With numerous District of Columbia dignitaries in attendance at D.C. United’s kickoff luncheon Tuesday, it seemed the perfect occasion to advance the team’s push for a deal with the city to build a soccer stadium at Poplar Point.
But afterward the event’s keynote speaker, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber, tempered that excitement, using words like “frustrating,” “disappointing,” and “continually surprising” to describe United’s difficulty in securing its own venue, saying the league soon will advise the team to move forward with potential stadium sites in Maryland.
“We either resolve it here, or we’re going to push this ownership group to move out of the District,” said Garber. “I say that with a heavy heart because this is a community that has really supported this team.”
Garber said he has toured two potential stadium sites in Prince George’s County, calling them “great” and “accessible.”
“The league has put some gentle pressure on us to get a deal done, and we need to have a deal done,” said United president Kevin Payne. “We’re all in this together, and to the extent that we don’t have a deal, that costs our partners money too.”
Garber also talked about MLS expansion. The league has added San Jose as its 14th team this season, and it will bring on board Seattle and Philadelphia in 2009 and 2010, respectively. The early success following the announcement of each recently led the league to form an expansion committee that will reevaluate the league’s long-term strategy before announcing the addition of 17th and 18th franchises. Philip Anschutz, who owns the Los Angeles Galaxy, half of the Houston Dynamo and is the owner of The Examiner, will lead the committee.
“There are so many things now that are convincing us that we should take a step back and create a strategic plan before we announce 17 and 18,” said Garber. “We do have offers for two different markets, and we’ve put those deals on hold until we’ve had a better chance to create our plan.”
One United, and no Sea Dogs
MLS commissioner Don Garber said D.C. United will be the only team in the league, for the foreseeable future, that gets to use “United” in its name. A group named St. Louis Soccer United is pushing for an expansion team, and a naming contest will get underway in Seattle this week for fans to choose the name of their new MLS team. The three choices are: Seattle Republic, Seattle Alliance and Seattle FC.
Owner challenge
United co-managing partner Victor MacFarlane said he and co-managing partner Will Chang together will contribute $50,000 to the foundation of the owner of the city’s winningest team, and challenged the city’s other team owners to also take part.
