MLS Expansion: Beckham’s Miami finally arrives, while 3 markets continue to wait

It’s official. The David Beckham Miami MLS expansion is here. Supporters in Cincinnati, Detroit and Sacramento hope they’re next.

MLS made the David Beckham Miami soccer franchise a reality. Meanwhile, strong supporters in Cincinnati, Detroit, and Sacramento anxiously await word that they are the next MLS expansion market.

Beckham had the option to buy an expansion team built into his MLS contract. The league tentatively approved the Miami location in 2014. Monday it finally arrived.

Beckham’s group looks to have settled on a stadium site in Overton, north of downtown Miami that will seat 25,000 fans. Official word should come in the coming weeks, but we do know the franchise will start play in 2020.

Other cities aren’t idle

The other cities seeking MLS membership haven’t idly waited. They all expect word in March.

Cincinnati officials set a vote next Tuesday for a stadium site option. The land owner’s board there will vote to give a land option to FC Cincinnati in the area’s historic West End.

Cincinnati organizers keep charging forward on plans for a 21,000-seat stadium. The USL team already averages more than that for home games.

Detroit’s team, if awarded, plans to start play in Ford Field, reconfigured for a smaller soccer audience. Observers think not having soccer-specific stadium plans have cooled that city’s bid.

The Sacramento group has some solid stadium plans. Republic FC has the approval to construct a $250 million soccer palace downtown. But the movers there have worked to retool their financial contingent.

The Sacramento Bee reports the group stays busy on leads for a billionaire investor to join and put them ahead of the other MLS suitors.

Meanwhile, MLS hasn’t officially committed to a timeline for their final decisions regarding Cincinnati, Detroit, and Sacramento. March or otherwise. Official spokespeople only say that they hope for details soon and any decisions soon after.

So it sounds like the three remaining expansion cities did too good of a job in their bids. The MLS just can’t decide between them easily. Or all three gave them reason to pause. So we all wait.