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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f9upub/rowdies_sign_four_local_prospects_to_usl_academy/
Rowdies Sign Four Local Prospects To USL Academy Contracts
Its happening people, this is what its all about! Femi has looked first team bench ready all preseason, is gonna be a stud for the U23. Others I haven't watched enough but I certainly will be this year.
So very excited for this...
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https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/1090411
ROWDIES SIGN FOUR LOCAL PROSPECTS TO USL ACADEMY CONTRACTS
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f9zij1/doherty_happy_to_a_fulltime_rowdies_player/
Doherty Happy to a Full-Time Rowdies Player
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http://theunsubs.soccer/doherty-happy-to-a-full-time-rowdies/
Doherty Happy To Be A Full-Time Rowdie
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f9zfl1/leaked_footage_from_the_secret_st_pete_fire/
Leaked footage from the secret St. Pete Fire Rescue testing facility
loooooool
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https://www.wmnf.org/mayors-st-petersburg-tampa-rays/
Mayors of St. Petersburg and Tampa weigh in on Rays and other issues
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https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2020/02/26/sources-tampa-park-apartments-near-ybor-city-once.html
Sources: Tampa Park Apartments near Ybor City, once eyed for a Rays baseball stadium, is under contract to be sold
Tampa Park Apartments
Tampa Park Apartments — long one of the most closely watched redevelopment projects in the downtown area — is said to be under contract to be sold. Here's what we know.
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https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2020/02/26/here-are-the-new-foods-and-features-you-will-find.html
Here are the new foods and features you will find at Phillies, Blue Jays spring training stadiums in Pinellas
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https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2020/02/26/graze-1910-s-second-location-has-opened-in-south.html
Graze 1910’s second location has opened in South Tampa
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https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/calendar/535645
Green & Gold Gala
The USF Alumni Association fundraiser is an exciting evening of food, drink, auction bidding and music, all in support of programs that have a direct impact on the success of USF and its students.
$90; or $85 for USF Alumni Association members; $80 for military veterans; $70 for ages 35 & younger
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https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2020/02/26/brightline-reported-sale-of-tampa-park-apartments-isnt-related-to-us/
Brightline: Reported sale of Tampa Park Apartments ‘isn’t related to us’
The complex was among several sites Brightline scouted two years ago as potential station locations for its planned Tampa-to-Orlando rail service.
Tampa Park Apartments is on property between downtown and Ybor City, at East Scott Street and Nuccio Parkway. [Times (2018)]
TAMPA — With residents just learning they must move out this year, no sale recorded with Hillsborough County and no development plans filed at City Hall, it’s too early to say much about what the futu...
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https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2020/02/26/five-world-titles-and-a-few-hall-of-famers-later-yankees-celebrate-25th-spring-in-tampa/
Five world titles and a few Hall of Famers later, Yankees celebrate 25th spring in Tampa
John Romano | Derek Jeter was a rookie and Joe Torre had just been hired when the Yankees began spring training at Steinbrenner Field.
Joan Steinbrenner threw out the first pitch to Yankees catcher Jorge Posada in 2008 when Legends Field was renamed in honor of her husband George. Mr. Steinbrenner passed away two years later, and Mrs. Steinbrenner died in 2018. [Times]
TAMPA — It’s been a week for nostalgia around George M. Steinbrenner Field. The Yankees opened their 25th spring at the ballpark in the heart of Tampa, and were feted with political hugs and community...
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https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/news/2020/02/26/nm-united-owner-envisions-a-stadium-that-has-more.html
NM United owner envisions a stadium that has more to offer fans beyond game day
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https://walterborolive.com/stories/soccer-club-partnership-will-increase-opportunities,31652
Soccer club partnership will increase opportunities
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/10/26/facts-figures-and-images-every-mls-training-facility
Facts, figures and images from every MLS training facility
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https://www.middletownpress.com/sports/article/MLS-owners-predict-league-will-surpass-MLB-15085914.php
MLS owners predict league will surpass MLB, Premier League
NEW YORK (AP) — Three days ahead of the Major League Soccer's 25th season, owners, executives and players gathered for a day of unbridled optimism and hyperbole.
Los Angeles FC lead owner Larry Berg predicted MLS will surpass Major League Baseball in popularity during the next 10 years and Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas maintained it will be of higher quality than the Premier League and La Liga by 2045.
MLS anticipates soccer's status in the U.S. will be boosted when the Americans co-host the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada.
"We definitely have the demographics in our favor, both in terms of youth and diversity. So I think we'll pass baseball and hockey and be the No. 3 sport in the U.S. behind football and basketball," Berg said Wednesday at the league's kickoff event.
MLS expanded to 26 teams this season with the addition of David Beckham's Inter Miami and Nashville, and plans are in place to reach 30 franchises by 2022 — triple the league's low from 2002-04. The league has increasingly attracted better players from South America, and Berg called youth academies the league's "crown jewel.”
“The academies will be pumping out just incredible talent, which will help both the league and the U.S. men's national team such that we will vault way past Liga MX and the U.S. men's national team will vault way past Mexico, and then it will come down to the media deals. ... Whether we can be a top-five league or a top-three league will really come down at the end of the day to money, our ability to compete for players.”
“I think the good news is players want to play here,” Berg added. “We're the United States of America. People want to live here. It's an incredible lifestyle. The infrastructure is fantastic.”
IMAGE 1 OF 7
Inter Miami CF Managing Owner Jorge Mas is interviewed during the Major League Soccer 25th Season kickoff event in New York, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020.
Mas partnered with Beckham, the former England captain Beckham, and envisioned the league's 50th year in 2045.
"I think the MLS will be one of the top sports leagues in the United States. I think it will be on par or exceed the best leagues in the world, the Premier League or Serie A or La Liga worldwide," Mas said. “I think that the MLS 25 years from now will be Premier League-ish if we want to so-call it that on the metrics that leagues are measured by.”
U.S. national team coach Gregg Berhalter thinks American video values will be key.
“I see in the 25 years, the whole world watching our game on television,” he said. “The production quality that we can produce in America, we're going to be the leader in soccer.”
Clark Hunt, CEO of MLS' Dallas team and the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, compared soccer's progress in the U.S. to that of the NFL, which celebrated its 100th anniversary this season.
“The momentum that we have I think has a chance to take us to where the NFL is today,” he said.
Beckham boosted the league when he played for the LA Galaxy from 2007-12, a deal that gave him the right to buy an expansion fee at a discounted price of $25 million.
“Do I think in the next 10 years it will challenge the European leagues? It's what we all hope for. It's what we all strive to commit to,” Beckham said. “This should never be a league where players from Europe come to retire. That's not where you want to be. It's not where we want to be as owners.”
Austin, Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina, join the league next year, followed by St. Louis and Sacramento, California.
Charlotte, announced in December, agreed to pay a $325 million expansion fee. The original teams that started play in 1996 paid $5 million each.
Detroit, Las Vegas and Phoenix remain in contact with the league, which also is monitoring efforts in San Diego. More warm-weather cities would help the schedule early and late in the year.
“We have no plan in place to go past 30,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. “It's conceivable that in time we might look at a larger league to be able to address some of those challenges.”
Hunt recalled the league's low point.
“When we launched in the mid-'90s, there was a lot of excitement, but we almost didn't make it,” he said.
Carolyn Kindle Betz, CEO of St. Louis, spoke about being a rare female controlling owner in soccer but also misspoke, referring to the “Major Soccer League” before correcting herself.
MLS also announced a new league anthem to be used for walkout music, composed by Academy Award and Grammy winner Hans Zimmer. There is also a new deal with Second Spectrum, which is installing optical tracking that will produce data that MLS Commissioner Don Garber said can be used for technical staffs, broadcasts and betting. The company already works with the Premier League and NBA.
_
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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https://www.france24.com/en/20200226-beckham-relief-as-inter-miami-prepare-for-mls-bow
Beckham relief as Inter Miami prepare for MLS bow
David Beckham's quest to launch a Major League Soccer franchise will finally come to fruition on Sunday when Inter Miami make their competitive debut in a season-opening clash with Los Angeles F.C.
A tortuous six-year journey marked by setbacks and frustrations will be put firmly in the rear view mirror as Beckham's expansion side take to the field at LAFC's Banc of California Stadium.
Speaking at a MLS media event in New York on Wednesday, Beckham admitted there were times when he feared his plans to launch a team were doomed.
But the former England and Manchester United star said his determination to create a lasting legacy in the United States had helped him keep the faith.
Beckham first announced his plan to become a team owner in 2014, exercising an agreement written into his contract after joining the Los Angeles Galaxy from Real Madrid in 2007.
However, Beckham soon realized his status as a global icon would not be enough on its own to realize his vision for South Florida.
The introduction in December 2017 of Jorge and Jose Mas, the Miami-based construction magnates, helped smooth the process.
"We all had our doubts and many people doubted us," Beckham said Wednesday.
"There was one moment when I was sitting in my house and we were all on the phone to (MLS) commissioner Don Garber.
"He was telling us how hard it would be and I agreed. There were definitely moments where we said: 'Honestly, do we think this will happen?'
"But I remember getting an e-mail from the Mas family to see if there was any interest in them becoming part of the club so we contacted Jorge and that was the dream partnership for us. It was the game-changer and for me in particular."
- Leaving a legacy -
"I'm from East London, not Miami so for me going there and trying to buy a piece of land, talk to politicians wasn't getting us anywhere, funnily enough.
"I didn't want to be in partnership with someone who was just doing this for vanity reasons. They aren't and neither am I. I want to create a legacy in the game that my children can turn around in 20 years and say: 'My dad helped build this club.'"
Inter Miami will play their first home game at their new 20,000-seat stadium in Fort Lauderdale on March 14 -- against Beckham's former team LA Galaxy.
Beckham, meanwhile, stressed investing in the talent pool in Florida is a key part of his strategy for Inter Miami.
For now, though, he is simply relieved to have reached Sunday's kick-off.
"I am more persistent than I thought I was and more stubborn than my wife thinks I am," said Beckham. "Everything we have tried to do to get the franchise up and running has been a challenge.
“There hasn't been just one thing. Finding the land, picking the stadium we want, the players, the manager, even down to the tiles we want in the showers.
"There wasn't one moment when I was going to walk away though, because I knew Miami was the right place to do this and my commitment was always to the MLS.
"I want to try and grow the sport here and want us to be one of the best and most feared franchises."
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https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51653859
Fifa: World governing body to discuss preventing domestic leagues playing games abroad
Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber will attend Fifa's Stakeholders' Committee meeting on Thursday
Fifa is set to discuss whether to prevent domestic league games being played in another country.
A Stakeholders' Committee, meeting in Zurich on Thursday, will debate whether to recommend making an amendment to the rules of football's world governing body.
The idea of a '39th Game' was first mentioned by Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore in 2008 but was eventually shelved due to widespread opposition within the game.
However, the concept of matches being played abroad has been taken up more recently by Spain's La Liga, who have twice in the last two seasons been denied the chance to host official matches in the USA.
The committee itself can only advise the 37-member Fifa Council which would ultimately make any decision to block overseas matches.
The United States is viewed as the territory most likely to host a 'road game' and Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber, a member of the committee, has opted to fly to Switzerland straight from Wednesday's 25th anniversary launch in New York to attend the debate.
Barcelona president says La Liga should play three games abroad a year
'Home games should be played at home stadiums'
Last season, Barcelona pulled out of a proposed match with Girona in Miami due to a "lack of consensus" between stakeholders.
La Liga's intention was for Atletico Madrid to face Villarreal in the USA this season but those plans were abandoned after a court in Madrid ruled the Spanish FA could not be forced to give consent to the game, as required by Fifa.
The match promoters, Relevent Sports, have already filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation, who have also refused to sanction 'official' matches.
La Liga argue the Spanish FA has hosted games abroad, including the four-team Super Cup, which was held in Saudi Arabia last month.
Josep Maria Bartomeu
"At Barca we have sometimes been talking to La Liga and have been telling them that if you want to promote La Liga more and more, then we should have three games of the year outside - one in America, one in the Middle East and one in Asia.
Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu speaking to BBC Sport in February
Relevant said USSF had a conflict of interest in sanctioning matches and was threatening its business.
Relevant, organisers of the International Champions Cup pre-season tournament, said it had permission from the Ecuador football federation and South American's governing body Comnebol to host a game between Ecuadorian teams Barcelona SC and Guayaquil City in Miami on 5 May last year but was blocked from doing so by USSF, who refused to sanction the fixture.
Garber believes team should play in their home country.
"Personally, as we continue to develop professional soccer, both in the United States and in other leagues, I believe home games should be played at home stadiums," he said. "That has been my view from the beginning.
"It shouldn't be about one or two leagues trying to do something just because one or two clubs are pushing for it, when it is probably not even in the interests of that league."
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https://www.drinks-insight-network.com/news/scotland-haig-club-clubman/
Scotland whisky Haig Club Clubman launches in Miami
Scotland’s modern single grain whisky Haig Club Clubman has officially launched in Miami, US.
The 40% ABV drink is distilled at Cameronbridge sustainable distillery in Scotland, matured in American bourbon casks.
Translucent golden colour whisky has notes of vanilla, coconut and caramel.
Haig Club partnered with American professional soccer club Inter Miami CF, co-owned by David Beckham. With the collaboration, it has become the official whisky of Major League Soccer.
Haig Club Diageo North America Single Malts director Jamie Young said: “Haig Club Clubman has quickly become one of the most talked-about whiskies globally and has put Single Grain whisky back on the map.
“It is only fitting that it has arrived in Miami, one of the most vibrant cities in the US that is renowned for its restaurant and bar culture. We are excited to introduce this delicious whisky, perfect for mixing in cocktails, that will help redefine the rules of Scotch.”
The partnership between Haig Club and Inter Miami CF will officially launch on 14 March.
Customers in Miami and Fort Lauderdale can purchase Haig Club Clubman at select bars, restaurants and fine spirits stores.
David Beckham said: “Miami is like a second home for me, it’s a city that has welcomed me with open arms, the energy and the people are all amazing. Launching Inter Miami CF this year is a really proud moment for me and to have Haig Club be a part of that is really special.”
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https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/sports/article/MLS-owners-predict-league-will-surpass-MLB-15085914.php
MLS owners predict league will surpass MLB, Premier League
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https://www.ibtimes.com/lionel-messi-cristiano-ronaldo-could-be-teammates-bowing-out-report-2929309
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo Could Be Teammates Before Bowing Out: Report
KEY POINTS
Messi and Ronaldo have now entered into twilight years of their careers
Inter Miami's co-owner Beckham could lure Messi and Ronaldo to the U.S.
Inter Miami competes in the US league MLS
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https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-vietnamese-club-rumors-20200226-5gzd5hd3vrg5to2neryjdg7jzi-story.html
Inter Miami’s Lee Nguyen shoots down rumors he’s headed to Vietnamese team
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https://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/4059936/2020-mls-predictions-is-this-lafcs-year-can-miami-best-nashville-we-make-our-picks
2020 MLS predictions: Is this LAFC's year? Can Miami best Nashville? We make our picks
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https://sports.abs-cbn.com/sportslifestyle/news/2020/02/27/iconic-football-shoe-introduces-new-technology-66435
Iconic football shoe introduces new technology
Made iconic by greats of the game like David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Steven Gerrard, the legacy continues with a new generation of players making their mark. The all-new Predator 20 Mutator will be worn by Paul Pogba, Becky Sauerbrunn, Marc-André ter Stegen and Tessa Wullaert.
DEMONSKIN will debut on Predator 20 Mutator and is also set to feature on goalkeeper gloves; empowering players with increased control and enhanced power on punched clearances.
Predator 20 Mutator is now available at adidas.com.ph. It retails for PhP 11,000.
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https://www.sportspromedia.com/interviews/nashville-sc-mls-expansion-debut-stadium-ian-ayre-liverpool-interview
“If you’re going to build a show, what a place to build it”: Ian Ayre talks up Nashville’s MLS debut
Once chief executive of Premier League leaders Liverpool, Ian Ayre has taken on a different challenge in the same role at MLS expansion franchise Nashville SC, who are days away from their first game in US soccer’s top flight.
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/11044122/cristiano-ronaldo-messi-beckham-inter-miami/
BECK & CALL Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi could finally play together with David Beckham desperate to lure them to Inter Miami
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https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/columbus-crew-ohiohealth-mls-training-facility-naming-rights-deal
Columbus Crew seal OhioHealth training hub naming rights deal
MLS franchise and healthcare provider expand partnership with shirt deal ‘imminent’.
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https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/judah-akers-on-how-judah-the-lion-wound-up-composing-the-theme-song-for-major-league-soccer-s-nashville-sc-and-more-exclusive
Judah Akers on how Judah & The Lion wound up composing the theme song for Major League Soccer's Nashville SC and more (Exclusive)
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/02/26/watch-mls-releases-new-anthem-25th-season-composed-hans-zimmer
Watch: MLS releases new anthem for 25th season, composed by Hans Zimmer
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https://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/4059936/2020-mls-predictions-is-this-lafcs-year-can-miami-best-nashville-we-make-our-picks
2020 MLS predictions: Is this LAFC's year? Can Miami best Nashville? We make our picks
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https://www.streetinsider.com/PRNewswire/When+the+Captain+Scores%2C+Major+League+Soccer+Fans+Score+-+A+Trip+to+All-Star+Week+in+Los+Angeles+on+Captain+Morgan/16529656.html
When the Captain Scores, Major League Soccer Fans Score - A Trip to All-Star Week in Los Angeles on Captain Morgan
Every Goal Scored by the Captain of any MLS Squad this Weekend is a Chance to Win a Trip* to the 2020 All-Star Week in Los Angeles from Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
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https://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2020/02/26/orlando-city-sc-announces-bodyarmor-official-sports-drink
Orlando City SC Announces BODYARMOR as Official Sports Drink
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https://www.sportsbettingdime.com/news/soccer/2020-mls-golden-boot-odds-favor-vela-martinez-chicharito/
2020 MLS Golden Boot Odds Favor Vela, Martinez and Chicharito in Top 3
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https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2020/2/26/21154140/americans-at-home-yanks-to-watch-in-mls-2020-edition-part-i-guys-we-know
Americans at home: Yanks to watch in MLS, 2020 edition - Part I ~ guys we know
Who will we see from MLS with the USMNT in 2020?
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http://www.americansoccernow.com/articles/mls-eastern-conference-preview-nycfc-atlanta-philly-enter-as-favorites
MLS Eastern Conference Preview: NYCFC, Atlanta, Philly enter as favorites
It's that time of year. The first week of the MLS season is upon us and 2020 will be the league's 25th season. In the first part of ASN's season preview, ASN's Jamie Hill looks at the chaotic Eastern Conference which looks set to see some steady hands fade and others emerge.
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https://www.sportsbettingdime.com/news/soccer/2020-mls-golden-boot-odds-favor-vela-martinez-chicharito/
2020 MLS Golden Boot Odds Favor Vela, Martinez and Chicharito in Top 3
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https://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/4061088/mls-to-overtake-mlb-as-uss-no-3-sport-in-10-years-lafc-owner
MLS to overtake MLB as U.S.'s No. 3 sport in 10 years - LAFC owner
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https://www.sportsbettingdime.com/news/soccer/carlos-vela-odds-repeat-major-league-soccer-mvp/
Carlos Vela Given 3-1 Odds to Repeat as Major League Soccer MVP
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8044721/David-Beckham-reveals-new-Inter-Miami-delay-bringing-star-player-summer.html
David Beckham reveals his new Inter Miami side may delay bringing in star player until the summer amid Edinson Cavani links as legendary owner poses with his players before MLS launch
Inter Miami make their Major League Soccer debut this weekend
David Beckham's new MLS franchise face Los Angeles FC on Sunday
They may now wait until the summer to bring in a third designated player
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https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2020/02/26/enter-win-bodyarmor-designs-custom-limited-edition-sporting-kc-bottle
Enter to Win: BODYARMOR designs custom, limited-edition Sporting KC bottle
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https://infosurhoy.com/news/no-virtual-offside-line-in-mls-this-season-says-head/
No virtual offside line in MLS this season says head…
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https://www.sounderatheart.com/2020/2/26/21152246/got-game-will-travel
Got Game, Will Travel
For 10 years, America’s pro soccer scene grew greatly dim, if not dark. Those who wanted a life in the game had to love it – and hustle. (Third in a series)
Chance Fry moved south in 1991 to play for the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks, who won the A-League championship. Courtesy Chance Fry
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https://www.tampabay.com/sports/lightning/2020/02/26/a-former-tampa-bay-sports-ceos-new-team-will-subsidize-public-transit-for-fans/
A former Tampa Bay sports CEO’s new team will subsidize public transit for fans
Seattle’s NHL franchise expects 25 percent of its fans to use public transportation to games.
Former Tampa Bay Lightning CEO Tod Leiweke.
SEATTLE — Seattle’s expansion NHL franchise is trying to make it easier for fans to get to its games in the traffic-clogged city.
NHL Seattle announced Tuesday that it will fully subsidize public trans...
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https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/soccer/2020/02/26/detroit-city-fc-reunites-band-take-plunge-professional-outfit/4884656002/
Detroit City FC reunites band to take the plunge as professional outfit
Detroit City FC debuts Friday as a professional team in the vast unknown of the National Independent Soccer Association with the same core players who helped the organization reach unprecedented heights in semi-professional circles.
DCFC starts the NISA regular season against LA Force at Cal State Los Angeles. Kickoff is 10 p.m.
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https://www.indomitablecitysoccer.com/2020/2/26/21155014/sacramento-republic-depth-chart-midfielders
Sacramento Republic depth chart: Midfielders
Experienced group bolstered with strong reinforcements for 2020.
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https://www.sounderatheart.com/2020/2/26/21155199/sounders-academy-technical-staff-hires
Sounders bolster development, academy ranks
Three people officially join the staff, while another gets a promotion.
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https://www.modbee.com/news/business/article240654232.html
MLS owners predict league will surpass MLB, Premier League
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https://mlsmultiplex.com/2020/02/26/mls-top-5-contenders-win-mls-cup/
MLS: Top 5 contenders to win MLS Cup
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https://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/4061460/mls-don-garber-against-staging-league-games-in-other-countries
MLS' Don Garber against staging league games in other countries
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https://cstoredecisions.com/2020/02/26/heineken-offers-mls-all-star-game-promotion/
Heineken Offers MLS All Star Game Promotion
In a March through early July retail promotion, Heineken is offering consumers a chance to win tickets to the MLS All Star game played at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles on July 29.
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https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/st-louis-mls-team-in-early-talks-with-anheuser-busch-about-partnership/
St. Louis MLS team in early talks with Anheuser-Busch about partnership
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https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/nashville-sc-expecting-50000-plus-crowd-at-inaugural-mls-home-game/
Nashville SC expecting 50,000-plus crowd at inaugural MLS home game
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https://www.espn.com/soccer/la-galaxy/story/4060697/javier-chicharito-hernandez-lebron-james-meet-as-la-galaxy-star-talks-of-dream-come-true
Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, LeBron James meet as LA Galaxy star talks of 'dream come true'
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Rowdies single game tickets are now on sale!
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https://mailchi.mp/df02fbb2381a/ctqxixnd42-12189275
Single Game Tickets
Rowdies single game tickets are now on sale!
Our season kicks off in just a few weeks, so grab your tickets now!
From our home opener on Saturday, March 21st to our seven theme nights, fireworks, and more, you won't want to miss a second of Rowdies soccer in 2020!
BUY TICKETS
If you have any questions, email tickets@rowdiessoccer.com. Tickets through this presale are available online only. Tickets are subject to availability.
https://mpv.tickets.com/schedule/
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f9ap4e/ralphs_mob_updated_statement_on_smoke_use_at_al/
Ralph’s Mob: Updated Statement on Smoke Use at Al Lang
Huh, I had no idea they were cold-burning smoke devices.
To me this sounds like the fire marshal has a stick up his ass and made a decision without fully understanding the equipment.
Now, even with a full understanding of the situation, he is going to stick to his initial judgment.
Moving forward I don't see the city going against the fire marshal and overruling his opinion. That would be a bad look for the City and the public safety departments. A fire marshal should be someone the public can trust to make rationale decisions and the City undermining him would lower the public's trust
I think the manner in which the chief handled the decision is really in question here. As FC, it's his duty to investigate and recommend safety protocols based on facts. He did no investigation and did not use facts to make his decision. I cannot claim corruption without proof, but....if it walks like a pelican and dances like a pelican....
At the very least it has the blatant appearance of attempting to monetize the fire service. Even though our use of smoke appears to lay outside his scope of responsibility.
the Fire Marshal has just been used as muscle for this whole thing and most likely has nothing to do with their personal opinion.
So who is pulling the strings, in your opinion?
A Fire Marshal need to protect tge public trust by acting in a responsible and rational manner according to the law. Even if he can make his own determinations that shouldn't exceed the scope of said laws. I.e. you can't simply make shit up.
The city needs to protect the public trust by holding his feet to the fire!!
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f9lm03/st_pete_clearwater_events_tampa_bay_rowdies/
St Pete Clearwater Events: Tampa Bay Rowdies:
Found the video on YT uhhhh 257k??? Is that replaying somewhere in a store or something?
I'm pretty sure this the city advertising that there will be smoke.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H-A2WHKxNQ&feature=youtu.be
SPC Events: Tampa Bay Rowdies
Visit St. Pete Clearwater
It just doesn’t get more St. Pete than experiencing a Tampa Bay Rowdies match! Amiright or amiright?! And right now our squad is currently undefeated! Even more reason to come out and cheer on our boys in yellow and green! Come On You Rowdies!
Get the lineup of games at RowdiesSoccer.com
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https://www.cltampa.com/arts-entertainment/film-tv/article/21118323/tampas-gasparilla-international-film-festival-releases-2020-lineup
Tampa's Gasparilla International Film Festival releases 2020 lineup
CL Tampa Bay's Gasparilla Arts Month guide.
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https://www.cltampa.com/arts-entertainment/film-tv/article/21118318/gasparilla-international-film-festival-is-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-in-tampa-bays-film-scene
Gasparilla International Film Festival is the tip of the iceberg in Tampa Bay's film scene
CL Tampa Bay's Gasparilla Arts Month guide.
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/02/25/inter-miamis-david-beckham-and-jorge-mas-reveal-latest-third-dp-search-agustin
Inter Miami's David Beckham and Jorge Mas reveal latest on third DP search, Agustin Almendra interest
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/ianquillen/2020/02/25/betting-odds-underestimate-chicago-fire-fc-and-inter-miami-according-to-fivethirtyeight/#4696636370ea
Betting Odds Underestimate David Beckham’s Inter Miami, According To FiveThirtyEight
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https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_sports/haig-club-clubman-lands-in-miami-as-official-whisky-of/article_1faf8b75-8773-5e5d-95df-dad22249e426.html
HAIG CLUB Clubman Lands In Miami As Official Whisky Of Inter Miami CF
Specialty HAIG CLUB Clubman cocktails available for 21+ purchase in stadium throughout 2020
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https://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/4059652/mls-power-rankings-seattle-on-toplafc-no-2-inter-miami-has-a-long-way-to-go
MLS Power Rankings: Seattle on top, LAFC No. 2; Inter Miami has a long way to go
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/02/25/nashville-sc-talk-expectations-anticipation-ahead-long-awaited-mls-opener
Nashville SC talk expectations, anticipation ahead of long-awaited MLS opener
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https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/soccer-no-virtual-offside-line-in-mls-this-season-says-head-official-webb-2020-02-25
Soccer-No virtual offside line in MLS this season says head official Webb
Video Assistant Referee has its critics in Major League Soccer, not least Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but for the most part it has avoided the widespread fan antipathy that has roiled the English Premier League, German Bundesliga and elsewhere.
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https://the18.com/soccer-news/mls-var-updates-2020
MLS Won’t Use One Of The Worst Parts Of English Premier League’s VAR In 2020
THE FIRST LEAGUE TO FULLY INSTITUTE VAR IS KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE.
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https://mlsmultiplex.com/2020/02/25/mls-money-motivator-liga-mx-movement/
MLS: Money the motivator for Liga MX movement
More than in any previous offseason, MLS teams have signed players from Liga MX. Money is the primary motivation for the transfer, but it doesn’t always have to be.
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https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/02/25/major-league-soccer-jurgen-damm-liga-mx-free-transfer-atlanta-la-galaxy/
El Tri winger Jurgen Damm headed for MLS this summer
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https://sports.yahoo.com/david-beckham-inter-miami-finally-144300681.html
Beckham’s Inter Miami finally ready to arrive
This weekend Inter Miami CF will finally arrive in Major League Soccer.
Their much-anticipated MLS debut comes six years after David Beckham was awarded an expansion franchise in the Floridian city as his dream of owning a team is about to come true.
Good things come to those who wait, it seems.
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/02/25/david-beckham-luis-robles-being-named-inter-miami-captain-he-has-aura-about-him
David Beckham on Luis Robles being named Inter Miami captain: He has an aura about him
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https://miami.cbslocal.com/video/4461972-web-extra-david-beckham-talks-to-reporters-at-inter-miami-cf-practice/
WEB EXTRA: David Beckham Talks To Reporters at Inter Miami CF Practice
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https://www.legalgamblingandthelaw.com/news/cristiano-ronaldo-and-lionel-messi-could-end-careers-with-major-league-soccer/
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi Could End Careers With MLS
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https://www.businessinsider.com/cristiano-ronaldo-lionel-messi-ronaldo-finish-careers-mls-inter-miami-2020-2
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi could both finish their careers with David Beckham's Inter Miami, an MLS head coach said
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https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/02/25/david-beckham-inter-miami-finally-ready-to-arrive-mls/
Beckham’s Inter Miami finally ready to arrive
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https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/02/24/west-ham-reportedly-set-to-miss-out-on-20-year-old-talent-hell-j/
West Ham reportedly set to miss out on 20-year-old talent, he'll join Beckham's team
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https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2020/02/lusitanos-to-pioneers-western-mass-enduring-passion
LUSITANOS TO PIONEERS: WESTERN MASS’ ENDURING PASSION
THE LUDLOW-BASED WESTERN MASS PIONEERS RETURN FOR THE 2020 OPEN CUP, CARRYING ON A TRADITION BEGUN A HUNDRED YEARS AGO BY THE OLD GREMIO LUSITANO CLUB.
Youngsters begin arriving for practice at Lusitano Stadium in late afternoon. It’s almost spring and the weather’s starting to warm – the days are getting longer. Later, the lights go on and the Western Mass Pioneers take the field to get ready for their 2020 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup opener against GPS Portland Phoenix on March 24.
A statue of Mozambique-born Eusebio da Silva Ferreira – the famed Black Pearl of Portuguese soccer fame who was known the world over as, simply, Eusebio – greets visitors at the stadium’s front gate. On the right is a barn-like concession area, also housing the Gremio Lusitano Wall of Fame with trophies reaching to the ceiling. Many check in with Western Mass general manager Greg Kolodziey, who played for the Lusitanos before the team became the Pioneers in 1998.
The Western Mass Pioneers in the 2014 Open Cup
Soccer players have been coming here since 1922, when members of Gremio Lusitano, a culture and recreation club, lined out a dirt field on Winsor Street, across from the clubhouse. The club team competed against the Thistles, a local Scottish squad, and opposition from other New England mill towns. Soon, Gremio Lusitano FC was developing players for the U.S. National Team, advancing deep in both the U.S. Amateur Cup and National Challenge Cup, as the U.S. Open Cup used to be known (they are four-time Quarterfinalists), and contending in the revamped American Soccer League.
In the 1940s and ‘50s, the stadium – then named Franklin Field, likely after its proximity to nearby Franklin Street – attracted capacity crowds for matches, including several against top European teams like Everton FC. A crowd of 4,500 watched on when Lusitano played to a 3-3 draw with Jönköping FC of Sweden in 1951. At the time, Ludlow’s population was listed at just more than 8,000.
By the ‘60s, the jute mills had closed and soccer’s popularity faded nationally. But Lusitano held its traditions tight. For a while, the field was retrofit for baseball, though soccer remained the club’s primary activity.
ISOLATION A GOOD THING FOR LUDLOW’S SOCCER
Ludlow has long been isolated, both culturally and geographically. The country’s soccer booms and busts have had little effect here. “Parents and grandparents grew up in that soccer world, so as you raise your kids, it’s toward soccer,” said Koloziey, who also coaches the local high school team. “We have a lot of hard-working coaches, kids start at a young age.”
Gremio Lusitano FC favored a style of play familiar to Portuguese people everywhere, heavy on skill and tactics. And the immigrants’ sporting prowess translated to interscholastic play, Ludlow High School winning 17 State soccer titles.
Night time training at Lusitano Stadium
“It was in the culture, the way we played and it goes back to our heritage,” club historian Joao Bernardo told usopencup.com. “Nundy Batista and those guys were some of the best athletes around. They played basketball, football – the two years they played football were the only two years Ludlow [High School] won in football. But the soccer team lost, so they said ‘you guys are not playing football no more’ – that’s not our game. And they brought the guys back. At the high school level, you see these great players dribbling the ball, passing the ball around. That’s why there’s all these championships.”
Lusitano Stadium is a center of activity in an area that feels like a slice of Portugal. From the early 1900s, several Massachusetts mill towns developed similar setups, the most successful in Fall River, symbolized by the 15,000-capacity Mark’s Stadium. The Portuguese clubs remain active but many playing fields have been abandoned.
After the American Soccer League (ASL) folded its New England division in the 1950s, Gremio Lusitano played in local competitions such as the Massachusetts & New Hampshire State Soccer Association, Connecticut Soccer League (CSL) and the Luso-American Soccer Association (LASA). The club played host to friendlies with Sporting Lisbon and other Portuguese clubs such as GD Chaves, SC Olhanense and CD Santa Clara, the visitors attracted by Lusitano Stadium, which the club insists is the only soccer-specific stadium in New England.
LITTLE SLICE OF PORTUGAL IN LUDLOW
The local soccer community is tight-knit. As parents and youngsters arrive, they ask about the Pioneers’ upcoming Open Cup match. A paint truck drives up and one of the workers starts juggling a ball on the way out – he played for the Lusitano team in the ‘70s. Tony Salvador, who played for the club as a teenager, tells of revamping the stadium with the help of volunteers and donated equipment from local contractors. He’s there to watch his teenage grandson, who is training with the Pioneers. David Socha, who became the first U.S. referee to work two FIFA World Cups (1982 and ‘86), calls to postpone a visit.
The clubhouse stays open late, and Pioneer coaches and players hang around the bar after practice. “If they like the club, they like what we do, I think they are going to give us 110 percent, not 100 percent,” Pioneers coach Federico Molinari said. “We have players I recruited when I started coaching in 2011. All of those players are still playing because they like the club and they start feeling things for the club. And when you start feeling things for the club you care a lot more inside the field and this is what I want. Their commitment is unbelievable and they do it for free.”
Portuguese players long formed the basis of the Lusitano team. “All the teams we had, there were only seven or eight, or less, Portuguese players on the team,” Bernardo said. “We had Germans, Italians, great players from all [ethnicities]. Charlie McCully [who earned 11 caps for the U.S. National Team in the 1970s] played here. They didn’t care about your color, whatever you were.”
The entrance to Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, MA
Among the players recognized by the Lusitano Alumni & Fans committee, in their initial program in 1987, were William “Gil” Bello, a member of the U.S. team that competed in the 1949 North American Football Championships (World Cup qualifiers) and Robert McIntyre, who started for a U.S. All-Star team that played to a 1-1 draw with Scotland’s national team at the Polo Grounds in New York City in 1939. Lusitano goalkeeper Tony Almeida and teammate Joseph Costa were named alternates on the 1948 U.S. Olympic team.
Lusitano competed in the shadow of another Portuguese club, Ponta Delgada, out of Fall River, that won the 1950 U.S. Open Cup and captured five U.S. Amateur Cup titles from 1946-53. Lusitano proved worthy opponents, reaching four Open Cup Quarterfinals from 1949-56. In 1949, Lusitano defeated Ponta Delgada for the New England title, then lost to New York SC in the Open Cup Quarterfinals. In 1953, Lusitano appeared on the verge of advancing to the Last Eight again, but Joe Feicha’s 83rd-minute penalty hit the post, and Swiss FC of New York took a 4-1 extra-time win on two goals by Argentine-born Efrain “Chico” Chacurian.
During the 1970s, former Benfica superstar Eusebio arrived in Ludlow along with Humberto Coelho and Antonio Simoes, all playing in the old North American Soccer League (NASL), for a friendly match against the Connecticut Bicentennials. Eusebio returned to Ludlow for a tribute in the early ‘90s. In 2016, two years after Eusebio’s death, Gillette Stadium had removed a statue of him – another copy stands in front of Estadio da Luz in Lisbon – and Gremio Lusitano came to the rescue.
FROM PIONEERS TO PIONEERS
In 1998, the club took a major step toward “Americanization” by joining the USISL. A local newspaper readers’ poll named the team the Western Mass Pioneers. In 1999, the Pioneers defeated the South Jersey Barons, 2-1, in the USISL D3 Pro final before a crowd of about 6,000 at Lusitano Stadium. (Ludlow’s population was listed at 21,209 in 2000).
“You know what, it was the best thing we did,” Bernardo said of the name change. “Because this united the community more than anything else. People don’t realize that this game united this community a lot. Since then, there’s not as much people not liking each other, or whatever. People wouldn’t come to watch the soccer game when we were the Lusitanos. It was just Portuguese people watching the game. But now it’s totally different.”
From 2003-05 the New England Revolution made the stadium a base for their U.S. Open Cup games. The Revolution took a 2-1 win over the Rochester Rhinos on goals by Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman before an estimated 4,000 fans in the 2003 Open Cup. The next year, the Rhinos eliminated the Revolution on penalty kicks there. In 2005, the Pioneers advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, falling to the Chicago Fire by a 3-1 score before a crowd of 4,000 at Lusitano Stadium. But the Pioneers gave the Fire a game with former Boston College star Neil Krause opening the scoring in the fifth minute. The Fire returned to take a 3-2 extra-time win over the Revolution before a full house on August 3, 2005. The suspenseful match included late red cards issued to the Fire’s Jesse Marsch and the Revolution’s Jay Heaps, who grew up in nearby Longmeadow, Massachusetts.
2018 was the last Open Cup the Pioneers too part in
Soccer generates profits, partly because of a concession area that includes alcohol sales and features the “tasty” bifana sandwich, a Portuguese specialty. But travel has proven costly, and the Pioneers chose to go amateur after losing on penalties to the Charlotte Eagles in the USISL D3 Pro final in 2005.
Lusitano Stadium underwent a makeover in 2013, a synthetic surface installed to accommodate an expanded youth program. Several grass fields are also maintained, located next to the stadium, behind Our Lady of Fatima church. “If you come to Lusitano Stadium now it is very similar to when you came 25 years ago to a Gremio Lusitano game, with the set-up and fan base,” Kolodziey said. “We’re trying to reach out to all fans now.
SPECIAL HISTORY IN LUDLOW
“What makes this special is definitely the history, most definitely the history,” Kolodziey added. “The players that played here, the fan base has been dedicated for a lot of years. When opposing teams come in here the atmosphere is pretty electric, the atmosphere is tight-knit. Teams like to play here on a Friday night, a couple thousand people – it’s a pretty neat thing for a small town.”
The Western Mass nickname, inspired by the area’s Pioneer Valley, is a nod to assimilation, but Portuguese influences remain strong here. Walls are adorned with a mosaic of the Trás-Os-Montes region of Northern Portugal and framed likenesses of Portuguese Ballon D’Or/World Players of the Year – Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo. (The Figo picture has since been purchased by a fan).
The Boston Globe archives include dozens of Lusitano game stories, dating back to 1922. In 1940, after a game against Pawtucket, the club was ordered to pay a $75 fine, plus a $100 “soccer peace bond” for what was described as a “riot” and “fracas,” leading to a one-year suspension for Pawtucket’s Harry Burness. “The fans love their soccer,” said Fred Pereira, the Town of Ludlow Tax Collector. “Fans are very close to the field so it’s very easy to get excited. We do have some fans who are passionate. It’s all part of the tradition – keep it under control but have some passion.”
Open Cup Action from Lusitano Stadium in 2014
Pereira, who set a Ludlow High School record with 50 goals in a season, might have been the first to follow a path from this club to the Ivy League to pro soccer (the latest would be New York City midfielder Thomas McNamara). “I was born in Portugal and came here when I was 12,” said Pereira, 64, who played at Brown University, then in the NASL and for the U.S. men’s national team. “Fortunately, it was a very good soccer town and that made it easier for me to make friends. Ludlow is a good town to come to if you’re a soccer player.”
Half a century later, Pioneers midfielder Maximiliano Viera found similar acceptance after arriving from Uruguay via the University of Rio Grande in Ohio. “My experience in the U.S.,” Viera said, “I didn’t find the same passion, the same attitude to the games, as I found here for the Pioneers. That’s why I really liked it here, because it really made me feel at home – the passion the people have here, the attitude for the games. The town, they do everything for the club, they’re really passionate about it. That’s why I keep playing for the Pioneers. It helps to motivate us for the games and I think it helps the rivals because they’re not used to the scenario, playing [before] all these people in the stadium, so they’re more motivated when they play us. That makes every game harder for us.”
There’s a tradition that connects people in Ludlow to their roots overseas and the game they love. It lives in Lusitano Stadium and the boys who line up there – call them the Lusitanos or the Pioneers, it doesn’t matter – it’s all the same in Ludlow, Mass.
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https://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/the-week-in-women-s-football-nasl-changes-uws-adds-league-two-usl-return-4316424
The Week in Women's Football: NASL changes; UWS adds League Two; USL return;
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https://www.83degreesmedia.com/features/top-takeaways-from-Tampa-Bay-Area-mayors-at-Tiger-Bay-Club-022520.aspx
A tale of 2 boomtowns: Tampa, St. Pete
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman took the stage February 21 at Tampa Tiger Bay Club’s monthly meeting at the Cuban Club in Ybor City to tell "A Tale of Two Boomtowns.''
83 Degrees asked several attendees to share their top takeaways with our larger audience. Here is what they think you should know:
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https://www.sacbee.com/sports/article240606446.html
Australia, New Zealand showcase 2023 World Cup bid to FIFA
FILE - In this Sunday, July 7, 2019 file photo, United States' Megan Rapinoe poses with her individual awards at the end of the Women's World Cup final soccer match between US and The Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France. The U.S. men's national team urged the U.S. Soccer Federation to sharply increase pay of the American women and accused the governing body of making low-ball offers in negotiations with the men. The union for the women's team filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the USSF that is scheduled for trial starting May 5. The women agreed to a collective bargaining agreement in April 2017 that extends through 2021.
Backers of a bid to bring the 2023 Women's World Cup to Australia and New Zealand are confident they've showcased the benefits of co-hosting the event across two confederations.
New Zealand Football and Football Federation Australia are proposing the first ever co-confederation World Cup, the first FIFA World Cup in the Pacific region and the first Women's World Cup in the Southern Hemisphere.
A FIFA inspection team has completed a six-day tour, reviewing plans for a tournament involving 13 stadiums and up to 100 practice venues across the two countries.
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https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2020/02/24/u-s-womens-player-admits-men-stronger-faster-women/
U.S. Women’s Player Admits Men Are Stronger, Faster than Women
A lawsuit filed by the U.S. Women’s National soccer team says that U.S. Soccer has wrongly paid them less than the U.S. Men’s team. But the proceedings in the suit already show that men’s soccer has much stiffer competition and have lost less money than the women’s team.
In the most recent phase of the proceedings, several members of women’s soccer were pressed to speak to the differences between men’s and women’s soccer. In one instance, a lawyer for the national organization asked if the U.S. women’s team could best Germany’s men’s team, the AP reported.
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https://www.nashvillepost.com/sports/nashville-sc/article/21118268/ayre-nashville-sc-can-finally-take-a-breath-as-mls-debut-nears
Ayre, Nashville SC can finally take a breath as MLS debut nears
CEO excited to finally see 'everything fall into place'
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https://news.yahoo.com/nashville-c-ready-mls-debut-044508373.html
Nashville S.C. Ready For MLS Debut
After a month of training camp in Florida, Nashville S.C. is back home to gear up for its inaugural Major League Soccer game Saturday night against Atlanta United at Nissan Stadium.
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https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2020/02/25/dont-swap-largest-city-park-for-the-grass-between-buildings/
Don’t swap largest city park for the grass between buildings
Miami showcases its policy that it can lose no total parkland. Yet a lease of the city’s largest park for a private mega-project would lose 53 acres. That’s shameful.
Don’t blame Miami Freedom Park’s developers – they’ll do what it takes to displace Melreese Golf Course. Still, the city commission has three paths to keep residents from being cheated.
First, commissioners could (and should) refuse to turn over the only golf course in city limits at any price, thus protecting the valuable public green space.
Even if the commissioners yield to lease the course for as much as they can get, however, they can insist that developers find more than 20 disconnected acres to replace the 73 contiguous acres in their development – because 20 acres in bits and pieces is what an attorney for the developers told commissioners it’s going to be.
In fact, if commissioners insist on giving up vital parkland that was never in play until developers wanted it, the city should decide what it wants to get in return rather than developers telling the city what it’s going to get in this ass-backwards deal.
Look at what’s at stake:
Melreese is Miami’s Central Park, its largest green space. It’s right beside Miami International Airport, providing open area below takeoffs and landings at the county’s main economic engine.
The airport director worries that if Melreese were built over, the Federal Aviation Administration would limit runway use at the entry point for much of our air cargo and more than 95% of all visitors to this tourist-oriented county.
Unfortunately, Miami gave the airport to the county decades ago, so city commissioners have no formal requirement to look out for the airport’s health. They certainly haven’t in the Melreese deal.
The deal is, in fact, a spinoff of soccer team owners’ hunt for a stadium site (though they now have two others, one in Broward County and another in Overtown).
The owners, led by celebrity ex-star David Beckham, united with the well-connected Mas brothers, who have used a stadium as bait in a billion-dollar plan to develop a shopping-hotel-office complex larger than downtown’s Brickell City Centre, which was built on private lands quietly acquired over decades at market rates.
The Mas brothers didn’t do that long groundwork: they simple asked for public land that was never offered, dealing at well below market rate without competitive bids. City leaders went along.
Now it’s time for commissioners to either OK whatever deal hits the table or vote it down. It will take four of five votes for approval after they vet the deal in May.
The developers’ attorney told commissioners this month some of what they plan.
Developers magnanimously are offering to let the city keep 58 of its 131 acres as a “contribution.”
Developers are also talking about finding 20 acres to replace the 73 they’ll lease – probably counting the stadium and space around their buildings as the other 53 acres needed to meet park replacement requirements, as if a building’s front lawn were a park.
Then of 20 replacement acres, they want to count land the city or other governments already own that could be dressed up and called parks. Then they’ll find bits and pieces of land elsewhere that with the rest could total 20 acres. In the latter, they have support from commissioners, all of whom want sprinkles of park in their district as they carve up the bones of Melreese.
New Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who represents the Melreese area, and Joe Carollo talk about getting a really good deal – presumably meaning a high lease level. And if city decides to break up its largest park, the lease figure will indeed be important.
But lease talk is putting the cart before the horse: if the city isn’t getting more parkland than it started with or has to supply its own land elsewhere as part of a replacement, why in heaven’s name would the city part with its only golf course?
Commissioners seem to be assuming they have to make a deal and plan to haggle for more money instead of grappling with the questions of why diminish parks and why carve up the biggest one we have.
Would New York City let developers take over Central Park and then count the space between all the buildings in Manhattan as a replacement?
That’s the point of questions Commissioner Manolo Reyes raised in hearing the plans for Melreese. He asked for a replacement park at least as large as Melreese, but other commissioners shot him down. He also asked, in vain, not to let developers count areas smaller than 40,000 square feet as replacement parkland.
“Either we accept it or we erase [requirements of no parkland loss] and stop being liars and hypocrites that we are telling the public out there that we are protecting our parks,” Mr. Reyes said.
He’s driving right down the fairway: either keep Melreese as a city amenity, which is the best shot, or at least follow city policy to the letter and have would-be developers provide equal or greater contiguous parkland elsewhere.
It doesn’t matter that commissioners raise lease rates a bit to say they’ve protected the public interest if in the process they’ve degraded parkland forever. That would indeed be shameful.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/columbus-crew-expands-partnership-with-ohiohealth-jersey-deal-imminent/
Columbus Crew expands partnership with OhioHealth, jersey deal imminent
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https://sporttechie.com/mls-club-chicago-fire-wgn-tv
MLS Club Chicago Fire Will Have Its Games Aired on WGN-TV
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https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/02/26/concacaf-champions-league-atlanta-united-pity-josef-martinez-cruz-azul/
CCL wrap: Atlanta United, Cruz Azul advance
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https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/02/25/italy-may-lift-ban-on-sporting-events-by-monday-serie-a-coronavirus/
Coronavirus: Italy may lift ban on sporting events by Monday
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http://www.flowsports.co/major-league-soccer/video/beckham-excited-for-inter-miami-era-begin
Beckham excited for Inter Miami era to begin
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham is excited for the MLS franchise's new era to begin this weekend away at Los Angeles FC.
https://mailchi.mp/df02fbb2381a/ctqxixnd42-12189275
Single Game Tickets
Rowdies single game tickets are now on sale!
Our season kicks off in just a few weeks, so grab your tickets now!
From our home opener on Saturday, March 21st to our seven theme nights, fireworks, and more, you won't want to miss a second of Rowdies soccer in 2020!
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https://mpv.tickets.com/schedule/
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f9ap4e/ralphs_mob_updated_statement_on_smoke_use_at_al/
Ralph’s Mob: Updated Statement on Smoke Use at Al Lang
Huh, I had no idea they were cold-burning smoke devices.
To me this sounds like the fire marshal has a stick up his ass and made a decision without fully understanding the equipment.
Now, even with a full understanding of the situation, he is going to stick to his initial judgment.
Moving forward I don't see the city going against the fire marshal and overruling his opinion. That would be a bad look for the City and the public safety departments. A fire marshal should be someone the public can trust to make rationale decisions and the City undermining him would lower the public's trust
I think the manner in which the chief handled the decision is really in question here. As FC, it's his duty to investigate and recommend safety protocols based on facts. He did no investigation and did not use facts to make his decision. I cannot claim corruption without proof, but....if it walks like a pelican and dances like a pelican....
At the very least it has the blatant appearance of attempting to monetize the fire service. Even though our use of smoke appears to lay outside his scope of responsibility.
the Fire Marshal has just been used as muscle for this whole thing and most likely has nothing to do with their personal opinion.
So who is pulling the strings, in your opinion?
A Fire Marshal need to protect tge public trust by acting in a responsible and rational manner according to the law. Even if he can make his own determinations that shouldn't exceed the scope of said laws. I.e. you can't simply make shit up.
The city needs to protect the public trust by holding his feet to the fire!!
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f9lm03/st_pete_clearwater_events_tampa_bay_rowdies/
St Pete Clearwater Events: Tampa Bay Rowdies:
Found the video on YT uhhhh 257k??? Is that replaying somewhere in a store or something?
I'm pretty sure this the city advertising that there will be smoke.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H-A2WHKxNQ&feature=youtu.be
SPC Events: Tampa Bay Rowdies
Visit St. Pete Clearwater
It just doesn’t get more St. Pete than experiencing a Tampa Bay Rowdies match! Amiright or amiright?! And right now our squad is currently undefeated! Even more reason to come out and cheer on our boys in yellow and green! Come On You Rowdies!
Get the lineup of games at RowdiesSoccer.com
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https://www.cltampa.com/arts-entertainment/film-tv/article/21118323/tampas-gasparilla-international-film-festival-releases-2020-lineup
Tampa's Gasparilla International Film Festival releases 2020 lineup
CL Tampa Bay's Gasparilla Arts Month guide.
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https://www.cltampa.com/arts-entertainment/film-tv/article/21118318/gasparilla-international-film-festival-is-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-in-tampa-bays-film-scene
Gasparilla International Film Festival is the tip of the iceberg in Tampa Bay's film scene
CL Tampa Bay's Gasparilla Arts Month guide.
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/02/25/inter-miamis-david-beckham-and-jorge-mas-reveal-latest-third-dp-search-agustin
Inter Miami's David Beckham and Jorge Mas reveal latest on third DP search, Agustin Almendra interest
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/ianquillen/2020/02/25/betting-odds-underestimate-chicago-fire-fc-and-inter-miami-according-to-fivethirtyeight/#4696636370ea
Betting Odds Underestimate David Beckham’s Inter Miami, According To FiveThirtyEight
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https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_sports/haig-club-clubman-lands-in-miami-as-official-whisky-of/article_1faf8b75-8773-5e5d-95df-dad22249e426.html
HAIG CLUB Clubman Lands In Miami As Official Whisky Of Inter Miami CF
Specialty HAIG CLUB Clubman cocktails available for 21+ purchase in stadium throughout 2020
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https://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/4059652/mls-power-rankings-seattle-on-toplafc-no-2-inter-miami-has-a-long-way-to-go
MLS Power Rankings: Seattle on top, LAFC No. 2; Inter Miami has a long way to go
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/02/25/nashville-sc-talk-expectations-anticipation-ahead-long-awaited-mls-opener
Nashville SC talk expectations, anticipation ahead of long-awaited MLS opener
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https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/soccer-no-virtual-offside-line-in-mls-this-season-says-head-official-webb-2020-02-25
Soccer-No virtual offside line in MLS this season says head official Webb
Video Assistant Referee has its critics in Major League Soccer, not least Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but for the most part it has avoided the widespread fan antipathy that has roiled the English Premier League, German Bundesliga and elsewhere.
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https://the18.com/soccer-news/mls-var-updates-2020
MLS Won’t Use One Of The Worst Parts Of English Premier League’s VAR In 2020
THE FIRST LEAGUE TO FULLY INSTITUTE VAR IS KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE.
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https://mlsmultiplex.com/2020/02/25/mls-money-motivator-liga-mx-movement/
MLS: Money the motivator for Liga MX movement
More than in any previous offseason, MLS teams have signed players from Liga MX. Money is the primary motivation for the transfer, but it doesn’t always have to be.
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https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/02/25/major-league-soccer-jurgen-damm-liga-mx-free-transfer-atlanta-la-galaxy/
El Tri winger Jurgen Damm headed for MLS this summer
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https://sports.yahoo.com/david-beckham-inter-miami-finally-144300681.html
Beckham’s Inter Miami finally ready to arrive
This weekend Inter Miami CF will finally arrive in Major League Soccer.
Their much-anticipated MLS debut comes six years after David Beckham was awarded an expansion franchise in the Floridian city as his dream of owning a team is about to come true.
Good things come to those who wait, it seems.
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/02/25/david-beckham-luis-robles-being-named-inter-miami-captain-he-has-aura-about-him
David Beckham on Luis Robles being named Inter Miami captain: He has an aura about him
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https://miami.cbslocal.com/video/4461972-web-extra-david-beckham-talks-to-reporters-at-inter-miami-cf-practice/
WEB EXTRA: David Beckham Talks To Reporters at Inter Miami CF Practice
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https://www.legalgamblingandthelaw.com/news/cristiano-ronaldo-and-lionel-messi-could-end-careers-with-major-league-soccer/
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi Could End Careers With MLS
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https://www.businessinsider.com/cristiano-ronaldo-lionel-messi-ronaldo-finish-careers-mls-inter-miami-2020-2
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi could both finish their careers with David Beckham's Inter Miami, an MLS head coach said
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https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/02/25/david-beckham-inter-miami-finally-ready-to-arrive-mls/
Beckham’s Inter Miami finally ready to arrive
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https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/02/24/west-ham-reportedly-set-to-miss-out-on-20-year-old-talent-hell-j/
West Ham reportedly set to miss out on 20-year-old talent, he'll join Beckham's team
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https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2020/02/lusitanos-to-pioneers-western-mass-enduring-passion
LUSITANOS TO PIONEERS: WESTERN MASS’ ENDURING PASSION
THE LUDLOW-BASED WESTERN MASS PIONEERS RETURN FOR THE 2020 OPEN CUP, CARRYING ON A TRADITION BEGUN A HUNDRED YEARS AGO BY THE OLD GREMIO LUSITANO CLUB.
Youngsters begin arriving for practice at Lusitano Stadium in late afternoon. It’s almost spring and the weather’s starting to warm – the days are getting longer. Later, the lights go on and the Western Mass Pioneers take the field to get ready for their 2020 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup opener against GPS Portland Phoenix on March 24.
A statue of Mozambique-born Eusebio da Silva Ferreira – the famed Black Pearl of Portuguese soccer fame who was known the world over as, simply, Eusebio – greets visitors at the stadium’s front gate. On the right is a barn-like concession area, also housing the Gremio Lusitano Wall of Fame with trophies reaching to the ceiling. Many check in with Western Mass general manager Greg Kolodziey, who played for the Lusitanos before the team became the Pioneers in 1998.
The Western Mass Pioneers in the 2014 Open Cup
Soccer players have been coming here since 1922, when members of Gremio Lusitano, a culture and recreation club, lined out a dirt field on Winsor Street, across from the clubhouse. The club team competed against the Thistles, a local Scottish squad, and opposition from other New England mill towns. Soon, Gremio Lusitano FC was developing players for the U.S. National Team, advancing deep in both the U.S. Amateur Cup and National Challenge Cup, as the U.S. Open Cup used to be known (they are four-time Quarterfinalists), and contending in the revamped American Soccer League.
In the 1940s and ‘50s, the stadium – then named Franklin Field, likely after its proximity to nearby Franklin Street – attracted capacity crowds for matches, including several against top European teams like Everton FC. A crowd of 4,500 watched on when Lusitano played to a 3-3 draw with Jönköping FC of Sweden in 1951. At the time, Ludlow’s population was listed at just more than 8,000.
By the ‘60s, the jute mills had closed and soccer’s popularity faded nationally. But Lusitano held its traditions tight. For a while, the field was retrofit for baseball, though soccer remained the club’s primary activity.
ISOLATION A GOOD THING FOR LUDLOW’S SOCCER
Ludlow has long been isolated, both culturally and geographically. The country’s soccer booms and busts have had little effect here. “Parents and grandparents grew up in that soccer world, so as you raise your kids, it’s toward soccer,” said Koloziey, who also coaches the local high school team. “We have a lot of hard-working coaches, kids start at a young age.”
Gremio Lusitano FC favored a style of play familiar to Portuguese people everywhere, heavy on skill and tactics. And the immigrants’ sporting prowess translated to interscholastic play, Ludlow High School winning 17 State soccer titles.
Night time training at Lusitano Stadium
“It was in the culture, the way we played and it goes back to our heritage,” club historian Joao Bernardo told usopencup.com. “Nundy Batista and those guys were some of the best athletes around. They played basketball, football – the two years they played football were the only two years Ludlow [High School] won in football. But the soccer team lost, so they said ‘you guys are not playing football no more’ – that’s not our game. And they brought the guys back. At the high school level, you see these great players dribbling the ball, passing the ball around. That’s why there’s all these championships.”
Lusitano Stadium is a center of activity in an area that feels like a slice of Portugal. From the early 1900s, several Massachusetts mill towns developed similar setups, the most successful in Fall River, symbolized by the 15,000-capacity Mark’s Stadium. The Portuguese clubs remain active but many playing fields have been abandoned.
After the American Soccer League (ASL) folded its New England division in the 1950s, Gremio Lusitano played in local competitions such as the Massachusetts & New Hampshire State Soccer Association, Connecticut Soccer League (CSL) and the Luso-American Soccer Association (LASA). The club played host to friendlies with Sporting Lisbon and other Portuguese clubs such as GD Chaves, SC Olhanense and CD Santa Clara, the visitors attracted by Lusitano Stadium, which the club insists is the only soccer-specific stadium in New England.
LITTLE SLICE OF PORTUGAL IN LUDLOW
The local soccer community is tight-knit. As parents and youngsters arrive, they ask about the Pioneers’ upcoming Open Cup match. A paint truck drives up and one of the workers starts juggling a ball on the way out – he played for the Lusitano team in the ‘70s. Tony Salvador, who played for the club as a teenager, tells of revamping the stadium with the help of volunteers and donated equipment from local contractors. He’s there to watch his teenage grandson, who is training with the Pioneers. David Socha, who became the first U.S. referee to work two FIFA World Cups (1982 and ‘86), calls to postpone a visit.
The clubhouse stays open late, and Pioneer coaches and players hang around the bar after practice. “If they like the club, they like what we do, I think they are going to give us 110 percent, not 100 percent,” Pioneers coach Federico Molinari said. “We have players I recruited when I started coaching in 2011. All of those players are still playing because they like the club and they start feeling things for the club. And when you start feeling things for the club you care a lot more inside the field and this is what I want. Their commitment is unbelievable and they do it for free.”
Portuguese players long formed the basis of the Lusitano team. “All the teams we had, there were only seven or eight, or less, Portuguese players on the team,” Bernardo said. “We had Germans, Italians, great players from all [ethnicities]. Charlie McCully [who earned 11 caps for the U.S. National Team in the 1970s] played here. They didn’t care about your color, whatever you were.”
The entrance to Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, MA
Among the players recognized by the Lusitano Alumni & Fans committee, in their initial program in 1987, were William “Gil” Bello, a member of the U.S. team that competed in the 1949 North American Football Championships (World Cup qualifiers) and Robert McIntyre, who started for a U.S. All-Star team that played to a 1-1 draw with Scotland’s national team at the Polo Grounds in New York City in 1939. Lusitano goalkeeper Tony Almeida and teammate Joseph Costa were named alternates on the 1948 U.S. Olympic team.
Lusitano competed in the shadow of another Portuguese club, Ponta Delgada, out of Fall River, that won the 1950 U.S. Open Cup and captured five U.S. Amateur Cup titles from 1946-53. Lusitano proved worthy opponents, reaching four Open Cup Quarterfinals from 1949-56. In 1949, Lusitano defeated Ponta Delgada for the New England title, then lost to New York SC in the Open Cup Quarterfinals. In 1953, Lusitano appeared on the verge of advancing to the Last Eight again, but Joe Feicha’s 83rd-minute penalty hit the post, and Swiss FC of New York took a 4-1 extra-time win on two goals by Argentine-born Efrain “Chico” Chacurian.
During the 1970s, former Benfica superstar Eusebio arrived in Ludlow along with Humberto Coelho and Antonio Simoes, all playing in the old North American Soccer League (NASL), for a friendly match against the Connecticut Bicentennials. Eusebio returned to Ludlow for a tribute in the early ‘90s. In 2016, two years after Eusebio’s death, Gillette Stadium had removed a statue of him – another copy stands in front of Estadio da Luz in Lisbon – and Gremio Lusitano came to the rescue.
FROM PIONEERS TO PIONEERS
In 1998, the club took a major step toward “Americanization” by joining the USISL. A local newspaper readers’ poll named the team the Western Mass Pioneers. In 1999, the Pioneers defeated the South Jersey Barons, 2-1, in the USISL D3 Pro final before a crowd of about 6,000 at Lusitano Stadium. (Ludlow’s population was listed at 21,209 in 2000).
“You know what, it was the best thing we did,” Bernardo said of the name change. “Because this united the community more than anything else. People don’t realize that this game united this community a lot. Since then, there’s not as much people not liking each other, or whatever. People wouldn’t come to watch the soccer game when we were the Lusitanos. It was just Portuguese people watching the game. But now it’s totally different.”
From 2003-05 the New England Revolution made the stadium a base for their U.S. Open Cup games. The Revolution took a 2-1 win over the Rochester Rhinos on goals by Steve Ralston and Taylor Twellman before an estimated 4,000 fans in the 2003 Open Cup. The next year, the Rhinos eliminated the Revolution on penalty kicks there. In 2005, the Pioneers advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, falling to the Chicago Fire by a 3-1 score before a crowd of 4,000 at Lusitano Stadium. But the Pioneers gave the Fire a game with former Boston College star Neil Krause opening the scoring in the fifth minute. The Fire returned to take a 3-2 extra-time win over the Revolution before a full house on August 3, 2005. The suspenseful match included late red cards issued to the Fire’s Jesse Marsch and the Revolution’s Jay Heaps, who grew up in nearby Longmeadow, Massachusetts.
2018 was the last Open Cup the Pioneers too part in
Soccer generates profits, partly because of a concession area that includes alcohol sales and features the “tasty” bifana sandwich, a Portuguese specialty. But travel has proven costly, and the Pioneers chose to go amateur after losing on penalties to the Charlotte Eagles in the USISL D3 Pro final in 2005.
Lusitano Stadium underwent a makeover in 2013, a synthetic surface installed to accommodate an expanded youth program. Several grass fields are also maintained, located next to the stadium, behind Our Lady of Fatima church. “If you come to Lusitano Stadium now it is very similar to when you came 25 years ago to a Gremio Lusitano game, with the set-up and fan base,” Kolodziey said. “We’re trying to reach out to all fans now.
SPECIAL HISTORY IN LUDLOW
“What makes this special is definitely the history, most definitely the history,” Kolodziey added. “The players that played here, the fan base has been dedicated for a lot of years. When opposing teams come in here the atmosphere is pretty electric, the atmosphere is tight-knit. Teams like to play here on a Friday night, a couple thousand people – it’s a pretty neat thing for a small town.”
The Western Mass nickname, inspired by the area’s Pioneer Valley, is a nod to assimilation, but Portuguese influences remain strong here. Walls are adorned with a mosaic of the Trás-Os-Montes region of Northern Portugal and framed likenesses of Portuguese Ballon D’Or/World Players of the Year – Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo. (The Figo picture has since been purchased by a fan).
The Boston Globe archives include dozens of Lusitano game stories, dating back to 1922. In 1940, after a game against Pawtucket, the club was ordered to pay a $75 fine, plus a $100 “soccer peace bond” for what was described as a “riot” and “fracas,” leading to a one-year suspension for Pawtucket’s Harry Burness. “The fans love their soccer,” said Fred Pereira, the Town of Ludlow Tax Collector. “Fans are very close to the field so it’s very easy to get excited. We do have some fans who are passionate. It’s all part of the tradition – keep it under control but have some passion.”
Open Cup Action from Lusitano Stadium in 2014
Pereira, who set a Ludlow High School record with 50 goals in a season, might have been the first to follow a path from this club to the Ivy League to pro soccer (the latest would be New York City midfielder Thomas McNamara). “I was born in Portugal and came here when I was 12,” said Pereira, 64, who played at Brown University, then in the NASL and for the U.S. men’s national team. “Fortunately, it was a very good soccer town and that made it easier for me to make friends. Ludlow is a good town to come to if you’re a soccer player.”
Half a century later, Pioneers midfielder Maximiliano Viera found similar acceptance after arriving from Uruguay via the University of Rio Grande in Ohio. “My experience in the U.S.,” Viera said, “I didn’t find the same passion, the same attitude to the games, as I found here for the Pioneers. That’s why I really liked it here, because it really made me feel at home – the passion the people have here, the attitude for the games. The town, they do everything for the club, they’re really passionate about it. That’s why I keep playing for the Pioneers. It helps to motivate us for the games and I think it helps the rivals because they’re not used to the scenario, playing [before] all these people in the stadium, so they’re more motivated when they play us. That makes every game harder for us.”
There’s a tradition that connects people in Ludlow to their roots overseas and the game they love. It lives in Lusitano Stadium and the boys who line up there – call them the Lusitanos or the Pioneers, it doesn’t matter – it’s all the same in Ludlow, Mass.
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https://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/the-week-in-women-s-football-nasl-changes-uws-adds-league-two-usl-return-4316424
The Week in Women's Football: NASL changes; UWS adds League Two; USL return;
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https://www.83degreesmedia.com/features/top-takeaways-from-Tampa-Bay-Area-mayors-at-Tiger-Bay-Club-022520.aspx
A tale of 2 boomtowns: Tampa, St. Pete
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman took the stage February 21 at Tampa Tiger Bay Club’s monthly meeting at the Cuban Club in Ybor City to tell "A Tale of Two Boomtowns.''
83 Degrees asked several attendees to share their top takeaways with our larger audience. Here is what they think you should know:
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https://www.sacbee.com/sports/article240606446.html
Australia, New Zealand showcase 2023 World Cup bid to FIFA
FILE - In this Sunday, July 7, 2019 file photo, United States' Megan Rapinoe poses with her individual awards at the end of the Women's World Cup final soccer match between US and The Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France. The U.S. men's national team urged the U.S. Soccer Federation to sharply increase pay of the American women and accused the governing body of making low-ball offers in negotiations with the men. The union for the women's team filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the USSF that is scheduled for trial starting May 5. The women agreed to a collective bargaining agreement in April 2017 that extends through 2021.
Backers of a bid to bring the 2023 Women's World Cup to Australia and New Zealand are confident they've showcased the benefits of co-hosting the event across two confederations.
New Zealand Football and Football Federation Australia are proposing the first ever co-confederation World Cup, the first FIFA World Cup in the Pacific region and the first Women's World Cup in the Southern Hemisphere.
A FIFA inspection team has completed a six-day tour, reviewing plans for a tournament involving 13 stadiums and up to 100 practice venues across the two countries.
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https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2020/02/24/u-s-womens-player-admits-men-stronger-faster-women/
U.S. Women’s Player Admits Men Are Stronger, Faster than Women
A lawsuit filed by the U.S. Women’s National soccer team says that U.S. Soccer has wrongly paid them less than the U.S. Men’s team. But the proceedings in the suit already show that men’s soccer has much stiffer competition and have lost less money than the women’s team.
In the most recent phase of the proceedings, several members of women’s soccer were pressed to speak to the differences between men’s and women’s soccer. In one instance, a lawyer for the national organization asked if the U.S. women’s team could best Germany’s men’s team, the AP reported.
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https://www.nashvillepost.com/sports/nashville-sc/article/21118268/ayre-nashville-sc-can-finally-take-a-breath-as-mls-debut-nears
Ayre, Nashville SC can finally take a breath as MLS debut nears
CEO excited to finally see 'everything fall into place'
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https://news.yahoo.com/nashville-c-ready-mls-debut-044508373.html
Nashville S.C. Ready For MLS Debut
After a month of training camp in Florida, Nashville S.C. is back home to gear up for its inaugural Major League Soccer game Saturday night against Atlanta United at Nissan Stadium.
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https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2020/02/25/dont-swap-largest-city-park-for-the-grass-between-buildings/
Don’t swap largest city park for the grass between buildings
Miami showcases its policy that it can lose no total parkland. Yet a lease of the city’s largest park for a private mega-project would lose 53 acres. That’s shameful.
Don’t blame Miami Freedom Park’s developers – they’ll do what it takes to displace Melreese Golf Course. Still, the city commission has three paths to keep residents from being cheated.
First, commissioners could (and should) refuse to turn over the only golf course in city limits at any price, thus protecting the valuable public green space.
Even if the commissioners yield to lease the course for as much as they can get, however, they can insist that developers find more than 20 disconnected acres to replace the 73 contiguous acres in their development – because 20 acres in bits and pieces is what an attorney for the developers told commissioners it’s going to be.
In fact, if commissioners insist on giving up vital parkland that was never in play until developers wanted it, the city should decide what it wants to get in return rather than developers telling the city what it’s going to get in this ass-backwards deal.
Look at what’s at stake:
Melreese is Miami’s Central Park, its largest green space. It’s right beside Miami International Airport, providing open area below takeoffs and landings at the county’s main economic engine.
The airport director worries that if Melreese were built over, the Federal Aviation Administration would limit runway use at the entry point for much of our air cargo and more than 95% of all visitors to this tourist-oriented county.
Unfortunately, Miami gave the airport to the county decades ago, so city commissioners have no formal requirement to look out for the airport’s health. They certainly haven’t in the Melreese deal.
The deal is, in fact, a spinoff of soccer team owners’ hunt for a stadium site (though they now have two others, one in Broward County and another in Overtown).
The owners, led by celebrity ex-star David Beckham, united with the well-connected Mas brothers, who have used a stadium as bait in a billion-dollar plan to develop a shopping-hotel-office complex larger than downtown’s Brickell City Centre, which was built on private lands quietly acquired over decades at market rates.
The Mas brothers didn’t do that long groundwork: they simple asked for public land that was never offered, dealing at well below market rate without competitive bids. City leaders went along.
Now it’s time for commissioners to either OK whatever deal hits the table or vote it down. It will take four of five votes for approval after they vet the deal in May.
The developers’ attorney told commissioners this month some of what they plan.
Developers magnanimously are offering to let the city keep 58 of its 131 acres as a “contribution.”
Developers are also talking about finding 20 acres to replace the 73 they’ll lease – probably counting the stadium and space around their buildings as the other 53 acres needed to meet park replacement requirements, as if a building’s front lawn were a park.
Then of 20 replacement acres, they want to count land the city or other governments already own that could be dressed up and called parks. Then they’ll find bits and pieces of land elsewhere that with the rest could total 20 acres. In the latter, they have support from commissioners, all of whom want sprinkles of park in their district as they carve up the bones of Melreese.
New Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who represents the Melreese area, and Joe Carollo talk about getting a really good deal – presumably meaning a high lease level. And if city decides to break up its largest park, the lease figure will indeed be important.
But lease talk is putting the cart before the horse: if the city isn’t getting more parkland than it started with or has to supply its own land elsewhere as part of a replacement, why in heaven’s name would the city part with its only golf course?
Commissioners seem to be assuming they have to make a deal and plan to haggle for more money instead of grappling with the questions of why diminish parks and why carve up the biggest one we have.
Would New York City let developers take over Central Park and then count the space between all the buildings in Manhattan as a replacement?
That’s the point of questions Commissioner Manolo Reyes raised in hearing the plans for Melreese. He asked for a replacement park at least as large as Melreese, but other commissioners shot him down. He also asked, in vain, not to let developers count areas smaller than 40,000 square feet as replacement parkland.
“Either we accept it or we erase [requirements of no parkland loss] and stop being liars and hypocrites that we are telling the public out there that we are protecting our parks,” Mr. Reyes said.
He’s driving right down the fairway: either keep Melreese as a city amenity, which is the best shot, or at least follow city policy to the letter and have would-be developers provide equal or greater contiguous parkland elsewhere.
It doesn’t matter that commissioners raise lease rates a bit to say they’ve protected the public interest if in the process they’ve degraded parkland forever. That would indeed be shameful.
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https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/columbus-crew-expands-partnership-with-ohiohealth-jersey-deal-imminent/
Columbus Crew expands partnership with OhioHealth, jersey deal imminent
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https://sporttechie.com/mls-club-chicago-fire-wgn-tv
MLS Club Chicago Fire Will Have Its Games Aired on WGN-TV
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https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/02/26/concacaf-champions-league-atlanta-united-pity-josef-martinez-cruz-azul/
CCL wrap: Atlanta United, Cruz Azul advance
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https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/02/25/italy-may-lift-ban-on-sporting-events-by-monday-serie-a-coronavirus/
Coronavirus: Italy may lift ban on sporting events by Monday
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.flowsports.co/major-league-soccer/video/beckham-excited-for-inter-miami-era-begin
Beckham excited for Inter Miami era to begin
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham is excited for the MLS franchise's new era to begin this weekend away at Los Angeles FC.
Monday, February 24, 2020
An Updated Statement On Smoke Use At Al Lang
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.facebook.com/RalphsMob/photos/a.10151657937118951/10157206809203951/
https://www.facebook.com/RalphsMob/photos/a.10151657937118951/10157206809203951/?type=3&theater
An Updated Statement On Smoke Use At Al Lang
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1089725-preseason-roundup-new-mexico-edges-out-energy-fc
PRESEASON ROUNDUP: New Mexico Edges Out Energy FC
ROWDIES RALLY COMES UP SHORT AGAINST TORMENTA FC; CICERONE LEADS SAINT LOUIS TO BIG VICTORY
SOUTH GEORGIA TORMENTA FC 3, TAMPA BAY ROWDIES 2: Three goals in the opening 35 minutes proved enough for Tormenta FC to earn victory against the Rowdies in a closed-door scrimmage on Sunday afternoon at Al Lang Stadium.
South Georgia took the lead in the opening minute when Luca Mayr capped off a scramble in the penalty area with a finish. The visitors then doubled their advantage in the 28th minute when Marco Micaletto shot home after the Rowdies were unable to clear their lines, and five minutes later Lucas Coutinho made it three with a sharp finish off Devyn Jambga’s feed.
The Rowdies almost pulled a goal back before halftime when Juan Tejada put a header off the crossbar, but 11 minutes into the second half Lucky Mkosana pulled a goal back from the penalty spot. Three minutes later, Tampa Bay made it a one-goal game as Max Lachowecki finished off a chance, but that was as close as the hosts came as South Georgia held on in the final half-hour.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-sunday-20200223-eplkj3q6ajgt3lbqqhef7sjolu-story.html
Inter Miami’s Robbie Robinson closes out preseason with strong showing, could be in line for significant role in season opener
If he hadn’t had them already, Inter Miami CF’s Robbie Robinson had two “welcome to the big-league” moments on Saturday.
The first occurred on his score against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the 21st minute of the club’s final preseason friendly.
Robinson slotted in the exhibition’s decisive goal in a 1-0 Inter Miami victory off an assist from midfielder Jay Chapman for his first score of the preseason.
What followed nearly an hour after his goal was a scuffle with a Rowdies defender that resulted in the two becoming tangled up with one another. While the officials eventually separated them, Robinson made it clear he wasn’t going to back down from anyone regardless of their or his standing in the league as a rookie.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://twitter.com/khobi_p/status/1231364439234011137
Khobi Price
@khobi_p
The players are ready and so are their supporters
0:08
6:45 PM · Feb 22, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslleagueone.com/news_article/show/1089709
PRESEASON: League One Sides Top Championship Opponents
TORMENTA FC, UNION OMAHA, REVS II AND NORTH TEXAS DEFEATED CHAMPIONSHIP SIDES IN PRESEASON ACTION
Tormenta FC defeated the Tampa Bay Rowdies 3-2 at Al Lang Stadium. (Photo courtesy of Tormenta FC)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - South Georgia Tormenta FC defeated the Tampa Bay Rowdies, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at Al Lang Stadium.
First half goals from rookie Luca Mayr and Marco Micaletto helped Tormenta FC jump out to an early lead. Lucas Coutinho and newcomer Devyn Jambga combined to add a third before halftime.
The Rowdies clawed their way back into the match in the second 45 minutes, scoring from the penalty spot and a corner kick. However, the goals from Lucky Mkosana and Max Lachowecki weren’t enough and Tormenta FC left Tampa Bay with a 3-2 victory.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-home-jersey-20200224-uxsefeqxb5hbdocf545oylqiy4-story.html
Inter Miami CF unveil home jerseys, complete with pink accents
The team wrapped up training in St. Petersburg on Saturday with a 1-0 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in its final preseason friendly. Inter Miami returned to practice in Fort Lauderdale on Monday and will wrap up training camp at their facility this week before starting their regular season on the road against Los Angeles FC on Sunday.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.the42.ie/kevin-foley-tampa-bay-5012094-Feb2020/
'I knew that I couldn't be selfish anymore. It was time to put my family first'
Kevin Foley could have kept a handy number coaching in Wolves’ academy. Instead, the former Republic of Ireland international tells The42 why he has taken on a completely different challenge in America.
Tampa Bay Rowdies
✔
@TampaBayRowdies
· Jan 2, 2020
Replying to @TampaBayRowdies
The Rowdies also announced that assistant coaches Martin Paterson and Cheyne Roberts have departed the club to pursue other opportunities. We thank them both for their dedication and wish them nothing but the best in the future!
Tampa Bay Rowdies
✔
@TampaBayRowdies
Foley joins us from the @WolvesAcademy. He and @neillycollins3 were teammates that helped @Wolves win promotion in 2009.
View image on Twitter
86
2:06 PM - Jan 2, 2020
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Former Wolves teammate Neill Collins was on the other end of the line. “We had stayed in touch after playing so I knew he was in Florida. It was exciting,” Foley recalls.
The Scot, manager of USL Championship side Tampa Bay Rowdies, was straight out with the offer of becoming an assistant coach.
“It’s one thing to have millions behind you but it’s another thing to actually spend them wisely,” points out Foley, who will catch up on how his old club’s game with Norwich City this weekend after the Rowdies’ own behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly with South Georgia Tormenta.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://hypebeast.com/2020/2/inter-miami-david-beckham-adidas-home-away-jersey
David Beckham's Inter Miami Debuts First-Ever Home & Away Jerseys
Two understated designs with pink detailing.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/02/24/west-ham-reportedly-set-to-miss-out-on-20-year-old-talent-hell-j/
West Ham reportedly set to miss out on 20-year-old talent, he'll join Beckham's team
West Ham United look set to miss out on Agustin Almendra.
According to Ole, Inter Miami have agreed a deal to sign Boca Juniors talent Agustin Almendra amid links surrounding a move to West Ham United.
It's claimed that the two teams have agreed to a loan deal with an option to buy, meaning the deal looks to be moving closer.
Inter Miami are of course part-owned by David Beckham, and they're preparing for their first ever MLS season, which kicks off on March 14th.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/article240574901.html
Republic FC and New Glory tap local graphic designer for Fan Can collaboration
A historic day for Sacramento soccer arrived as Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber announced the city as the 29th franchise in the nation's premiere professional soccer league.
New Glory Craft Brewery announced the release of a new look for one of its “year-round favorites” last week in collaboration with Sacramento Republic FC and a local graphic designer.
Dustin Avilla submitted the winning design for the 2020 Fan Can collaboration, which will grace the labels of Ubahdank IPA. The limited-edition can will be available at New Glory’s Sacramento taproom and all Republic FC home games.
The previous design, made by Geoff Ernst, sold nearly 9,000 cans between the two venues last year before being selected as the United Soccer League’s top club-brand beer.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2020/02/24/week-sporting-curtains-raise-canada
This Week in Sporting: The Curtains Raise in Canada
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/-we-have-it-very-difficult_187798?profile=1513
'We have it very difficult!'
Anderlecht's Kemar Lawrence says Jamaican pros at a disadvantage in global space
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/1089792
Salvatore Taking Hands-On Approach to Battery’s Reinvigoration
NEW ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, NEW VENUE WILL ALLOW HISTORIC CLUB TO THRIVE UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/02/24/big-money-forwards-expansion-takeaways-and-more-five-things-weve-learned-mls
Big money forwards, expansion takeaways and more: Five things we've learned this MLS preseason
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/02/24/inter-miami-cf-unveil-new-2020-mls-home-jersey-see-what-expansion-club-will-wear
Inter Miami CF unveil new 2020 MLS home jersey: See what the expansion club will wear
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/kelloggs-expands-mls-association-to-canada/
Kellogg’s expands MLS association to Canada
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.insidehook.com/article/sports/mls-lafc-carlos-vela-nba-fan
MLS Superstar Carlos Vela Is Also the League's Biggest NBA Fan
When he's on the road, LAFC forward Carlos Vela plays NBA2K, not FIFA
(Follow link for full article.)
https://ussoccerplayers.com/2020/02/five-things-that-changed-mls.html
FIVE THINGS THAT CHANGED MLS
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.floridatoday.com/story/entertainment/dining/2020/02/24/bucket-list-12-cant-miss-florida-restaurant-experiences-foodies/4784351002/
Bucket list: 12 can’t-miss Florida restaurant experiences
2. Ybor City: Have a Cuban sandwich at the original Columbia Restaurant
Occupying a full city block and going strong for more than 100 years, the Columbia has found itself on more than one list of places to get authentic Cuban food in the U.S. The restaurant has its roots in serving Ybor City’s then-largely-Cuban population around the turn of the 20th century, and the current menu doesn’t skimp on those traditional flavors. And you certainly won’t be bored – visitors enjoy live music and can see a Flamenco dance show.
8. Tampa: Enjoy a steak and a glass of wine at the iconic Bern’s Steak House
The walls are red. The wine list is extensive. The steak is perfect. Bern’s knows how to do it right. This restaurant delivers on date night, or any night you just want an awesome steak. With their theatrically appointed dining room, special dessert room and not-fooling-around menu, you can’t really have a bad time at Bern’s.
Bern’s sources their produce locally—from their own farm, to be exact. The wine cellar (yes, they have one) offers more then 6,800 selections and has won the Wine Spectator Grand Award. And that dessert room we mentioned? A dream come true for those who love to linger over sweets and drinks.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.83degreesmedia.com/features/top-takeaways-from-Tampa-Bay-Area-mayors-at-Tiger-Bay-Club-022520.aspx
A tale of 2 boomtowns: Tampa, St. Pete
https://www.facebook.com/RalphsMob/photos/a.10151657937118951/10157206809203951/
https://www.facebook.com/RalphsMob/photos/a.10151657937118951/10157206809203951/?type=3&theater
An Updated Statement On Smoke Use At Al Lang
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1089725-preseason-roundup-new-mexico-edges-out-energy-fc
PRESEASON ROUNDUP: New Mexico Edges Out Energy FC
ROWDIES RALLY COMES UP SHORT AGAINST TORMENTA FC; CICERONE LEADS SAINT LOUIS TO BIG VICTORY
SOUTH GEORGIA TORMENTA FC 3, TAMPA BAY ROWDIES 2: Three goals in the opening 35 minutes proved enough for Tormenta FC to earn victory against the Rowdies in a closed-door scrimmage on Sunday afternoon at Al Lang Stadium.
South Georgia took the lead in the opening minute when Luca Mayr capped off a scramble in the penalty area with a finish. The visitors then doubled their advantage in the 28th minute when Marco Micaletto shot home after the Rowdies were unable to clear their lines, and five minutes later Lucas Coutinho made it three with a sharp finish off Devyn Jambga’s feed.
The Rowdies almost pulled a goal back before halftime when Juan Tejada put a header off the crossbar, but 11 minutes into the second half Lucky Mkosana pulled a goal back from the penalty spot. Three minutes later, Tampa Bay made it a one-goal game as Max Lachowecki finished off a chance, but that was as close as the hosts came as South Georgia held on in the final half-hour.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-sunday-20200223-eplkj3q6ajgt3lbqqhef7sjolu-story.html
Inter Miami’s Robbie Robinson closes out preseason with strong showing, could be in line for significant role in season opener
If he hadn’t had them already, Inter Miami CF’s Robbie Robinson had two “welcome to the big-league” moments on Saturday.
The first occurred on his score against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the 21st minute of the club’s final preseason friendly.
Robinson slotted in the exhibition’s decisive goal in a 1-0 Inter Miami victory off an assist from midfielder Jay Chapman for his first score of the preseason.
What followed nearly an hour after his goal was a scuffle with a Rowdies defender that resulted in the two becoming tangled up with one another. While the officials eventually separated them, Robinson made it clear he wasn’t going to back down from anyone regardless of their or his standing in the league as a rookie.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://twitter.com/khobi_p/status/1231364439234011137
Khobi Price
@khobi_p
The players are ready and so are their supporters
0:08
6:45 PM · Feb 22, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslleagueone.com/news_article/show/1089709
PRESEASON: League One Sides Top Championship Opponents
TORMENTA FC, UNION OMAHA, REVS II AND NORTH TEXAS DEFEATED CHAMPIONSHIP SIDES IN PRESEASON ACTION
Tormenta FC defeated the Tampa Bay Rowdies 3-2 at Al Lang Stadium. (Photo courtesy of Tormenta FC)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - South Georgia Tormenta FC defeated the Tampa Bay Rowdies, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at Al Lang Stadium.
First half goals from rookie Luca Mayr and Marco Micaletto helped Tormenta FC jump out to an early lead. Lucas Coutinho and newcomer Devyn Jambga combined to add a third before halftime.
The Rowdies clawed their way back into the match in the second 45 minutes, scoring from the penalty spot and a corner kick. However, the goals from Lucky Mkosana and Max Lachowecki weren’t enough and Tormenta FC left Tampa Bay with a 3-2 victory.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-home-jersey-20200224-uxsefeqxb5hbdocf545oylqiy4-story.html
Inter Miami CF unveil home jerseys, complete with pink accents
The team wrapped up training in St. Petersburg on Saturday with a 1-0 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in its final preseason friendly. Inter Miami returned to practice in Fort Lauderdale on Monday and will wrap up training camp at their facility this week before starting their regular season on the road against Los Angeles FC on Sunday.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.the42.ie/kevin-foley-tampa-bay-5012094-Feb2020/
'I knew that I couldn't be selfish anymore. It was time to put my family first'
Kevin Foley could have kept a handy number coaching in Wolves’ academy. Instead, the former Republic of Ireland international tells The42 why he has taken on a completely different challenge in America.
Tampa Bay Rowdies
✔
@TampaBayRowdies
· Jan 2, 2020
Replying to @TampaBayRowdies
The Rowdies also announced that assistant coaches Martin Paterson and Cheyne Roberts have departed the club to pursue other opportunities. We thank them both for their dedication and wish them nothing but the best in the future!
Tampa Bay Rowdies
✔
@TampaBayRowdies
Foley joins us from the @WolvesAcademy. He and @neillycollins3 were teammates that helped @Wolves win promotion in 2009.
View image on Twitter
86
2:06 PM - Jan 2, 2020
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See Tampa Bay Rowdies's other Tweets
Former Wolves teammate Neill Collins was on the other end of the line. “We had stayed in touch after playing so I knew he was in Florida. It was exciting,” Foley recalls.
The Scot, manager of USL Championship side Tampa Bay Rowdies, was straight out with the offer of becoming an assistant coach.
“It’s one thing to have millions behind you but it’s another thing to actually spend them wisely,” points out Foley, who will catch up on how his old club’s game with Norwich City this weekend after the Rowdies’ own behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly with South Georgia Tormenta.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://hypebeast.com/2020/2/inter-miami-david-beckham-adidas-home-away-jersey
David Beckham's Inter Miami Debuts First-Ever Home & Away Jerseys
Two understated designs with pink detailing.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/02/24/west-ham-reportedly-set-to-miss-out-on-20-year-old-talent-hell-j/
West Ham reportedly set to miss out on 20-year-old talent, he'll join Beckham's team
West Ham United look set to miss out on Agustin Almendra.
According to Ole, Inter Miami have agreed a deal to sign Boca Juniors talent Agustin Almendra amid links surrounding a move to West Ham United.
It's claimed that the two teams have agreed to a loan deal with an option to buy, meaning the deal looks to be moving closer.
Inter Miami are of course part-owned by David Beckham, and they're preparing for their first ever MLS season, which kicks off on March 14th.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/article240574901.html
Republic FC and New Glory tap local graphic designer for Fan Can collaboration
A historic day for Sacramento soccer arrived as Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber announced the city as the 29th franchise in the nation's premiere professional soccer league.
New Glory Craft Brewery announced the release of a new look for one of its “year-round favorites” last week in collaboration with Sacramento Republic FC and a local graphic designer.
Dustin Avilla submitted the winning design for the 2020 Fan Can collaboration, which will grace the labels of Ubahdank IPA. The limited-edition can will be available at New Glory’s Sacramento taproom and all Republic FC home games.
The previous design, made by Geoff Ernst, sold nearly 9,000 cans between the two venues last year before being selected as the United Soccer League’s top club-brand beer.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2020/02/24/week-sporting-curtains-raise-canada
This Week in Sporting: The Curtains Raise in Canada
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/-we-have-it-very-difficult_187798?profile=1513
'We have it very difficult!'
Anderlecht's Kemar Lawrence says Jamaican pros at a disadvantage in global space
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/1089792
Salvatore Taking Hands-On Approach to Battery’s Reinvigoration
NEW ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, NEW VENUE WILL ALLOW HISTORIC CLUB TO THRIVE UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/02/24/big-money-forwards-expansion-takeaways-and-more-five-things-weve-learned-mls
Big money forwards, expansion takeaways and more: Five things we've learned this MLS preseason
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/02/24/inter-miami-cf-unveil-new-2020-mls-home-jersey-see-what-expansion-club-will-wear
Inter Miami CF unveil new 2020 MLS home jersey: See what the expansion club will wear
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/kelloggs-expands-mls-association-to-canada/
Kellogg’s expands MLS association to Canada
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.insidehook.com/article/sports/mls-lafc-carlos-vela-nba-fan
MLS Superstar Carlos Vela Is Also the League's Biggest NBA Fan
When he's on the road, LAFC forward Carlos Vela plays NBA2K, not FIFA
(Follow link for full article.)
https://ussoccerplayers.com/2020/02/five-things-that-changed-mls.html
FIVE THINGS THAT CHANGED MLS
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.floridatoday.com/story/entertainment/dining/2020/02/24/bucket-list-12-cant-miss-florida-restaurant-experiences-foodies/4784351002/
Bucket list: 12 can’t-miss Florida restaurant experiences
2. Ybor City: Have a Cuban sandwich at the original Columbia Restaurant
Occupying a full city block and going strong for more than 100 years, the Columbia has found itself on more than one list of places to get authentic Cuban food in the U.S. The restaurant has its roots in serving Ybor City’s then-largely-Cuban population around the turn of the 20th century, and the current menu doesn’t skimp on those traditional flavors. And you certainly won’t be bored – visitors enjoy live music and can see a Flamenco dance show.
8. Tampa: Enjoy a steak and a glass of wine at the iconic Bern’s Steak House
The walls are red. The wine list is extensive. The steak is perfect. Bern’s knows how to do it right. This restaurant delivers on date night, or any night you just want an awesome steak. With their theatrically appointed dining room, special dessert room and not-fooling-around menu, you can’t really have a bad time at Bern’s.
Bern’s sources their produce locally—from their own farm, to be exact. The wine cellar (yes, they have one) offers more then 6,800 selections and has won the Wine Spectator Grand Award. And that dessert room we mentioned? A dream come true for those who love to linger over sweets and drinks.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.83degreesmedia.com/features/top-takeaways-from-Tampa-Bay-Area-mayors-at-Tiger-Bay-Club-022520.aspx
A tale of 2 boomtowns: Tampa, St. Pete
Sunday, February 23, 2020
Rays President Acknowledges Tough Road Ahead For Split-Season Plan
(Follow link for full article.)
https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/rays-president-acknowledges-tough-road-ahead-split-season-plan
Rays President Acknowledges Tough Road Ahead For Split-Season Plan
Brian Auld speaks at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club
STEVE NEWBORN / WUSF PUBLIC MEDIA
Tampa Bay Rays President Brian Auld made his case for splitting the team's home season with Montreal during an appearance Thursday at the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club in St. Petersburg.
Auld said despite the obvious challenges of building two stadiums in two countries, it's a fight worth fighting.
Listen Listening...1:05 Listen to an audio version of this story
He responded to a question whether the team would pursue a Major League Soccer franchise for the Tampa Bay Rowdies to help fill a stadium that would he home for only 40 games a season.
"Nothing would make me happier than to have the MLS Rowdies and the Tampa Bay/Montreal All American/North American Snow Geese playing in the same stadium year-round," he said to laughter, "and I believe if we can accomplish that, you will have people who will look back on this moment and say thank goodness we were bold enough to try."
Auld acknowledged they've got a tough road ahead. But, it's worth trying.
"We've got to get Major League Baseball signed off, we've got to get Montreal, and we've got to get Tampa Bay. Each of them is in the beginning stages right now, but moving in the right direction," he said. "And I think as minds are opening, minds are changing, people are considering the economic realities of the two markets and what could be is becoming more and more exciting to more and more people."
Auld said the team is doing this to keep the Rays in Tampa Bay - at least half the year.
"One hundred percent of the reason we're doing this is to stay in Tampa Bay for generations to come," he said. "It's not a short-term solution. We'd have to have agreements in both markets for 30 years - that's the plan - no interest in going anywhere else."
The Rays are locked into a lease to keep them at Tropicana Field through the end of the 2027 season. Auld said any deals to provide a new home to the team have to be substantially completed by 2022 to be ready for the 2028 season.
Last week, Tampa's mayor and a Hillsborough County Commissioner said the county wants to be a part of the plan to spit seasons between Florida and Montreal.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2020/02/23/union-prefers-rays-stay-put-but-could-approve-montreal-plan/
Union prefers Rays stay put but could approve Montreal plan
Tony Clark says “strong preference” is a full-time Tampa Bay stadium, but he adds it’s not impossible the players union could agree to the sharing plan.
Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark, shown here in a 2017 file photo, said getting the players to go along with the Rays' Tampa Bay-Montreal split season plan would “be difficult.’’ [VRAGOVIC, WILL | Tampa Bay Times]
PORT CHARLOTTE — Baseball’s players union would prefer the Rays find a full time, long-term home in the Tampa Bay area, but under the right terms, it could approve the plan to split future seasons wit...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/rays-transit-affordable-housing-bay-area-mayors-agree-mostly
Rays, Transit, Affordable Housing: Bay Area Mayors Agree - Mostly
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor spoke about a number of issues, including the Tampa Bay Rays and public transportation, at a Tampa Tiger Bay Club luncheon in Ybor City Friday.
When it comes to affordable housing, public transportation and baseball’s future in the region, the mayors of the Tampa Bay Area's two largest cities are in agreement - for the most part.
Speaking to members of the Tampa Tiger Bay Club at a luncheon in Ybor City Friday, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman laid out plans to address the issues critical to the area’s growth. They also stressed the need for cooperation.
With development in both cities booming, the pair say issues of public transportation and affordable housing go hand-in-hand.
"To me, you can't talk about housing affordability and creating more opportunities if you're not talking about transportation,” said Kriseman.
A report released last week by Castor’s Housing Affordability Advising Team found that as more businesses are moving to Tampa Bay, the rising cost of housing has pushed some long-time residents out. At the luncheon, Castor said the area’s reliance on cars doesn’t help matters.
"If we do transit-oriented development, then you can take that price of a car off the bottom line of a citizen, so it's critically important," said Castor.
The mayors say investing in downtown shuttle systems and expanding the Cross-Bay Ferry would make commuting across the bay easier by cutting down on traffic jams and addressing parking problems in both cities.
Throughout the luncheon, Castor and Kriseman stressed the importance of cooperation – even when it comes to the future of the region’s Major League Baseball team, the Tampa Bay Rays.
The announcement that the Rays – who have played in St. Petersburg for over 20 years - are seeking to split the season between Tampa Bay and Montreal, sparked rumors over whether the team would stay in St. Petersburg or make the move to a new stadium in Ybor City.
The team's Tropicana Stadium lease with St. Pete extends until 2027. Kriseman said that while the Rays are welcome to explore the idea of a split season, he has no intention of breaking the contract early.
“They absolutely can explore the split whether it’s in – Hillsborough, Tampa or St. Petersburg,” said Kriseman. “They just have to be looking at 2028 for when that split would begin."
READ MORE about the details of a Tampa Bay Rays split season
While Castor did not say whether Tampa is seeking to snag the sports team, she confirmed that should the Rays relocate they would likely move into a smaller, open air stadium rather than the nearly $900 million ballpark initially proposed.
“We need to do everything that we can to keep the Rays here,” said Castor. “We're too big of an area to lose a major league sporting franchise.”
Despite some fuzziness on the details, both mayors agree that keeping the Rays in Tampa Bay is mutually beneficial.
“As long as we continue to work together like we’ve been doing, I think the future is really bright for this region and each of our cities,” said Kreisman.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/transfer-rumours-beckham-to-unite-messi-ronaldo-at-inter-miami-roundup-news-manchester-united-jota-juventus-liverpool/article30894657.ece
Can Beckham make Messi, Ronaldo join forces at Inter Miami?
David Beckham will reportedly attempt to unite Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at new MLS outfit Inter Miami.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://asia.eurosport.com/football/transfers/2019-2020/football-news-transfer-rumours-and-gossip-both-ronaldo-and-messi-could-join-beckham-s-inter-miami_sto7678299/story.shtml
Both Ronaldo and Messi could join Beckham's Inter Miami - Paper Round
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1089148
PLAYER MOVEMENT: Rowdies Round Out Squad with Dalgaard
ILOSKI MAKES MOVE TO ORANGE COUNTY; MEMPHIS ADDS RAPIDS YOUNGSTER HUNDLEY ON LOAN
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https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-rodolfo-pizarro-20200220-222xtg6vdrdahgxrcliztxdx5q-story.html
Rodolfo Pizarro wants to make history with Inter Miami CF
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2020/02/20/pareja-nani-impressed-preseason-progress
Pareja, Nani Impressed with Preseason Progress
It is undeniably true that the results of preseason fixtures don’t actually matter. The points don’t start being calculated until February 29. That’s when we reach, in Luiz Muzzi’s words, the “real matches.”
But it doesn’t hurt to win them either.
Orlando City is making a habit of that this month. The Lions have taken five of the six friendlies they’ve played to date, including wins over the Montreal Impact, the Tampa Bay Rowdies, and reigning Icelandic champions KR Reykjavik, whom Orlando calmly dispatched 3-1 on Tuesday night.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f8bntc/uh_oh_someone_popped_smoke/
“Uh oh, someone popped smoke!”
who could have committed such a heinous crime, in front of children.
It appeared to be outside the fence too! Cheeky bastards!!!!
(Follow link for full article.)
https://twitter.com/herndenhimself/status/1231396041712439296
Jeff
@HerndenHimself
Uh oh, someone popped smoke!
0:11
8:51 PM · Feb 22, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f7fqnj/rowdies_welcome_sebastian_dalgaard_as_final/
Rowdies Welcome Sebastian Dalgaard As Final Addition To Senior Roster
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/1089039
ROWDIES WELCOME SEBASTIAN DALGAARD AS FINAL ADDITION TO SENIOR ROSTER
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f7eku5/saturdays_game/
Saturday’s game
Hey everyone I’m planning on going to the game tomorrow night and I know it’s free but is there anything special I have to do or do I just show up to the stadium and sit wherever? I can’t find any info on the website.
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f7bacs/mobontour_miami_fc_friday_march_13_we_need_you/
#MobOnTour: Miami FC – Friday, March 13 - WE NEED YOU!
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https://www.ralphsmob.com/post/mobontour-miami-fc-friday-march-13
#MobOnTour: Miami FC – Friday, March 13
After a long absence of having a real in-state rival, our old friends Miami FC have joined up in the USL Championship and we’re their home opener! Time to give them a warm welcome, by invading Miami on Friday, March 13 (7:30PM).
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f6c0t6/rowdies_smoke_keepsmokeinthestadium_nopyronoparty/
[Rowdies Smoke] "#KeepSmokeInTheStadium #NoPyroNoParty
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https://twitter.com/RowdiesSmoke/status/1230145286808403969
Rowdies Smoke
@RowdiesSmoke
#KeepSmokeInTheStadium
#NoPyroNoParty
Quote Tweet
Ralph's Mob
@RalphsMob
· Feb 19
Hey @Kriseman, remember when you marched with us and the atmosphere we bring to every @TampaBayRowdies game? We were blindsided yesterday when your fire marshal outright banned our smoke at games. We want to understand why something like this has come from your administration.
Show this thread
10:01 AM · Feb 19, 2020·Twitter for Android
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f65cm1/rowdiesstore_rebrand_incoming/
[RowdiesStore] Rebrand incoming 👀
(Follow link for full article.)
https://twitter.com/RowdiesSmoke/status/1229964513887313920
Rowdies Smoke
@RowdiesSmoke
Rebrand incoming👀
10:02 PM · Feb 18, 2020·Twitter for Android
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.utdailybeacon.com/sports/soccer/barry-cooper-and-the-building-of-the-fairgrounds-stadium/article_a1c1a110-52fc-11ea-9e6c-231074e5aefa.html
Barry, Cooper and the building of the Fairgrounds stadium
When the Fairgrounds stadium was first announced in Nashville, Tennessee, many were skeptical if the project would actually come to fruition.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/10993357/lionel-messi-la-galaxy-transfer-barcelona/
MESSI SITUATION Lionel Messi wanted in shock move by LA Galaxy as MLS side join Man Utd in transfer race for unsettled Barcelona icon
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/food/2020/02/19/restaurant-review-west-ybor-barterhouse-nods-to-its-historic-surroundings/
Restaurant review: West Ybor Barterhouse nods to its historic surroundings
The new restaurant emphasizes sustainability and gets inspiration from its Ybor City location.
Blue crab chilau at West Ybor Barterhouse. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
TAMPA — Consider the crab chilau. Sometimes called crab (or cangrejo) enchilau or enchilado, it’s one of those old-school Spanish and Cuban dishes that came out of early 20th century Ybor City but see...
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https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-friendly-20200223-p5oxldeljffahnt4whyfg4n5da-story.html
Inter Miami CF fine-tunes play in final preseason friendly, downs Tampa Bay Rowdies 1-0
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn1gRQLDNlg
2020 Rowdies Suncoast Invitational - Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Montreal Impact
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Rowdies Suncoast Invitational 2020
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Montreal Impact
Feb 15, 2020
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/hillsborough/2020/02/19/a-sweet-move-in-ybor-city-cephas-gilbert-opens-new-juice-bar/
A sweet move in Ybor City: Cephas Gilbert opens new juice bar
The Jamaican restaurateur relocates to Seventh Avenue after nearly 40 years on Fourth Avenue. And he’s now sweetening his signature — and notoriously bitter — aloe shakes.
After nearly four decades of operating a restaurant on Fourth Avenue in Ybor City, Cephas Gilbert has a new location. He now runs a juice hut inside Tequilas Ybor in Tampa. [OCTAVIO JONES | Times]
TAMPA — He operated his neighboring Cephas’ Hot Shop restaurant on Fourth Avenue for nearly four decades, yet rarely ventured the three blocks to Ybor City’s main thoroughfare of Seventh Avenue.
“I wou...
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https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/food/2020/02/19/tampa-bay-food-events-this-week-jewish-food-festival-super-greek-festival/
Tampa Bay food events this week: Jewish Food Festival, Super Greek Festival
Plus, art and seafood join forces on the Safety Harbor waterfront and two local spots where .
The Tampa Bay Jewish Food Festival, which will return to Temple B'nai Israel in Clearwater on Sunday, has featured desserts like mini linzer tarts in the past. [Courtesy of Justinfocus Media]
BE KUGEL: TAMPA BAY JEWISH FOOD FESTIVAL
Ready for one big celebration of classic Jewish nosh? The Tampa Bay Jewish Food Festival, back for another year, promises eats like Carnegie Deli corned beef and pastrami, kosher hot dogs, stuffed cabbage, bagels and lox, ...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.wtsp.com/article/entertainment/television/great-day-tb/horror-series-filming-in-tampa-bay/67-ef2bad84-767f-44ed-a066-8868be1e6f75
Horror series filming in Tampa Bay
Ybor City is home to a new movie studio, The Power Station, and the producers are starting 2020 with a bang by working hard on its first productions.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.cltampa.com/food-drink/food-drink-events/article/21117077/this-weekend-ybor-citys-73rd-annual-fiesta-day-celebrates-tampas-immigrant-culture
Ybor City’s 73rd annual Fiesta Day celebrates Tampa’s immigrant culture this weekend
Celebrate with a freshly rolled cigar this Saturday.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/court-declares-tampa-hotel-room-fee-illegal
Court Declares Tampa Hotel Room Fee Illegal
(Follow link for full article.)
https://keywest.floridaweekly.com/articles/anna-in-the-tropics-comes-to-key-west/
‘Anna in the Tropics’ comes to Key West
The tropics and the American dream prove a volatile combination when Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” is read aloud to the workers in “Anna in the Tropics.” From left: Aramis Ikatu (Cheche), Christian Haler (Santiago), Mira Negron (Ofelia), Daniel T. Bochlas (Juan Julian), Francesca Silva (Conchita), Mathias Maloff (Eliades/Palomo) and Nayem Cardenas-Lopez (Marela). JOHNNY WHITE / COURTESY PHOTO
Cigars, love triangles and the words of Tolstoy all unfurl at The Studios of Key West this month. Nilo Cruz’s Pulitzer prize-winning play “Anna in the Tropics” runs Feb. 19-29, directed by Dennis Zacek, and assembles a Latinx cast of local favorites and rising performers.
This time, the setting of Tampa’s Ybor City will be swapped out for Key West’s own Cuban-American history. The production focuses on the labor force of one cigar rolling factory and, importantly, the curious role of a lector — someone tasked with reading to the factory workers who manned the stations for hours on end. Historically, novels and newspapers emerged as natural choices among the lectors. An enthralling novel could, for instance, captivate workers while stirring intellectual curiosity within factories like Old Town’s historic Gato building — named for cigar titan Eduard Gato.
In “Anna in the Tropics,” the arrival of a sultry lector who chooses to read Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” sparks internal crises and revelations among the workers who find themselves swept into episodes of desire and chaos.
Mathias Maloff (Eliades/Palomo), Aramis Ikatu (Cheche) and Christian Haler (Santiago) in “Anna in the Tropics.” JOHNNY WHITE / COURTESY PHOTO
Now, the cast and director share their thoughts and historical insights on what makes this production such an interesting watch during a robust theater season here in Key West.
Unrolling Key West History
“I’ve lived in the Keys since 1981. I have seen a lot of its history replaced with modernity. So much history that’s waiting for someone like Nilo Cruz to write a story about. The tobacco factories hit home. My family came here from Cuba and then Ybor City to gain employment as cigar rollers. Still remaining in Key West are these big buildings in the middle of residential neighborhoods. Many do not know the history and stories of those buildings: typical factories of mass production, large windows allowing for lots of light, and rows of tables and workers rolling large quantities of cigars a day. Unfortunately, they could not compete with the machination of the 1930s. Hopefully, the older Key West audiences can be reached to see this show. It will remind them of the history and, like me, bring a smile to their faces.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/full-circle/electric-scooters-racking-up-tickets-but-not-in-tampa
Electric scooters racking up tickets – but not in Tampa
Scooter injuries spike as Tampa nears the end of pilot program
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https://news.wgcu.org/post/court-declares-tampa-hotel-room-fee-illegal
Court Declares Tampa Hotel Room Fee Illegal
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https://wflanews.iheart.com/content/2020-02-21-mardi-gras-mean-girls-more-this-weekend-in-tampa-bay/
Mardi Gras, Mean Girls & More This Weekend in Tampa Bay
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https://www.fox13news.com/news/plight-of-ybor-citys-famous-feathered-fowl-at-heart-of-annual-art-exhibit
Plight of Ybor City’s famous feathered fowl at heart of annual art exhibit
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https://www.tampabay.com/news/tampa/2020/02/21/no-news-on-tampa-bay-rays-but-mayors-castor-kriseman-talk-legacies-and-dogs/
No news on Tampa Bay Rays, but mayors Castor, Kriseman talk legacies and dogs
At Tiger Bay Club, Tampa and St. Petersburg mayors had no juicy bits on the Rays’ stadium search, but did talk of how they hope to be remembered.
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor answer questions during a meeting of the Tampa Tiger Bay Club Friday. [SCOTT KEELER | Times]
TAMPA — St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman’s inaugural foray into the Tiger Bay Club on the east side of the bay turned out to be a tame affair.
The Sunshine City mayor spent about an hour with Tampa M...
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/11001703/manchester-united-inter-miami-beckham-almendra/
BECK OF THE QUEUE Man Utd set to lose out to David Beckham’s Inter Miami for transfer of Boca Juniors midfielder Agustin Almendra
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https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-single-game-tickets-sold-out-home-opener-20200219-whzzvxa3cbgebmdabxgtgaixma-story.html
Inter Miami CF sell out single-game tickets for home opener
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https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2020/02/19/a-way-to-keep-the-rays-here-full-time-maybe-a-dramatic-attendance-boost/
A way to keep the Rays here full time? Maybe a dramatic attendance boost
On the day he unveiled some novel ticket plans, Rays owner Stuart Sternberg said he never says never. “I’m asking people to be open-minded about things, and I’m open to anything,”
Tampa Bay Rays fans welcome players during introductions just prior the Rays game against the Houston Astros for Game 3 of the American League Division Series Monday, Oct. 7, 2019 in St. Petersburg. [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times]
PORT CHARLOTTE — Principal owner Stuart Sternberg said Wednesday the Rays remain fully committed to their radical plan to split future seasons with Montreal starting in 2028. That they feel they are m...
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https://www.yardbarker.com/xfl/articles/pro_sports_leagues_that_challenged_the_establishment/s1__31342430#slide_25
Pro sports leagues that challenged the establishment
The XFL is the latest upstart league to challenge the NFL, MLB, NHL or NBA, but whether it finds success, it will not be the last. American sports history is littered with leagues that tried to find a niche as an alternative to an established league or put their own spin on a traditional sport. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the most famous "other" leagues throughout sports history.
NASL - North American Soccer League
Bob Olsen / Contributor
There have been two iterations of the North American Soccer League: one that ran from 2011 to 2017 and the original, which started in 1968 and lasted until 1984. The first version rode the wave of surprisingly strong television ratings for the 1966 World Cup and had a fluctuating number of teams. It reached the apex of its popularity in the mid-1970s when the New York Cosmos, the league’s flagship franchise, signed Pele to their roster. The Cosmos had three separate seasons where attendance averaged over 40,000 per game, and some NASL games were broadcast on network television, but the league lost momentum and suspended operations in 1985.
WUSA - Women's United Soccer Association
Donald Miralle / Staff
In an attempt to capitalize on the excitement and interest generated by the United States Women’s National Team’s win at the 1998 World Cup, the Women’s United Soccer Association was born. The WUSA has the distinction of being the world’s first women’s soccer league where all of the players were paid as professionals. Notable founding players included Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Michelle Akers and Julie Foudy. The league’s first season was in 2001, with eight teams participating, but despite significant investment from a variety of communications companies, the league suffered major financial losses and folded in 2003 after just three seasons.
MISL - Major Indoor Soccer League
John Sunderland / Contributor
Soccer has only recently gained significant popularity in the U.S., and indoor soccer has always been a novelty, particularly in the 1970s, when the Major Indoor Soccer League was founded. The league began play in 1978 with six teams, but by the end of the MISL’s run in 1992, 24 franchises had played in the league. The faster pace and higher-scoring nature of indoor soccer games allowed the league to catch on in popularity, with attendance in its 14 seasons averaging over 7,500 fans per game. The league can also be credited with the creation of Arena Football, as Jim Foster, the founder of that league, credited MISL as his inspiration.
NWSL - National Women's Soccer League
Jose Argueta/ISI Photos / Contributor
So far, so good for the National Women’s Soccer League, the most prominent women’s professional league in the U.S. The NWSL came into being in November of 2012 and held its first season in 2013. It is comprised of nine teams and will add a 10th in 2021, in Louisville, Kentucky. The NWSL has an agreement with the United States Soccer Federation, so where other startup leagues have failed, it appears poised to succeed, possibly for a very long time, as soccer’s popularity continues to increase stateside.
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https://www.abcactionnews.com/tampas-last-cigar-factory-is-getting-a-makeover-and-museum
Tampa's last cigar factory is getting a makeover and museum
J.C. Newman Cigar Company is 125 years old
TAMPA, Fla. — Eric Newman wants his Ybor City-based company to become a major tourist attraction.
“Like the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky." says Newman.
He is the president of the 125-year-old J.C. Newman Cigar Company.
RELATED: Tampa's last cigar factory fights FDA regulations to stay in business
There used to be 150 cigar factories in Tampa, which is the reason it got the “Cigar City" nickname.
J.C. Newman is the last one alive. The factory hand-rolls and machine-makes about 12 million cigars a year.
The factory is getting a major makeover, complete with a new museum and a company store.
Once it opens in May, visitors can enjoy different tours – including a free one – and see the same machines cigarmakers used for over a century.
For more on the J.C. Newman Cigar Company, visit www.jcnewman.com.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://gotechdaily.com/what-to-watch-for-in-nashville-scs-very-last-preseason-match-wednesday-with-d-c-united/
[What to watch for in Nashville SC’s very last preseason match Wednesday with D.C. United]
TAMPA, Fla. — Nashville SC’s coaching session Tuesday t emphasised corner kicks and established pieces in advance of its final preseason match towards D.C. United on Wednesday.
Coach Gary Smith claimed he selected to construct this week’s training prepare as if it was a video game to be performed for the duration of the common year. Nashville practiced at the Tampa Bay Rowdies services, generally playing in mini game titles, while also reviewing defensive techniques for corner and free kicks.
This is what to observe for in Nashville SC’s exhibition with D.C. United at the Joe DiMaggio Sporting activities Complex in Clearwater, Florida:
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sportscafe.in/articles/football/2020/feb/19/reports-la-galaxy-enquire-over-potential-move-for-lionel-messi
Reports | La Galaxy enquire over potential move for Lionel Messi
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https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/captain-morgan-partners-with-four-additional-mls-clubs/
Captain Morgan partners with four additional MLS clubs
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/10993357/lionel-messi-la-galaxy-transfer-barcelona/
MESSI SITUATION Lionel Messi wanted in shock move by LA Galaxy as MLS side join Man Utd in transfer race for unsettled Barcelona icon
GOSSIP
https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/rays-president-acknowledges-tough-road-ahead-split-season-plan
Rays President Acknowledges Tough Road Ahead For Split-Season Plan
Brian Auld speaks at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club
STEVE NEWBORN / WUSF PUBLIC MEDIA
Tampa Bay Rays President Brian Auld made his case for splitting the team's home season with Montreal during an appearance Thursday at the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club in St. Petersburg.
Auld said despite the obvious challenges of building two stadiums in two countries, it's a fight worth fighting.
Listen Listening...1:05 Listen to an audio version of this story
He responded to a question whether the team would pursue a Major League Soccer franchise for the Tampa Bay Rowdies to help fill a stadium that would he home for only 40 games a season.
"Nothing would make me happier than to have the MLS Rowdies and the Tampa Bay/Montreal All American/North American Snow Geese playing in the same stadium year-round," he said to laughter, "and I believe if we can accomplish that, you will have people who will look back on this moment and say thank goodness we were bold enough to try."
Auld acknowledged they've got a tough road ahead. But, it's worth trying.
"We've got to get Major League Baseball signed off, we've got to get Montreal, and we've got to get Tampa Bay. Each of them is in the beginning stages right now, but moving in the right direction," he said. "And I think as minds are opening, minds are changing, people are considering the economic realities of the two markets and what could be is becoming more and more exciting to more and more people."
Auld said the team is doing this to keep the Rays in Tampa Bay - at least half the year.
"One hundred percent of the reason we're doing this is to stay in Tampa Bay for generations to come," he said. "It's not a short-term solution. We'd have to have agreements in both markets for 30 years - that's the plan - no interest in going anywhere else."
The Rays are locked into a lease to keep them at Tropicana Field through the end of the 2027 season. Auld said any deals to provide a new home to the team have to be substantially completed by 2022 to be ready for the 2028 season.
Last week, Tampa's mayor and a Hillsborough County Commissioner said the county wants to be a part of the plan to spit seasons between Florida and Montreal.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2020/02/23/union-prefers-rays-stay-put-but-could-approve-montreal-plan/
Union prefers Rays stay put but could approve Montreal plan
Tony Clark says “strong preference” is a full-time Tampa Bay stadium, but he adds it’s not impossible the players union could agree to the sharing plan.
Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark, shown here in a 2017 file photo, said getting the players to go along with the Rays' Tampa Bay-Montreal split season plan would “be difficult.’’ [VRAGOVIC, WILL | Tampa Bay Times]
PORT CHARLOTTE — Baseball’s players union would prefer the Rays find a full time, long-term home in the Tampa Bay area, but under the right terms, it could approve the plan to split future seasons wit...
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https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/rays-transit-affordable-housing-bay-area-mayors-agree-mostly
Rays, Transit, Affordable Housing: Bay Area Mayors Agree - Mostly
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor spoke about a number of issues, including the Tampa Bay Rays and public transportation, at a Tampa Tiger Bay Club luncheon in Ybor City Friday.
When it comes to affordable housing, public transportation and baseball’s future in the region, the mayors of the Tampa Bay Area's two largest cities are in agreement - for the most part.
Speaking to members of the Tampa Tiger Bay Club at a luncheon in Ybor City Friday, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman laid out plans to address the issues critical to the area’s growth. They also stressed the need for cooperation.
With development in both cities booming, the pair say issues of public transportation and affordable housing go hand-in-hand.
"To me, you can't talk about housing affordability and creating more opportunities if you're not talking about transportation,” said Kriseman.
A report released last week by Castor’s Housing Affordability Advising Team found that as more businesses are moving to Tampa Bay, the rising cost of housing has pushed some long-time residents out. At the luncheon, Castor said the area’s reliance on cars doesn’t help matters.
"If we do transit-oriented development, then you can take that price of a car off the bottom line of a citizen, so it's critically important," said Castor.
The mayors say investing in downtown shuttle systems and expanding the Cross-Bay Ferry would make commuting across the bay easier by cutting down on traffic jams and addressing parking problems in both cities.
Throughout the luncheon, Castor and Kriseman stressed the importance of cooperation – even when it comes to the future of the region’s Major League Baseball team, the Tampa Bay Rays.
The announcement that the Rays – who have played in St. Petersburg for over 20 years - are seeking to split the season between Tampa Bay and Montreal, sparked rumors over whether the team would stay in St. Petersburg or make the move to a new stadium in Ybor City.
The team's Tropicana Stadium lease with St. Pete extends until 2027. Kriseman said that while the Rays are welcome to explore the idea of a split season, he has no intention of breaking the contract early.
“They absolutely can explore the split whether it’s in – Hillsborough, Tampa or St. Petersburg,” said Kriseman. “They just have to be looking at 2028 for when that split would begin."
READ MORE about the details of a Tampa Bay Rays split season
While Castor did not say whether Tampa is seeking to snag the sports team, she confirmed that should the Rays relocate they would likely move into a smaller, open air stadium rather than the nearly $900 million ballpark initially proposed.
“We need to do everything that we can to keep the Rays here,” said Castor. “We're too big of an area to lose a major league sporting franchise.”
Despite some fuzziness on the details, both mayors agree that keeping the Rays in Tampa Bay is mutually beneficial.
“As long as we continue to work together like we’ve been doing, I think the future is really bright for this region and each of our cities,” said Kreisman.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/transfer-rumours-beckham-to-unite-messi-ronaldo-at-inter-miami-roundup-news-manchester-united-jota-juventus-liverpool/article30894657.ece
Can Beckham make Messi, Ronaldo join forces at Inter Miami?
David Beckham will reportedly attempt to unite Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at new MLS outfit Inter Miami.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://asia.eurosport.com/football/transfers/2019-2020/football-news-transfer-rumours-and-gossip-both-ronaldo-and-messi-could-join-beckham-s-inter-miami_sto7678299/story.shtml
Both Ronaldo and Messi could join Beckham's Inter Miami - Paper Round
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1089148
PLAYER MOVEMENT: Rowdies Round Out Squad with Dalgaard
ILOSKI MAKES MOVE TO ORANGE COUNTY; MEMPHIS ADDS RAPIDS YOUNGSTER HUNDLEY ON LOAN
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-rodolfo-pizarro-20200220-222xtg6vdrdahgxrcliztxdx5q-story.html
Rodolfo Pizarro wants to make history with Inter Miami CF
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2020/02/20/pareja-nani-impressed-preseason-progress
Pareja, Nani Impressed with Preseason Progress
It is undeniably true that the results of preseason fixtures don’t actually matter. The points don’t start being calculated until February 29. That’s when we reach, in Luiz Muzzi’s words, the “real matches.”
But it doesn’t hurt to win them either.
Orlando City is making a habit of that this month. The Lions have taken five of the six friendlies they’ve played to date, including wins over the Montreal Impact, the Tampa Bay Rowdies, and reigning Icelandic champions KR Reykjavik, whom Orlando calmly dispatched 3-1 on Tuesday night.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f8bntc/uh_oh_someone_popped_smoke/
“Uh oh, someone popped smoke!”
who could have committed such a heinous crime, in front of children.
It appeared to be outside the fence too! Cheeky bastards!!!!
(Follow link for full article.)
https://twitter.com/herndenhimself/status/1231396041712439296
Jeff
@HerndenHimself
Uh oh, someone popped smoke!
0:11
8:51 PM · Feb 22, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f7fqnj/rowdies_welcome_sebastian_dalgaard_as_final/
Rowdies Welcome Sebastian Dalgaard As Final Addition To Senior Roster
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https://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/1089039
ROWDIES WELCOME SEBASTIAN DALGAARD AS FINAL ADDITION TO SENIOR ROSTER
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f7eku5/saturdays_game/
Saturday’s game
Hey everyone I’m planning on going to the game tomorrow night and I know it’s free but is there anything special I have to do or do I just show up to the stadium and sit wherever? I can’t find any info on the website.
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f7bacs/mobontour_miami_fc_friday_march_13_we_need_you/
#MobOnTour: Miami FC – Friday, March 13 - WE NEED YOU!
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https://www.ralphsmob.com/post/mobontour-miami-fc-friday-march-13
#MobOnTour: Miami FC – Friday, March 13
After a long absence of having a real in-state rival, our old friends Miami FC have joined up in the USL Championship and we’re their home opener! Time to give them a warm welcome, by invading Miami on Friday, March 13 (7:30PM).
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f6c0t6/rowdies_smoke_keepsmokeinthestadium_nopyronoparty/
[Rowdies Smoke] "#KeepSmokeInTheStadium #NoPyroNoParty
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https://twitter.com/RowdiesSmoke/status/1230145286808403969
Rowdies Smoke
@RowdiesSmoke
#KeepSmokeInTheStadium
#NoPyroNoParty
Quote Tweet
Ralph's Mob
@RalphsMob
· Feb 19
Hey @Kriseman, remember when you marched with us and the atmosphere we bring to every @TampaBayRowdies game? We were blindsided yesterday when your fire marshal outright banned our smoke at games. We want to understand why something like this has come from your administration.
Show this thread
10:01 AM · Feb 19, 2020·Twitter for Android
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/f65cm1/rowdiesstore_rebrand_incoming/
[RowdiesStore] Rebrand incoming 👀
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https://twitter.com/RowdiesSmoke/status/1229964513887313920
Rowdies Smoke
@RowdiesSmoke
Rebrand incoming👀
10:02 PM · Feb 18, 2020·Twitter for Android
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http://www.utdailybeacon.com/sports/soccer/barry-cooper-and-the-building-of-the-fairgrounds-stadium/article_a1c1a110-52fc-11ea-9e6c-231074e5aefa.html
Barry, Cooper and the building of the Fairgrounds stadium
When the Fairgrounds stadium was first announced in Nashville, Tennessee, many were skeptical if the project would actually come to fruition.
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/10993357/lionel-messi-la-galaxy-transfer-barcelona/
MESSI SITUATION Lionel Messi wanted in shock move by LA Galaxy as MLS side join Man Utd in transfer race for unsettled Barcelona icon
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https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/food/2020/02/19/restaurant-review-west-ybor-barterhouse-nods-to-its-historic-surroundings/
Restaurant review: West Ybor Barterhouse nods to its historic surroundings
The new restaurant emphasizes sustainability and gets inspiration from its Ybor City location.
Blue crab chilau at West Ybor Barterhouse. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
TAMPA — Consider the crab chilau. Sometimes called crab (or cangrejo) enchilau or enchilado, it’s one of those old-school Spanish and Cuban dishes that came out of early 20th century Ybor City but see...
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https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-friendly-20200223-p5oxldeljffahnt4whyfg4n5da-story.html
Inter Miami CF fine-tunes play in final preseason friendly, downs Tampa Bay Rowdies 1-0
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn1gRQLDNlg
2020 Rowdies Suncoast Invitational - Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Montreal Impact
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Rowdies Suncoast Invitational 2020
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Montreal Impact
Feb 15, 2020
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg
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https://www.tampabay.com/news/hillsborough/2020/02/19/a-sweet-move-in-ybor-city-cephas-gilbert-opens-new-juice-bar/
A sweet move in Ybor City: Cephas Gilbert opens new juice bar
The Jamaican restaurateur relocates to Seventh Avenue after nearly 40 years on Fourth Avenue. And he’s now sweetening his signature — and notoriously bitter — aloe shakes.
After nearly four decades of operating a restaurant on Fourth Avenue in Ybor City, Cephas Gilbert has a new location. He now runs a juice hut inside Tequilas Ybor in Tampa. [OCTAVIO JONES | Times]
TAMPA — He operated his neighboring Cephas’ Hot Shop restaurant on Fourth Avenue for nearly four decades, yet rarely ventured the three blocks to Ybor City’s main thoroughfare of Seventh Avenue.
“I wou...
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https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/food/2020/02/19/tampa-bay-food-events-this-week-jewish-food-festival-super-greek-festival/
Tampa Bay food events this week: Jewish Food Festival, Super Greek Festival
Plus, art and seafood join forces on the Safety Harbor waterfront and two local spots where .
The Tampa Bay Jewish Food Festival, which will return to Temple B'nai Israel in Clearwater on Sunday, has featured desserts like mini linzer tarts in the past. [Courtesy of Justinfocus Media]
BE KUGEL: TAMPA BAY JEWISH FOOD FESTIVAL
Ready for one big celebration of classic Jewish nosh? The Tampa Bay Jewish Food Festival, back for another year, promises eats like Carnegie Deli corned beef and pastrami, kosher hot dogs, stuffed cabbage, bagels and lox, ...
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https://www.wtsp.com/article/entertainment/television/great-day-tb/horror-series-filming-in-tampa-bay/67-ef2bad84-767f-44ed-a066-8868be1e6f75
Horror series filming in Tampa Bay
Ybor City is home to a new movie studio, The Power Station, and the producers are starting 2020 with a bang by working hard on its first productions.
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https://www.cltampa.com/food-drink/food-drink-events/article/21117077/this-weekend-ybor-citys-73rd-annual-fiesta-day-celebrates-tampas-immigrant-culture
Ybor City’s 73rd annual Fiesta Day celebrates Tampa’s immigrant culture this weekend
Celebrate with a freshly rolled cigar this Saturday.
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https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/court-declares-tampa-hotel-room-fee-illegal
Court Declares Tampa Hotel Room Fee Illegal
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https://keywest.floridaweekly.com/articles/anna-in-the-tropics-comes-to-key-west/
‘Anna in the Tropics’ comes to Key West
The tropics and the American dream prove a volatile combination when Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” is read aloud to the workers in “Anna in the Tropics.” From left: Aramis Ikatu (Cheche), Christian Haler (Santiago), Mira Negron (Ofelia), Daniel T. Bochlas (Juan Julian), Francesca Silva (Conchita), Mathias Maloff (Eliades/Palomo) and Nayem Cardenas-Lopez (Marela). JOHNNY WHITE / COURTESY PHOTO
Cigars, love triangles and the words of Tolstoy all unfurl at The Studios of Key West this month. Nilo Cruz’s Pulitzer prize-winning play “Anna in the Tropics” runs Feb. 19-29, directed by Dennis Zacek, and assembles a Latinx cast of local favorites and rising performers.
This time, the setting of Tampa’s Ybor City will be swapped out for Key West’s own Cuban-American history. The production focuses on the labor force of one cigar rolling factory and, importantly, the curious role of a lector — someone tasked with reading to the factory workers who manned the stations for hours on end. Historically, novels and newspapers emerged as natural choices among the lectors. An enthralling novel could, for instance, captivate workers while stirring intellectual curiosity within factories like Old Town’s historic Gato building — named for cigar titan Eduard Gato.
In “Anna in the Tropics,” the arrival of a sultry lector who chooses to read Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” sparks internal crises and revelations among the workers who find themselves swept into episodes of desire and chaos.
Mathias Maloff (Eliades/Palomo), Aramis Ikatu (Cheche) and Christian Haler (Santiago) in “Anna in the Tropics.” JOHNNY WHITE / COURTESY PHOTO
Now, the cast and director share their thoughts and historical insights on what makes this production such an interesting watch during a robust theater season here in Key West.
Unrolling Key West History
“I’ve lived in the Keys since 1981. I have seen a lot of its history replaced with modernity. So much history that’s waiting for someone like Nilo Cruz to write a story about. The tobacco factories hit home. My family came here from Cuba and then Ybor City to gain employment as cigar rollers. Still remaining in Key West are these big buildings in the middle of residential neighborhoods. Many do not know the history and stories of those buildings: typical factories of mass production, large windows allowing for lots of light, and rows of tables and workers rolling large quantities of cigars a day. Unfortunately, they could not compete with the machination of the 1930s. Hopefully, the older Key West audiences can be reached to see this show. It will remind them of the history and, like me, bring a smile to their faces.”
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https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/full-circle/electric-scooters-racking-up-tickets-but-not-in-tampa
Electric scooters racking up tickets – but not in Tampa
Scooter injuries spike as Tampa nears the end of pilot program
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https://news.wgcu.org/post/court-declares-tampa-hotel-room-fee-illegal
Court Declares Tampa Hotel Room Fee Illegal
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https://wflanews.iheart.com/content/2020-02-21-mardi-gras-mean-girls-more-this-weekend-in-tampa-bay/
Mardi Gras, Mean Girls & More This Weekend in Tampa Bay
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https://www.fox13news.com/news/plight-of-ybor-citys-famous-feathered-fowl-at-heart-of-annual-art-exhibit
Plight of Ybor City’s famous feathered fowl at heart of annual art exhibit
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https://www.tampabay.com/news/tampa/2020/02/21/no-news-on-tampa-bay-rays-but-mayors-castor-kriseman-talk-legacies-and-dogs/
No news on Tampa Bay Rays, but mayors Castor, Kriseman talk legacies and dogs
At Tiger Bay Club, Tampa and St. Petersburg mayors had no juicy bits on the Rays’ stadium search, but did talk of how they hope to be remembered.
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor answer questions during a meeting of the Tampa Tiger Bay Club Friday. [SCOTT KEELER | Times]
TAMPA — St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman’s inaugural foray into the Tiger Bay Club on the east side of the bay turned out to be a tame affair.
The Sunshine City mayor spent about an hour with Tampa M...
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/11001703/manchester-united-inter-miami-beckham-almendra/
BECK OF THE QUEUE Man Utd set to lose out to David Beckham’s Inter Miami for transfer of Boca Juniors midfielder Agustin Almendra
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https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/soccer/inter-miami/fl-sp-inter-miami-single-game-tickets-sold-out-home-opener-20200219-whzzvxa3cbgebmdabxgtgaixma-story.html
Inter Miami CF sell out single-game tickets for home opener
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https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2020/02/19/a-way-to-keep-the-rays-here-full-time-maybe-a-dramatic-attendance-boost/
A way to keep the Rays here full time? Maybe a dramatic attendance boost
On the day he unveiled some novel ticket plans, Rays owner Stuart Sternberg said he never says never. “I’m asking people to be open-minded about things, and I’m open to anything,”
Tampa Bay Rays fans welcome players during introductions just prior the Rays game against the Houston Astros for Game 3 of the American League Division Series Monday, Oct. 7, 2019 in St. Petersburg. [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times]
PORT CHARLOTTE — Principal owner Stuart Sternberg said Wednesday the Rays remain fully committed to their radical plan to split future seasons with Montreal starting in 2028. That they feel they are m...
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https://www.yardbarker.com/xfl/articles/pro_sports_leagues_that_challenged_the_establishment/s1__31342430#slide_25
Pro sports leagues that challenged the establishment
The XFL is the latest upstart league to challenge the NFL, MLB, NHL or NBA, but whether it finds success, it will not be the last. American sports history is littered with leagues that tried to find a niche as an alternative to an established league or put their own spin on a traditional sport. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the most famous "other" leagues throughout sports history.
NASL - North American Soccer League
Bob Olsen / Contributor
There have been two iterations of the North American Soccer League: one that ran from 2011 to 2017 and the original, which started in 1968 and lasted until 1984. The first version rode the wave of surprisingly strong television ratings for the 1966 World Cup and had a fluctuating number of teams. It reached the apex of its popularity in the mid-1970s when the New York Cosmos, the league’s flagship franchise, signed Pele to their roster. The Cosmos had three separate seasons where attendance averaged over 40,000 per game, and some NASL games were broadcast on network television, but the league lost momentum and suspended operations in 1985.
WUSA - Women's United Soccer Association
Donald Miralle / Staff
In an attempt to capitalize on the excitement and interest generated by the United States Women’s National Team’s win at the 1998 World Cup, the Women’s United Soccer Association was born. The WUSA has the distinction of being the world’s first women’s soccer league where all of the players were paid as professionals. Notable founding players included Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Michelle Akers and Julie Foudy. The league’s first season was in 2001, with eight teams participating, but despite significant investment from a variety of communications companies, the league suffered major financial losses and folded in 2003 after just three seasons.
MISL - Major Indoor Soccer League
John Sunderland / Contributor
Soccer has only recently gained significant popularity in the U.S., and indoor soccer has always been a novelty, particularly in the 1970s, when the Major Indoor Soccer League was founded. The league began play in 1978 with six teams, but by the end of the MISL’s run in 1992, 24 franchises had played in the league. The faster pace and higher-scoring nature of indoor soccer games allowed the league to catch on in popularity, with attendance in its 14 seasons averaging over 7,500 fans per game. The league can also be credited with the creation of Arena Football, as Jim Foster, the founder of that league, credited MISL as his inspiration.
NWSL - National Women's Soccer League
Jose Argueta/ISI Photos / Contributor
So far, so good for the National Women’s Soccer League, the most prominent women’s professional league in the U.S. The NWSL came into being in November of 2012 and held its first season in 2013. It is comprised of nine teams and will add a 10th in 2021, in Louisville, Kentucky. The NWSL has an agreement with the United States Soccer Federation, so where other startup leagues have failed, it appears poised to succeed, possibly for a very long time, as soccer’s popularity continues to increase stateside.
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https://www.abcactionnews.com/tampas-last-cigar-factory-is-getting-a-makeover-and-museum
Tampa's last cigar factory is getting a makeover and museum
J.C. Newman Cigar Company is 125 years old
TAMPA, Fla. — Eric Newman wants his Ybor City-based company to become a major tourist attraction.
“Like the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky." says Newman.
He is the president of the 125-year-old J.C. Newman Cigar Company.
RELATED: Tampa's last cigar factory fights FDA regulations to stay in business
There used to be 150 cigar factories in Tampa, which is the reason it got the “Cigar City" nickname.
J.C. Newman is the last one alive. The factory hand-rolls and machine-makes about 12 million cigars a year.
The factory is getting a major makeover, complete with a new museum and a company store.
Once it opens in May, visitors can enjoy different tours – including a free one – and see the same machines cigarmakers used for over a century.
For more on the J.C. Newman Cigar Company, visit www.jcnewman.com.
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https://gotechdaily.com/what-to-watch-for-in-nashville-scs-very-last-preseason-match-wednesday-with-d-c-united/
[What to watch for in Nashville SC’s very last preseason match Wednesday with D.C. United]
TAMPA, Fla. — Nashville SC’s coaching session Tuesday t emphasised corner kicks and established pieces in advance of its final preseason match towards D.C. United on Wednesday.
Coach Gary Smith claimed he selected to construct this week’s training prepare as if it was a video game to be performed for the duration of the common year. Nashville practiced at the Tampa Bay Rowdies services, generally playing in mini game titles, while also reviewing defensive techniques for corner and free kicks.
This is what to observe for in Nashville SC’s exhibition with D.C. United at the Joe DiMaggio Sporting activities Complex in Clearwater, Florida:
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https://sportscafe.in/articles/football/2020/feb/19/reports-la-galaxy-enquire-over-potential-move-for-lionel-messi
Reports | La Galaxy enquire over potential move for Lionel Messi
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https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/captain-morgan-partners-with-four-additional-mls-clubs/
Captain Morgan partners with four additional MLS clubs
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/10993357/lionel-messi-la-galaxy-transfer-barcelona/
MESSI SITUATION Lionel Messi wanted in shock move by LA Galaxy as MLS side join Man Utd in transfer race for unsettled Barcelona icon
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