The prospective ownership group looking to secure a Major League Soccer expansion team in Nashville has expanded by three.
Mark, Zygi and Leonard Wilf, majority owners of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, have joined as minority partners, according to a Tuesday announcement by John Ingram, the CEO of the Nashville Soccer Holdings group.
Terms of the investment were not disclosed.
"We are delighted to have the Wilf family join our group and our initiative to bring a new level of soccer to Nashville,” Ingram said in a statement. “They know sports and sports business, and they are well-known and respected for their professional sports experience. The Wilf family brings expertise in a number of areas like stadium development, fan experience, marketing, communications and ticket sales. They are a strong addition to our bid.”
Nashville is currently one of 12 cities vying for four expansion spots in Major League Soccer. The city attracted nearly 50,000 fans for the US national team's 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Panama in July, and the ownership group has begun the public process towards a private-public partnership for a soccer stadium at The Fairgrounds Nashville.
The Wilfs are entering their 13th season as owners of the Vikings. They are responsible for spearheading the completion of the team's new U.S. Bank Stadium and the successful bid to bring Super Bowl LII to Minnesota on Feb. 4 of next year.
