The National Lacrosse League will expand to Chicago and New York for 2007, according to published reports today.

The news appeared today on the Sports Business Daily and San Jose Stealth web sites.

The Chicago team -- to be owned by former NBA coach Kevin Loughery and his son, Kevin Loughery, Jr. -- will play at Sears Centre, a 10,000-seat arena in suburban Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

In New York, a consortium of bankers will own the new team, which will split its games between Madison Square Garden in Manhattan and Nassau Coliseum on Long Island.

MSG, often referred to as "The World's Most Famous Arena," has never hosted professional indoor lacrosse, but the Coliseum has, serving as the New York Saints' home arena from 1989 until the team suspended operations in 2003.

It is unclear whether the New York group has purchased the rights to the dormant Saints or will own a brand-new team.

The league, according to the report, has also received expansion bids from TD Banknorth Garden (originally FleetCenter), which hosted the Boston Blazers from 1996-1997; Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland; BankAtlantic Center (Sunrise, Fla.); and MTS Centre (Winnipeg).