Major League Soccer's dilemma has finally been solved.
The long drama on where the 20th MLS franchise finally ends, with the location most originally thought would be the prime place, as New York City has been named as the place where it will be based.
The intrigue isn't where it is going to be placed, but who has control over it.
The new franchise, entitled New York City FC, will be mainly owned by Manchester City. So yes, Sheikh Mansour and the ruling Emirati family that built themselves on petrodollars is controlling this operation. To help out with running the team, they enlisted the help of a local, that local being the New York Yankees, who in this working agreement with regards to NYCFC, will have Randy Levine as the head of the ownership group.
In other words, a Yankee operation with the Manchester City financial muscle that will start play in 2015.
Integrated within the deal for NYCFC will the eventual concept of having a stadium in New York City. There have been plans to have a soccer stadium in the Flushing Meadows area of Queens, but that does not preclude other possible sites within the five boroughs. Having the Yankees around certainly helps build a positive cache on the eventuality of having that stadium deal happening. And having them on board in the 2015 season, with the TV contracts ending in 2014 is an interesting ploy that possibly could benefit the league in the long run.
Manchester City, who finished second in the Premiership this just concluded season will be playing at Yankee Stadium this weekend against newly-minted UEFA Europa League winners Chelsea.
P.S. For those nostalgic about bringing back the New York Cosmos? Well, they will start play this August in the second-tier NASL.
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