MLS is expanding, but Louisville City FC is focused on United Soccer League

After Major League Soccer announced its intentions to again expand, Louisville City FC said Friday that it's focused on the United Soccer League.

The back-to-back USL champions have long maintained that they would only jump at the chance to join the MLS with the right opportunity.

President Brad Estes reiterated that on Friday, saying the team is more focused on the construction of its new stadium in Butchertown and continuing to grow the fan base.

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"If making a move to the MLS in the future makes sense, we’ll certainly look at it," Estes said. "As of now, our focus as a club has not changed.”

MLS Commissioner Don Garber on Thursday announced plans to grow the league to 30 clubs from its current number of 24 over an unspecified period of time. The league had previously said it planned to expand to 28 teams.

Two of those teams – Inter Miami FC and Nashville SC – are set to begin MLS play next year with Austin FC joining in 2021. That leaves three spots remaining. The next two teams will pay an expansion fee of $200 million. The price for expansion team No. 30 wasn't set. 

Sacramento and St. Louis appear to be ahead of competitors as they have been asked to make formal presentations to the MLS Expansion Committee "to address each bid’s final stadium plan, corporate commitments, the composition of the respective ownership groups, detailed economics on funding, strategic plans for fan development, commitments on player development and details on community programs," officials said in a news release.

During a press conference Thursday, Garber mentioned discussions with a number of other markets, including Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Detroit but not Louisville.

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The league has previously had discussions with Louisville and said it's keeping an eye on Louisville.

"We have been impressed by the passionate support for Louisville City FC, and we encourage soccer fans in Kentucky to continue to support their local USL club," spokesman Dan Courtemanche said last year.

Justin Sayers: 502-582-4252; jsayers@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @_JustinSayers. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/justins.