Football transfer rumours: Mesut Özil to DC United or Inter Miami?

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https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/oct/28/football-transfer-rumours-mesut-ozil-to-dc-united-or-inter-miami

Football transfer rumours: Mesut Özil to DC United or Inter Miami?

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https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/hartford-athletic-coach-nielsen-part-ways-after-inaugural-season

Hartford Athletic, coach Nielsen part ways after inaugural season

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https://www.postandcourier.com/sports/charleston-battery-no-longer-moving-downtown-set-to-play-season/article_57424a06-f684-11e9-8ef5-c33ef7f6bf1c.html

Charleston Battery no longer moving downtown, set to play 2020 season in Mount Pleasant

As it turns out, The Charleston Battery soccer club won’t be moving downtown.

The Battery has agreed to play its 2020 season at College of Charleston’s Ralph Lundy Field at Patriots Point.

The Battery is finalizing an agreement with the college to play all of its home games through 2023 at the Mount Pleasant facility.

Charleston Battery principal owner Eric Bowman and B Sports Entertainment sold MUSC Health Stadium on Daniel Island – the club’s home for the past two decades – in May to Holder Properties for $6.4 million.

The Battery trounced Bethlehem Steel FC 5-1 in the club’s final regular-season game at MUSC Health Stadium on Oct. 19. The stadium is set to be demolished in the next few months to make way for commercial or residential development by the Atlanta-based company.

 MUSC Health Stadium (copy) (copy) (copy)
The Charleston Battery soccer team has played at MUSC Health Stadium on Daniel Island since 1999. File/Staff

File/Staff

When Tony Bakker sold the team and its facilities to Bowman and B Sports Entertainment for more than $8.5 million in 2016, the new owner made no secret of his desire to eventually move the franchise downtown to take advantage of Charleston’s growing millennial demographic.

“When soccer first started in this country most of the stadiums that were getting built ended up in suburban America because the perception was that was where the fans were,” Charleston Battery president Mike Kelleher said during the summer. “It was marketed toward the soccer moms and soccer families. As the game has grown, I think you’re starting to see soccer move toward the cities because that’s where the fans are.”

 Top 10 soccer moments at Charleston Battery's soon-to-be-demolished MUSC Health Stadium

SPORTS

Top 10 soccer moments at Charleston Battery’s soon-to-be-demolished MUSC Health Stadium
By Andrew Miller apmiller@postandcourier.com
Initially, the club wanted to move the team back to Stoney Field, which had been the Battery’s original home from 1993-99. Stoney Field, which is used by Burke High School and the city of Charleston recreation department, is undergoing renovations and wouldn’t be ready for use until the fall of 2020, city officials said.

The Battery then shifted its focus to playing at Johnson Hagood Stadium, The Citadel’s 11,000-seat a facility across the street from Stoney Field. However, issues with the installation of new turf on field for the 2020 Citadel football season forced the Battery to look elsewhere.

 Charleston Battery moving downtown for larger audience, but issues abound with new stadium
SPORTS
Charleston Battery moving downtown for larger audience, but issues abound with new stadium
By Andrew Miller apmiller@postandcourier.com
 7 min to read

When it was originally built in 1999, then Blackbaud Stadium was the first soccer-specific facility in the United States. Over the next 20 years, teams from Europe, Central America and the Caribbean would travel thousands of miles to the Lowcountry to play at Blackbaud Stadium. Daniel Island would host the U.S. women’s national soccer team three times, featuring the game’s most popular player Mia Hamm.

But soccer wasn’t the only use for the venue. The Southern Ground Music and Food Festival, headlined by the Zac Brown Band, found a home on Daniel Island. The stadium has also hosted the U.S. national rugby team and professional wrestling along with countless beer and music festivals.

The Battery was eliminated from the USL Championship playoffs with a 3-1 loss to Nashville on Saturday.

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https://www.ajc.com/sports/nwsl-franchise-owned-blank-atlanta-possibility/REwoy2VIp0YgDb7lnJWq3L/#

NWSL franchise owned by Blank in Atlanta a possibility

Arthur M. Blank Sports and Entertainment is considering starting a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) franchise in Atlanta, though there is no specific timetable for doing so, according to Brett Jewkes, chief communications officer for AMBSE.

Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated reported on Sunday that Atlanta United could bring an NWSL franchise to the city as early as 2021, but that it was waiting on information about U.S. Soccer’s role with the league. NWSL held its championship game on Sunday. There were reports earlier this season about Atlanta United’s possible interest in an NWSL franchise.

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https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/food/2019/10/28/review-7th-grove-is-part-yummy-southern-eatery-part-nightclub/

Review: 7th + Grove is part yummy Southern eatery, part nightclub

Contemporary Southern cuisine gets the limelight at Ybor City’s restaurant and nightclub hybrid | Restaurant review

Fried boneless chicken thighs, baked mac n cheese, collards and watermelon cubes are served at 7th + Grove, a new restaurant and nightclub in Ybor City. [LUIS SANTANA | Times]

TAMPA — It was love at first crouton.

I was dining at 7th + Grove, a new restaurant and nightclub hybrid in Ybor City. The dish was a charred Caesar salad ($12), a plate of grilled romaine spears...

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https://www.cigarjournal.com/cigar-heritage-festival-in-yborcity-fl-dec-8-2019/

EVENTS

Cigar Heritage Festival in Ybor City, FL | Dec 8, 2019

CIGAR HERITAGE FESTIVAL IN YBOR CITY, FL | DEC 8, 2019

The Cigar Heritage Festival will take place Sunday, December 8th 2019 from 11 am – 5 pm at Centennial Part, Ybor City.

Program:

Premium hand-rolled cigars available from the biggest cigar makers in the world by some of the best brick-and-mortars in Florida

Meet & Greet with the Arturo Fuente Cigars Family, The J.C. Newman Cigar Family and Nestor Maranda of the Miami cigar company

Beer and wine available from 30`beer truck with 8 beer taps

Gourmetfood trucks featuring delicious foods and desserts

Cigar rolling demonstrations & domino tables

two giant mobile cigar lounges

Art and jewelery vendors

Featuring live: Orchestra Fuego Winner of 2019 Latin Song

CIGAR HERITAGE FESTIVAL

Sunday, December 8th 2019 11 am-5pm

General Admission is FREE and pet-friendly

more information: Cigar Heritage Festival 2019

https://www.yborcitycigarfestival.com

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https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/sbw-fields-staggering-9-million-offer-from-toronto-wolfpack-20191028-p534zk.html

SPORT RUGBY UNION RUGBY WORLD CUP

SBW fields staggering $9 million offer from Toronto Wolfpack

Sonny Bill Williams is weighing up the richest contract in the history of either rugby code after a jaw-dropping offer to switch back to the 13-a-side game from Super League-bound club Toronto Wolfpack.

Williams' tilt at another Rugby World Cup triumph with New Zealand was stopped in its tracks by Eddie Jones's England in Japan on Saturday and the 34-year-old is now preparing to turn out for the All Blacks in the tournament's third-place play-off against Wales.

Sonny Bill Williams is set to become the highest paid player in the history of rugby and rugby league. CREDIT:GETTY IMAGES

The former NRL premiership winner appeared set to hang up the boots this year but it has emerged the cross-code star has received contract offers in recent weeks which would top any pay packet he has earned throughout his 16-year career.

The Canadian team are prepared to pay Williams as much as $9 million over two years, according to a source with knowledge of the contract negotiation.

If he puts pen to paper on the staggering deal, it would make him the highest paid player in the history of either code.

Williams would be signed as a Super League marquee player and according to the rules of that competition only $300,000 of a marquee player's annual wage counts under the salary cap.

Williams has been part of the All Blacks fold for the last five years. CREDIT:AAP

The remainder does not count under the cap, allowing cashed-up clubs to pay big-name players exorbitant salaries.

Williams has also received multi-year, multi-million dollar offers from overseas rugby clubs which would still make him one of the highest paid players in the history of either sport.

The enormous sums being offered to Williams will blow any NRL suitors out of the water despite some clubs having registered interest in the All Blacks star in recent months.

Williams is set to play on in 2020. CREDIT:GETTY IMAGES

Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis met with Williams' agent, Khoder Nasser, earlier this month but the glamour club will not be able to compete with the money being thrown at the two-time NRL premiership winner.

However, Politis is interested in bringing Williams back to the club in a coaching or other capacity once his playing days are finally behind him.

The Wolfpack are funded by Australian mining billionaire David Argyle, who confirmed interest in bringing Williams to Toronto earlier this year.

RELATED ARTICLE

England coach Eddie Jones with Canberra NRL coach Ricky Stuart ahead of the World Cup.

RUGBY WORLD CUP

NRL referees, coaches could learn from the Rugby World Cup

"We are working towards making Sonny Bill Williams a Wolfpack player for 2020. We would love to have him join the Wolfpack family and we will pay whatever it takes to make that happen," Argyle told Fox Sports in February.

"The excitement he would bring to the sport of rugby league in this country would be incredible."

Argyle compared the potential Williams signing to the move made by David Beckham to LA Galaxy from Real Madrid in 2007.

"Having someone of his talent join the Wolfpack would greatly raise the profile of the club, but also help move the game forward globally," he said at the time.

"Sonny is a phenomenal athlete. He is rugby’s LeBron James and we see his recruitment as bigger than when David Beckham joined LA Galaxy. He is box office and puts bums on seats."

Williams is still in Japan with the All Blacks as they prepare to face Wales in Friday's third-place play-off in Tokyo.

Outgoing All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has copped criticism from New Zealand media in the days after the loss to England for not starting Williams in the centres.

Toronto will feature in the England-based Super League for the first time next year, having earned promotion by beating Featherstone Rovers in the Million Pound Game in Ontario earlier this month.

The club only played their first professional match three years ago, with former Leeds coach Brian McDermott taking the reins and leading the club to Super League promotion in his first season in charge.

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https://7news.com.au/sport/rugby-league/torontos-9m-league-play-for-sbw-report-c-528404

Sonny Bill Williams weighs up record-breaking rugby league contract

The Rugby World Cup-winner could soon become the highest-paid player in the history of both rugby league and union. Credit: Getty

Ambitious English Super League newcomers Toronto Wolfpack have reportedly made a $9 million play to lure Sonny Bill Williams back to the 13-a-side game.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the 34-year-old superstar is weighing up a two-year deal.

In the video above: NRL star investigated over brawl

Williams is contracted to New Zealand rugby until the conclusion of the Rugby World Cup in Japan - with the All Blacks preparing to face Wales on Friday in the third-place playoff.

He came off the bench in the All Blacks' semi-final defeat to England on Saturday.

It is believed that a host of rugby clubs have already made a play for Williams while back-to-back NRL premiers Sydney Roosters appear to be priced out of the race for the services of their former back-rower.

Sonny Bill Williams has no shortage of suitors as his New Zealand Rugby contract winds down. Credit: AP

The Wolfpack were established in 2016 and will be the first North American team to compete in Super league after they won promotion to the top-tier via the Million Pound Game on October 5.

They are funded by Australian mining and resources billionaire David Argyle, who has previously revealed his interest in snaring Williams as their marquee signing.

More on 7NEWS.com.au:

Rugby Australia urged to bring back Eddie Jones

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Manly Sea Eagles ramp up Trbojevic chat as brothers wait

Toronto coach Brian McDermott told the PA news agency earlier this month that they wanted to bring in a David Beckham-type player to raise their profile, much like the former soccer icon did for Los Angeles Galaxy and the MLS, and that Williams fits the bill.

"Our club would want to have a name that's absolutely international that everybody would recognise and help the profile of our game, very much like David Beckham did for Major League Soccer," McDermott said.

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https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/david-beckham-children-la-galaxy-statue_uk_5db6d707e4b05df62ec27956   

David Beckham Is A Proud Dad As Kids Visit His LA Galaxy Statue For The First Time

"Very proud moment," he wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper.

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https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/sonny-bill-williams-receives-richest-contract-offer-in-nrl-rugby-union-history/news-story/438964c51815b0315973c42a17f254be

Sonny Bill Williams receives richest contract offer in NRL, rugby union history

Sonny Bill Williams has reportedly been offered the chance to be the highest paid player in the history of rugby league and union.

Sonny Bill Williams has received an offer to be the highest paid player in the history of rugby league and union, just days after his All Blacks were eliminated from the Rugby World Cup.

According to a report, Williams has ben tabled a record $9 million deal to return to rugby league with the Toronto Wolfpack in the English Super League.

Fairfax Media reports the deal is worth a staggering $4.5 million per season for two years.

It comes after Toronto’s head coach Brian McDermott revealed earlier this month that his team had received word that Williams was interested in joining the team.

The Toronto team is on the lookout for big-name signings following their promotion from the second-tier Championship and are keen on signing the All Blacks star.

The record deal would see Williams earn around four times the wages paid to NRL superstar Daly Cherry-Evans ($10 million over eight seasons) and AFL superstar Lance Franklin ($10 million over nine seasons).

Williams’ future remains clouded following the All Blacks’ shock semi-final defeat at the hands of England, but his contract with New Zealand Rugby expires after the All Blacks’ third-place play-off against Wales on Friday night.

Sonny Bill Williams is going to make it rain.

Sonny Bill Williams is going to make it rain.Source:Getty Images

The Sydney Roosters have reportedly ruled themselves out of the race for Williams’ signature after conceding they could not compete with the record offer from Toronto.

Williams has also reportedly fielded several other multi million-dollar offers from overseas rugby franchises.

Toronto has a competitive advantage of being able to sign Williams as a Super League marquee player where just $300,000 of his salary will be included in the team’s salary cap.

McDermott said recently his team wanted to bring in a David Beckham-type player to do for the Wolfpack what the former Manchester United favourite did for LA Galaxy — and that Williams fits the bill.

“Sonny Bill Williams has shown interest in us and that’s what it is at the moment,” McDermott said.

“He’s currently busy with the World Cup so I wouldn’t ever dare to suggest that he is more than interested in coming but the answer wasn’t a ‘no’ once we made contact so that’s something we’d like to follow up.”

Sonny Bill Williams has likely played his final game for the All Blacks.

Sonny Bill Williams has likely played his final game for the All Blacks. Source:AP

The two-time World Cup winner fronted an All Blacks press conference yesterday in Japan and when asked to reveal his sporting future Williams said: “Soon bro, soon, we’re just trying to finalise that.”

The Canadian franchise is funded by Australian mining billionaire David Argyle and will make its debut in the Super League next year after winning promotion by beating Featherstone Rovers.

Meanwhile, a push for a new rugby league team based out of New York is expected to come too late for Williams, but is arriving just in time for the new franchise to snap up some of the NRL’s biggest stars, The Daily Telegraph reported last week.

A New York consortium has already identified veteran NRL stars, including Benji Marshall (34 years old), Kieran Foran (29), Brett Morris (33), Josh Morris (33), Darius Boyd (32), Sia Soliola (33), Aiden Tolman (30), Matt Prior (32), Jesse Bromwich (30), James Tamou (30) and James Graham (34), as potential marquee signings for when the team enters the third tier of the English Super League in 2021.

The New York club reportedly wants to win back-to-back promotion to play in the Super League by 2023.

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https://upnewsinfo.com/2019/10/28/what-is-the-net-worth-of-david-beckham-and-what-guarantees-does-it-have/

What is the net worth of David Beckham and what guarantees does it have?

The withdrawal of football has done nothing to weaken the mark of David Beckham; In any case, the former England captain has become even more popular since he hung up his boots and began focusing solely on his life off the field.

Always a popular face among advertisers, Beckham's appeal has become an empire in recent years. He has directed his hand to fashion, food and drink, television, entertainment and more, and continues to reap the rewards.

He has shown few signs of slowing down and recently launched another new project, the Major League Soccer franchise based in Inter Miami, Miami, indicating his intention to make it one of the best teams in the United States.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2019/10/28/five-questions-with-tampa-mayor-jane-castor.html

Five questions with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor

Jane Castor worked her way up through the ranks of her hometown police department before retiring at the top, making history as Tampa’s first female police chief.

What’s the reaction to your recent call to revive talks about a new Major League Baseball stadium in Tampa Bay?

CASTOR: I think the reaction has been positive. I believe that, as a community, we want the Tampa Bay Rays to stay in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays want to stay in the Tampa Bay area, so we just need to start those discussions again to see what it takes to keep them in the area. There are so many opportunities. The appetite for citizens to pay for a stadium is gone. That’s not going to happen. Matter of fact, the governor and I just had this conversation yesterday about that. And the same thing that he said, is that there isn’t going to be taxpayer-funded stadiums. … But some creative measures, like making the stadium smaller, making the stadium multipurpose. If the Rays come over, they’ll bring the Tampa Bay Rowdies with them. So you’ll have soccer. You’ll have baseball. And what other things can we have that will activate a stadium year-round, make it profitable? Opportunity zones, to be able to look for funding for a stadium through an opportunity zone is an option as well. There are so many things that we need to look at, but I really in my heart feel that we’re too big of an area to lose a major sporting franchise, and the Tampa Bay area wants to keep the Rays.

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https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/heres-how-david-beckhams-kids-reacted-when-they-saw-his-statue-at-the-legends-plaza

Here's how David Beckham's kids reacted when they saw his statue at the Legends Plaza

The former LA Galaxy player shared an adorable picture with his kids on Instagram where all of them can be seen posing with the long statue.

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https://asumetech.com/david-beckham-shares-lovely-image-of-his-little-ones-meeting-his-la-galaxy-statue/

David Beckham Shares Lovely Image of His Little ones Meeting His LA Galaxy Statue

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https://www.goal.com/en-ug/news/what-is-david-beckhams-net-worth-and-what-endorsements-does/rn0i9g1tuc9k1us86m07nh20n

What is David Beckham's net worth and what endorsements does he have?

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https://en.as.com/en/2019/10/28/football/1572289052_836664.html

MLS

Atlanta United already among world's 10 best-supported clubs

A club who are only in their third season in Major League Soccer, Atlanta United have been a success story both on the pitch and in the stands.

In just their third season as a Major League Soccer franchise, Atlanta United are not only in contention to win what would already be their second American soccer title, but are pulling in attendances to rival Europe's best-supported clubs.

Atlanta crowds higher than most Champions League clubs

Quoting statistics compiled by the CIES Football Observatory, World Football Summit notes that Atlanta had the 10th-highest attendance figures in global club football between 2013 and 2018, with their 51,547 average gate - the biggest outside of Europe - putting them in a leading group occupied by century-old powerhouses such as Real Madrid, Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

Indeed, the average crowd boasted by the Five Stripes - who, on their way to winning the 2018 MLS Cup, registered no fewer than eight attendances of over 70,000 at their stunning Mercedes-Benz Stadium last year - beats 28 of the 32 teams in this term's Champions League group stage.

Atlanta "one of the great stories" in MLS history

"It really is quite incredible to think that a club that's only in its third season, in America which has traditionally been thought of as not a soccer country, could be pulling those types of crowds," Atlanta president Darren Eales told the 2019 World Football Summit in Madrid in September.

Described by MLS commissioner Don Garber as "one of the great stories in the history of our league", Atlanta face Toronto FC in Wednesday's Eastern Conference final, with the victors progressing to November's MLS Cup final against either Los Angeles FC or Seattle Sounders.

MLS the world's eighth-best attended league

Atlanta's meteoric rise since they joined MLS in 2017 comes against the backdrop of the competition's impressive overall growth, WFS also points out, with a 34% increase in attendances since 2013 now making the American league the eighth-best attended in the world.

What's more, the rising enthusiasm for football in the States is illustrated by a 2018 Gallup poll that showed a 4% increase in the number of Americans who see soccer as their favourite sport, coupled with a decrease in respondents who chose traditional US games such as American football, basketball and baseball.

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https://www.constructionspecifier.com/inter-miami-cf-facilities-on-track-for-march-2020/

Inter Miami CF facilities on track for March 2020

The Fort Lauderdale (Florida) stadium and training complex of the Inter Miami CF team is steadily rising. More than 200 construction professionals are onsite fulltime bringing South Florida’s fútbol team to life for its opening season in Major League Soccer (MLS).

In March 2020, Inter Miami CF will take the field in a new 18,000-capacity stadium anchoring the Club’s 19-ha (46-acre) facilities in Fort Lauderdale.

To date, the stadium has gone vertical with all steel columns on the east side and half along the west. The crew will begin installing components of the secondary frame of the metal building next week, along with the horizontal structural members that will provide lateral support for wall panels.

The training facilities at Fort Lauderdale include a full kitchen and cafeteria, lounge and classroom, weight room and performance lab, hydrotherapy and treatment rooms as well as tactics rooms and boot rooms.

Construction is progressing on the training facilities for the Inter Miami CF team.
Photo courtesy Inter Miami CF

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https://stv.tv/news/entertainment/1441958-behind-the-scenes-of-david-beckham-s-scottish-whisky-tour/

Behind-the-scenes of David Beckham's Scottish whisky tour
 
Earlier this month, the former Manchester United legend visited Cambus Cooperage.

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https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mls/article236777428.html

This MLS veteran midfielder expected to join Inter Miami soon; coach search continues

See a graphic rendering of the new stadium David Beckham's Inter Miami soccer team will play in. BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

Construction of Inter Miami’s soccer complex in Fort Lauderdale is well underway, scheduled to be ready enough for training camp in mid-January; and the team’s inaugural roster is also being built, slowly but surely.

The Inter Miami roster is expected to double from five players to 10 — maybe more — in the coming weeks with the addition of Major League Soccer players through transfers and the Expansion Draft. Among the players expected to sign with David Beckham’s new club is FC Cincinnati midfielder Victor Ulloa, whose contract was up for renewal.

Ulloa, a 27-year-old Mexican-American, is a seasoned MLS veteran who can help new players adapt to the league. He came up through the FC Dallas academy, played eight years with Dallas and was traded to Cincinnati before the 2019 season. He started 22 games for last-place Cincinnati, scored one goal and had two assists. He bid farewell to Cincinnati on Twitter and sources confirmed he is likely headed to Miami.

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https://www.nbcmiami.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Beckham-Group-Rebuilding-Lockhart-Stadium_Miami-564066742.html

Beckham Group Rebuilding Lockhart Stadium

The site of where the Lockhart Stadium once stood is now being rebuilt for David Beckham's soccer team Inter Miami. NBC 6's Ari Odzer takes a look around. (Published Tuesday, Oct 29,...

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https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/top-stories/fresno-foxes-soccer-club-almost-certainly-leaving-fresno/

Fresno Foxes Soccer Club ‘almost certainly’ leaving Fresno

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/10/29/reports-atlanta-united-mulling-nwsl-team-could-launch-soon-2021

Reports: Atlanta United mulling NWSL team, could launch as soon as 2021

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https://gritdaily.com/life-death-nasl/

The Glorious Life and Painful Death of the NASL

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https://gvwire.com/2019/10/29/owner-fresno-foxes-pro-soccer-team-is-folding/

Owner: Fresno Foxes Pro Soccer Team Is Folding

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https://pittnews.com/article/152077/sports/sportscolumns/column-riverhounds-could-benefit-from-relegation/

Column: Riverhounds could benefit from relegation

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https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article236788128.html

Without a stadium, Fresno FC owner says soccer club is ‘almost certain’ to relocate