The New York Cosmos made waves Thursday with the announcement that they will be participating in NASL next season, the first tangible sign that the franchise will actually field a team after being reborn in 2010 following a nearly 30-year hiatus.
Based on the Cosmos' statement from earlier in the day, the club maintains its sights on one day becoming an MLS expansion franchise, and MLS commissioner Don Garber addressed the Cosmos' integration into NASL and future aspirations, issuing the following statement:
"We welcome the Cosmos' entrance to the NASL," Garber said. "Having a vibrant second division is important to the overall growth and popularity of soccer in North America, and we are pleased to see the NASL add a new franchise.
"Major League Soccer remains committed to securing an expansion team in New York City. The current focus is on exploring a stadium site, but we will continue discussions with several potential ownership groups, including the Cosmos, about the possibility of joining the efforts to bring a second MLS team to New York."
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