MLS will hold a BOG meeting in N.Y. on Dec. 14 to "take up the league's upcoming expansion," and Nashville is now "widely seen as a favorite" to land one of two teams, according to Joey Garrison of the Nashville TENNESSEAN. MLS will announce the two expansion teams "before the end of the year, likely between Dec. 18 and Dec. 21." The one-month waiting period comes after the Nashville Metro Council "last week approved" $225M in bond funding for a $275M soccer-specific stadium project. Twelve cities are "in the hunt for MLS' next round of expansion, with Sacramento considered the clear front-runner and Cincinnati and Detroit viewed as other top contenders for the two slots." Cincinnati is "facing a time crunch to finalize stadium plans before MLS makes its decision." But it is "unclear whether Cincinnati, which has explored three potential stadium locations, will be able to win approval from a government partner" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 11/15).
OTHER POSSIBILITIES: In Cincinnati, Patrick Brennan writes USL club FC Cincinnati "seems to further its chance of winning an MLS spot with each passing week." Patrick noted the club on Monday "announced a 'kit' or jersey sponsorship deal with Mercy Health" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 11/15). In Louisville, Gentry Estes notes USL club Louisville City FC, which won the '17 USL Cup, would be "first in line to move up into a higher league" -- such as MLS -- if teams "were promoted in a system that exists for professional soccer leagues in many countries worldwide." But MLS is "not one of them." Louisville City FC coach James O'Connor said, "The country needs it, if I’m being honest. It’d be great to see if we could get that in the country.” But Estes writes, "Don’t expect promotion and relegation between MLS and the USL to be added any time soon" (Louisville COURIER JOURNAL, 11/15).
