Expansion of Major League Soccer - Further Expansion Contenders

Further Expansion Contenders

On March 12, 2011 MLS Commissioner Don Garber cited several markets that are involved in discussions with the league office about future expansion: San Diego, Arizona, Las Vegas, Detroit, San Antonio, South Florida and Atlanta. Garber said. “I believe we will be larger than 20 teams,” and “I can’t say when that will be. But I can’t imagine that when this league is fully expanded that we don’t have teams in the Southeast, that we don’t have another team in the Midwest, that we’re not even expanding to the southern part of California." However, league president Mark Abbott said in September 2011 that the league didn't see the need to grow beyond 20 teams, where it would be with the addition of New York City FC. While other markets could be considered, Abbott said, "We feel good about the size we're at".

In May 2013, following the announcement of New York City FC, Garber said, "Right now we're just going to take a deep breath" and that the league was "very focused on getting NYCFC up and launched and in the time to come we'll figure out what comes next for us." But he said that "There's still a lot of activity going on… in Miami, Orlando, Atlanta and a handful of other places."

Also, former Los Angeles Galaxy player David Beckham received an option to purchase an expansion team at a fixed price of $25 million in any market except New York City, when he signed joined the Galaxy in 2007. The league has held what MLS executive vice-president of communications Dan Courtemanche called "preliminary discussions" with Beckham's advisers about several expansion targets including Miami. Following Beckham's retirement in May 2013, Courtemanche said Beckham would exercise his option "at some point in time" but that "we are not there yet".