NEW YORK -- Major League Soccer hopes to place its next two expansion teams in Miami and Atlanta. "Were making progress in both of those markets. I wouldnt say were close," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Tuesday ahead of this weekends championship game between Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City. Former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Los Angeles Galaxy star David Beckham is leading the Miami effort and has the right to an expansion team at a discount fee of $25 million. "We are very excited about the opportunity of David putting together an ownership group and finalizing a stadium site in downtown Miami," Garber said. "We cant go to Miami without the right stadium solution. David understands that. The city understands that. That is an indisputable fact." New teams have been announced for 2015 in New York City and Orlando, Fla., increasing the leagues total to 21. MLS began with 10 teams in 1996, expanded to 12 and then contracted to 10 in 2002 when Miami and Tampa Bay were eliminated. "The Miami today demographically, socially, politically is very different from the Miami of 2002 where we folded the Miami Fusion," Garber said. "So we believe Miami could work if we get the right stadium situation. We dont have that yet." Falcons owner Arthur Blank heads the Atlanta venture, which would play at a new stadium for his NFL team, a venue scheduled to open in 2017. "Weve been working on a downsizing technology that we think would be unique, would be the only one of its kind anywhere in the world," Garber said. "Weve got to continue to work hard with Atlanta to see if this whole project makes sense for them. But I am encouraged by the discussions and hope to be able to finalize something." They would give the league 23 teams, one short of the leagues goal for 2020. Garber said Tuesday that Minneapolis, San Antonio, St. Louis and Austin, Texas, are among the possibilities for a 24th team. MLSs regular-season attendance average increased from 15,504 in 2006 to a record 18,807 last year before dropping slightly this season to 18,594. Garber said the league is spending more than $20 million annually on player development and must grow revenue. "Major League Soccer still loses money as an enterprise, and weve got to find a way that we can get closer to being a break-even enterprise," he said. The league receives an average of about $28 million annually from its national broadcast contracts with ESPN, NBC and Univision, which expire after the 2014 season. In the first season after Beckham left the Galaxy, regular-season ratings dropped from an average of 180,000 viewers to 170,000, according to Nielsen Media Research. However, viewers for the playoffs not including the final have increased from 240,000 to 270,000. "We did a heat map of the MLS broadcast schedule against that of the EPL, two other European leagues and the four other major leagues in this country, and you get dizzy looking at the MLS schedule," Garber said. "What we need to have is a consistent game of the week or games of the week that run from the beginning of year to the end of the year as much as we can at consistent times. And if that can be a Friday or a Saturday or a Sunday, that would be a positive." In its first season televising the English Premier League under a $250 million, three-year contract, NBCSN is averaging 429,000 for games televised in the U.S. mostly on weekend mornings. Nine games on NBC are averaging 788,000. "I think what NBC did for the Premier League is unprecedented in the history of pro sports. They really took the Premier League and made it as important as anything that was going on in the NBC Universal family, and its paying off in ratings and its certainly making economic sense for them," Garber said. "So if were able to create that kind of a scenario with a broadcaster, I think it would be beneficial for us." Garber also went into detail on the leagues examination of whether to switch its March-to-December schedule to the international calendar, which runs from August until May. MLS discussed playing from July until December, taking a break and finishing from late February until May. "Its not just about are we going to play a few more games in cold-weather markets at an earlier time of the year. Its about what do we do with an extended break, because I dont care what market it is, were not playing in February and in January in places like Toronto, Vancouver," he said. "We went through some fairly extensive discussions as a league to figure out if we could do this sometime in the future. It wouldnt have been for 14. But thats not something that were going to do in the short-term." He also promised more transparency in the leagues complex and opaque player control rules, which make if difficult at times to determine which teams control rights. "We are still evolving," he said. "and we still are doing some of this stuff on the fly." Allen Crabbe Jersey . - While he appreciates suggestions from Packers fans of remedies for his sore left calf, Aaron Rodgers is not necessarily going to listen to the advice. Josh Smith Jersey . The Redblacks host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (7-9) Friday night in their last home game of the year and as of Thursday afternoon, the team was anticipating a ninth consecutive sellout. You can watch all the action on TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, and TSN5 beginning at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. https://www.thehawkslockerroom.com/Jabari-Parker-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Last years runner-up, Sara Errani, also reached the last eight in straight sets. Flipkens converted all four of her break points against Meusburger, and the third-seeded Errani broke Karin Knapps serve five times to win their all-Italian match 6-4, 6-3. Alex Len Hawks Jersey .C. - Canadian ice dancing, it seems, is in good hands. Jeremy Lin Jersey .What they got was a bevy of players chipping in to pick up the slack.Josh Smith scored 18 points and James Harden added 17 as the Rockets used a balanced scoring effort to outlast the Mavericks for a 99-94 victory.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Billy Hamilton had a keepsake ball from his best all-around game. Hamilton hit his first career homer and Chris Heisey singled home the tiebreaking run in the sixth inning, sending the Cincinnati Reds past the Chicago Cubs 3-2 Tuesday night in a game delayed three times because of rain. The game started 19 minutes late. There was a 15-minute delay in the top of the fifth and a 1-hour, 11-minute delay in the bottom of the sixth. Hamiltons solo homer off Jeff Samardzija (0-3) tied it in the fifth. He also reached base by a walk and two infield singles, stole a base and made a diving catch in centre field. Of all those things, the home run was the most unexpected. "Its a good feeling for me," Hamilton said. "Thats not what I want to do, but sometimes, it happens." Zack Cozart tripled to right-centre with two outs in the sixth, and Heiseys pinch-hit single put the Reds ahead as heavy rain started to fall and the third rain delay followed. "I havent had a lot of opportunities lately, but I make it a point to stay ready," said Heisey, who is 4 for 10 with six RBIs off the bench. Alfredo Simon (4-1) gave up five hits, including Starlin Castros two-run single, before Heisey pinch-hit for him. Simon has filled in while Mat Latos recovers from knee surgery and a sore pitching forearm. "Im not surprised that hes been competitive," manager Bryan Price said. "Whats been surprising at times is how much of a shut-down pitcher hes been. Were happy that hes been presented with the opportunity and run with it. Hes been a key cog." Jonathan Broxton retired all three batters in the ninth for his fifth save in five chances. The Cubs have lost five of their last six games, falling to 8-17. The series opener on Monday was postponed because of rain and hasnt been rescheduled. The Reds have had seven rain delays in 11 home playing dates this season, with one game postponed and another suspended overnight. It was another solid but winless perfformance for Samardzija, who has not gotten a victory in his last 12 starts since Aug.dddddddddddd 30. The Cubs havent scored while he was on the mound -- only 32 runs in those 12 starts. Samardzija was in line for a win in his last start, but the bullpen blew a 5-2 lead last Wednesday in a 7-5 loss to Arizona. Hamilton had his most productive game as Cincinnatis leadoff hitter. He scored twice, giving him 12 runs this season. "Every day I come in here, Im trying to do something good for the team, whether its a sacrifice fly or a stolen base or scoring a big run," Hamilton said. "It was fun today." Hamilton opened the first inning with a walk, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Brandon Phillips sacrifice fly made it 1-0. Hamilton had an infield single in the third and was thrown out by catcher Welington Castillo, the fifth time in 15 attempts that hes been caught stealing this season. The Cubs loaded the bases in the third on singles by Emilio Bonifacio and Ryan Kalish and a walk to Anthony Rizzo. Castro singled up the middle on the first pitch for a 2-1 lead. Hamilton shortened to bunt twice in the fifth inning before hitting his first career homer to right field, tying it 2-all. Cubs second baseman Darwin Barney made the best defensive play of the game. He went up the middle to reach Ryan Ludwicks grounder in the fourth, got to the ball on the third base side of the bag and threw Ludwick out from the outfield grass. NOTES: Cubs manager Rick Renteria was ejected for arguing ball-and-strike calls in the bottom of the sixth. ... Renteria expects RHP Jake Arrieta to be activated and start on Saturday. Hes been sidelined by stiffness in his pitching shoulder. ... Reds closer Aroldis Chapman threw 25 pitches during batting practice. Hes expected to make his first rehabilitation appearance with Class-A Dayton on Thursday. Chapman had a plate inserted above his left eye to heal fractures from a line drive on March 19. He could be activated next week. ' ' '