6 things MLS' latest expansion means to RSL


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Major League Soccer got a facelift Wednesday afternoon. And while the 22nd club in league history will be based in Atlanta starting in 2017, its ramifications will be felt 1,871 miles away in Salt Lake City.

MLS commissioner Don Garber announced the league’s latest addition, an expansion outfit owned by Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, in front of more than 600 fans in downtown Atlanta. The announced club will form a three-way Southeast rivalry with Orlando City SC in 2015, and a previously announced club located in Miami and co-owned by soccer superstar David Beckham.

"We are thrilled to welcome Atlanta to Major League Soccer as our 22nd team," Garber said in a statement. "Atlanta is one of the largest and most diverse markets in North America and has a rich tradition in sports and culture. And with Arthur Blank joining our ownership group, we are adding one of the most respected owners in professional sports."

Here are six things that the latest MLS expansion team will mean for Real Salt Lake and the other current clubs.

1. MLS’ promise to get to 24 teams by 2020 was no joke.

When New York City FC was announced as the 20th team, leapfrogging several other candidates, fans weren’t sure what would be next for the league. Number 20 seemed like a good place to stop. But then MLS announced Orlando City Soccer Club as an expansion team. And Garber made the strange announcement that the league would get to 24 teams by 2020.

With Atlanta on board, MLS has formally awarded 22 franchises that will be operating by 2017 (Miami’s franchise is still pending a stadium arrangement). Assuming Beckham’s plan is finalized, that leaves one team to fill the 24th slot. Current rumors for expansion include Minneapolis, St. Louis, San Antonio and Sacramento, but no official announcement has been tipped.

A soccer ball rests by the feet of Atlanta 
Falcons owner Arthur Blank, left, and Frank 
Poe, right, executive director of the Georgia 
World Congress Center Authority, during a 
news conference announcing the city is 
getting a Major League Soccer expansion team 
on Wednesday, April 16, 2014, in Atlanta. MLS 
announced its newest franchise, unveiling an 
expansion team for Atlanta that will begin 
play in 2017 at the city's new retractable 
roof stadium.
A soccer ball rests by the feet of Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, left, and Frank Poe, right, executive director of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, during a news conference announcing the city is getting a Major League Soccer expansion team on Wednesday, April 16, 2014, in Atlanta. MLS announced its newest franchise, unveiling an expansion team for Atlanta that will begin play in 2017 at the city's new retractable roof stadium. (Photo: AP Photo/David Goldman)

2. MLS is more committed to strong ownership groups, less to stadium size.With Blank on board, the transition of NFL-to-MLS owners continues — a list that includes the New England Patriots/Revolution’s Bob Kraft and St. Louis Rams/Colorado Rapids’ Stan Kroenke. It’s a tie that brings in plenty of money for the $100 million expansion fee, as well as sufficient funds to field a competitive side each year.

But Blank hopes the check-signer isn’t the end-all owner of his club.

“This franchise will be owned by the fans,” he said. “We will do everything we can to focus on the fans, to make sure we create the right atmosphere, have the best players, and possess the best coaches.”

“We want to win. You have my commitment to do that.”

3. The East is a sleeping beast of untapped soccer markets.

MLS has been focused on expanding in the East, with its latest targets coming in New York City, Orlando, Miami and now Atlanta. This made sense following a splurge of Cascadia additions in Seattle, Portland and Vancouver. But don’t expect new MLS franchises to head west any time soon. While Sacramento maintains an outside shot at expansion, the league appears to be more interested in Midwest sites such as Minneapolis, St. Louis or Detroit, or Southwest, such as San Antonio or Austin.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, front 
left, embraces Major League Soccer 
Commissioner Don Garber, right, as former 
professional soccer player Alexi Lalas, rear 
left, watch during a news conference to 
announce the city will be getting an MLS 
expansion team, Wednesday, April 16, 2014, in 
Atlanta. MLS announced its newest franchise, 
which will begin play in 2017 at the city's 
new retractable-roof stadium. The team will 
be owned by Blank, who donned a traditional 
soccer scarf and was serenaded by a 
burgeoning fan group that calls itself 
"Terminus Legion," a reference to the city's 
former name.
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, front left, embraces Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber, right, as former professional soccer player Alexi Lalas, rear left, watch during a news conference to announce the city will be getting an MLS expansion team, Wednesday, April 16, 2014, in Atlanta. MLS announced its newest franchise, which will begin play in 2017 at the city's new retractable-roof stadium. The team will be owned by Blank, who donned a traditional soccer scarf and was serenaded by a burgeoning fan group that calls itself "Terminus Legion," a reference to the city's former name. (Photo: AP Photo/David Goldman)

4. The Western Conference is a model in stability.The West hasn’t seen an expansion target since Portland and Vancouver in 2011, but it has seen the stronger play on the field. Teams from the Western Conference have won seven of the past nine MLS Cup titles, and former West side Sporting Kansas City is the current defending champ. The West has also won three of the last four Supporters’ Shields, given to the team with the overall best record in the regular season.

5. The fans matter in expansion.

Fans have been plenty involved in recent growth of MLS. The Sons of Ben almost single-handedly brought the Philadelphia Union into the league several years ago; New York City FC opened its logo design contest to supporters; and the newly formed Terminus Legion will be involved in picking Atlanta’s logo and color scheme. Future owners in MLS, take note: The league wants to see a visible fan base before it awards a new franchise.

6. Realignment is coming.

The addition of Atlanta brings the Eastern Conference table to 12 teams, compared to nine in the West. An easy solution would be to bring the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City back to the Western Conference, slotting NYC, Orlando, Miami and Atlanta into the East. However, the addition of Houston and Kansas City would make an already difficult Western Conference even rougher to navigate. Sean is a recent journalism graduate of Syracuse University, and long-time soccer guy who adds a few stories to KSL.com, when he has a spare minute. Follow him on Twitter @GoaldotSean.

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