“Fueled by Dreams, Romance, and Stardust” – With MLS’ Expansion Fee Skyrocketing, Ex-USMNT Star Makes Big Wrexham and Manchester City Admission

Over the past few years, investing in a sports franchise has become a significant trend. Not only does it give financial benefits, but it definitely builds a portfolio that helps both the owner and the team. The biggest example is Ryan Reynolds buying Wrexham AFC.

The Canadian actor brought the Welsh side back in 2021 alongside Rob McElhenney. Since then, they have witnessed colossal fame and success. Many have been inspired by their success story, especially America’s soccer league, MLS, which recently signed a huge expansion deal. The deal has got the whole town talking, with a former USMNT star bringing Wrexham and Manchester City into the debate.

Ex-USMNT star makes a Wrexham and Manchester City claim

Earlier, it was announced by the MLS that they had named San Diego as the expansion team and that it would become a part of the league in 2025. They have signed the deal with billionaire Mohamed Mansour and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. The cost of the expansion is $500 million.

This has indeed left the soccer world in shock, as it is quite an expensive expansion fee. It even caught the eye of a former USMNT star, Alexi Lalas. The current soccer analyst wrote, “Another billionaire owner in @MLS and another huge increase in expansion fee,” on Twitter. To that, one netizen added, “The game in America continues to be about who can pay the most money.”

Lalas kept the conversation going as he wrote, “Yup, Man City and Wrexham are fueled by dreams, romance, and stardust.” The former MNT star says that despite the expansion teams being so expensive, they lack the exposure that teams in Europe have. He says both have enjoyed a fairytale story ever since their takeover.

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Hence, it comes as no surprise that another billionaire has taken over the MLS. But it still raises some eyebrows as to how much the expansion fee is rising.

Expansion fee continues to grow

While it is good to see the San Diego Waves rewarded for an expansion, the fee looks significantly astronomical. In fact, it has set a major record as the highest fee in the history of MLS. It is significantly higher than David Tepper’s $325 million, which he paid to bring Charlotte as an expansion team in 2019.

In 2007, Toronto FC paid $10 million to join the league. This shows a significant rise in the expansion fee over the following years. While the MLS continues to grow, it is also making things expensive. Let us know your thoughts on this.

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