MLS Expansion - NFL's Atlanta Falcons owner still interested in MLS side

Although Atlanta is seldom mentioned as one of the front-runners for a MLS side, Arthur Blank, the owner of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, is still very interested in bringing a team to the city. It would also seem that the league is just as interested, calling Atlanta 'a "tremendous" potential market that would expand the league's footprint into the Southeast.'

But just like so many other expansion cities, before Blank can see another professional team into Atlanta, he needs to come up with a stadium plan. His group has looked at 'about six' metro-Atlanta counties as possible home sites, however they have not narrowed it down. Another possible way of reading this is that no city has stepped up to offer the group a good public-private funding plan for a stadium.

As far as what the group would like to see in a complex, they would like "an 80-acre to 100-acre site could contain an MLS stadium, parking lots and soccer fields for local leagues and regional tournaments." This description points to a suburban stadium instead of something closer to downtown. They also imagine that the earliest such a complex could open in 2012.

So what does MLS think of Atlanta? They like it:

"We believe Atlanta can be a tremendous market for a Major League Soccer team," said Dan Courtemanche, the league's senior vice president of marketing and communications. "First and foremost, it's a very diverse market ... and clearly a strong market for soccer participation. ... And Arthur Blank's group is a tremendous group, no question there. We think they would be a perfect group to expand the MLS presence south of Washington, D.C."

Having a team in the Deep South is something that needs to happen and Atlanta is the obvious choice. However, any team playing there will need to do something about the heat, both during the games and during practice (look how hard Dallas gets hit every August for more on this).

One other interesting point, when talking about other possible expansion cities, Courtemanche names the regular crew however he places a little disclaimer in front of Miami, saying that the city is interested "to a lesser degree" then others. I guess they still cannot find a good ownership group for the area.

So where to place Atlanta is the list of possible expansion city? I would say that at this point, they are below the likes of St. Louis, Vancouver, Portland and New York, on par with Montreal and above Las Vegas, Ottawa, San Diego and Miami.

Is Chivas USA getting ready to move to Santa Ana?

The city of Santa Ana is in discussion with Chivas USA to build youth fields on a piece of land currently used as a golf course. The team is looking at building 'as many as seven soccer fields and a 2,000 to 3,000-seat stadium' on the 102-acre site.

However, youth fields might just be the start of things as the team as not ruled out building a permanent home on the site.

"We're only talking right now about the youth, we haven't thought about moving the team... We're open to possibilities, but not in the short term."

Chivas USA has not had much luck attracting fans to the Home Depot Center, so with their lease coming to an end after next season, a move could be in the works.

Santa Ana is about 10-miles east of Carson in has a large Latino population. If Chivas wants to keep a team in MLS, this could be a wonderful place to relocate.

MLS Expansion - Philadelphia stadium good, grocery store better

When Philadelphia won their expansion club in February, the residents of Chester (the site of their new stadium) were happy, but the biggest reward might not be the team. Instead, the community of 36,000 might finally get a grocery store of their own thanks to the new soccer club.

Turns out the city has not had their own grocery store since 2001, causing residents to either shop at mini-marts or travel large distances (including crossing over to Delaware) to get their food. Some believe this has made it harder for those in Chester to stay healthy.

"'There's a correlation between food access and public health,' said John Talmage, head of Social Compact, a Washington coalition that promotes inner-city investment."

A grocery chain still needs to be found for the project, but if the Philadelphia group makes this happen, it will be one of the most positive results possible and a great way to sure their commitment to the community.

I know, not the most soccer related post ever, but it is events like this that can have a long reaching effect on the future of the game.

MLS Expansion – Philadelphia 'will draw very well’; Increased stadium size?

New Director of Operations Rob Smith thinks his Philadelphia side will be a huge draw come 2010.

"I believe the new team will draw very well," said Smith, who has no plans to give up his coaching duties at Downingtown West. "I think the attraction to the sport has grown tremendously. There are a lot of passionate soccer fans throughout the area . . . people who have gotten to know the sport by playing it or watching their kids play it."

But the most interesting news from this article is not that the person in charge of getting people to the stadium thinks that people will come to the stadium. Instead, it is the possible typo concerning the stadium size.

"A new, 32,000-seat stadium on the Delaware River is scheduled to be ready for the team when it begins play in 2010."

Last I heard, they were planning on a 20,000-seater. I'm guessing this is just a mistake, but if it is true, wow, Smith must really think people are ready to turn out. At 32,000, the field in Chester would be the largest soccer first stadium in MLS, 5,000 more then the Depot that LA and Chivas call home.

Philadelphia gets WPS expansion team

Just a few months ago, Philadelphia won the MLS expansion lottery, but they will not be the only top-league team in the area as they have also captured an expansion side in the new Women's Professional Soccer league.

"Since signing on the dotted line with our initial seven investor groups in September of last year, we've had our sights set on adding an eighth team to the league," said WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci. "In Philadelphia, we have the perfect foundation for success, combining a strong operating group with the city's recent acquisition of an MLS team to create a prime market for women's soccer.

It is expected that the new WPS team will play at the same stadium as the MLS side, however the teams will have different owners.

Congrats to Philadelphia. Looks like 2010 will be a huge year for soccer in the city of brotherly love.

Home for the Dynamo

There is a new group getting into the fight for a downtown stadium in Houston, but this one is neither a boxing legend nor a university. Instead this new group is made up of fans that want to do something other then just complain about the situation.

Thus enters Home for the Dynamo.

Although their goal is to raise money towards building the new home of the back-to-back MLS Cup champions, they are under no delusions about their ability to bring in millions. Instead, they hope to be the epicenter of fan support for the stadium.

Several loyal and passionate fans of the team have gotten together to build this site in the hopes of doing more than just letting off steam or complaining. We are dedicated to supporting the fight for a stadium with our checkbooks. Money is the issue at hand and we have chosen to try and raise as much money as possible for this cause.

The purpose is to make it known to all who are involved that WE are going to act while THEY negotiate. No we dont [sic] think we will raise millions of dollars. That isnt [sic] the point. DOING SOMETHING instead of just talking IS THE POINT. We invite all soccer fans everywhere to join us in this cause. A soccer stadium in downtown Houston is a must as we progress into this millineum [sic].

Having a location for information is fantastic, but will people be motivated enough to actually due anything with it? If they do and their numbers grow, this group might end up playing a role in landing a stadium.

If you are interested in helping them out, they are asking for a donation of $5, which will get you a bumper sticker.

University wants to team up with Dynamo in stadium deal; De Rosario kicks like a horse

It is looking more and more likely that if the Dynamo want a stadium in downtown Houston, they are going to need Texas Southern University's backing. Good news for the Dynamo, TSU's new athletic direct Charles McClelland is very interested in such a venture.

"My understanding of the proposal is that the Houston Dynamo and Texas Southern University would share the use of the stadium, including some signage, so it would be the home of Texas Southern University athletics and football program," McClelland said Wednesday, two days after meeting with a city official involved in the stadium negotiations. "We're interested and understand that there has to be a financial commitment from the university, but we are very pleased with the direction of the talks and hope to be able to come to a resolution in the near future."

While McClelland declined to disclose the size or range of the financial commitment because of the ongoing nature of the talks, he is confident the range that has been discussed is "within the capability of the university."

If the two teamed up, the Dynamo would get a stadium, but come fall, it would also be used for American football, so the question is how bad do they want a stadium?

The always entertaining to read Dave Rossman of the Houston Chronicle has his spot on take concerning the situation. To sum him up, the Dynamo need TSU more then TSU need the Dynamo. Why?

It's about the political capital a public institution of higher learning such as TSU brings into the equation.

Even then, while not ready to disclose figures, McClelland believes what the Dynamo and the city are asking is within reach.

Hooray, the Dynamo say. An added bonus. Suddenly, city money being committed to such a project no longer solely finances a private sports enterprise that may or may not generate the tax revenue or jobs it promises to deliver long-term.

Now, it also benefits one of the largest historically black colleges in the nation — one that has played a key role in the advancement of Houston for more than 60 years.

Don't think for a second the city isn't crossing its fingers for TSU to join in the negotiations.

Short of AEG or Golden Boy Promotions covering the ever growing construction cost on their own (something neither is willing to do), going in with TSU is the Dynamo's best chance of getting their stadium anytime in the next four years. Yes, it will suck to see the gridiron lines (although I think the damage done to the pitch by American football is far more offensive), but if the other option is another suburban stadium that makes it more difficult for fans, a few additional lines on the grass are worth it.

In other Houston Dynamo related news, it's official, midfielder Dwayne De Rosario kicks like a horse.

During their match on Saturday De Rosario shattered Chivas defender Lawson Vaughn's nose while attempting a bicycle kick in the box. Sadly, Vaughn will require three surgeries to repair his nose and other facial injuries. When asked about it, Vaughn's agent Ron Waxman said, "I was told it was as if he had gotten kicked in the face by a horse." Ouch.

Hopefully Vaughn will make a full recovery. He is expected to be out for four to six weeks.

The MLS disciplinary committee ruled that De Rosario would not face suspension or fines beyond the already awarded yellow card for the play.

To close out the Houston news, the club signed former DC United forward Guy-Roland Kpene to a developmental contract on Wednesday. His time with United didn't yield much, but with the Dynamo hurting on attack, he might get a better chance in Houston to show what he can do.

MLS Expansion - Vancouver's soccer future tied to railroad past

The future of a waterfront soccer stadium that could lead to a MLS team for the city of Vancouver hinges on the resolution of railroad issues. Vancouver Whitecap owner Greg Kerfoot has proposed building a $90m stadium with his own money, but he doesn't have enough land to make it happen. That's where the Vancouver Port Authority (VPA) comes in.

The VPA owns the strip of land Kerfoot needs to complete his stadium, however to get at it, the VPA wants rights over the part of the rail yard Kerfoot owns. Kerfoot is not in a hurry to give up his property, although he has given Canadian Pacific right-of-way to the rails in perpetuity.

So what is the big deal? Well the reason Kerfoot doesn't want to hand over the land or rights to another group has to do with his other plans for the site as he wants to build three condo towers around the stadium, which would defer a lot of the cost of the stadium (hello DC and San Jose).

Part of these towers will stand over the current rail lines, meaning he will need to place some serious support pillars into the area. This engineering work will probably require altering the path of the rails in some way. Needless to say, the more people involved in this means the less direct control Kerfoot has over the site.

For their part, the VPA fears that any drop in railway capacity will hinder the ability of their shipping port to handle all the traffic in the future.

Thus enters Canadian Senator and former Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell.

"Maybe it takes someone to sit down and say: 'Okay, boys and girls, is this going to happen?' " Campbell said Monday afternoon. "I don't know if anyone would consider me an honest broker, but I've taken mediation.

"From a politician's point of view, this [project] is a win-win."

Now it is up to Campbell to see if he can make the two sides agree. If he does, Vancouver becomes a top-tier MLS target.

As far as a backup plan, if it will help them land a MLS team, the Whitecaps owners are open to the idea of playing at a revamped B.C. Place Stadium, but only on an interim basis. The MLS is open to the idea but only if a stadium deal was assured of taking place.

Houston stadium gets another tenant

The Houston Dynamo don't even have a deal lined up yet but they might already have a secondary tenant for their proposed soccer stadium. Texas Southern University, located just south of downtown Houston, is very interested in using the new venue for their American football games.

"Although I officially start on May 1 at Texas Southern University and I haven't had an opportunity to look at all of the data involving the proposed stadium, TSU athletics and its football program would be excited to be able to participate and partner with all entities involved in the project to ensure Texas Southern has a state of the art football facility," said Charles McClelland, the schools' new athletics director in an interview with FOX 26 Sports.

This one report doesn't give much information, so it is not clear if TSU would pay some of the cost for the stadium or if they would just be renters, but it is something to watch. Since the main sticking point for the Dynamo seems to be about a $20m tab they want someone else to pickup for construction, a joint venture with TSU might be the final piece of their stadium puzzle.

So the plus side, if this all falls into place, would be a stadium getting built. The downside, from August through November, there would be American football lines on the pitch. Not the worst trade off, but still a trade off.

MLS Expansion - Will Vancouver ever let Whitecaps owner build a stadium?

The Vancouver Whitecaps are yet another soccer team having troubles getting their stadium built, however their issues are very different from those of most teams as the organization is not looking for public money to fund the project. Instead the objection centers on the use of waterfront land.

Whitecaps FC owner Greg Kerfoot is ready to front the full cost of the $90m, waterfront stadium, however those opposed to the idea feel the location will deprive the public from access to the water as well as negatively alter the historical area. This dispute has caused Kerfoot's proposal to linger for four years, just waiting for approval.

So why bring this up under the header of MLS expansion? Simple, if this stadium gets approved in the next year or so, it would catapult Vancouver from not even a chance territory to serious contender in the quest to land either the 17th or 18th franchise in the league.

As envisioned, the stadium would start off as a 15,000-seat facility, but could expand to 30,000, which fits in just fine with the current MLS stadium requirements. Add to it the waterfront view and the rivalries with Seattle and Toronto and they might just have something magical. But it all comes down the stadium as MLS Commissioner Don Garber has specifically told the city, no stadium, no team:

"The key for Vancouver is being sure they have a stadium plan. It's the third leg of the stool to give the city an opportunity to be part of the mix in future MLS expansion."

Vancouver still stands far outside the realm of MLS reality as cities like St. Louis, Miami, New York and Montreal push forward, but that could change very quickly if Kerfoot's plan is approved.

On a side not, Kerfoot seems to be the Canadian version of Lamar Hunt as he has placed a lot of his own money into developing the game in the country.

MLS commish threatens to move Houston again if stadium deal is not reached

MLS commissioner Don Garber has drawn the line with the city of Houston by basically saying help build the Dynamo a stadium or the team will move. His exact words:

It is inconceivable that MLS will allow the team to continue playing as a secondary tenant in a college football facility after the League moved the team due to the challenges at San Jose State.

While another relocation would be equally traumatic, we both must consider our options to ensure that the team has a path to economic success. We learned an important lesson in San Jose: a passionate fan base is not enough to support the economics of operating a professional sports team. The team needs a soccer-specific stadium to ensure success.

Is someone over reacting or might der commish truly be looking at the Earthquakes/Dynamo and be thinking 'Miami Wanderers'*?

Whatever the reason, this letter is pretty much a bunch of spit to the face for Dynamo fans. Yes, teams need to make money, but to so callously say 'give us what we want or else' is really disappointing. It didn't work in San Jose so what makes Garber think it will fly in Houston? And what does this signal to the thousands of Dynamo fans that show up match after match? To me it means MLS might not yet be one of the big three sports in America, but they care as little about the fans as most in those leagues seem to.

By the way, I find it very interesting that Garber points out that San Jose didn't work because it doesn't have a stadium, yet the Earthquakes have just started playing again without a stadium deal in place. I guess they will have two years to make it work or Garber will threaten to take the team elsewhere. Hay, after he moves the Dynamo, Houston will be available.

As far as the actual stadium issue, it looks like the City of Houston and the Dynamo are at an impasse caused at least in part over the growing cost of the stadium (it is now priced at $105m, up from $80-90m).

Mayor Bill White has said all along that he didn't plan on using tax dollars for the construction of the site, which the Dynamo seemed okay with, however they now are saying 'the club and the City would share the cost of the project.'

Stadium deals have never been an easy thing, however this one could easily become one of the worse (although the DC situation might still be able to top it).

* I picked Miami because it seems like MLS really wants to go there, just like they really wanted to go to Houston. Plus, there has been stadium talk there of late. Anyway, I have no idea if there is even a city in mind.

San Jose close to a stadium deal - City agrees to $132m deal

The Earthquakes return to San Jose is close to becoming permanent as the city and team owner Lew Wolff have agreed to a $132m deal that could lead to a stadium by 2010.

Although this is great news for the club, there are still a number of hurdles such as getting City Council approval for the deal.

So what is in the agreement? Wolff will purchase 66 acres of land by the airport (click on map to see the site) from the city for $132m. Wolff will set aside 18 of these acres for a possible stadium, while the other 48 will become home to retail, office and a 300-room hotel.

However, in order to build the stadium, Wolff still needs the city to rezone 78 acres of land he owns elsewhere in San Jose from industrial to residential. If they do, Wolff will take the profits from the development of that site to pay for the stadium out by the airport.

Before any of the residential development can take place, the city needs to change the zoning, an environmental study needs to take place and Wolff must find a developer.

If all these items happen and if the City Council approves the $132m airport land deal, as expected, then the Earthquakes will likely have a new home.

If this does not happen, could San Jose become the first city to lose a MLS team twice?

Ronnie O'Brien leaves turf in Toronto for grass in San Jose

The San Jose Earthquakes have added two-time Major League Soccer All-Star midfielder Ronnie O'Brien to their roster. Last season O'Brien was one of the first big signings of expansion side Toronto FC.

He had a decent year when playing, however a knee injury kept him out for more then half the season. This injury is one of the reasons he decided to move to California, as San Jose will play their home games on grass instead of the turf used in Toronto, which should be less of a strain on his body.

O'Brien was attracted to the Quakes because of the grass playing surface at Santa Clara University's Buck Shaw Stadium. He had complained about the field turf in Toronto.

O'Brien is a quality player when he is happy, however if he feels jilted, his play can drop (see FC Dallas 2006). With O'Brien, the 'Quakes finally have a decent attacking option in their lineup. So far coach Frank Yallop has focused more on defense, which is important, however you can't win if you don't score. Although O'Brien is far from a goal-scoring machine (12 goals in 6 MLS seasons), he is good at starting plays. The question for San Jose now becomes who will O'Brien feed?

Toronto received San Jose's first round pick in the 2009 draft plus an undisclosed amount of money for O'Brien.

$70,000 study to see if DC United stadium is worth it

The prospect of bringing DC United to Prince George's County in Maryland got a $70,000 boost as the state's stadium authority has order a study to see what impact the team would have on the local economy. Although this study will look at a number of issues, a location for the stadium will not be one of them.

The final report is not expected till July. DC United has promised to repay the state the cost of the study if they decided to stay in DC.

United has stated again and again that they would prefer to stay in the district, however with Mayor Adrian M. Fenty cool on the idea, they may be forced out of town. That said, Fenty has softened his position a bit of late, including using some public monies for the project, however there are still a number of outstanding issues.

In the end, this is a smart move by United, as they need to figure out exactly what options they have. I think most soccer fans would prefer United play in DC, but if they exhaust every effort to make it work and still cannot get it, they need to look elsewhere. Without a stadium, the team doesn't make money and without more money the league does not move forward.

The Dynamo get a little more golden with Oscar De La Hoya

The MLS Champion Houston Dynamo have new owners, sort of. Boxer Oscar De La Hoya and business associate Gabriel Brener are set to purchase 50% of the club while current owners AEG will continue to control the other half.

AEG has placed the value of the Dynamo at more then $40 million, meaning this is at least a $20m investment by the two.

Interestingly De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, and Brener, a Mexican investor with ties to the real estate industry in the United States, will only be the second Hispanic ownership group in the league (Chivas was the first).

No word yet exactly what roll AEG will continue to play, however I would guess they would take over stadium issues while the Golden Boys handle the team. My reason for this guess has to do with AEG's desire to have a concert venue in the downtown Houston area.

With the city ready to move on the Dynamo stadium idea, possibly as early as tomorrow night, and with the ownership issue looking to be settled, it appears good news is on the horizon for Dynamo fans.

The one question I still wonder is how will the Dynamo make money off this? With AEG looking to front $70-90m of the construction cost, they will want to keep a large amount of any profits. The team will save money by not needing to rent Robertson Stadium anymore, however they will probably only get limited percentages from non-soccer events held in the facility and as FC Dallas can tell you, it is the non-soccer events that make you the money.

However, even with these concerns, it is still great to see this move forward. Sure it will be another soccer venue with a stage at one end, but at least it is happening.

Houston gets young Argentine striker, is a stadium next?

The biggest concern for Houston this off-season has been the lack of forwards in the squad, but it looks like that is about to change.

The team is expected to soon announce the signing of Franco Caraccio from the Argentine Primera División's Arsenal de Sarandi. Caraccio appears to be just the type of player Houston coach Dominic Kinnear loves to work with as he has talent but it needs to be developed.

Caraccio has played on Argentina's under-20 national team, but was mostly a reservist for his club, meaning his experience level is limited making this a bit of a risk for the Dynamo. However, at just 21-years of age, it is a risk worth taking.

Instead of going after a known 30+ year-old, Kinnear has opted to go for youth. Caraccio will have a fantastic opportunity to showcase himself as the speeder striker along side Brian Ching. Combine this with the attacking styles of Stuart Holden and Dwayne De Rosario and the Dynamo again look great up top.

It also appears to be a double win for the club as it looks like they will get him on a free transfer and that he will sign a four-year deal at about $70,000 a year, meaning they should have some money left over for another player.

It is amazing how many things just keep going Houston's way on the pitch and it looks like another might be about to happen off the pitch.

During the whole Houston soccer stadium debate, the mayor has insisted that no property tax revenues would be used to build a home for the Dynamo, however it now appears he is open to using other city monies.

"I'm not saying we won't provide any public funds," White said. "What I am saying is we won't use funds that could be used for providing for essential city services, such as solid waste and parks and libraries and things like that, public safety."

So what does this mean?

White said if public funds were used, they will not come out of the city's general fund or involve new taxes.

The mayor discussed a scenario that would involve property taxes collected by a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, a special district in which rising property tax revenues are funneled back into the zone for infrastructure improvements to attract further development.

Some of the TIRZ monies could be used to reimburse the city for the land purchase, or possibly for a small portion of the stadium itself, White said.

To sum up, it looks like the mayor is willing to spend some city money to get this deal down. Yet another example of how much Houston wants a stadium downtown.

But the always great Bernardo Fallas points out another sign this move seems to point towards, as it could mean the sale of the team to the 'De La Hoya/Brener people' is almost done.

Could it be that the next couple weeks will see the Dynamo get new owners and a stadium deal? They should be so lucky.

Houston stadium deal delayed

The city of Houston is giving itself an extra week to consider the proposal to purchase land for a Dynamo soccer stadium.

The City Council will look at the $15.5 million land deal on Wednesday but is expected to delay any decision to next week. If the city goes ahead with the purchase, they will acquire 5 blocks just outside of downtown currently owned by former Councilman Louis Macey. They are trying to get hold of the sixth block by swapping already owned land.

Although the main hope for this deal is to land a stadium, there is no guarantee that the Dynamo will build a stadium on the location. It is also not know if the city would sell or rent the land to the team.

It does seem that the city is very much hoping to make this happen, provided no tax dollars go to actual construction, so the pressure is on the Dynamo organization. The number one reason for the team's move from California was a lack of a stadium deal. Now it appears that a deal is coming together, however it might be the team that keeps it from happening.

AEG has said in the past that they are very interesting in building a stadium, however they also want to sell their Houston franchise to focus on their other club the LA Galaxy. Since MLS wants teams to own the facilities in which they play, if AEG does sell the team, they would have to work out an agreement over the stadium with new owners, but this could take some time to accomplish (look no further then the year long delay with the New York Red Bull stadium after AEG sold the team).

So in the end, we have a situation that appears to be more common then ever in the league, a city ready to help make a stadium happen (Houston, Miami, St. Louis) but either the team or league holding back.

MLS boss Garber talks about Houston stadium, international players/competition and profit

MLS Commissioner Don Garber had a few things to say about just about everything in the league when he talked with the Houston Chronicle. Overall, he likes where the league is at and the direction it is heading. As far as specifics, there were not a lot, but what few there are, are very interesting.

Since the interviewer is from Houston, the Dynamo topped the conversation list with their long sought stadium deal being the major issue. All though he didn't have any new news to spread, Garber was encouraged by the city's decision to purchase land for a stadium. He did point out that the recently finished Philadelphia deal took three-years, however said they will not wait 6-7 years for a stadium in Houston.

He also said that Houston will not see a MLS Cup or All-Star Game without a stadium saying, "...we have so many stadiums coming online in so many cities, my commitment to those cities and those owners who have made great commitments to build those stadiums is to bring them our premier events." I guess DC will not be seeing another MLS Cup for a little while.

As far as a possible sale of the team slowing down stadium talks, Garber doesn't think it is true. In addition, he would like to see an ownership group made up of locals takeover the team, but it is not a necessity since a number of other teams are owned by folks not from their market.

On the non-Houston related front, Garber thinks that at some point MLS will need to reevaluate all the international competitions that currently crowd the schedule, but in the mean time these games are needed to bring in more of the 'Hispanic or Latino community.' However, one tournament the league likes but appears unwilling to jump into is the Copa Libertadores. "It would be great to compete in Libertadores. Right now our focus is to win (CONCACAF's) Champions League and make it to the FIFA Club World Cup." This seems to be the club level argument of the Gold Cup/Copa America discussion from last summer.

All this is interesting, but the biggest two pieces of information, for me at least, have to do with Garber's take on developing American players and profitability.

When asked about all the foreign players coming to MLS and how this may hurt the league's goal of growing homegrown talent, the commish said, "We can't sign a player who might not want to play in MLS or is not worth what he thinks he's worth to play here versus going to the second division in Norway, for example. We have to make business decisions that are right for our product, right for our television partners, right for our sponsors and right for our fans."

The first part is obvious, if an American doesn't want to play in MLS then he is not going to play here. The second part seems a bit, um, condescending. Seeing how a large number of players that have signed overseas in recent years are players make less then $100,000 a year in MLS, it is hard to argue that they are not worth more. A good argument can be made that MLS is a more competitive league then Norway or other second/third tier European leagues, but when it comes to money, MLS is still behind. Instead of admitting this and saying that it is something the league needs to work on in the future, Garber attacks the players. Not the classiest way to go.

But let's end on a good note. He takes down the 'money-losing business' argument so many soccer detractors use against the league perfectly by pointing out that they are still in an investment mode and pointing out how many people are looking at buying into the league. If MLS were failing, why would people put money into it. To make it a little simpler to understand, you've got to spend money to make money and we are still spending money.

MLS Expansion - NFL owner wants to bring MLS to Atlanta

Arthur Blank, owner of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, wants his sports operation to expand outside of American football and Major League Soccer is high on his list. Blank said 'he is "actively looking at" bringing a Major League Soccer expansion team to Atlanta. He described it as "in the exploratory stage" and said the team would need a soccer-specific stadium. "We're out looking at stadium sites right now ... in a variety of places," he said.'

Blank brings a lot of what league officials want to the table. He is rich (worth about $1.3 billion), has strong sports connections to the local community (owns the Falcons and came close to owning baseball's Atlanta Braves) and has a good business history (he was co-founder of Home Depot). In addition, the Deep South is the one region of the country where MLS is completely absent. Since Atlanta is the largest market in the region and ninth-largest metro area in the nation, it has the size needed to make the team a success.

Obviously this is still in the early stages, but if Blank can find a solid stadium site and come up with a way to deal with the hot summer weather (perhaps ask Dallas about this), he might be in the running sooner rather then later.

MLS Expansion - Philadelphia stadium deal unveiled

The governor himself announced a $47 million state funding deal that will help build a soccer stadium in the city of Chester. Now all they need is MLS to great the city of Philadelphia a team with which to fill it.

The plan includes $25m for the stadium, but is contingent on MLS giving them the franchise. The other $22m will be used for non-soccer stadium specific improvements to the area.

All along, the league has said that the only piece missing from the Philadelphia bid was the state money, so now that they have that piece, it is hard to see a way for them not to get a team.