NEW YORK — Seven prospective ownership groups from markets throughout the United States and Canada have submitted an application for a future Major League Soccer expansion team.
MLS intends to add two more clubs in the next few years, bringing the League to 18 teams. Seattle Sounders FC begin play next year as the 15th team in MLS, and Philadelphia will join in 2010 as the League’s 16th team.
The following ownership groups, listed in alphabetical order by market, submitted applications to the MLS office in New York City prior to the League’s 5:00 pm ET deadline today:
| Ownership Group | Market |
| Arthur Blank | Atlanta |
| FC Barcelona and Marcelo Claure | Miami |
| The Saputo and Gillett Families | Montreal |
| Eugene Melnyk | Ottawa |
| The Paulson Family | Portland |
| Jeff Cooper Investment Group | St Louis |
| Greg Kerfoot, Steve Nash, and Jeff Mallett | Vancouver |
The MLS expansion application required prospective owners to provide information such as details about the applicant’s proposed ownership group, stadium plan and financing, and an analysis of the potential expansion market.
The applications will be reviewed by the League office and the MLS Expansion Committee. An announcement regarding which markets will receive the next two expansion clubs will take place during the fourth quarter of 2008 or the first quarter of 2009.
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