May 30 – FC Cincinnati, founded only in 2016 but playing before average 24,500 crowds in the second tier USL this season, is the newest recruit to the MLS and will start play in the 2019 season.
FC Cincinnati will take the number of franchises in the MLS to 26, the league is aiming for 28 teams across its East and West conferences. Which conference FC Cincinnati will join is still to be decided.
“The rise of Cincinnati as a passionate soccer market in recent years, coinciding with the city’s growing economy and reputation as a top destination for young professionals makes it an ideal city for our growing league,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber.
FC Cincinnati is being invited into the MLS a year earlier than expected, reflecting the fan momentum that has been built in such a short space of time.
Currently playing at the University of Cincinnati’s football stadium, Nippert Stadium, the team will move to a new purpose-built 21,000 capacity stadium for the 2021 season. On current crowd levels that stadium doesn’t look like it will be big enough for them. Last season Cincinnati had attendances over 30,000 three times for their Lamar Hunt Cup campaign.
No figure was given for the cost of the MLS franchise, though estimates put it at around $100 million. FC Cincinnati’s managing owner is Carl H. Lindner III, the co-CEO of Cincinnati-based American Financial Group, which owns Great American Insurance. He has backing from partners including Scott Farmer, chairman and CEO of Cintas Corp., and George Joseph, President of Joseph Toyota, as well as strong support from other regional business and civic leaders.
“Cincinnati’s selection by Major League Soccer for an expansion team is a triumph for the continued renaissance of this incredible city,” Lindner said. “I have to start by thanking the supporters of FC Cincinnati, because from the beginning they were the foundation of the efforts of our bid to join MLS. We could not have done this without them. This has been a true team effort among the soccer fans, our partners and our civic and corporate leaders.”
The soccer franchise is the third US major league sport to have a base in the city alongside NFL and baseball.
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