Austin’s Guerrero Park becomes latest focus of MLS stadium search

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http://www.statesman.com/sports/austin-guerrero-park-becomes-latest-focus-mls-stadium-search/QPbPHPW8M2TOpu0y5QcYLP/

Austin’s Guerrero Park becomes latest focus of MLS stadium search

Activists protested Saturday against the use of parkland for a stadium, but Austin City Council Member Sabino “Pio” Renteria told the American-Statesman that he would like to have a discussion with PSV officials and community members before removing the park from consideration.

The protestors who gathered at the park Saturday complained that they have been left out of the discussion altogether. More than 60 demonstrators calling themselves Friends of Austin Parkland held signs, chanted and sang to protest the use of public parkland for private development.

Similar protests at Butler Shores led City Council Member Ann Kitchen to draft a resolution that called for eliminating all parkland from consideration as a possible stadium site. The resolution was withdrawn after PSV announced it was no longer interested in the Butler Shores tract.

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/883848?referrer_id=2349190

USL's Week Ahead – Preseason Opens with Historic Contests

Nashville, Las Vegas make notable debuts, FCC and Rowdies clash at IMG Academy

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7vpyua/darnell_king_makes_move_to_san_antonio_fc/

Darnell King Makes Move to San Antonio FC (uslsoccer.com)

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/883967?referrer_id=2364194-news-archive

King Makes Move to San Antonio

Former Rowdies defender brings extensive experience to SAFC back line

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http://blog.mysanantonio.com/the-local-scene/2018/02/soccer-safc-signs-former-nasl-standout-defender/

Soccer: SAFC signs former NASL standout defender

San Antonio FC signed defender Darnell King, pending United Soccer League and U.S. Soccer Federation approval. He joined the local club after previously playing for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Tampa Bay Rowdies of the NASL.

King appeared in 24 matches last season, making 23 starts, for Tampa Bay and helped the squad to a third-place finish in the NASL Eastern Conference.

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https://www.brotherlygame.com/2018/2/6/16963144/marcus-epps-looking-forward-to-facing-alma-mater-in-south-florida-scrimmage-philadelphia-usf-bulls

Marcus Epps looking forward to facing alma mater in USF scrimmage

Epps will be scrimmaging his former college team with the Philadelphia Union on Tuesday.

The Bulls played in front of about 1,900 fans at their home field against the Chicago Fire on Saturday night. They also hosted the New York Red Bulls on January 27 and have a game against the Tampa Bay Rowdies scheduled in March.

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http://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states/story/3374148/north-american-soccer-league-vs-us-soccer-federation-legal-battle-escalates

North American Soccer League vs. U.S. Soccer Federation legal battle escalates

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7vs1af/back_in_time_vancouver_whitecaps_and_the_days_of/

Back In Time: Vancouver Whitecaps and the days of Team Hawaii (aftn.ca)

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http://aftn.ca/vancouver-whitecaps-and-the-days-of-team-hawaii/

Back In Time: Vancouver Whitecaps and the days of Team Hawaii

The long wait is over. Vancouver Whitecaps are finally back in action today.

The ‘Caps kick off their first of seven preseason matches tonight when they take on Japanese J1 League side Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo at the University of Hawaii’s training pitch. Three 45 minute periods were planned, but that’s now been amended to two.

This is all preseason of course, but hard as it may be to believe, there once was a time when the Whitecaps played an actual league match on the island, back in the days of the original North American Soccer League (NASL).

The 1970’s were a weird and wacky time in general, and when it came to North American soccer, the NASL seemed to fully embrace the mood of the decade. Say what you want about all the glitz and glamour, and razzamatazz and rule changes, that the league brought to the world’s game, but they attracted some of the best players from around the globe to play over here and attracted some huge crowds to watch them at times.

But some of the NASL’s business decisions were decidedly hit or miss. Over expansion and a failure to understand some markets proved very detrimental to the league. A lot of teams failed and a lot of them were one season “wonders”, and that brings us to the 1977 season and the rise and fall of Team Hawaii.

Team Hawaii’s existence was very short lived. They played their first NASL match at home to Seattle Sounders on April 8th 1977. Four months later they played their last ever NASL match on August 4th, this time in Seattle.

The team played 26 games, winning just 11 of them and finishing fourth in Pacific Conference Southern Division, failing to make the playoffs and playing in front of an average attendance of 4,536 at the cavernous Aloha Stadium, home to this week’s Pacific Rim Cup matches.

When you consider that they had 12,877 fans in attendance for the visit of a New York Cosmos side that included Pele in their second ever match, you can imagine what some of the other games drew. Their lowest crowd of the season was for their 4-1 victory over Rochester Lancers on June 8th, where only 1,896 came to watch. They drew a combined total of 58.967 fans for their 13 home matches, in a stadium that holds 50,000.

Team Hawaii’s existence was a strange one. They began life two years earlier as San Antonio Thunder, but after two poor seasons both on and off the pitch, the team moved from Texas to Honolulu. After failing there, owner Ward Lay Jr (son of the founder of Frito-Lay) upped sticks once again, moving the team to Oklahoma, where they became the much better known and more successful 1983 Soccer Bowl winning Tulsa Roughnecks.

Maybe all that team movement is what inspired Anthony Precourt to take the Crew there this preseason.

The Whitecaps played Team Hawaii twice. Away at Aloha Stadium on Friday April 29th, and then at home at Empire Stadium on Monday July 11th. Now, almost 41 years later, the ‘Caps are back playing football matches on the island and in the same stadium, all of which must give some flashbacks for Whitecaps President Bobby Lenarduzzi.

Lenarduzzi, and his brother Sam, played in both of the matches against Team Hawaii in 1977 and Bobby remembers the game well, or at least the trip, telling Ian Plenderleith in his excellent “Rock ‘n’ Roll Soccer” book, “the game in Hawaii was almost a side-affair compared with the idea of taking a trip out there”.

The away match was Vancouver’s fourth game of the new NASL season and 4,124 fans went along to Aloha Stadium to see the home side come away with a 2-1 victory. Yugoslavian midfielder Marko Vujkovic got Vancouver’s goal, with Brian Tinnion and Jim Henry earning the points for Hawaii.

The Whitecaps got revenge at Empire Stadium three months later, as goals from Derek Possee, Brian Bason. Buzz Parsons, and Bob Bolitho gave Vancouver a 4-3 victory in front of 12,473 fans.

When Team Hawaii departed the island almost as quickly as they arrived, it was 17 years before another pro team tried to make a go of it in Honolulu. That team was the rather dodgy named Hawaii Tsunami, who spent four seasons from 1994 to 1997 in the United States International Soccer League (USISL), who became the USL we know today in 1999.

But the past 20 years has seen nothing since. There are currently no professional football teams in Hawaii, but there is a thriving youth set up across the islands. A three division amateur league, the Men’s Island Soccer Organization, does operate on the island of Oahu, with just under 30 teams competing.

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https://elitesportsny.com/2018/02/06/new-york-cosmos-danny-szetela-sad-state-us-soccer/

Cosmos midfielder Danny Szetela on the sad state of U.S. Soccer

New York Cosmos midfielder Danny Szetela joins Schwartz on Sports to discuss the sad state of soccer in the United States.

There was a time when Danny Szetela missed a significant portion of his soccer career because of injuries. And now, he’s hoping that his career doesn’t come to an end, not because of injury, but because of the way the sport is governed in the United States.

Just like everyone else that is affiliated with the North American Soccer League, the Cosmos veteran midfielder is suddenly facing life after soccer as the league awaits a ruling from an appeals court on a request for an injunction that would restore the NASL’s Division Two classification from the United States Soccer Federation.

Players from the Cosmos and other teams have left for other teams and leagues, but Szetela’s optioned are limited. The 30-year-old Clifton, New Jersey native has been offered a contract in the Second Division United Soccer League for $3,000 a month with no health insurance while Major League Soccer teams are looking at younger players.

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https://www.themaneland.com/2018/2/6/16976402/predicting-who-will-win-the-u-s-soccer-presidential-election

Predicting Who Will Win the U.S. Soccer Presidential Election

Carter, Cordeiro, Wynalda, and Martino are the favorites, but who will win the election?

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http://www.espn.com/soccer/club/united-states/660/blog/post/3373295/world-cup-woe-to-us-soccer-presidential-election-timeline-of-critical-events

From World Cup woe to a USSF presidential election: How we got here

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http://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states/story/3374781/nasl-sues-us-soccer-directors-over-acting-to-protect-interests

NASL sues U.S. Soccer directors over acting to protect interests

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https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/wynalda-recalls-bad-blood-between-usmnt-players-and-ussf-during-his-playing-days/

Wynalda recalls bad blood between USMNT players and USSF during his playing days

Wynalda and former coach Steve Sampson remember the impact pay disputes had on the team in the 90s

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https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2018/2/6/16965388/us-soccer-sunil-gulati-defense-presidential-election-change

Sunil Gulati offers a disconnected defense of the USSF and criticizes detractors

Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ‘18

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https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/76674/nasls-barrage-continues-with-civil-suit-against-u.html

NASL's barrage continues with civil suit against U.S. Soccer's board of directors

U.S. Soccer's board of directors have been dragged into the barrage of legal actions filed by the NASL or those with ties to the NASL.

In the latest one, the NASL filed a civil lawsuit in New York County (Manhattan) court against 14 of the 15 voting members of U.S. Soccer's board of directors and general secretary Dan Flynn.

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http://www.nwemail.co.uk/sport/PETE-ON-THE-BEAT-Dont-waste-your-money-Becks-42b01ece-ffe2-427c-b37f-cb8c470122e7-ds

PETE ON THE BEAT: Don't waste your money Becks

IT'S an old story, but it still has a ring of truth even if the figures have escalated: the quickest way for a football club owner to get a bank balance of £1m is to start out with £2m.

So, why was David Beckham looking so pleased with life when he launched his new Miami franchise to an excited audience?

Clearly, he had not listened to the findings of sports management professor Jordan Kobritz. If he had, he might have had second thoughts about putting his cash into a new Florida-based MLS club.

Professor Kobritz was not among those cheering Becks' announcement as a triumph for his Great American Adventure.

Instead, he warned that the former England captain was entering a world of loss-making business – where a stay-at-home TV fan is worth more than the season-ticket holder.

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/883841?referrer_id=2364194-news-archive

Nashville Clash with Atlanta Sells Out

NSC’s professional preseason debut continues to build buzz around club

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https://www.kgun9.com/sports/local-sports/fc-tucson-to-become-a-professional-soccer-team

FC Tucson to become a professional soccer team

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http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/37433863/fc-tucson-turning-professional

Breaking: FC Tucson turning professional

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7vnw3k/drew_fellios_on_twitter_excited_to_spend_a_little/

[Drew Fellios on Twitter] Excited to spend a little more time at home this spring-n-summer as PxP voice of the @TampaBayRowdies @USL #dreamcometrue (twitter.com)

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https://twitter.com/DrewSportsTV/status/960632477462142976

Drew Fellios‏

@DrewSportsTV

Excited to spend a little more time at home this spring-n-summer as PxP voice of the @TampaBayRowdies @USL #dreamcometrue

1:53 PM - 5 Feb 2018 from Tampa, FL

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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7vjcfh/north_carolina_fc_fan_coming_in_peace/

North Carolina FC fan coming in peace... (self.TampaBayRowdies)

Not sure how many of y'all are planning on coming to NCFC's home opener on March 17th. But for those who are, the club is selling $3 green beer and the supporters group "Oak City Supporters" all also have free beer at their tailgate as well for any one who wants to stop by!

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https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/76672/pushback-after-jermaine-jones-takes-to-instagram-a.html

Pushback after Jermaine Jones takes to Instagram again

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https://www.nation.co.ke/sports/talkup/Built-on-hype-Super-Bowl-keeps-the-cash-flowing-in/441392-4292746-900b73/index.html

Built on hype, Super Bowl keeps the cash flowing in

MLS THE FUTURE

But Mimi Omogeni, yet another Kenyan who has settled in USA, believes Major League Soccer (MLS) will soon take up the NFL’s place as the richest sporting league, not only in USA, but globally.

“MLS is the future of sports in the US,” she argued. “The way states and county governments are investing in soccer is definitely going to overthrow NFL in the next decade.

See how much clubs are investing to hire ex-European league players? This is all for talent and mentorship.”

The Super Bowl experience demonstrates the power of sports marketing in building a strong brand, something Kenyan sports managers ought to study with keen interest.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2018/02/05/jabil-picks-the-site-for-its-new-headquarters.html

Jabil picks the site for its new headquarters

The decision comes after considering many other locations.

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http://futebolcidade.com/grupo-pachuca-soccer-war-mexico/

Grupo Pachuca – The Soccer War in Mexico

While some Americans are familiar with what is termed a “soccer war” between establishment and anti-establishment, reformist camps (the #ProRelforUSA hashtag is one of several reform hashtags that has been used to organized reformist information regarding the USSF), the one to the south in Mexico might not be as known, but seems to operating in similar veins to the USA battle with Grupo Pachuca at the centre of the affair.

However, there is a difference in the political battle. While the USSF has pitted the directors of league associations against each other, the fight within the FMF has been one between owners within one league—Liga MX. There’s also another difference. Unlike in USSF, who is holding presidential elections in the coming weeks, Liga MX owners are the only owners who have any say in the goings-on of the national federation. If something happens with the national team, or with a national team manager or director, then it’s the representatives or directors from only the eighteen clubs in Liga MX who can vote on the decision and only from those eighteen clubs. No players. None of the representatives from the more than 295 clubs who are affiliated with FMF but play in the FMF’s lower divisions. No one else. And it’s been that way since the professional era began.

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https://lasportshub.com/2018/02/06/la-galaxy-zlatan-ibrahimovic-beckham/

LA Galaxy: Can Zlatan Ibrahimovic be a bigger star than David Beckham?

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https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2018/02/06/fc-cincinnati-draws-new-england-1-1-first-preseason-game/313533002/

FC Cincinnati draws New England 1-1 in first preseason game

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http://www.fccincinnati.com/news_article/show/884083?referrer_id=2584136

FCC Draws New England In Preseason Opener

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/883841-nashville-clash-with-atlanta-sells-out

Nashville Clash with Atlanta Sells Out

NSC’s professional preseason debut continues to build buzz around club

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http://www.tucsonsentinel.com/sports/report/020618_fc-tucson/fc-tucson-announces-move-pro-level/

FC Tucson announces move to pro level

Local soccer club will is only 2nd to announce membership in newly minted D3

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https://footballfoyer.com/2018/02/06/around-the-mls-beckham-miami-van-der-wiel-toronto-fc/

Around the MLS: Beckham’s Miami side given green light, Dutch international joins Toronto FC

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/882387?referrer_id=2364194-news-archive

FC Tucson Leads USL Division III’s West Coast Expansion

High-performing club acquired by USL’s Phoenix Rising FC joins professional ranks