MLS Phoenix Rising

Here’s the rub for the Phoenix bid. MLS is currently on track to expand to 28 teams, although most folks expect that there will be another round of growth to 32, but that’s for another time.

As of the 2018 season, the Western Conference has 12 teams and the East has 11. FC Cincinnati will begin play in 2019 and is expected to join the East as will Miami in 2020 or 2021. That would put 13 clubs in the East. Nashville also joins in 2010 or 2021 which you would expect to join the East, bringing the count to 14.

That brings up balancing the league to 14, meaning another two teams to the West and Phoenix’s hopes for selection. Enter the fiasco in Columbus. When Precourt bought the Ohio franchise license, he had a proviso that enabled him to move the club to Austin which naturally would be in the West. So instead of MLS adding two teams to the West, one would be added to each conference. And even though a new group has bought Columbus and will keep it in place, word is that Precourt is promised a franchise in Austin, leaving only one expansion place to be added. While that would be a West based team, Sacramento is acknowledged as the leading city for that place, and a strong San Diego bid would be competing with Phoenix. It seems Phoenix may have to wait for the expected next round of expansion.

Although Austin appears to be a done deal, I simply don’t understand why MLS would think that Austin is a strong candidate city. Below are the attendance numbers for the two existing Texas clubs.