One of the largest clubs in the world may be on its way to the MLS.
If reports coming out today carry any weight, it looks like Barcelona president Joan Laporta was recently in Miami scoping out the possibilities of starting an MLS branch of one of most successful football teams on the planet.
In 2004, Mexican club Chivas paved a new road by starting sister club Chivas USA in California, and it looks like Laporta and Barcelona have a similar idea.
Barcelona has always had a good rapport with the United States, where they play multiple preseason games each season. And as MLS continues to grow, it looks like the league has made its way onto the radar of one of the most important men in the sport.
What will this mean for MLS?
Nothing but good things. Barcelona is not only one of the best teams in the world, it is also one with great tradition and fans across the world. A sister club in Florida would draw huge numbers of fans, and would do wonders for a league already on the upswing.
When this club would be formed is still very much in the air, but the prospects are very exciting.
We will have to wait and see, but very soon I may have a branch of the club that I love to hate much closer to home.
11 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment
Brandon Brown 10 months ago
Chivas USA thrives off of the Hispanic population in the Los Angeles area. I think Barcelona doing the same in the US would be fantastic. But I wonder if Garber would be up for giving southern Florida another team after the failures of the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny.
I would think they would do well in a northern city with a large Hispanic population. The Barcelona game in NYC was well received, and New Yorkers have been calling for a second team for some time now.
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Dakota Rubin 10 months ago
Brandon you make a great point about the teams in Florida, but at the same time I really think with Barca money, good things could happen.
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Bela Trimmel 10 months ago
I think the Barca game being well received there due to the popularity of the team. It's like if you brought Manchester United to Real Salt Lake, you would fans coming out of the woodwork. I think a sister team to Barca might fair well in Florida but it would be something watched very closely by MLS. However, if Laporta can front the money, there is no real reason for them to not allow another expansion team in the sunshine state, even after the failure of the other two.
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Salaar Arshad Shamsi 10 months ago
This is big news for the MLS..if it works out..good reporting, Dakota.
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Joe G 10 months ago
This is great stuff. I think a franchise in Florida might also be very succesful at this point. The Fusion and Mutiny failed because the league was still in its infancy. Or, as Brandon suggested, NYC would be a great location. The Red Bulls would thrive with another rival in town, just like LA and Chivas have.
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Thomas 10 months ago
I'd actually love to see a Barca Miami. It'd be great for MLS. Miami only has a USL-1 team, so this would be great. Also MIami is more international so they'd get alot of fans.
Good work Dakota!
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Eric Gomez 10 months ago
I think América USA (they're thinking of buying out San Jose) is a much more plausible idea for the short term than Barca USA.
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Thomas 10 months ago
how bout Catalin USA
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Andrew McNair 10 months ago
Would be interesting and might even open some floodgates. It would def add to the attraction of the MLS.
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Neil Melms 10 months ago
I know this is out there but because Real Madrid has a strong relationship with Real Salt Lake, I would love to see a rivalry between a new Barca sponsored team and RSL.
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Thomas 10 months ago
oh yea!
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