We are close to finalizing a deal for '07. We've given MLSE an exclusive window through the end of the month, Oct. 31 to negotiate a deal for an expansion team,

Bert and his wife, Iris, have been extraordinarily committed to the development of soccer at all levels in northeast Ohio, and his passion for the game, his unflinching dedication to community service and his pursuit of excellence in all his endeavors both professionally and personally will never be forgotten.

It's very important to note that this is a league that's young, that continues to evolve and we make decisions that we think are in the best long-term interest of the league, ... We have added two new owners into this league both who are going to be in great markets and who at one point are going to be playing in soccer specific stadiums.

I think we've got some interest and I think we've got some momentum but we've got to be sure we do things right. There's no rush to expand this league,

We believe we are a team that can succeed in East Los Angeles and New York City, but we also can succeed in places like Columbus and Salt Lake,

[It's worth repeating a quote from Garber that appeared in my recent Sports Illustrated story on Johnson.] We want kids to dream of playing for FC Dallas and being like Eddie, and the only way that happens is if he's playing in our league, ... Our future is going to have us looking to these special players as the foundations for the sport, and we need to find ways to provide salaries that are competitive with other parts of the world. More important than that, we need them to believe in the league and their role in building the sport.