Louisville City FC execs said that the USL club is "not prepared to announce a formal bid" for MLS expansion, "shortly after one of its co-owners reportedly suggested a bid could be coming after the team's new stadium opens" in '20, according to Justin Sayers of the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL. LCFC has "long been rumored" as an MLS candidate, but since beginning USL play in '15, The club has "maintained a wait-and-see approach in terms of a potential move" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 10/31). In Louisville, Marty Finley noted LCFC co-Owner Mike Mountjoy during a panel discussion at the annual Kentucky Commercial Real Estate Conference yesterday said that the team's ownership "aims to formally bid on a MLS franchise sometime after the team's soccer-specific stadium in Butchertown opens" in March '20. Mountjoy "did not speculate on exactly when the bid could come." But he said that the team is "strategically planning the move in order to be active in MLS by the mid-2020s, should the league accept their bid." Mountjoy said that he "believes the city would support a MLS franchise" and the team "would be one of the more affordable professional franchises an ownership group could bring to Louisville." LCFC is "close to finalizing its financing to move forward on construction after a summer groundbreaking for a 11,300-seat soccer stadium." The stadium is "designed to easily expand up to 20,000 seats or more" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/30).
PRO LOOK: In Cincinnati, Patrick Brennan notes MLS expansion club FC Cincinnati will unveil its "new brand identity, including what the club's redesigned crest looks like," on Nov. 12. FC Cincinnati President & GM Jeff Berding has "always maintained the club's colors will remain orange and blue (although different hues of orange and blue weren't explicitly ruled out)." Berding also "pledged the club's initials would remain 'F.C.C.'" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 10/31).
