The race to be the 30th team in Major League Soccer looks like it’s down to San Diego and Las Vegas.
At a media event in New York on Wednesday, MLS commissioner Don Garber said the two cities were the most likely finalists as the league aims to decide prior to the end of 2023.
Garber added that although he’s previously said the league would pause after naming its 30th team, he was very much open to the possibility of expanding beyond that number in the years to come.
The commissioner gave an update on the league’s plans ahead of St. Louis City joining as the 29th team for the 2023 season.
“We have teams across three time zones, multiple climate zones, so we do need more teams,” Garber said. “The 30th team will come at some point soon. We would like to get that announced by the end of the year.
“Never thought we’d be at 28, never thought we’d be at 29, we say we’re going to stop at 30 but the other [American] major leagues are larger than that. I don’t ever say never in Major League Soccer.
“There are many other markets that are opportunities for us. I think San Diego and Las Vegas are the most likely opportunities for [team] 30. But we don’t have a team in Phoenix, we don’t have a team in Sacramento, we don’t have a team in Detroit — all big markets in our country. Tampa is another big city.
“Soccer is exploding professionally everywhere on the men’s and women’s side. So we’ll see.”
Garber talks up San Diego and Las Vegas
Garber naming San Diego and Las Vegas as likely finalists isn’t a major surprise, as he called both a “priority market” in an interview this month with Sports Business Journal.
“Las Vegas remains a priority market for us,” he said. “We love the energy in the city and all the focus on how sports can provide real value for an increasingly growing city. We are in discussions with investors on how they could come together, whether it be in a soccer-specific stadium or an alternative approach, but nothing new to add there.
“We’re also engaged in discussions with investors in San Diego about possibilities there. I love the market, it is a gateway city to Mexico, and with our increased programming and increasingly closer relationship with Liga MX, San Diego is a priority market.”
[lawrence-related id=14341,13840,13996]