MLS explores 2nd franchise for New York

Building a soccer-specific stadium in New York City for a second MLS franchise in the metropolitan area, while a league priority, is in the "possibility stage, not the probability stage," commissioner Don Garber said Thursday.

During a 90-minute session with Associated Press sports editors at the league's midtown offices, Garber envisioned an increasingly bright future for the 17-year-old league. Along with efforts to grow television ratings, make the MLS a "destination league" for the world's top players and implement television replays to discipline players for unfair tactics such as diving, Garber said there is "lots and lots of activity" toward establishing the league's 20th team in New York City.

The 19th MLS team began play in Montreal this year and Garber said "a good percentage of our league president's [Mark Abbott] time of trying to figure out a way that we can sell and launch a 20th team in New York . . . a team that will be a rival of the Red Bulls and capitalize on the momentum that the Red Bulls have built in this market" at their two-year-old stadium in Harrison, N.J.

There are studies of expanding to Miami, Orlando, the Southwest and Atlanta, but Garber said New York is "a major focus for the league, not out of need but out of want," based on a belief that a neighborhood rivalry could someday resemble such storied passionate duels as Chelsea-Arsenal and Man U-Man City in England or Boca Juniors-River Plate in Argentina.

But, unlike the addition of the league's last nine teams, in which "every project had a local owner managing the stadium development process," Garber said, "the league is managing the stadium development process for the New York franchise. Because we believe we wouldn't want an owner if we didn't have the right stadium situation."

From 19 original possible locations, the league has "narrowed it down to a handful, focused in Queens and the West Side of Manhattan," Garber said. Though earlier talks with the Mets about some form of MLS partnership have ceased, Garber said the "whole Flushing Meadow Park is still an option."

He cited "regular meetings" with representatives of the city and state but cautioned that "public support for stadiums has been an ongoing challenge for all leagues over the last couple of years, with the downturn in the economy. Here in New York, we're going to require public support in a wide variety of areas, but it would not be for the construction of the stadium. There are so many things that need to be done. Infrastructure, support, traffic, so many things we wouldn't be able to do it on our own.

"It's going to be expensive. The Red Bull Arena was north of $250 million."