Markets NASL Should Target That MLS Won’t – Part I: The Big League Cities

Soccer in America is a growth industry.  Major League Soccer, the North American Soccer League and the United Soccer League are all expanding.  Even the fourth tier NPSL and PDL are adding teams each year. The American soccer landscape has transformed in the past decade.

As MLS nears what is likely an upper limit of 28-32 teams, plenty of strong markets across the country will be left without top level soccer even as the sport’s popularity is still trending upwards.  This presents an opportunity for the North American Soccer League.  Today NASL is clearly second division.  MLS has better stadiums, richer owners, bigger payrolls, more lucrative marketing alliances, a higher profile media presence and stronger attendance.  Since its inception, NASL has steadily improved its ownership group, product on the field and marketing agreements.  It still has a long way to go, but NASL aims to grow into an equal with the 15 years older MLS over time.

As MLS picks its final 4-8 markets, it will prioritize those cities that will maximize revenue for the single entity league.  Whereas once upon a time, in a smaller MLS, Rochester might have been courted and Salt Lake City might have landed a team, it is a different era.  The final 4-8 markets will likely be 4-8 of the biggest markets left on the table.  Sacramento and San Antonio are all but in.  St. Louis is openly coveted.  San Diego, Detroit and Phoenix are among the biggest markets remaining, and any successful NASL or USL team with financial backing operating in them over the next few years will be snatched up by MLS as Minnesota United was.

 

(more to come)

 

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http://midfieldpress.com/2016/02/14/markets-nasl-should-target-that-mls-wont-part-i-the-big-league-cities/