchise to Portland ;-)

[Jeff]

Miami-Barca