MLS eager to expand, but Las Vegas not yet primary candidate

When it comes to expansion, Major League Soccer has done a good job in vetting potential candidates and markets.

The league’s recent success in Seattle, Portland and Philadelphia is indicative of that. So it’s hard to blame MLS for being cautious about adding Las Vegas, despite the area’s population of close to 2 million, diverse ethnic makeup that embraces the game and a rising TV and radio market that still trails any MLS city.

The lack of a suitable soccer-specific facility might be the biggest obstacle to putting a team in Southern Nevada. And in the wake of developer Chris Milam’s decision to pull out of a proposed sports complex in Henderson and the UNLV stadium project possibly being delayed because of cost issues, the 7:30 p.m. preseason match today between the Colorado Rapids and Chivas USA at Sam Boyd Stadium might be the only MLS action this city sees for a while.

Of the 19 MLS franchises, 15 play in soccer-specific stadiums with capacities that do not surpass 25,000. The majority play on grass, with the field width 74 to 77 yards. Sam Boyd Stadium seats 36,800, has a TurfTech artificial playing surface and about 70 yards of width.

Rapids president Tim Hinchey said Las Vegas, with its proximity to MLS’s two Southern California franchises (Chivas and the Los Angeles Galaxy) and Real Salt Lake, would be an ideal spot, provided it had a suitable permanent stadium.

“With the right stadium opportunity and the right market, it can work anywhere,” he said. “This is the world’s game, and Las Vegas is known internationally.”

When MLS president Mark Abbott spoke of Las Vegas in August before the international friendly between Real Madrid and Santos Laguna at Sam Boyd Stadium, he said the proper facility was an important component toward the awarding of an expansion franchise.

Other cities are looking to join the league. MLS has plans to put a team in New York City (the Red Bulls play in New Jersey). Phoenix, Detroit and Raleigh, N.C., also are openly campaigning for teams.

“I really believe that of all the sports we’ve talked about, MLS would have the best possibility to succeed,” said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events. “We have a great soccer community, and MLS is more affordable than the NBA, the NHL or Major League Baseball.

“That said, it would be tough for them to make it long term unless they played in a stadium with a roof to keep out the heat in the summer.”

If MLS decided to add Las Vegas on speculation that a soccer stadium would get built, could Sam Boyd Stadium work on a temporary basis?

When Real Madrid and Santos met Aug. 5, the match was played on a temporary grass field that cost $100,000 to install. Playing soccer on an artificial surface in the summer, when temperatures on the field could reach upward of 140 degrees, could be a health issue for players, so it probably would require installing grass and maintaining it for the season, which runs from early March to late October.

Tonight’s game, which will be played on grass, won’t draw the 29,152 that Real Madrid-Santos did in August. Organizers would be happy with a crowd of 7,000 to 8,000.

“We don’t want to be a one-hit wonder,” said Dan Lyle, the executive vice president of USA Sevens Rugby, the company promoting the game. “We’ve talked to MLS, and what we’d really like to do is grow this into where we can have an ‘MLS Kickoff Weekend’ where we can bring several teams to Las Vegas and get the fans excited about the beginning of the season.”

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.