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Pair of NBA owners teaming up to bring MLS franchise to Detroit

David Richard / USA TODAY Sports

Major League Soccer could soon be coming to the Motor City.

Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores and Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert announced Tuesday a partnership to form an investor group to bring a team and a soccer-specific stadium to Detroit.

"Detroit is rising and we know firsthand the power of sports to lift a community and drive a civic renaissance," the two said in a joint statement. "We are very excited about the prospect of bringing Major League Soccer to Detroit and building an ownership group that represents a cross-section of investors."

The two plan to build a soccer-specific stadium in downtown Detroit, and are "actively exploring and evaluating potential sites."

If the group has its way, Detroit would become "the most dense urban sports and entertainment district city in America with four major professional sports stadiums within a 10-15 minute walk: Ford Field, Comerica Park, the new Detroit Red Wings arena, and the new MLS stadium."

Gilbert, who hails from Detroit and lives in the city, took to Twitter earlier in the day in an exchange with Gores where they hinted at the possibility of working together:

MLS commissioner Don Garber recently stated that the league is looking to expand past the previous goal of 24 teams by 2020, with four more franchise spots available to bring the total to 28.

With Minnesota, Atlanta, and Los Angeles slated to kick off their new franchises in the next two years, and David Beckham's Miami team owning spot No. 24, the league set a priority order for the next batch of franchises, with St. Louis and Sacramento given the impetus for franchises 25 and 26.

Garber listed Detroit as the third city in the league's priority order.

With a population of over 650,000, Detroit is a major untapped market for soccer in the country. Besides Detroit City FC, a semi-pro team in the National Premier Soccer League, the city hasn't had a major presence in the U.S. soccer scene in recent history.

The group explained an MLS team in the city would "complement" Detroit City FC in some capacity.

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