Minnesota United FC (MLS)
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| Full name | Minnesota United Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Loons |
| Founded | March 25, 2015 |
| Stadium |
TCF Bank Stadium Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Stadium capacity |
52,525 |
| Owner | Bill McGuire |
| Head Coach | Adrian Heath |
| League | Major League Soccer |
| Website | Club home page |
Minnesota United FC is a Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion franchise based in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. The club will begin play in 2017, as a member of the Western Conference. The team is the league's 22nd and replaced the North American Soccer League (NASL) franchise of the same name.
The club plans to play in Saint Paul (becoming the city's second professional sports team after the Minnesota Wild), in a stadium to be built at an old "bus barn" site in the Midway neighborhood.
Minnesota United FC's ownership is led by Bill McGuire, former CEO of UnitedHealth Group, and includes other Minnesota sports owners: the Pohlad family, owners of the Twins; Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor; former Wild investor Glen Nelson, and his daughter Wendy Carlson Nelson of the Carlson hospitality company.
Minnesota United are the sixth MLS expansion team to join from a lower division, following Seattle Sounders FC (2009), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (2011), Portland Timbers (2011), Montreal Impact (2012), and Orlando City SC (2015).
On March 25, 2015, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber announced Minnesota United as the league's 23rd club and awarded the franchise to a group led by former UnitedHealth CEO Bill McGuire. The ownership group includes other Minneapolis sports owners, Twins owner Jim Pohlad, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, and Wild investor Glen Nelson. They beat out a competing bid by Minnesota Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf. Garber said Minnesota would begin play in 2017 or 2018 – if Los Angeles FC is not ready to play in 2017, Minnesota would take its place.
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