Indy Eleven Bids for Major League Soccer Expansion Franchise
January 31, 2017 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Indy Eleven News Release
INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday) - Indy Eleven took another historic step toward building professional soccer in Indiana, formally announcing its bid to bring a Major League Soccer expansion franchise to the Hoosier State.
Indy Eleven Founder & Owner Ersal Ozdemir delivered the club's official application book to MLS President Mark Abbott at the league's headquarters in New York City earlier today, which marks the deadline day for perspective ownership groups to submit their expansion bids.
"Indy Eleven has permanently established professional soccer in America's premier sports city, and now is the time to show that Indianapolis is the next great MLS city," said Ozdemir. "We are excited to make the case for our tremendous fan base, dedicated partners, visionary civic leaders and all Hoosiers who embrace the sport."
"I'm excited about the opportunity ahead for both the Indy Eleven organization and the City of Indianapolis and look forward to working with the team throughout the application process," said Maggie Lewis, President of the City-County Council of Marion County and Indianapolis.
Indy Eleven's expansion bid is built upon four strengths the club has exhibited since its founding in January 2013:
Fan Support: With just under 10,000 fans per game across its first three seasons, Indy Eleven has proven it has the fan base to support Major League Soccer. The addition of MLS, as it has in other markets, will cause these attendance numbers to grow dramatically.
Stadium Project: A downtown location with convenient access for motorists and pedestrians has been identified for a 20,000-seat stadium built with soccer as the focal point. As with the city's other world-class sporting venues, the new stadium will be within walking distance of all the tremendous shopping, dining and activities that downtown Indianapolis has to offer.
Local Ownership: The club has commitments from a great group of owners who live and work in Central Indiana - and know what Indianapolis is about. This growing group is ready to lend their successful business backgrounds, strategic values and financial resources to help make Indy Eleven's expansion bid a winner. The list of prospective investors, which is expected to grow in the coming days, currently includes:
Ersal Ozdemir - Founder & CEO, Keystone Realty Group
Mickey Maurer - Chairman of the Board, National Bank of Indianapolis and IBJ Corp
Jeff Laborsky - President & CEO of Heritage
Mark Elwood - CEO of Elwood Staffing
Andy Mohr - Founder & Owner of Mohr Auto Group
Corporate Community Support: Indy Eleven has cultivated relationships with a tremendous group of sponsors, companies with strong global, national and local recognition like Honda (the team's first Corporate Partner and primary jersey sponsor), McDonald's, Finish Line, Anthem, Allegion and Community Health Network, counting amongst the dozens of current partners. This is a list that will grow exponentially to meet the exposure opportunities that participation in Major League Soccer will provide. MLS is expected to announce the full roster of cities and ownership groups placing bids by 6:00 p.m. this evening; to track the growing list of official bids submitted throughout the day, visit www.MLSsoccer.com.
www.IndyEleven.com / @IndyEleven on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram
About Indy Eleven Professional Soccer
Since its launch in 2013, Indy Eleven's mission - "To win championships with and for the community" - has stayed true to its aim of fielding a team that represents the State of Indiana proudly on and off the field. The upcoming 2017 season will mark the fourth year of play for Indy Eleven in the North American Soccer League (NASL), a professional soccer league based in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. On January 31, 2017, Indy Eleven submitted a bid for an expansion franchise in Major League Soccer (MLS), the First Division of pro soccer in the United States and Canada as recognized by U.S. Soccer.
After leading the NASL in attendance in each of its first two seasons at IUPUI's Michael A. Carroll Stadium in downtown Indianapolis, Indy Eleven's remarkable 2016 campaign included winning the NASL Spring Season title and earning its first postseason appearance, ending in The Championship Final.
North American Soccer League Stories from January 31, 2017
- Sabrina D'Angelo Named to National Team Roster - North Carolina FC
- Indy Eleven Bids for Major League Soccer Expansion Franchise - Indy Eleven
- North Carolina Football Club Submits Bid for Major League Soccer Franchise - North Carolina FC
- Spanish Left Back Ayoze Returns to the Cosmos - New York Cosmos
- Cosmos Re-Sign Midfielder Walter Restrepo - New York Cosmos
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
