Patrick Brennan

pbrennan@enquirer.com

SAN JOSE — Roughly a year ago, Jeff Berding and Carl Lindner III were in Denver on a fact-finding mission. The objective? Gather the information necessary from the best minds at Major League Soccer's 2015 All-Star Game and the United Soccer League's boards of governors meeting to get Futbol Club Cincinnati off the ground.

Given all FC Cincinnati has accomplished less than two-thirds of the way through its inaugural season – record-breaking attendance numbers and a championship-contending team on the field – most will agree that trip went pretty well.

It's only natural that some things have changed for the better since Denver for Berding, who arrived Wednesday in San Jose for this year's MLS All-Star Game and USL board meeting.

Now, Berding is the one meeting with new USL teams and dishing out advice on how to be successful (he plans on meeting with representatives from Nashville's newly announced USL franchise, Berding said).

Takeaways: Day 1 of FC Cincy at MLS meetings

The FC Cincinnati polo shirt he wore Wednesday night at San Jose's Avaya Stadium that would have caused puzzled looks a year ago in the Mile High City is now drawing compliments from strangers in Berding's hotel lobby.

Berding was also interviewed by a national publication Wednesday evening regarding his startup soccer team's multitude of successes.

Things have definitely changed, but like Denver, San Jose is still a fact-finding trip. The difference this year is Berding is armed with elevated expectations and aims.

The FC Cincinnati president and general manager will spend most of his time in San Jose picking the minds of U.S. soccer's elites in order to take his club to what he called "the next level."

But what will be discussed? What does Berding consider "next level?"

Berding said he and Chief Financial Officer Sarah Huber will spend part of their time discussing with other clubs the infrastructure necessary for youth programs, developmental teams (such as fourth-tier National Premier Soccer League teams) and professional-quality training facilities, among other things.

Multiple meetings and social encounters are planned in order to gather all this knowledge, Berding said.

One such meeting is planned with the brass of the USL's Sacramento Republic FC, a club that could soon be bound for American soccer's top league.

Berding also said he hoped to get to know members of another MLS-minded peer club, the San Antonio Spurs-owned San Antonio FC.

"If (MLS Commissioner) Don Garber came up to me this week, I'd probably do more listening and have questions," Berding said when asked how he'd handle a hypothetical meeting with the commissioner. "I don't think there's a sales pitch. I think people know how we're doing. We're going to continue to invest in our facilities at Nippert and for training... I want to hear what (Garber) would have to say."

Like his trip to Denver last year, Berding's time in San Jose likely isn't make-or-break for the club. Success will be determined over years, not weeks and months.

Berding said he's sometimes understated and modest in his sales pitch, but added he's optimistic for some positive outcomes this week.

"I'm very midwestern. I'm very Cincinnati. I try to be a genuine, authentic person," Berding said. "But I was the director of sales for the Bengals. I was on Cincinnati City Council and asked people for votes every two years. I know how to sell... and I don't take credit for FC Cincinnati's success. It's a shared success with our city and our fans. They can all claim credit for this."

MLS board of governor's meeting

Major League Soccer's board of governors meeting took place Wednesday. The agenda for the meeting, as well as the facility that housed the meeting, weren't disclosed to The Enquirer as it's a private meeting, an MLS spokesman said. MLS officials, both at the team and league level, are typically tight-lipped about board meetings, but Berding and other teams in the USL with MLS aspirations will be waiting to hear about the results of the discussion that took place regarding MLS expansion. That part of the MLS board meeting was confirmed to The Enquirer last week.

"I'm anxious to hear what news may come out of their meetings," Berding said. "Do they announce anything formally regarding expansion? Do they announce anything regarding timelines, process?

"Not that we're getting ahead of ourselves. We're not. But we're aspirational and I'd be interested to hear what he'd have to say."