City commissioners leery about idea of MLS training in Largo

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.tbnweekly.com/largo_leader/city-commissioners-leery-about-idea-of-mls-training-in-largo/article_6dc487b0-1735-11e8-a360-93dbd6347afc.html

City commissioners leery about idea of MLS training in Largo

LARGO – Some city leaders threw up their equivalent of a yellow card Feb. 20 after listening to a report on the possibility of Largo joining three other Pinellas County cities in hosting Major League Soccer training.

Several city commissioners expressed concerns about displacing youth athletes for several months and spending as much as $200,000 for field upgrades, but the potential of boosting the city’s economy and reputation was enough for them to want more information from the Tourist Development Council, which is pitching the idea in an effort to turn the area into pro soccer’s equivalent of baseball’s spring training.

“I think it could be a long-term investment opportunity in notoriety for the city, but it’s certainly going to have a short-term – and I don’t know how long a term effect – on our ability to program and provide services to our residents,” said Recreation, Parks and Arts Director Joan Byrne during a City Commission meeting at City Hall.

Weighing the pros, cons

Clearwater, Oldsmar and St. Petersburg currently host MLS teams for training, so city staff reached out to parks and recreation directors about the requirements and pros and cons.

After reading the report, several commissioners said it was hard to find the upside.

Teams would need to use two of the city’s three fields for about three to four weeks in late January or February, and no one else could use the fields during that time.

Also, the fields must be of a professional quality. The report said Clearwater, which hosts DC United and the Philadelphia Union, spent $150,000 in field prep and Oldsmar, which hosts the New York Red Bulls, spent $200,000. In addition, the fields would need to be “rested,” which means no one can use them from November through when the teams play.

When they do start playing, the public would not be allowed to observe practice sessions. The teams, however, provide a youth or coaches clinic and a meet-and-greet for the youth teams.

Also, the players require full-service hotel accommodations, but there are no hotels in Largo that fit their needs.

“In reading this, I’m trying to find a positive and I have yet to find one,” Commissioner Donna Holck said. “If they’re not going to be utilizing our hotels and we can’t, as a public, go watch them play and it’s going to take away from our youth that are very active in soccer, I don’t see a positive in this at all.”

(Follow link for full article.)

http://robbreport.com/shelter/spaces/miamis-new-mls-team-adds-fuel-to-an-already-hot-luxury-real-estate-market-2779432/

Miami’s New MLS Team Adds Fuel to an Already Hot Luxury Real Estate Market

The soccer franchise, led by David Beckham, offers another selling point for the evolving city.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://therealdeal.com/miami/2018/02/21/avra-jain-turns-to-overtown-for-next-restoration-project/

Avra Jain turns to Overtown for next restoration project

Developer aims to rehab five rental buildings using CRA funds

Meanwhile, some massive projects are planned for Overtown. David Beckham is launching a 25,000-seat, $200 million MLS Stadium to be built on a nine-acre development site between Northwest Sixth and Eighth streets, north of the Miami River. The mixed-use Miami Worldcenter is also under development, and is among the Miami sites pitched to Amazon for its second headquarters.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/p/david-beckham-inches-closer-to-owning-mls-club/vp-BBJqGZQ

David Beckham inches closer to Owning MLS Club

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics-extra/2018/02/21/px-santa-berding-has-bag-full-goodies-west-end-shouldnt-turn-down-fc-cincy-stadium-mls-expansion/360175002/

PX: Santa Berding has a bag full of goodies. West End shouldn't turn down FC Cincy stadium

West End residents have mostly raised quality-of-life questions about the idea of a pro soccer palace coming to their backyard....

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.mystatesman.com/sports/soccer/mckalla-place-the-good-bad-and-ugly-for-possible-mls-stadium-site/0CNAWFzLEM9bRvNtfPJJlK/

McKalla Place: The good, bad and ugly for possible MLS stadium site

When ranking the physical treasures of Austin, McKalla Place won’t land in anybody’s top 10. Or top 50.

Nonetheless, the 24-acre, city-owned property in North Austin is part of a shrinking group of properties that have been offered to Precourt Sports Ventures, owners of Columbus Crew SC, as potential sites for a 20,000-seat stadium. PSV officials have said the MLS franchise now dwelling in Ohio could relocate to Austin if a suitable stadium plan takes root.

Right now 10414 McKalla Lane isn’t pretty. The tract’s desolate and bleak, surrounded by warehouses and industrial parkways. And it comes with a long and sordid history of what city staff called “significant environmental issues.”

The city purchased the property in 1995 from Reichhold Chemicals for the bargain-basement price of $1.4 million. Chemical companies have been located there since 1957, and archived American-Statesman stories reveal a history of explosions, unstable ground and chemical dumps into the soil, which was still giving off foul odors as recently as 2004.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/1988-us-soccer-plans-promotion-relegation-system-mls

1988: When U.S. Soccer made plans for a ‘new and revolutionary’ promotion/relegation system

As some still pine for an open system, U.S. Soccer - and one Sunil Gulati - actually planned for it three decades ago. Then, MLS came along.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/feb/21/columbus-crew-move-austin-texas-mls

The Crew want to move to Austin – but does Austin want the Crew?

The MLS franchise is planning to leave Columbus and move 1,200 miles to the south. But not everyone in their proposed home would welcome them

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-plymouth-argyle-striker-spend-1242055

Former Plymouth Argyle striker to spend a year playing football in the MLS

Popular Plymouth-borm striker joins Colorado Rapids in a year-long loan deal

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/orlando-city-amazon-alexa-updates-fans

Orlando City roll out Amazon Alexa updates for fans

MLS side tap into Amazon’s intelligent personal assistant to provide daily news flashes.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.polygon.com/2018/2/21/17033702/fifa-18-mls-esports-emls-cup-tournament

How MLS is using FIFA 18 esports to reach the next generation of soccer fans

The eMLS Cup is just the beginning

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/19/blog/post/3390645/mls-homegrown-minutes-go-up-but-chances-for-young-us-talent-limited

MLS homegrown minutes go up but chances for young U.S. talent limited

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.engadget.com/2018/02/21/mls-esports-leagues-first-tournament-streams-on-twitch-this-apr/

MLS eSports league's first tournament streams on Twitch this April

The eMLS' first competition will be at PAX East.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/02/21/major-league-soccer-announces-details-first-emls-cup-tournament

Major League Soccer announces details for first eMLS Cup tournament

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/the-depressing-history-of-mls-versus-liga-mx-in-concacaf-champions-league/

The depressing history of MLS versus Liga MX in CONCACAF Champions League

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2018/02/21/major-league-soccer-announces-tournament-details-emls-cup-pax-east-april-5-8

Major League Soccer announces tournament details for eMLS Cup at PAX East, April 5-8

(Follow link for full article.)

https://ussoccerplayers.com/2018/02/toronto-focuses-on-the-champions-league-and-mls.html

Toronto focuses on the Champions League and MLS

(Follow link for full article.)

http://worldsoccertalk.com/2018/02/21/espn-plus-niche-audiences-help-increase-mls-exposure/

ESPN Plus’ niche audiences could help increase MLS exposure

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/101659044/Anthony-Hudsons-MLS-debut-sees-loss-in-record-low-temperature-of-16

Anthony Hudson's MLS debut sees loss in record low temperature of -16

(Follow link for full article.)

http://denver.cbslocal.com/video/category/spoken-word-kcnctv/3814261-colorado-rapids-game-could-be-coldest-ever-for-mls/

Colorado Rapids Game Could Be Coldest Ever For MLS

Tuesday night's Colorado Rapids game could be the coldest match ever played between two Major League Soccer teams.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/sport-business-deals-industry-digest-february-21-fa-sports-direct-nike

Rolling sports business news wrap: Every deal, every day

All the sports business deals as they happen throughout the day.

Soccer: Discount sports retail outlet Sports Direct came close to a major-tie-up with English soccer's Football Association (FA) but concerns from a number of stakeholders ultimately saw the deal collapse, according to a report in the Daily Mail.

The UK newspaper states that the FA were looking for a replacement for current team sponsor Vauxhall ahead of this summer's World Cup and were struggling to find a new backer.

Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley's company were in lengthy talks to step in but the deal fell through for a number of reasons, including the concerns of England kit supplier Nike about Sports Direct dictating pricing policy. The FA was also thought to prefer a blue-chip company and a less controversial figure than Ashley as a partner. 

Innovation of the day

Tech-savvy fans of Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Orlando City will now be able to use Amazon Alexa as a new way of keeping up to date with their team.

A new partnership with the club allow fans to receive flash briefings about the latest Orlando City news in the form of soundbites from Alexa.

Once the Alexa app is downloaded and the settings have been appropriately personalised, fans will be able to prompt their enabled device for an update by asking, “Alexa, what’s in the news?” It will then respond with updates about player signings, results, upcoming matches and other daily happenings.

Check out the video below, it's pretty cool...

(Follow link for full article.)

https://ussoccerplayers.com/2018/02/the-concacaf-champions-league-deserves-attention-mls-liga-mx.html

The CONCACAF Champions League deserves our attention

(Follow link for full article.)

http://cogconnected.com/2018/02/bend-it-like-fifa-major-league-soccer-announces-details-for-emls/

Bend It Like FIFA: Major League Soccer Announces Details for eMLS Cup

America’s #1 Soccer League Lays out the Structure of Their Upcoming FIFA 18 Tournament