MLS Commissioner Plans Sacramento Visit On April 14
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The commissioner of Major League Soccer is coming to Sacramento in two weeks to meet with Sacramento Republic investors on possible expansion plans.
While Sacramento has been floated as a possible home for a future MLS team, the question still lingering is when could it happen.
"I can't give you a timeline," said Republic lead investor Kevin Nagle. "We've been talking to the commissioner about there is a sense of urgency, I mean they already know. They've seen what Sacramento has done in its first two years within the USL."
Garber awarded Minnesota the final franchise in the last expansion round before announcing the league would consider four more teams. While the Minnesota round planned for teams in place by 2020, there is no timeline for the additional four teams.
"We've invested a lot of dollars, part of that is our belief we're going to be an MLS team," Nagle said.
Besides Sacramento, San Diego, Las Vegas, St. Louis, San Antonio are also vying for MLS franchises.
Sacramento stands apart from other cities with a plan for a privately financed, soccer-specific downtown stadium that received unanimous city council approval. In an era where public financing of stadiums often stirs a rancorous debate, that's one obstacle the Sacramento bid won't have to contend with.
The MLS deputy commissioner raved about the plans when he came for a visit a year and a half ago.