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In most countries, this is achieved through a system of promotion and relegation, where clubs climb the ranks by earning success on the field.
Take Premier League side Bournemouth, for example. Just 15 years ago, they were competing in the fourth tier of English football. Today, they face off against giants like Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool on a weekly basis.
In the United States, however, the path to the top is quite different.
Here, the only way to join Major League Soccer is by purchasing a spot through a process known as expansion.
An MLS expansion team is a newly established club that joins MLS after being granted entry through a formal application and approval process.
These teams build their rosters by signing players from within the U.S. and abroad, including Designated Players, as well as through the Expansion Draft — which allows them to select players from existing MLS teams to help form a competitive squad ahead of their inaugural season.
Additionally, they can acquire talent through the MLS SuperDraft and trades.
The process of adding new teams to MLS requires potential ownership groups to meet a set of specific criteria, all of which must be detailed in a comprehensive business plan submitted to the league.
These criteria include a financially stable and committed ownership group, a well-developed stadium plan, an established soccer fan base in the region and a strong market for soccer in terms of both population and economic potential.
Once submitted, the initial application is carefully reviewed by MLS’s expansion committee along with third-party consultants who provide expertise in areas such as market research, financial analysis and stadium design. Local government officials and other key stakeholders are also typically involved in the process.
If the application is deemed promising, the applicant is invited to make a formal …
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