MLS in Portland?

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MLS in Portland?; Timbers Want To Move to MLS
Topic Started: Saturday Aug 9 2008, 02:38 PM (57 Views)
WeatherManNX01	Saturday Aug 9 2008, 02:38 PM Post #1
The Emperor Posts: 12,159 Group: Commissioner Member #4 Joined: December 9, 2005 NFL Team New England Patriots NBA Team Boston Celtics NHL Team Boston Bruins MLS Team New England Revolution NCAA Team Penn State Nittany Lions	From KGW 8 (Portland): Quote: Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson says he will apply for a Major League Soccer expansion franchise. MLS plans to expand to 18 teams by 2011, and the league has indicated it might choose the two expansion cities by early 2009. The Timbers play a step below the MLS in the United Soccer League First Division. "There is no doubt in my mind that Major League Soccer in Portland would both add a tremendous amount to the league and have a phenomenally positive impact on our community and state," Paulson said in a statement Thursday. "We have the most ardent and authentic soccer fan base in the United States, and Soccer City USA deserves a Major League Soccer team." Full article.



WeatherManNX01	Friday Sep 5 2008, 05:50 PM Post #2
The Emperor Posts: 12,159 Group: Commissioner Member #4 Joined: December 9, 2005 NFL Team New England Patriots NBA Team Boston Celtics NHL Team Boston Bruins MLS Team New England Revolution NCAA Team Penn State Nittany Lions	So just how would this work out? PGE Park plays home to several sports teams playing several different sports in the same venue. The Portland Beavers play AAA baseball, the Portland Timbers play USL-1 soccer, and Portland State plays college football there. And we all know how MLS feels about soccer-specific stadiums: they're almost a must-have for new MLS teams (Seattle got past that by sharing common owners with the Seahawks, not dissimilar to the Revolution). Timbers owner Merritt Paulson has this idea for the city to consider: a $40 million upgrade to PGE Park to make it a top-tier soccer stadium and building a separate $35 million facility for the Beavers to call their own. Sounds good, right? Of course. Mostly. There is, as you might expect, a catch. The current mayor doesn't like the idea of spending on one sports venue let alone two. The new mayor is even less of a fan of the idea (the current mayor has at least expressed to MLS Commissioner Don Garber his interest in an MLS team and indicated the city would be willing to help on that front). So if this idea is going to go anywhere, it looks like Paulson is going to have to work hard to sell the idea to the city of Portland. (And just a note of interest, Merritt Paulson is son of U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.)



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