Short takes
• Zygi and Mark Wilf, the owners of the Vikings, appear to be one step closer to Major League Soccer ownership after losing out on the chance for Minnesota's MLS team. The Nashville City Council approved a $275 million stadium project for the city's fairgrounds, a move that no doubt makes the city much more attractive to the league. The Wilfs, along with Nashville businessman John Ingram, are key parts of the potential Nashville ownership group. The stadium plan might make Nashville a favorite to earn an expansion team this winter.
• It sounds like MLS will begin to change its transfer rules this offseason — for example, letting teams keep 100 percent of the money they make when selling a homegrown player to another team. MLS' arcane rules sometimes discourage teams from selling players, which is bad for everyone involved.
• Another testament to Atlanta United's popularity: Midfielder Miguel Almiron had the most popular jersey, in terms of sales, in 2017, and striker Josef Martinez was third. Christian Ramirez was the only Loon in the top 25, coming in 17th. Atlanta had five players in the top 25, while the Seattle Sounders had six.
