Sacramento FC to present their bid for an MLS franchise.

A Bid for a Sacramento Major League Soccer Franchise

Warren Smith, the founder for the Sacramento Republic Football Club, was the butt of a number of jokes back in 2013, before the startup soccer club he founded had even played a match, when he set a bold goal. He wanted a Major League Soccer franchise for Sacramento. The joke is on his detractors, however: just four years on, his dream may well soon be coming true, and one day, some of his players may well be worth a fortune!

Final Presentation to MLS Owners

The ownership group representing the Republic Football Camp, along with Darrell Steinberg, current mayor, and former mayor Kevin Johnson, will be meeting in New York Wednesday in order to make a final presentation to the MLS owners who have been tasked with recommending two expansion cities for the top pro soccer league in the USA.

The representatives from Sacramento arrived in the city on Tuesday and started their final prep for the presentation. They will be presenting for two hours, tasked with promoting the elements that have made Sacramento a front-runner for expansion.

Elements To Be Represented in the Presentation

These factors will include a stadium deal that has been approved by local politicians, and which is thought to be far ahead of those of other cities, the support of a fan base that turns out en masse for the second-division soccer club, which will hopefully soon see even punters who enjoy the betting NZ has to offer lending their support, and a group of owners that has thus far spent millions of dollars on the bid to expand.

Intense Competition for Sacramento  

Sacramento does, however, face major competition from three cities, all of which have managed to impress Don Garber, the MLS Commissioner.

1. Nashville

Nashville is emerging as on of the USA’s top destinations in terms of tourism, has a well-off owner, and also brings a recently-approved stadium deal to the table.

2. Detroit

The bid from Detroit is supported by two billionaires who also own franchises in the NBA.

3. Cincinnati

Cincinnati is the only lower-division soccer city in the USA that is drawing the crowds that Sacramento does.

Only Two Cities to Get Spots for 2018 

By the end of this month, and the end of 2017, only two of these cities will have garnered Major League Soccer spots in order to start playing in 2020.

The majority of the financial responsibility for the Sacramento bid will be carried by the chairman and CEO of the Sacramento Republic Football Club, Kevin Nagle. The expansion fee for a new team costs US$150 million, and the group led by Nagle has stated that it further intends to privately finance what could become as much as US$200 million for construction costs for a new 20 000-seat stadium to be located in the railyards of downtown Sacramento.

Nagle released a statement on Tuesday which stated that match day is upon his city. He said that it had taken Sacramento four years to prepare for this presentation, and that he could not be prouder of their bid and their community, and added that he eagerly anticipated showcasing the story of the Republic Football Club.