hopefully the caliber the recent of No. 1 picks like MLS Cup 2004 MVP Alecko Eskandarian or rookie sensation Freddy Adu."
Major League Soccer's 2004 Expansion Draft will be carried LIVE on ESPNews at 2:00 p.m. MT and is expected to last between 60-90 minutes. Real Salt Lake season-ticket holders and fans are invited to join the team for this historic event at the SkyBox and are encouraged to reserve seating by e-mailing RSVP@RealSaltLake.com. At the event, fans will have the opportunity to reserve season tickets, buy merchandise, witness the historic draft-day events and interact with Real Salt Lake management.
The rules of the Expansion Draft state that each team may protect 12 senior roster players. Further, only one senior international can be left unprotected. Each of the 10 existing MLS teams may lose a maximum of three players, and may also protect one additional player for each man taken by either Real Salt Lake or CD Chivas USA. Eight teams must submit their protected player lists to the League office no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday (MLS Cup 2004 Champions D.C. United and the Western Conference Champion Kansas City Wizards receive an extra 24 hours to submit their lists following today's Championship Game), with the lists of available players to be announced on the League's Official Web Site, www.MLSnet.com, on Wednesday.
Preparations continue for the inaugural season of Real Salt Lake, kicking off in April, 2005. More information on the club can be found on the team's official website at www.RealSaltLake.com or by calling 1-877-MLS-UTAH.
