I consider myself lucky, because I live in that culture,” Bakay said. Reaching those fans is one of Bakay’s primary missions.“My wife is Mexican. Measured by only Hispanic households, however, Phoenix shoots to ninth overall. As a media market, Phoenix ranks 12th again, just behind Tampa/St. Bakay said his big-league pitch is anchored by an understanding of the Valley’s demographics, its unique assets and challenges and a stadium site that makes the most of the former.Phoenix anchors the country’s 12th-most populous metro area, which makes it the largest of the 12 cities seeking MLS entry. “But like any investment I make, I believe in the fundamentals of the sport and its growth in the coming years.”Mailbag: Premier League predictions, LAFC's ideal DPs and more of your questionsBakay is the lead owner of Phoenix Rising, a relatively new but ambitious USL club that intends to make the move to MLS. But even as his career progressed, he always kept one eye on the ball.“It always kind of stretched my head about why wasn’t taken even more seriously in the realm of all these sports in the United States,” he said. He moved to Dallas after school and then on to Phoenix, where he parlayed his work in investing and private equity into control of a restaurant chain called Kona Grill. There wasn’t a more intimidating setting in Europe, and Bakay said he missed it as soon he left Turkey to attend Boston College. He has an uncle who sat on the club board and said, “You can count on my fingers the number of games I have missed in my life.”Until 2011, seeing Galatasaray in person meant going to the Ali Sami Yen, which its denizens called “Hell” thanks to the red and yellow colors, frequent flares and smoke, and ear-splitting noise. “I don’t know how you can objectively look at what MLS is trying to accomplish-local and passionate ownership, our stadium solution and the right market-and not put us on the top of the list.”Bakay, 38, is a native of Istanbul and a born-and-bred supporter of Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray. If you put a good product out there, the fan base is there,” Bakay said. In fact, he’s certain that he’s found the formula and that the Valley of the Sun, home to the country’s hottest major city, is the ideal spot for an MLS team.“Phoenix has shown all the right attributes. Market AnalysisAfter spending his childhood watching soccer in Hell, Berke Bakay isn’t cowed by the prospect of making it work in the desert. If MLS expands again in the future, though, Sacramento will likely make a renewed push to enter the United States' top division.Sports Illustrated, Brian Straus/Sports Illustrated via Planet Futbol There are no longer active plans to bring the Republic to MLS, and the club has no chance of being the 30th team. Sacramento had previously been awarded an expansion team only for investors to pull out at the start of the pandemic in a heartbreaking twist for Sacramento Republic FC. I think San Diego's a great sports market, it's a gateway city.” Is Sacramento going to get an MLS team? "I think there's a view that San Diego, it's too nice there and people are out surfing and hanging out at the beach and I just don't buy it. “I'm a big believer in San Diego,” Garber said last year. There was the possibility that Las Vegas could start play before getting a soccer-specific stadium by competing at the NFL's new Allegiant Stadium, which theoretically could speed up the process of joining MLS as it wouldn't need to wait for construction.īut Garber did also mention San Diego ahead of a $500 million agreement to bring a new team there. “We're looking at building a stadium right off the strip.” “I'm very, very focused on that,” Garber told Taylor Twellman last year of Vegas. Las Vegas had been the frontrunner, according to Garber, but San Diego usurped the Nevada city in the chase. Garber told reporters "never say never" when asked about going beyond 30. There are not active plans yet to go beyond 30 teams, however the existence of multiple confirmed candidates to join MLS suggests further expansion is possible in the future. That’s something everybody should be aware of.” “We have not yet determined when that 30th team will start playing," Garber added. In December, Garber said MLS would "try and get something done with our 30th team within the next 10 months.” It's a decision that has been foreshadowed by commissioner Don Garber over the past six months. Yes, MLS is set to award San Diego the 30th team in the division.
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