The Las Vegas Sun published an editorial Friday suggesting Bill Foley pivot to Major League Soccer if his NBA expansion bid stalls further, a rare public acknowledgment that the $7.5 billion franchise proposal he fronts has sat in committee longer than planned.
Foley, who paid $500 million for the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017 and watched their valuation triple, leads a consortium that submitted NBA expansion materials in March 2025. The league has said nothing since. The Sun's piece—unsigned, staff editorial—names Foley twice and frames MLS as "a natural fit," the kind of language that appears when someone with a checkbook has been making calls. The paper does not say whether Foley has explored MLS terms, but the timing is clean: Seattle and Kansas City expansion groups are circling $600-$700 million valuations, and commissioner Don Garber has said he wants 32 teams by 2028.
The NBA silence matters because Foley's group includes Red Rock Resorts CEO Frank Fertitta III, whose family sold the UFC for $4 billion in 2016 and still controls Station Casinos. They are not bid tourists. But the league has two expansion slots—Vegas and Seattle are favorites—and the process has stretched past its informal deadline. Kansas City and Nashville submitted bids. Mexico City keeps surfacing. The longer the delay, the more capital looks for a different door.
MLS entered Vegas last year through the UNLV soccer complex, a $35 million facility that seats 5,000 and hosts preseason matches. Foley could write the expansion check today. What he cannot do is control the NBA's timeline. The editorial suggests he may not wait much longer.
Garber is in New York this week for broadcast renewal talks with Apple. The MLS-Apple deal runs through 2032 at $250 million annually, below comparable NBA rights but enough to justify the franchise fee climb from $325 million (Charlotte, 2021) to $500 million (San Diego, expected 2025). Vegas would slot in above that, likely $650 million, because Foley would fund a stadium and the market already has Golden Knights season-ticket infrastructure.
The risk is that Foley waits for the NBA, wins it, and then uses MLS as infill for a soccer-specific venue near Allegiant Stadium. That is the Seattle model—Sounders share stadium economics with the NFL—and it works when the owner controls both. The Sun editorial does not explore that scenario, which suggests the writers believe the NBA door is closing.
Watch whether Foley meets with Garber before the MLS Cup in December. Also watch whether the NBA expansion committee, chaired by Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, schedules any site visits before year-end. If neither happens, the MLS check gets written in Q1 2027, and the NBA loses its best Vegas bidder to a league that moves faster.
The takeaway
Foley's NBA bid has been silent for 18 months; MLS expansion at $650M would close in 90 days if he moves.
Editorial & Disclosure Notice: This article was written with artificial intelligence from public sources and is published without individual human review. Artificial intelligence and other digital tools are also used for research, analysis, editing, formatting, and production. Errors, omissions, outdated information, or inaccuracies may occur. References to companies, brands, products, services, organizations, or individuals are for informational and editorial purposes and do not imply endorsement, sponsorship, affiliation, partnership, or approval unless expressly stated. All trademarks and other intellectual property remain the property of their respective owners. Opinions, analysis, estimates, and commentary are informational only and should not be construed as financial, investment, legal, tax, medical, procurement, or other professional advice. Information may be corrected, clarified, or updated after publication. Corrections or removal requests: jenny@pops4.com.
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