Garber looking to Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego for 30th MLS team
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber is considering alternative options for the competition's 30th team after Sacramento's expansion franchise was put on indefinite hold.
Billionaire Ron Burkle bailed on setting up a side in Sacramento in February due to issues related to the coronavirus pandemic, opening up the potential for another city to establish a club in MLS.
"Right now, there are other markets that we're looking at," Garber said on Monday, according to ESPN's Kyle Bonagura. "I'm sure people are expecting that, whether that be Las Vegas or San Diego or whether it be Phoenix ... we'll see how all those develop."
Austin FC will become Major League Soccer's 27th team when their 2021 campaign kicks off on Saturday. Charlotte FC is then slated to join in 2022, with St Louis City SC lifting the overall number to 29 the following year.
Garber targeted 30 teams by 2022 and was on schedule until the pandemic delayed the inaugural seasons of Charlotte, St Louis, and Sacramento, and then contributed to the collapse of the latter deal. The MLS chief also said in 2019 there would be 32 teams "at some point."
While Garber said he will continue to work with stakeholders in Sacramento to try to salvage that bid, the three named cities can now try to force themselves to the front of the queue.
Las Vegas, Phoenix, and San Diego all currently have teams playing in the USL Championship, which is the second tier of the U.S. soccer pyramid.