Major League Soccer is "in very advanced discussions" with St. Louis, commissioner Don Garber said Wednesday at the league's All-Star Game in Orlando as the expansion process continues to move toward 30 teams.
According to SI.com, which cited multiple unidentified sources, while the focus remains on a trio of cities — St. Louis, Sacramento and Charlotte — St. Louis is furthest along in the process, a sentiment that Garber reinforced.
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“We are in very advanced discussions in St. Louis, and we really appreciated the details that they provided,” Garber said. “We look forward to continuing those discussions in the weeks and months ahead.”
Although no franchise was awarded and no timetable for that announcement was made clear after MLS's board of governors met Wednesday, Garber's characterization of the league’s conversations with St. Louis was the most positive.
His assessment came on the heels of the prospective ownership group's presentation to the board in Orlando and a more in-depth meeting with the league's expansion committee two weeks ago.
In announcing in April the intention to expand to 30 teams, Garber had said MLS “will deal exclusively with St. Louis and Sacramento for teams 28 and 29.” On Wednesday, however, Garber walked that back, saying the league also is in discussions with Charlotte, which SI.com describes "a wild-card bid fueled by Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper’s billions."
Per SI.com: Also in Orlando for meetings and the MLS All-Star Game were representatives from Indianapolis, Raleigh, Phoenix, Las Vegas and San Diego.
Garber said both St. Louis, which has committed to a privately financed stadium some two miles from the Arch in downtown, and Sacramento, led by new majority owner Ron Burkle, are aiming at coming aboard in 2022.
