Arthur Blank, who owns the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and the Arena Football League's Georgia Force, has filed an application for a Major League Soccer expansion franchise for Atlanta, which, should it be granted, would begin play in 2011. The city, home to the Atlanta Silverbacks of USL-1, has not had a franchise in a top-flight outdoor league since the demise of the Atlanta Chiefs of the North American Soccer League following the 1981 season.
Meanwhile, longtime Spanish and European powerhouse FC Barcelona has entered the MLS expansion sweepstakes as part of a joint effort to bring MLS back to Miami, where the Fusion (1998-2001) bellied up after four seasons of playing home games in Fort Lauderdale.
Today was the deadline for prospective ownership groups to submit bids for expansion franchises.
Besides Atlanta and Miami, Montreal, Vancouver, St. Louis, Portland, and Ottawa have submitted applications for 2011 expansion franchises.
The new Seattle Sounders FC club is scheduled to begin play next year and the new Philadelphia franchise is set to begin play in 2010. The league is planning on adding an additional two clubs who would begin play in 2011.
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