Las Vegas is constantly flirting with sports leagues. The Oakland A’s paraded around Las Vegas this summer threatening a move. The NBA explored expansion, with Vegas as a potential destination.
But the next league to call Vegas home is likely to be Major League Soccer.
Bill Foley, the owner of the Vegas Golden Knights, recently pulled out as a potential owner for a Las Vegas MLS team.
“I’m not going to be the lead investor is how it panned out,” Foley told the Review-Journal. “We were interested in being the GP (general partner), it looks like the league is going to go in a different direction.”
That different direction is likely Wes Edens, the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and Aston Villa of the Premier League.
Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak joined the Press Box on ESPN Las Vegas this morning. When asked about MLS possibly coming to Vegas, Sisolak made MLS to Las Vegas sound like a marriage waiting to happen.
“I think we’ve got a good chance of an MLS team coming,” Sisolak said. “I talked to Wes – I am a Milwaukee Bucks fan, having been from Milwaukee – he’s a pretty avid sports guy and I think he is going to make that a reality. I think there is a really good shot that he’ll do that.”
MLS has 27 teams, with two new ones on the way. Charlotte FC will begin play next season; St. Louis City SC will begin in 2023.
The 30th team was supposed to be in Sacramento, but after the ownership group backed out, an opening appeared. And Vegas may slide in.
MLS commissioner Don Garber said earlier this month that the 30th MLS team will be announced sometime in the next 12 months. If Sisolak is right, Las Vegas will take that spot.