INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Thursday's announcement that Indianapolis is seeking a Major League Soccer team sparked a very heated debate in the city about the future of the sport.
Mayor Joe Hogsett said Thursday that he met with Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber earlier this week about bringing an MLS franchise to the Circle City, adding that an ownership group has already been formed.
The timeline for the proposed MLS team is unknown, and it is also unclear how much the expansion would cost. Here's a little more information about the potential site for a new MLS-sized stadium: 335 E. Pearl St. in the heart of downtown Indy.
Indy is pursuing, in Hogsett's words, “the world game,” and there are many questions from soccer fans and residents alike.
Many of the questions revolve around the future of Indy Eleven, the professional soccer team that has played in Indianapolis for the past decade, and Eleven, a $1 billion development project already under construction between West Washington Street and Kentucky Avenue.・It's about the park project.
Hogsett addressed these concerns and several others in an interview with Scott Sander on Daybreak.
Q: Why now? What's right about this move?
A: I think the time has come. I think the efforts of the past 10 years have paid off and we are now at the point where we can build a soccer-specific stadium downtown.
My conversation with the MLS Commissioner on Monday morning couldn't have gone any better. There are no guarantees, but I think the chances of becoming a franchise are very high.
Q: Expansion costs for MLS are in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Who will pay for it?
A: Ownership group. Public funds will be invested in the construction of a soccer-specific stadium, but the investment will be the responsibility of the owner.
Q: You're talking about soccer-specific stadiums. A project called Eleven Park is already underway.Again Are you part of this future idea? Will we build two soccer stadiums?
A: We're not building two soccer stadiums. Let's make just one. But where it goes will largely depend on what MLS expects and what the ownership group wants to be involved with. We are trying to give MLS as many opportunities as possible.
question: Brickyard Battalion and other Indy Eleven fan groups are not happy with you. they are furious. Please talk to them.
A: Major League Soccer is an opportunity that we as a community cannot afford to miss. There is no guarantee that MLS will ultimately award a franchise to Indianapolis, but at the same time, it is unacceptable for a “major league city” like Indianapolis to miss out on that opportunity.
Q: Does this mean the Indy Eleven Park project is on hiatus? Will it move forward?
A: It completely depends on my friend Ersar Ozdemir (owner of Keystone Group and Indy Eleven). We are working on building a soccer stadium specifically for soccer. What we are working on is focused on bringing his third major league franchise to the city of Indianapolis. We deserve and need an MLS franchise.
Q: Why do you think a strong and passionate football hub can grow to fill stadiums? On a random Tuesday?
A: This is a global game and it's growing exponentially. With all respect to baseball, basketball and football, soccer is the wave of the future and that's why we want to be part of a new franchise.
Q: Is there any way for Indie Eleven to be promoted to this franchise? Could it be part of the future you see?
A: That will depend on Indy Eleven. Major League Soccer welcomes anyone who wants to participate. Working together will give you a competitive edge.
To watch the full interview, click on the video at the top of this story.