Where MLS4MN Stands: May 2012

In the past week, the Minnesota legislature passed a bill to create a brand new Vikings stadium. In that bill, there are provisions for the Vikings to also bring an MLS team to that stadium (see the FAQs for more on the specifics of the bill). This is potentially great news. We are in a position to see a solid bid made for an MLS team with an established ownership group, plus a state of the art stadium.

We also stand at a dangerous point. Right now, we have professional soccer in Minnesota. In fact, we have the 2011 NASL champions in Minnesota. But this team needs an ownership group. Soon. I can’t imagine a potential owner walking up and trying to buy a team when the Vikings have mentioned bringing an MLS team to the state. And so, if the Vikings aren’t serious about soccer in Minnesota, we could see this MLS dream fall apart and take professional soccer out of the state completely. That is a very real possibility.

So what do we do? Now, we organize. We get together every soccer supporter we know and we get the Vikings to take us and soccer seriously. Then we get MLS to take us seriously. We put on a show. We stop dreaming about major league soccer and we stop latching on to the history of European clubs and we build on the already legendary Minnesotan soccer support. There are lots of other cities that want MLS teams. It’s our time to stand up and show the world why we deserve it more than anyone else.