San Antonio on Wednesday became one of 12 cities to submit official applications for expansion franchises in Major League Soccer, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
County Judge Nelson Wolff, who has been the driving force behind the city's attempts to lure big league soccer to the city, is optimistic."
It takes three major things...a strong ownership group...support from the local government...and then the market," Wolff told News Radio 1200 WOAI's Michael Board. "We think we have all three of those.
"The franchise would play in an expanded Toyota Field on the city's northeast side, and would be owned and operated by Spurs Sports and Entertainment, which is also bullish on the application."
We are a unified community and remain convinced an MLS franchise would be a huge asset to San Antonio and a great addition to the league," SS&E said in a statement.
Mayor Ivy Taylor said she and Wolff fully support the application.
MLS plans to add six new franchises, but Los Angeles and Miami have already been approved to start play in 2018. Two new franchises will be named later this year to begin play in 2020, and two more will be announced at a later date to begin play in 2022.
Other cities which submitted applications include Detroit, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Sacramento, San Diego, Nashville, and Phoenix.
"We certainly think we will be in the hunt, but they will be careful what they say," Wolff said.
San Antonio is seen having several advantages, including an existing stadium, ownership by SS&E, which is seen as among the leading sports franchise owners in the country.
San Antonio also has a large Latin American population or soccer-mad fans, which have packed the Alamodome on several occasion for soccer matches.Sacramento and San Diego, however, are seen as leading contenders for the expansion, with San Diego's big bolstered by the recent move of the NFL's Chargers to Los Angeles.
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