Sacramento is officially a Major League Soccer city
It took years to line up the kick. But Sacramento has scored. It’s now a Major League Soccer city.
Standing before a jammed shoulder-to-shoulder crowd in a banner-festooned downtown hall, a smiling MLS Commissioner Don Garber formally announced that a Sacramento investor group headed by business magnate Ron Burkle has been awarded the 29th and perhaps second-to-last franchise in the nation’s top professional soccer league.
Garber, who years ago promised Sacramento’s move to MLS was a matter of “when, not if,” made the news official.
“Well folks, ‘when’ is today. Your ‘when’ has arrived,“Garber said.
The Burkle group, which came to a franchise agreement with the league after negotiations that extended from April to now, will launch pre-construction site work for a 20,000-plus seat stadium in the downtown Sacramento railyard. The $252 million stadium is expected to be ready to host a team in spring of 2022 under the city’s existing Republic Football Club banner.
Speaking one-on-one with The Sacramento Bee Monday morning, Burkle, who lives in Beverly Hills and also co-owns the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League, said he has been all-in on buying a soccer team for Sacramento since he was approached two years ago by former Mayor Kevin Johnson.
He said he is buying the team to hold it for the long-run, and expects to build a successful fran
chise that makes money by offering a great fan experience.
“I like the idea of soccer. The time is right for soccer. It is going to grow and grow, and Sacramento is the second largest city in the country that only has one (major league sports) team,” Burkle said. “I like
communities where there is hard work and loyal people.
“Sacramento seems to be a place that doesn’t get as much credit as it should.”
It was the first time Burkle has spoken publicly about his decision to become an MLS owner in Sacramento. Burkle previously briefly led a group that was planning to buy the Sacramento Kings basketball
team in 2013 and keep it in Sacramento. Burkle, however, backed out of that effort, but said he came to learn more about and appreciate Sacramento during that venture. The Kings remained in town under other ownership. Today’s announcement gives the capital city two major league teams playing within blocks.