Sacramento Officially A Finalist In Bid For MLS Expansion Team
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Major League Soccer just gave a major boost to Sacramento's hopes to get an expansion team.
Wednesday morning, the league announced that Sacramento is one of the four finalist cities the league is looking at. Two expansion teams will be announced by the end of the year, MLS says.
One step closer for our indomitable city, a city built for MLS and so much more. Let's keep the chants and drum beat going to #BringItHome!@SacRepublicFC @Sac_Battalion https://t.co/WgblaMQyEy
— @mayor_Steinberg (@Mayor_Steinberg) November 29, 2017
The three other cities Sacramento is vying against are Cincinnati, Detroit and Nashville.
"This is the moment we've all been waiting for. After four years of demonstrating unparalleled passion, tenacity and hard work, Sacramento is ready to secure our destiny as a Major League Soccer city," said Sacramento Republic FC Chairman and CEO Kevin Nagle in a statement on MLS's decision.
A total of 12 markets had submitted bids for the expansion teams, MLS says.
Come Dec. 6, representatives from each finalist will make their formal presentations to league commissioner Don Garber and the MLS Expansion Committee in New York. Nagle, 49ers CEO Jed York and Kings minority owner and president of Fulcrum Property Group Mark Friedman will be representing Sacramento.
Work began in the summer on a new soccer stadium at the Sacramento Railyards before Sacramento was officially named as a finalist city.