Monday, July 23, 2007

MLS Eying Expansion to Philly

A group of investors from Philadelphia are looking to bring an MLS club to the City of Brotherly Love. Well actually, Chester, PA, which is just south of Philly. Chester, which has undergone, and continues to undergo, a significant revitalization in the past 10-12 years, would seek public funding for a soccer specific stadium along the Delaware River waterfront in Chester. The waterfront already boasts a casino hotel run by Harrah's.

The MLS has been reasonably smart with its growth in recent years. However, I think the league should be careful. Although a Philly franchise might be a year or two away, the League has had three expanion clubs in the past three years, with Real Salt Lake, Chivas USA and Toronto FC joining the league.

While these teams have been successful additions to the league and are doing well, expansion for hte sake of expansion is a dangerous thing. The National Hockey League expanded quite quickly on a ill-perceived boost in popularity, leading to labor/owner unrest, a couple of lockouts by owners, a near strike by the players and a completely canceled season two years ago. The WUSA, profession women's soccer league folded after four years of play due to an overly ambitious exapnsion based on what could be called an aberration of the 1999 Women's World Cup.

In general, I think the MLS has done a good job marketing its product and its teams. With the influx of high profile stars like David Beckham, the league is going to get a kick in the attendence numbers. But as I have warned earlier, the task for the MLS is to not only get teh curious and casual fan to the game, but to get them to come back after Beckham is no longer playing.

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