Major League Soccer Denies New Vikings Stadium as Suitable Venue

One of the hopes for the Vikings ownership was that the new stadium being built in downtown Minneapolis would host a Major League Soccer team in the future. Unfortunately, the MLS isn't interested.

The new Vikings stadium is scheduled to be opened in August 2016 and is already attempting to lock in more events. The stadium is scheduled to host the Super Bowl in 2018, the NCAA Final Four in 2019, and potentially Wrestlemania in 2017.

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With the previous timeframes, it's unfortunate that the MLS doesn't see the new stadium as a suitable one. As someone who very loosely follows soccer, my interest in the MLS immediately increased with the idea that a team might be coming to Minnesota. Now? I could almost not care at all again.

Since 2000, the state of Minnesota has built the Xcel Energy Center (2000), TCF Bank Stadium (2009), Target Field (2010), and the new Vikings Stadium (2016). Plus renovations to Target Center are on the way. Based on that alone, it's easy to see how the MLS is trying to make a power play for another new stadium.

MLS might be waiting another decade before Minneapolis allows another stadium to be built. It might have been a better option to get into the new Vikings stadium first and brand the team to secure the interest in building a new venue. Since that isn't the case, it might just not be a suitable time to have the MLS in town.