The failed Dunkin Donuts franchisee who says he wants to build a $500 million sports-medicine complex on the site of Indianapolis’s old airport terminal and include a sports venue of some kind now says he wants to bring an MLS franchise to town:
Craig Sanders, co-founder of Athletes Business Network, said he has been in talks with MLS to get a team for the planned 20,000-seat stadium near Washington Street and High School Road. He said he already has identified a management team to run the club if the MLS approves.
“We believe we have as good a chance as any (city) to make that happen,” Sanders said…
Sanders said it would cost ABN about $125 million in franchise fees and other costs to join the MLS, and the league still would need to do a market study to make sure the city could support a pro team.
Before you say, “Hey, doesn’t Indianapolis already have a minor-league soccer team, Indy Eleven, whose owner says he’s going to apply to move to MLS once somebody gives him $82 million for a new stadium,” I’ll save you a mouthful: Yes, yes it does. Which means Sanders is almost certainly just trying to stir up headlines for his project by throwing around the MLS name — hey, all it takes is a press release and a call to the league offices so you can say you’ve had “talks.” Well done, bankrupt donut magnate.