Hogsett: MLS Application Process “Moving Along Well”

Source: (Photo by WISH-TV)

COLUMBUS, Ohio. — It is All-Star Week for Major League Soccer with the festivities taking place in Columbus, Ohio. It is there where Indianapolis mayor Joe Hogsett and his staff are pitching a bid for the Circle City to be included in the league’s planned expansion.

Indianapolis is among four cities around the U.S. that are being considered for two likely expansion franchises. The other three are rumored to be Sacramento, Tampa Bay, and Las Vegas.

“I think it’s just another step forward for the city of Indianapolis to do everything in its power to secure an MLS expansion club,” Hogsett said to reporters on Tuesday. “My sense is (current MLS owners) are aware of Indianapolis’ interest and know we have a compelling story to tell.”

Hogsett is in Columbus with his deputy mayor Dan Parker to pitch Indianapolis’ bid for an MLS franchise. He is expected to meet once more with MLS commissioner Don Garber, whom he flew to New York to meet with back in April. That was ahead of what can only be described as a messy break in plans for a soccer stadium in a partnership with Indy Eleven team owner Erzal Ozdemir and his development company Keystone Group.

The city ended up approving a brand new tax district to fund the building of a new soccer-specific stadium in conjunction with an ownership group that has yet to fully reveal itself. The only person said to be connected to the ownership group is Tom Glick, whom is an experienced investor in soccer clubs, especially in the English Premier League with Chelsea F.C.

Glick facilitated another quick meet and greet between Hogsett and Garber at a reception ahead of the MLS Skills Challenge on Tuesday. Hogsett told reporters that his relationship with Glick has been “extraordinarily beneficial” through the whole process.

Hogsett is bullish on Indy’s chances of landing an MLS franchise given what Hogsett said was Garber’s already vast knowledge of Indianapolis.

“Credit where it’s due, he knew a lot about the city of Indianapolis before I ever walked into his office,” Hogset said. “That speaks volumes about MLS and the process they go through whenever they are vetting the possibility of adding a new club.”

It’s not clear where the process stands right now in Indianapolis getting an MLS team. The application is still in its infancy as the state budget committee has yet to review the city’s plans for a stadium tax district. Hogsett said if all goes well Indy could have an application turned in to MLS by the end of the year.

Hogsett anticipates that if the plan is approved by the state, that is when the people of Indianapolis will learn more about the ownership group behind the MLS bid.

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