By BRIAN LEWIS
The deadline to submit formal applications for the next round of MLS expansion is today at 5 p.m., in about four hours. And the official bids will be announced by league president Abbott on Extra Time.
(No, not this blog, but the league’s online weekly news and analysis show, hosting by Shep Messing and Greg Lalas on MLSnet.com.) Abbott will reveal ach market, then talk about the various ownership groups. That begs the question: Will New York and the Wilpons be one of those groups?
Seattle Sounders FC will be the league’s 15th team next year _ and I’ll lay odds they’ll fight with the Red Bulls to try and pry Thierry Henry away from la Liga _ while Philadelphia and ex-Metros GM Nick Sackiewicz will be the 16th team in 2010. Today we’ll find out the contenders for 2011.
That official decision is expected late this year or early next season, before the 2009 campaign kicks off in March. Among the cities that have either claimed to have made bids or are reportedly lining up bids are Atlanta, Miami, Montreal, Ottawa, Portland, St. Louis, Vancouver and of course Miami, as we told you about here. In about four hours, we’ll know for sure if the Wilpons and New York are joining those hopefuls.