LOS ANGELES

A sizable group of travelling supporters looked out of place during Sunday’s MLS Cup final at StubHub Center.

The perplexing group sat opposite the thousands of blue-clad New England Revolution fans that turned up to watch the L.A. Galaxy claim a 2-1 extratime win.

Akin to a stunt usually orchestrated by fans of the defunct Quebec Nordiques, the seemingly out-of-place supporters were here representing Sacramento Republic FC, a third-division side that’s doing its damnedest to sway the league’s Board of Governors into awarding California’s capital and MLS expansion side.

Sacramento is in tough against three other bids — two from Minneapolis and one from Las Vegas — to become the league’s 24th franchise after Atlanta and Los Angeles FC join the fold in 2017, completing the league’s stated goal of growing to two dozen teams by the end of the decade.

Expansion talk was one of many items on the board’s agenda when the league’s top suits met prior to Sunday’s marquee game here in L.A.

Major League Soccer’s playoff system, expiring collective bargaining agreement with players and league finances were discussed along the way.

A well-placed source directly linked to the meeting described the league’s looming expansion decision as “big” without acknowledging the board was leaning towards one bid.

When asked whether the league is expanding too fast, multiple informed sources during this weekend’s festivities reiterated the same thing to the Sun: “It’s hard to turn down $100 million.”

Major League Soccer’s ballooning MLS expansion fee is finally giving long-suffering investors some breathing room — and it appears they’re hungry for more.

The league will collect an additional $100 million via one of the aforementioned expansion bids it plans to select from by the middle of next year.

At this point, though, the league’s top brass is teetering between Sacramento and a pair of midwest bids from Minnesota.

Las Vegas, as of MLS Cup weekend, isn’t being discussed as a legitimate candidate among MLS circles while San Antonio is still in the early stages of potentially joining MLS in the coming years.

Those working in the league’s front office are split as to which direction the league should go — with multiple informed sources praising Sacramento’s grassroots fan support and branding before immediately pointing to Minnesota’s massive TV market.

To complicate matters, if MLS intends to expand to Minneapolis, it will need to choose between competing bids — one backed by the Minnesota Vikings and the other backed by the Twins, Timberwolves and the NASL’s Minnesota United FC.

There are also underlying, more sinister whispers emerging that Major League Soccer would prefer to continue expanding to NASL markets in an effort to kill off a competing league.

Minnesota United’s bid is particularly enticing as it calls for a 20,000-seat soccer stadium to be constructed next to the city’s downtown MLB park.

Growing interest and expansion fees — MLSE paid just $10 million for Toronto FC in 2007 — was shuttered a bit prior to MLS Cup when commissioner Don Garber said the league’s clubs are losing a combined $100 million annually.

With the league’s collective bargaining agreement set to expire on Jan. 31, it appears Major League Soccer’s negotiators are prepared to cry poor when the MLS Players’ Union holds out its hand in the coming weeks.

There’s mounting pressure from players demanding greater compensation after MLS and U.S. Soccer recently inked an eight-year, $720-million TV deal with ESPN, FOX Sports and Univision.

Multiple MLSPU reps have stressed to the Toronto Sun the need for greater free agency within a league that controls all player contracts.

For instance, an MLS player whose option is declined isn’t free to sign with another club until clearing an exhaustive and confusing waiver process that muddies the water to an extent it’s indecipherable at times.

Players are also pushing to see the league’s soft salary cap jump by as much as $1 million in order to close the gap between the have and have-nots at each club.

It’s inconceivable that a Designated Player making $5 million per year can be paired with a first- or second-year player making $50,000, a gap in pay that undoubtedly fosters discontent among teammates.

“I can say without doubt our owners did not expect that by this time we’d still be needing to invest the level of money that we have been investing, and that’s just the reality of where our business is today,” Garber told the Associated Press amid CBA talks.

It’s that sentiment that has fans and pundits alike cautiously optimistic moving forward into another season of anticipation infused with uncertainty.

How will New York City FC, backed by the New York Yankees, fit into the Big Apple’s sporting landscape?

Will Orlando City, which plans to play one season at the Citrus Bowl, be able to draw in a state known for its support for college sports?

Is a work stoppage imminent if the league refuses to loosen its grip on player contracts and refuses to give up a bigger piece of the pie?

Will the Board of Governors approve an expanded playoff system that threatens to make the regular season less relevant?

And, finally, will MLS elect to award its 24th franchise to a deep-pocket Minnesota Vikings-backed bid or a grassroots bid from Sacramento or Minnesota United?

It was clear at Sunday’s MLS Cup which bid has the most support.

What remains foggy is what Major League Soccer’s priorities are heading into another crucial offseason.

REDS ANNOUNCE ‘PROTECTED LIST’ AHEAD OF EXPANSION DRAFT

Toronto FC named 11 players it has protected ahead of Wednesday’s Expansion Draft when New York City FC and Orlando City SC will have their choice of MLSers left unprotected by their clubs.

Both expansion sides will alternate 10 picks each with Orlando City choosing first.

Once a club has a player selected by either expansion team it’s allowed to protect one additional player.

Below is a list of 11 players TFC protected ahead of Wednesday’s draft.

M-Kyle Bekker

GK-Joe Bendik

M-Michael Bradley

M/D-Warren Creavalle

F-Jermaine Defoe

F-Luke Moore

D-Justin Morrow

F-Gilberto

M-Jonathan Osorio

M-Collen Warner

D-Nick Hagglund