Behind the wheel with IndyCar drivers

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http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/sports/article.html/content/news/articles/bhsn/2017/2/21/behind_the_wheel_wit.html

Behind the wheel with IndyCar drivers

By Rishi Barran, Spectrum Sports

Last Updated: Tuesday, February 21, 2017

PALMETTO --

You don’t just jump into an IndyCar and compete in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Getting to that level of driving takes a ton of skill and training.

“I think the Go-Karts are a basic school," two-time Indy 500 runner-up Carlos Munoz said.  "Like when you’re a kid, you go to Kindergarten.  That’s a basic school.”

Kindergarten.

That sounds like a good starting point for us media folks who wanted to get behind the wheel and learn what it’s like to race.

IndyCar gave us that chance as an early gift less than three weeks before the IndyCar series comes to St. Pete for its opening races of the season.

Luckily, I had rising young IndyCar driver Conor Daly as one of my teammates.

“It takes a lot more than people think," Daly said.  "You get out there in the Go-Kart and you’ll be like, man, I’m warn out after like five or 10 laps if you’re really driving it hard.  So, that’s what I like to see is people get surprised by how much it takes to actually drive these things fast."

The drivers and crew all gave us tips on how to succeed.

One thing we didn’t need training on was trash talk.

"Rishi, how embarrassing is it going to be when I beat you at a sporting event?” Bay News 9 reporter Sara Belsole asked after I told her she and the rest of her team were in trouble.

St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman had his mouth running, too, before taking part in the mayor’s race against other local dignitaries, including St. Pete Beach Mayor Deborah Schechner and Oldsmar Mayor Doug Bevis.

“You’re talking about elected officials- all of whom have egos," Kriseman said.  "There’s probably nothing friendly about this.  It’s a lot of fun.  We all go out there and have a great time.  And it’s nice if I can bring the cup back to St. Pete.”

Kriseman took the checkered flag to win that portion of the competition for the third straight year.

“It’s really just reading the track and learning the lines of the track that you want to drive on that keep your speed at the maximum," Kriseman said.

That bit of advice would come in handy when it was time for us to gear up for the main event.

“Always keep going forward," Daly joked.  "If you’re spinning, that’s a problem.”

Maybe I should’ve listened to Conor.

I got a little too aggressive, getting into a crash on the first lap, and putting us back in last place.

The ride was thrilling, but the deficit was too much for Conor and the rest of our team to overcome.

Munoz's team won, while we finished outside the top five.

Daly was a good sport about our less-than-stellar performance.

"It’s awesome, man," Daly said.  To get everyone out here and have a good time before the race, which is fast approaching, it gets everyone sort of in gear- no pun intended.

Daly and the rest of IndyCar's best drivers will be cruising through Downtown St. Pete soon.

And they'll be going a lot faster than we did.

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http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2017/02/21/construction-on-st-pete-pier-faces-crucial-step.html

Construction on St. Pete Pier faces crucial step forward

Construction on a new St. Petersburg pier is inching closer.

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http://tucson.com/sports/local/tucson-fans-have-more-chances-to-watch-major-league-soccer/article_bbce1366-2557-5961-82e3-16892041e193.html

Soccer: MLS preseason

Tucson fans have more chances to watch Major League Soccer's best

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http://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/major-league-soccer-big-four-sports-when-will-mls-pass-nhl

With 'big four' mentality, MLS still fighting for place among major leagues

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https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/02/22/mls-san-diego-san-diego-mls-expansion-bid-group-unveil-stadium-plans-insider

MLS in San Diego? San Diego MLS expansion bid group unveil stadium plans | INSIDER

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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-city-lions/on-the-pitch/os-sp-soccer-insider-0223-story.html

United Soccer League achieved Division 2 status, but work still ahead

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http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/food/dining/two-24-hour-diners-are-opening-this-spring-in-downtown-st-petersburg/2314120

Two 24-hour diners are opening this spring in downtown St. Petersburg

Christopher Spata

Wednesday, February 22, 2017 11:28am

Two new diners will open in downtown St. Petersburg this spring and eventually never close — not even for an hour.

At least, that's the plan.

The upcoming 2nd & Second, at the corner of and Second Street and Second Avenue N, and Diner24 DTSP, on First Avenue N across the street from Williams Park, are aiming to become the only 24-hour restaurants in downtown St. Petersburg.

Their owners say they'll offer places for late-night eats when the area's many bars close, but also provide a breakfast option for very early risers, also a rarity in downtown.

Diner24 DTSP will open in the 7,000-square-foot space that was Fuego Lounge at 350 First Ave. N. Owner Ken Collado, who opened Fuego Lounge a year ago as a Puerto Rican restaurant, said he had seen business shifting toward a nightclub atmosphere, with a steady draw for its "Latin Night," but wanted to shift gears back toward a restaurant.

Collado said he's shooting for an April 1 opening, with 24-hour service Thursday through Saturday, with plans to eventually stay open around the clock seven days a week. The place is currently being remodeled to install booths, which will be the biggest change to the space. There's a now-hiring sign in the window.

Collado said Diner24 DTSP will be a "classic, New York-style American diner," but it will also have a full liquor bar, a coffee bar and a juice and smoothie bar.

Less than three blocks away, 2nd & Second will be a collaboration between Kahwa Coffee owner Raphael Perrier, chef Jeremy Duclut of Cassis American Brasserie and Tryst owner Renaud Cowez.

"The idea is to do classic, basic, American diner food, eggs, hash browns, meatloaf, but to use good ingredients, as much local as we can, while also keeping the prices low," Perrier said. "And don't be scared about us being French, because we have an American chef."

Their space at 201 Second Ave. N, across the street from the Sundial shopping center, most recently housed a RE/MAX real estate office. That building is undergoing an extensive renovation based on a design by St. Petersburg architects Fraze Design, and plans include a patio area with outdoor seating.

The diner will serve Kahwa coffee, have a full liquor license and offer healthier menu items, too, Perrier said.

The owners of 2nd & Second hope to open in early May, with 24-hour service seven days a week.

MLS Expansion: New details on Tampa Bay’s proposed stadium

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http://mlsmultiplex.com/2017/02/21/mls-expansion-new-details-on-tampa-bays-proposed-stadium/

MLS Expansion: New details on Tampa Bay’s proposed stadium

by Nathan Reynolds

With the 12 expansion bids submitted, teams are now focused on improving their chances of viability. A look at the latest on the proposed stadium for Tampa Bay.

The next round of MLS expansion has two spots open, with two more openings to be made available at an unknown time in the future. The bids focus on key ares such as financial support, fan bases, TV market standings, existing franchises, in some cases, and the always popular stadium proposal.

For Tampa Bay the strengths are that the city has supported major league sports franchises for years, and that they have an existing NASL franchise in the Rowdies. However, their current stadium, a former baseball field, would required a much needed face lift to be MLS ready.

Luckily for them, it’s been done recently in Portland and their plans appear ready for approval. Just a little behind the timeline that we recently mentioned for the St. Louis stadium & bid, Tampa Bay completed the first step in the process by having the ordinance language approved.

The group is hoping to land a measure on the upcoming election ballot for the city in early May. The upgrades would be completely financed by the team’s owner Bill Edwards, which eliminates the hurdle of securing public funding. The vote would simply be to allow the team to retain and renovate the stadium for a 25-year period.

Here is a look at the current Al Lang Stadium:

And the proposed designs:

The new designs have the stadium growing from 7,500 seats to 18,000, which would be tied with the MLS minimum. However, considering that minimum is the impressive Avaya Stadium, home of the San Jose Earthquakes, which was awarded last year’s All-Star Match vs. Arsenal, that would not be an issue with the bid proposal.

Stay tuned for more information about the 12 MLS expansion bids, as well as any announcements MLS makes regarding the timeline of awarded the next two franchises.

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http://sports.yahoo.com/news/soccer-chinese-expansion-lightning-bottle-says-barber-122653647--sow.html

Soccer-Chinese expansion like 'lightning in a bottle', says Barber

Alan Baldwin

Feb 21, 2017, 7:26 AM

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - China's soccer splurge on big-name foreign players is reminiscent of the 1970s North American boom that ultimately fizzled out in failure, former Vancouver Whitecaps chief executive Paul Barber said on Tuesday.

Barber, now chief executive of Premier League promotion hopefuls Brighton and Hove Albion and an influential figure in English soccer, warned that the Super League could go the same way.

"The first two or three seasons it's a bit like lightning in a bottle. It's bright, it's exciting and it's very contained," he told a Sport Industry breakfast meeting.

"It's great to have a top division with ageing superstars, and in China's case not so ageing, but how long and how sustainable is that?"

With the backing of soccer fan President Xi Jinping, China has been on a spending spree on players, clubs and overseas assets over the last two years.

Shanghai Shenhua bought Argentina striker Carlos Tevez from Boca Juniors last December for a reported $88.56 million dollars, making the 32-year-old the sport's highest paid player with a reported salary of $753,000 per week.

Shanghai SIPG spent around 63 million dollars to lure Brazilian Oscar from Chelsea and are paying the midfielder a reported $490,000 a week.

Barber compared China to the example of America in the late 1970s with top players such as triple World Cup winner Pele, at the New York Cosmos, Dutch maestro Johan Cruyff and George Best were lured across with big money deals.

"It was very much like the Chinese scene now...they had some of the best players in the world playing for couple of years, attracting huge audiences, huge money and then within three years it was dead.

"Because there was nothing behind it to sustain it. At the moment it looks very much like that to me," added Barber, who is on the board of the English Football League and represents that body on the FA Council and Professional Game Board.

"But who knows. China is China."

Barber recognised that Chinese clubs had financial clout and government backing but said the best leagues had learned that they were not sustainable without a grassroots structure nurturing home-grown players.

The North American Soccer League (NASL) operated from 1968 to 1984, with popularity peaking in the 1970s when World Cup-winning captains Carlos Alberto of Brazil and West Germany's Franz Beckenbauer also joined the party.

It went into rapid decline in the early 1980s, with loss-making clubs spending an unsustainable amount on foreign players.

Major League Soccer (MLS), founded in 1993, operates profitably with shared revenues and a salary cap.

($1 = 0.9485 euros) (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Mitch Phillips)

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http://arizonasonoranewsservice.com/major-league-soccer-teams-providing-local-economic-boost-to-state-for-now/

Major league soccer teams providing local economic boost to state, for now

When major league baseball spring training left Tucson in 2010, it left questions for how the town would fill the void. Now, Major League Soccer’s sixth year training here in Tucson that is bringing in the money.

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http://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/mls-balance-player-development-domestic-foreign-talent-global-challenge

Global challenge: MLS trying to balance player development, importing talent

Rapid expansion leaves no shortage of roster spots. Winning time in starting XIs, though? That's a higher bar.

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http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/13732/extra-time/2017/02/21/32915312/philadelphia-union-looking-to-hire-chief-tattoo-officer
    
Philadelphia Union looking to hire 'Chief Tattoo Officer'

The Major League Soccer side is looking at a unique way to build team and fan unity.

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http://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/targeted-allocation-money-mls-progress-designated-player-analysis

Less flash, more substance: How latest roster investments transform MLS

The Designated Player rule brought the stars; Targeted Allocation Money is allowing for more retention of talent in MLS.

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http://www.sportsvideo.org/2017/02/21/new-mls-club-atlanta-united-fc-finds-rsn-home-with-fox-sports-south-fox-sports-southeast/

New MLS Club Atlanta United FC Finds RSN Home With Fox Sports South, Fox Sports Southeast

Exclusive rights deal kicks off with start of 2017 season next month

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http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/atlanta-united-strike-local-tv-deal-with-fox-sports

Atlanta United strike local TV deal with Fox Sports

MLS expansion franchise gets coverage on Fox Sports Regional Networks.

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http://ussoccerplayers.com/2017/02/san-diegos-mls-expansion-bid-is-more-than-a-stadium.html

San Diego’s MLS expansion bid is more than a stadium

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http://futnsoccer.com/2017/02/21/cantinamx-episode-73-podcast-chat-with-nate-abaurrea-mls-in-san-diego-mls-vs-liga-mx-pppkt/

CantinaMX Episode 73 Podcast – Chat with Nate Abaurrea, MLS in San Diego, MLS vs Liga MX

MLS in San Diego and Chicha to LAFC (49:25)

Major League Soccer has been pushing expansion and San Diego are front runners to establish a club. Nate regals the lads on why it would be a good idea to bring a club to the border town and why Xolos Tijuana are all for the move! As MLS looks to capture the Mexican market the biggest name making the rounds is none other than Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez who is being targeted by new franchise Los Angeles Football Club.

Another sip of the Super Liga Cup

A few years back Liga MX and MLS created a Super Liga cup that failed miserably. Well, they seem to be back at it again with aother joint league tourney. Will this second iteretion work? Ron and Nate talk about tourneys between Mexico and U.S club’s being played as far back as the 1960’s. WTF is a JFK cup and why is this turning into a history lesson albeit an entertaining one.

Promotion and Relegation (1:17:00)

There is a thin line between the love and hate for Promotion and Relegation and the Cantina cast discuss why it will not work for Major League Soccer and why Liga MX’s percentage chart does the trick. There are plenty of valid points from the discussion as the regulars draw a line in the sand and take sides. There is even talk of the New York Cosmos!

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http://tucson.com/sports/local/local-fans-have-one-more-week-to-watch-major-league/article_bbce1366-2557-5961-82e3-16892041e193.html

Local fans have one more week to watch Major League Soccer's best

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http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/roc-nation-signs-first-team-partnership-with-houston-dynamo

Roc Nation signs first team partnership with Houston Dynamo

Jay-Z’s agency to procure opportunities for MLS team and their home stadium.

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http://deadspin.com/mike-piazza-shits-on-st-louis-and-major-league-soccer-1792600356

Mike Piazza Shits On St. Louis And Major League Soccer At The Same Time, Achieves Glory

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http://sportsagentblog.com/2017/02/21/houston-dynamo-select-roc-nation-as-exclusive-agency-of-record/
   
Houston Dynamo Select Roc Nation As Exclusive Agency Of Record

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https://thefloridasqueeze.com/2017/02/09/fort-lauderdale-strikers-on-the-brink-part-1-how-we-got-here/

Fort Lauderdale Strikers on the brink – Part 1: How we got here

February 9, 2017

by Kartik Krishnaiyer

The 2017 North American Soccer League (NASL) schedule was released on Monday and conspicuously absent was the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The date February 6 was ironic as it was three years to the day from David Beckham’s MLS announcement in Miami, a press conference that occurred at a time where it appeared the Strikers were flying high.

The disappearance of the Strikers, one of the league’s flagship clubs from the league’s 2017 schedule culminates a long drawn out process where the club’s profile slipped and following largely dissipated. Multiple sources tell us that the Strikers ownership had agreed to sell the club to the owners of PDL club FC Miami City, but that the initial offer was rejected by the NASL Board of Governors. A second offer we are advised was either made or is in the process of being made. Even if this offer is (or has been ) approved and the club’s ownership is transitioned, the Strikers will not play in the 2017 NASL Season. Several sources close to the club insisted in January that the public perception of the club does not match reality and that what was being reported publicly and echoed privately by league sources to me was not true. However, with this week’s schedule announcement from the league we can close the door on the “she says, he says” period of this story and analyze how we got here.

While it has been convenient to scapegoat current ownership and management, the problems with the club and the market it occupies are deep and predate the 2014 sale of the club to the Brazilian ownership group led by Paulo Cesso or the 2015 installation of Luis Cuccatti as Managing Director of the club. That’s not to exempt the Brazilian ownership group from responsibility for the club’s (perhaps temporary) demise as mismanagement was a clear issue in 2015 and 2016, but the fundamentals of the club were have never been right even in the best of times.

The club’s previous owners Traffic Sports, an entity later disgraced in the FIFA scandal never quite had the patience to let the brand organically grow or took the time to understand the market.  The momentum of 2011 was lost in 2012 then regained with a new logical community-oriented philosophy in 2013 only to suffer due to budget cuts in 2014. Then the team was sold.

Rewind back to February 17, 2011 – an event on the beach in Fort Lauderdale christened the rebirth of the legendary Strikers – a historic club that between 1977 and the early 1990’s played host to some of the biggest names in global football and was a recognizable community institution. While the spring break parties of the 1960’s may have put Fort Lauderdale on the American map, it was the Strikers that made the city a recognizable global locale – separate, distinct and unique in many ways from the more glamorous and better know neighbor to the south.

In 2011, Traffic’s overall business needed a viable Fort Lauderdale or Miami club as an anchor on greater national and international ambitions for the company. Traffic was in the international sports marketing business with a particular focus on the Caribbean and Latin America – this made having a visible presence in southeastern Florida critical. The current incarnation of the club was founded in 2006 as Miami FC and moved north in 2010. After playing a year in Fort Lauderdale under the Miami FC name, re-branded.  Traffic which had restarted the NASL needed a certain degree of legitimacy to use the name of the legendary 1970’s league that went defunct in the mid 1980’s. But the new Strikers of Traffic with the exception of Tim Robbie, the club President, the links to the original Strikers are non-existent.

In fact, this club is the fourth different professional soccer team to play at Fort Lauderdale’s Lockhart Stadium and call itself the Strikers, and third to feature in the historical alphabet soup of American minor league soccer. The original Strikers were a massive team, operating in an era before the European Union (EU) allowed the free movement of players within the continent (and until Brexit is finalized, in and out of the United Kingdom) and at a time when South Florida lacked big-time professional sports beyond the Miami Dolphins. Recreating anything like the original Fort Lauderdale Strikers, which were a global brand of  serious note is nearly impossible in this day and age, though that reality wasn’t often articulated in a way that could strengthen what never could be more than a nice local niche club in this era. In the pre-EU era, domestic leagues in Europe were just that – chances are if you wanted a challenge abroad you went to the United States.

Despite this reality, the actual success of the club in the local market didn’t matter a great deal to Traffic, though with the late 2012 hiring of “Soccer” Tom Mulroy as team President, an effort was made to engage soccer fans and youth clubs from Homestead to Jupiter. Mulroy’s community work was only piece of what the Strikers needed to do to be successful, but it was something that was executed beautifully, temporarily papering over the cracks that all over the club. In 2013 and 2014, the Strikers engaged locals effectively, growing attendance, interest and media coverage while attempting to create a positive atmosphere at the stadium.

Traffic’s goal with the Strikers was to maintain a viable and legacy-driven presence in a critical market for its business. It was also determined to prop up a league in the NASL that despite being a second division had delusions of competing with Major League Soccer (MLS) the designated first division in the United States. Traffic was invested in the league to such a large extent that they were involved in propping up several other struggling clubs and pushing an NASL vision based almost entirely on deluded hubris and tired nostalgia.

Lack of consistency in focus and philosophy

Traffic Sports in 2011 was committed to a big budget advertising campaign and a high player payroll by D2 standards In 2012, this budget disappeared. In 2013, outside consultants were hired to manage the ticket sales side but were not retained for 2014 when the focus was exclusively on sending staff out to make community appearances. The infrastructure created in 2013 and 2014 by these community appearances was washed away by new ownership in 2015 who had one half-baked and untested scheme after another to draw fans to games and in the process destroyed established community and youth club relationships. In 2016, fiscal austerity on the Greek model was pushed in terms of outreach funding with the ownership foolishly determining that spending more money on players and technical staff was the route to success.

The Strikers appeal based on nostalgia much like that of the New York Cosmos and NASL in general was limited beyond a small niche of fans – and constantly mistook winning for success.

The Strikers management both under Traffic and the more recent Brazilian-based owners overrated the importance of the Strikers legacy to anyone beyond a niche of fan in southeast Florida. This however was not simply a Strikers mistake but one made league wide by the NASL, most notably by the New York Cosmos. In contrast, the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers, legacy brands from the original NASL have staked their own claim as vibrant clubs drawing on the historic legacy as a facet of marketing, not counting on it as the primary driver.

Additionally, winning has virtually no correlation to attendance at the lower division level in the United States. Fort Lauderdale is one of only three NASL clubs to have made four postseason appearances, yet attendance and the signing of big-name foreign players never did any good for the club’s bottom line. The ambiance, experience and local ties are what bind fans and a community to a lower-division club.

The evidence at the D2  level in American pro soccer points to attendance having little to do with winning. After all, 90% of the players at this level are not particularly well-known even to hardcore soccer fans. While some names like Joe Cole or Raul may move the needle ever so slightly for a few games at a time, by in large signing expensive, higher-profile players makes no difference in terms of crowd building.

For example, Indy Eleven’s attendance was down this year as the club was better than ever and was within a penalty kick shootout of winning the NASL title. The New York Cosmos struggles at the gate have come despite winning the NASL title three of the last four seasons. Tampa Bay’s worst-ever NASL finish was also their best-ever attendance year. Fort Lauderdale’s best attendance year (in terms of actual turnstile count) was the season the club finished dead-last in the league – every other season the club finished in a postseason position or in the top half of the league. FC Edmonton’s attendance never got an uptick from winning. This is a trend over many years that Tom Mulroy understood and appreciated but the new Strikers’ owners didn’t which led to a record number of people passing through the turnstiles for this version of the Strikers.

A slashing of marketing budget to increase the player and technical staff budget

In the Traffic era, cuts to budgets were felt relatively equally across departments. Budget slashing became an annual rite of passage in-house for Strikers personnel to deal with. But the Brazilian owners did something odd after 2015. The club slashed the front office budget while increasing the funds available for player salaries and scouting. What resulted was a season full of late payments, bounced checks, a midseason stadium move and the lowest attendance in the history of the NASL. Head Coach Caio Zanardi remarkably kept the club competitive and they almost made the postseason finishing with the highest standing of the four Florida clubs that competed in NASL during 2016. But the increase in player budget put a team that was suffering from the lowest attendance in the history of the league on the hook for supporting internationally recognizable stars that did nothing to drive the audience to see the Strikers play. The days of cultivating young local players one of the chief functions for any minor league club had passed – the continued flow of local players or those with ties to Florida through the Strikers was one of the reasons the club  drew fans.

This is what many NASL teams have backwards, blowing money on sexy player names (many of whom are 30-something journeymen) thinking that changes perceptions and drives interest but it just does not. The Strikers are the most glaring example south of the New York Cosmos (who had its own flirtation with disaster this offseason )  of a league that just didn’t understand or accept its place in the soccer landscape.

A weak/fragmented market where selling tickets was difficult

Southeast Florida is arguably the single worst market for American pro club soccer. Sure, Joe Robbie Stadium can be filled when Barcelona or Chelsea come to town, or can even draw 50,000 fans on two days notice for a Liverpool-Manchester United game (which happened in 2014). But when it comes to the domestic game, teams have come and gone, flopped and failed. Meanwhile the local scene is dominated by match promoters and strong youth clubs who have a larger footprint than the local pro clubs can ever hope to achieve. Market fragmentation occurred rapidly in the region. From having a single team in the top four tiers of American Soccer in 2010 (Miami FC which was playing in Fort Lauderdale), the region in 2017 will have NINE clubs playing in the national leagues associated that represent the top four tiers of American soccer nationally and that does not include the Strikers.

For years, the Strikers gave away tickets hoping to capture audience share. The giveaways were so extensive under Managing Director Ricardo Geromel in 2015 that one Reddit poster referred to attendance markups that couldn’t be backed with empirical data as a the “Geromel ratio.” Enter Luis Cuccatti, Geromel’s replacement who realized the value around town of a Strikers ticket was $0 and resolved to fix the problem by ending the giveaways and freebies. Unfortunately for Cuccatti and the Strikers, NASL had admitted in 2016 a new club down the road in Miami, oddly called Miami FC (which remained the legal name of a Strikers-associated LLC…confused? So is everyone else). This new Miami FC gave away tickets at Geromel rate, essentially cannibalizing the market and forcing Cuccatti to eventually relent and give away tickets toward the end of the season. But by that time those accustomed to the freebies had defected to the new shiny object down the road.

It is also true that for the six years the Strikers have played in NASL the hard-core fan base was one of the smallest in the league, even if the club’s official attendance was somewhere in the middle of the pack until this past season. With the club clearly failing, fans weren’t strong enough or organized enough to engage in the types of efforts that contributed to saving fellow NASL clubs that had ownership questions in North Carolina and New York.  The reality of this is that the Strikers by 2016 just didn’t have enough committed fans to engage in the types of campaigns that bring public awareness to failing clubs.

The Strikers are no longer a global brand – and even if they were how does that drive local interest?

The Strikers global cache has been much talked about. Traffic Sports openly boasted about the brand as being global, but in the period where Tom Mulroy ran the club, a local emphasis was delivered. But under the Brazilian ownership, the marketing of the club abroad, using World Cup legend Ronaldo (the other one…) took priority over anything local. The Strikers traveled to China in early 2016 for no apparent reason other than to secure a sponsorship  deal- which never materialized. The team then sent a cobbled together group of youth players to China many of which were not even from Florida over the summer. This was taking place while employees were being paid late if at all, vendors were being stiffed and players checks were bouncing. Meanwhile the clubs rhetoric was about the branding and global relevance.

The whole notion of the Strikers being a global brand is so absurd and thus no need exists for it to be further debunked on these pages.

Bottom line

The Strikers are a lower league club (albeit with a historic name) that thought they were something bigger and better while operating in a terrible local pro soccer market. The club never understood that very few outside hard-core supporters know any of the players or opposing teams. The atmosphere, the ambiance and marketing are what really matter, and drive fans to the venue for an evening out. Several examples of smallish lower division clubs around the country understanding this can be witnessed – The Kingston Stockade FC, Detroit City FC and Chattanooga FC are among the examples to emulate. If shooting for the stars is your goal, you need have a clear plan and final destination in mind as Phil Rawlins did with Orlando City SC just a few hours up the road from Fort Lauderdale – but the Orlando example wasn’t followed either. If turning nostalgia into a modern contemporary and hip event was the goal, the Rowdies have done it far better than the Strikers (or New York Cosmos) and could have provided a model – but that playbook wasn’t followed either.

But the Strikers aren’t dead yet. In part two which will run next week, we will discuss where the club can go from here.

Disclaimer – Kartik Krishnaiyer worked with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 2009 (as Miami FC), 2013-2014 and 2016 as well as for the North American Soccer League from 2010 to 2013. He currently works  as the VP of Communications with Boca Raton FC.

In part two, we will discuss where the club goes from here both in terms of ownership and in repairing local relationships that have been damaged.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://thefloridasqueeze.com/2017/02/15/fort-lauderdale-strikers-on-the-brink-part-ii-the-ethics-of-the-strikers-demise-ussf-leadership-and-the-future/

Fort Lauderdale Strikers on the brink – Part II The ethics of the Strikers’ demise, USSF leadership and the future

February 15, 2017

by Kartik Krishnaiyer

In part I of our series we gave an overview of the numerous events that led to a point where the Fort Lauderdale Strikers will not participate in the 2017 NASL season.  But the club is not dead yet and are in the process of formulating plans for the future. While for some clubs taking a year off might be a necessary move to rebuild relationships and ramp up operations to a respectable level for the future (recently many clubs in American soccer have taken a year off and returned or dropped a league temporarily) the Strikers are the most extreme case many have seen in this regard – the club needs a complete and total reboot in order to have any chance of even moderate success. How exactly can the Strikers recover and regain lost market share in the congested and fragmented southeastern Florida soccer market? It’s a difficult question that requires a review of some of the events of 2016 that brought the Strikers to the point they currently sit.

While it’s difficult to guarantee big market success in the peculiar system of American closed leagues, and perhaps without promotion and relegation the Strikers cannot truly be successful (I’d argue strongly that the Strikers problems though largely self-inflicted have been exacerbated by the closed league structure in the United States – an irony given that the USA is supposedly a meritocracy yet has the least merit-based sporting system on the planet when it comes to soccer), the club has to function in the confines it finds itself in. Doing so has become increasingly difficult at this stage.

The North American Soccer League (NASL) itself faces a rocky road into the future and under new more practical leadership the league is not in the position to indulge the Strikers mismanagement the way they have in the past. Last season, the league’s other owners floated the Strikers for months after the club had been funded at least in-part by the ownership of the rival Tampa Bay Rowdies.  Considering the amount of money most lower division teams lose each season, becoming responsible for the Strikers financial woes was yet another cost overrun most NASL owners honestly could not afford. Therefore, the league has wisely gone ahead with a 2017 season excluding the Strikers who need to get their house in order.

In the past, NASL took a laissez faire free market approach to governance allowing clubs to essentially spend what they wanted. But the league’s recent brush with death which included the defection of the Tampa Bay Rowdies to the rival USL has made NASL more conscious of club matters. The Strikers as discussed in the first part of this series had fancied themselves as a global brand and over spent on frivolous ideas chasing a dream while not funding the basics for any local market-specific form of entertainment.

Late payment for staff and players was the norm for the club during 2015 and 2016. While the club regularly used the difficulty of moving foreign exchange from Brazil to the United State as justification for the lateness, poor planning and a desire to solicit what amounted to short-term handouts (but long-term problems) from other owners was the actual explanation for the troubles. Time and again the club’s leadership made mistakes – the Strikers went from being a soccer issue or business matter to being a moral dilemma around the middle of 2016 when players, coaches, staff, vendors and everyone else connected with the club could begin to expect late payment or no payment at all. Players who were injured languished according to sources without proper insurance for much of the campaign, while staff had to scramble to find coverage. As of this writing, many vendors and players are still owed money by the club – some are according to sources considering legal action against the Strikers.

Things were so bad at certain points in 2016 that former players tell us they had to use the same kits (uniforms) for two months worth of league games in a row. Typically players are assigned new uniforms for each match and often give away kits to fans and family after each match. With psychological factors conspiring against the club, Coach Caio Zanardi was able to instill a mentality in the club that kept them competitive – even while suffering through mistreatment and uncertainty the team performed admirably on the pitch advancing deeper than any lower division side in US Open Cup including a win at the Citrus Bowl over Orlando City SC.

The US Soccer Federation (USSF), the governing body for the sport in this country and the NASL while bothered by the Strikers situation and mistreatment of players, staff and vendors did not take any action – no mechanism exists in the bylaws of the USSF or the NASL to seize a team from the ownership – however given the egregious example the Strikers in 2016 set coupled similar issues in New York, the NASL and USSF should be working throughout 2017 to put in place protocols to deal with non-payment to players, staff and vendors. It is incumbent on fans, such as the organized Five Points in New York City and media who cover soccer to raise awareness of these issues and force change. All too often, many in the US Soccer press is scared to lay a hand  on the USSF or to question the  leadership for whatever reason (though that policy doesn’t often extend to NASL). Similarly fans are scared in some cases to call out ownership of troubled clubs for fear of losing the team – in hindsight the unwillingness of Strikers supporters to take the types of actions that Cosmos fans did in attempting to get players and staff money that was owed to them was probably due to a fear of losing the club completely. This sort of fear serves as a tacit form of enablement for bad ownership groups. Again, this provides a rationale for why the USSF must take a more active and aggressive role in safeguarding players, staff and troubled clubs.

While the Strikers expenses were covered by first the Rowdies and then the other NASL clubs, the team’s vendors were being left in a lurch and the club was having trouble meeting anything more than basic operating expenses from week to week. Still the rhetoric coming from the club at the very same time was that of confidence and boisterous optimism for the future, particularly as the Strikers represented a “global brand.” But what had become obvious to many was that while the club and brand had some value it didn’t have nearly the worth that the ownership believed it to. A club with one of the smallest supporters bases of any pro club in the US that shares its market with another NASL team, does not fully control its stadium situation, training facility and doesn’t have any tangible sellable assets could not be worth tens of millions of dollars. In fact, it can be argued the ONLY real value the Strikers have is direct admission to NASL rather than paying a $5 million dollar entrance fee for a new expansion side, though a club that is in serious debt is probably not worth anything close to $5 million. Still the Strikers ownership persisted with a high price tag for the club turning of according to our sources as many as a half dozen potential suitors. But without promotion and relegation in American soccer, those who would otherwise be interested are put off – a reality that many simply don’t want to acknowledge. Moreover, despite the claims that the Strikers brand has some magic value as we demonstrated in part 1 the brand equity from the name applies more to global branding than to anything in the local market where nostalgia for the 1970’s does not extend beyond a niche of fans.

The Strikers management kept saying the right things to soothe fans and those who supported NASL in its (since abandoned) quest against Major League Soccer (MLS) – many of  these fans it should be noted supported NASL  for ideological reasons not really related to sporting considerations. But even more galling perhaps was that employees, players, technical staff, season ticket holders, sponsors and vendors made decisions – life altering ones in many cases based on what has since proved to be either wild optimism from the team’s management as to the financial state and potential sale of the club or worse, outright deceit.

While most employees and functions have gradually ceased, the club continues to operate with a bare bones staff and a chief executive. The club at this writing remains under the ownership of the group fronted by Paulo Cesso and managed locally by Luis Cuccatti. A source however states the club could still be sold, but that a possibility of the current ownership group maintaining some control over the Strikers is still in play – with hopes of playing friendly matches in 2017 and returning to NASL league play in 2018.

Any sale of the club however would have contend with the ongoing legal action by Tampa Bay Rowdies owner Bill Edwards which has an early March preliminary hearing.  Sources indicate that the club has debts into seven figures and any ownership group will also need to deal with repairing the club’s reputation locally.

Other challenges include:

    Repairing relationships with vendors. Only so many folks in southeast Florida are involved in the sport of soccer at a professional service level and the club has burnt most of them.
    Relationships with elected officials and others in the political community have to be repaired in short order.
    The club will have to apologize for the clear ethical lapses in the handling of employees and players in order to regain a credible base locally.
    The club will have to prove to the youth soccer community that they have a plan to engage and a long-term SUSTAINABLE vision for the future. Otherwise youth clubs have no incentive to cooperate with the Strikers. Additionally, the club will have to eschew competing with the established strong youth entities.

What will the displaced Strikers fans do?

Many on the outside might simply assume a shift in support to Miami FC might be in order since this is a club in a market with another team in the same league. However, it is entirely possible such a shift won’t occur.  The Strikers fan base has rapidly narrowed in the recent years and those who remain are diehards and Miami FC isn’t the type of organic club many would like to support – a big spending side that showed lots of hubris in its first year and whose presence hurt the Strikers as we discussed in part I. Will they support local amateur or youth soccer clubs such as Weston FC, Boca Raton FC or The Beaches FC?  Some but all certainly might. Retreat to watching European football like so many around the country do, especially since NBC Sports makes the (English) Premier League the most accessible pro sporting league in the US on TV outside of the NFL? Perhaps, but maybe what happens is a whole bunch of fans stop following soccer in the nation’s 4th largest urban area. This should be of great concern to the USSF, but the governing body for the sport in this country has other ideas.

The USSF’s leadership whose alliance with Major League Soccer (MLS) perhaps lets them cheer on the fail rate of lower division clubs, has been a big part of the problem in the past – only a truly open system with promotion and relegation can even partially cure these closed league franchise-based club problems despite moving targets and changes to league standards constantly pushed at the Federation level. Since we aren’t going to get PROMOTION/RELEGATION anytime soon, the USSF must be more vigilant in protecting the welfare of players, coaches, staff and all others associated with the sport in this country. Otherwise the soccer bubble in this country could burst in the near future. The attentive interest of USSF President Sunil Gulati in this winter’s D2 sanctioning mess was a positive sign – perhaps Gulati is now willing to exercise the leadership to not only make rich investors in the sport happy but to also protect players, fans, staff, vendors and others impacted by the abuses in a closed franchise system.

The Strikers certainly face long odds to be successful again. But given the peculiar nature of American soccer where things seem to turn on the dime, ruling the club out from becoming a major player in the future would be foolish. But to have any hope of getting there either the club either needs to be sold or the current leadership of Paulo Cesso and Luis Cuccatti need to learn from the mistakes of the past and mend fences as quickly as possible.

Disclaimer – Kartik Krishnaiyer worked with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 2009 (when the club was known as Miami FC), 2013-2014 and 2016 as well as for the North American Soccer League from 2010 to 2013. He currently works  as the VP of Communications with Boca Raton FC.

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https://thefloridasqueeze.com/2017/01/27/latest-i-4-derby-between-tampa-bay-and-orlando-set-for-march-25-in-st-petersburg/

Latest I-4 derby between Tampa Bay and Orlando set for March 25 in St Petersburg

January 27, 2017 · by Kartik Krishnaiyer

The Tampa Bay Rowdies will open the 2017 United Soccer League season at home on Saturday, March 25 against Orlando City B at Al Lang Stadium in St Petersburg. USL announced today all 2017 home openers, which will be highlighted by the Rowdies match against Orlando. This will be the first renewal of the I-4 derby since 2014, when Orlando City SC played in USL and Tampa Bay in NASL. Orlando leads the overall series 6-0-0 (W-D-L). The Lions “A” team now plays in MLS but the “B” team features many exciting prospects and locally developed players.

As far as rivalries go, this is the most intense in the state of Florida, with both sets of fans taking the matchups extremely seriously. Orlando’s B team has never faced in-state opposition but Orlando’s A team is 9-0-2 overall against opposition from the state of Florida, and in competitive matches is 3-0-1, the lone loss coming last year in the 5th Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup against Fort Lauderdale at Camping World Stadium.

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https://thefloridasqueeze.com/2017/01/27/what-does-the-times-square-billboard-tell-us-about-the-rowdies-mls-bid/

What does the Times Square billboard tell us about the Rowdies MLS’ bid?

January 27, 2017 · by Kartik Krishnaiyer

Tuesday morning the soccer social media world was abuzz with discussion of the Tampa Bay Rowdies Times Square billboard for the #MLS2StPete bid.  What do we make of the billboard – in a word,

BRASH!

MLS has historically been a league where conformity is king and rocking the boat is seen as a a detriment to the greater good. But Rowdies owner Bill Edwards doesn’t play by those rules. MLS clubs have historically not marketed aggressively out of market, but with MLS HQ in New York City, in addition to a large percentage of the soccer media (though Los Angeles and Miami have a similar concentration of soccer writers/reporters) the billboard seems strategically placed.

Edwards knows he has a historic brand (which has become more of a fad in MLS these days fueled by 70’s nostalgia) and sits in the single largest TV market (per Nielsen) that MLS does not have a club in currently. MLS also knows how Edwards might just react if he isn’t awarded an expansion team with his brash actions in the recent past toward NASL (the league he left) and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers (a club he reportedly attempted to purchase) , MLS execs will need to be careful in how the frame any possible rejection of a Tampa Bay bid. Edwards’ move certainly puts Tampa Bay even more on the radar for many who cover and work in the sport domestically.

In the near future, we will examine the credentials of Tampa/St Petersburg’s strongest competition to join MLS in the near future.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://thefloridasqueeze.com/2017/01/17/mls-returning-to-st-petersburg-this-february/

MLS returning to St Petersburg this February

January 17, 2017 · by Kartik Krishnaiyer

The second annual Rowdies Suncoast Invitational is set to return to the sunshine of St. Petersburg this February, with five Major League Soccer clubs set to compete alongside the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Al Lang Stadium will host five total matches in the tournament with a doubleheader on Saturday, February 18 and a tripleheader on Saturday, February 25. Along with the Rowdies,  the Montreal Impact, D.C. United, Philadelphia Union, Chicago Fire and Toronto FC of MLS will all play at Al Lang during the competition.

The tournament debuted last season to rave reviews from some of MLS’s biggest stars for the unique atmosphere and playing surface at the Rowdies’ home stadium.

Four of the five MLS teams in this year’s edition of the Rowdies Suncoast Invitational qualified for the 2016 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, including the reigning Eastern Conference Champion Toronto FC and runner-up Montreal Impact.

Along with their participation in the Rowdies Suncoast Invitational, the Impact will have an extended visit to St. Petersburg for their preseason training camp. During their time in the Sunshine City, the Impact will call Al Lang Stadium home, using the field, locker room and gym facilities alongside the Rowdies.

Tickets range from $15 to $20 in the main stadium bowl to $30 for the Midfielder’s Club and Reserve sections. A ticket includes all matches on a specific day. 2017 Tampa Bay Rowdies season ticket members will receive a complimentary ticket to one of the two matchdays of their choice (2/18 or 2/25).

Match Schedule

Saturday, February 18 – Al Lang Stadium
Montreal Impact vs. D.C. United, 5 p.m.
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, February 22 – Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex
Philadelphia Union vs. Montreal Impact – 7 p.m.

Saturday, February 25 – Al Lang Stadium
Toronto FC vs. Chicago Fire, 3 p.m.
Philadelphia Union vs. D.C. United, 5 p.m.
Tampa Bay vs. Montreal Impact, 7:30 p.m.

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https://thefloridasqueeze.com/2017/01/07/us-soccer-war-temporary-truce-how-it-impacts-florida/

US Soccer “war” temporary truce – how it impacts Florida

January 7, 2017 · by Kartik Krishnaiyer

Five of Florida’s six men’s pro soccer clubs were impacted directly by the ongoing United States Soccer Federation (USSF) sanctioning saga at the lower division level the past three months. In the end the North American Soccer League (NASL) the long-standing USSF-sanctioned Division 2 has lost full sanctioning and now is a provisionally sanctioned D2, while the United Soccer League (USL) which has competed at the Division 3 level the last six years is now also a provisional Division 2. NASL was originally based in Miami but moved to New York in 2014. The sanctioning saga which began in late October led to the type of back-biting and predatory behavior that ultimately is not beneficial for the sport in a country where it is growing but still nowhere near reaching critical mass.

NASL has three Florida clubs, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Jacksonville Armada FC and Miami FC. The former two have had financial problems in recent months while the later has been in existence only about 18 months. USL currently has two Florida clubs, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Orlando City SC B. The Rowdies defected from NASL this past fall with owner Bill Edwards as recently as Thursday referring to the New York-based league as “corrupt.”

USSF’s decision essentially kicks the can down the road for nine months when one league or the other is likely to be designated as the sole D2  for the United States. USSF is being criticized for making the decision they could have on the surface two months ago – however my sources confirm that ownership questions related to New York, Fort Lauderdale and Jacksonville – three NASL clubs prevented USSF from making this decision earlier. The Federation’s delay was designed to give NASL every opportunity to pull away from a potential collapse and to live to fight another day. Had USL been more willing to accept NASL clubs with reduced fees or willing to conform to some sort of hybrid league, the USSF would have made a decision sooner and perhaps killed NASL off as a D2 league.

An option to sanction one or both leagues as “affiliated pro leagues” without divisional designations briefly was considered per multiple sources but didn’t come to pass.

Where does this leave each of Florida’s current USL or NASL clubs? What about both leagues?

Here is a primer:

Orlando City B

With an announced move to the new downtown stadium in Orlando, the Lions reserve team made a proactive move to ensure this team unlike many other USL-based, MLS-reserve clubs meets D2 stadium standards. The “baby Lions” were the only postseason participant among Florida’s pro teams in 2016 and will look to build on that experience.

Tampa Bay Rowdies

The Rowdies controversial move from NASL to USL helped stimulate this crisis. Rowdies owner Bill Edwards is a controversial figure, but he has grown into the soccer business over the three years he has owned the club. Edwards has been able to turn the Rowdies who were weeks away from folding when he bought the club into one of the success stories in lower-division soccer. But his personality which grates on people and his take-no-prisoners attitude grated on many in NASL, a league who benefited directly from his loaning of money to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers over the course of 2016*.

Edwards launched #MLS2StPete in December, and as a club with a robust supporters base in the biggest exclusive D2 soccer market in the US with a downtown stadium, the club couldn’t be healthier. USL being granted provisional D2 status simply justifies Edwards’ move between the leagues. Ultimately few if any other clubs in American lower division soccer have the combination of the right market, right locale, fan base, willing owner and positive vibe that the Rowdies do currently. The Rowdies hyper-local marketing didn’t jive with the culture of NASL driven by the likes of the New York Cosmos, Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Miami FC to be a global player. But in lower-division soccer local trumps national and international and the Rowdies future appears brighter than ever.

Fort Lauderdale Strikers

The Strikers are currently undergoing a sale and are per published reports unlikely to compete in Spring of 2017 at the NASL level. My understanding is that the club could compete in another division with a U-23 or reserve side while retooling/rebooting for the future. Fort Lauderdale had a tumultuous 2017 season despite the near-heroic efforts of Coach Caio Zanardi and his players. the Strikers, one of NASL’s most successful clubs on-the-field since the league began independent play in 2011, has been unable to match on-the-pitch achievements off the field in terms of club sponsorships, merchandise sales, or support. The Strikers were last in attendance in 2016, after leading NASL in attendance among non-MLS bound sides just five years earlier in 2011.

With new owners likely to close a deal next week for the club, a full assessment will need to be done of the local marketplace. The Strikers efforts to be a global brand yielded some success in far-flung locales such as China and Brazil but didn’t do enough to move the needle locally where it really mattered.

Jacksonville Armada FC

The Armada had a similarly tumultuous season to Fort Lauderdale which saw player, coach and staff departures during the season followed up by rumors about finances during the offseason. Jacksonville remains a very viable D2 soccer market but it’s limited in its ability to attract fans from outside a smallish-catchment area because of the presence of MLS in Orlando. Reports state NASL will operate the club while a sale to new owners is complete. The team is likely to play in 2017 according to sources at either the University of North Florida or Jacksonville University after having spent the last two seasons at the Baseball Grounds downtown.

Whomever buys the Armada will inherit a good market and a decent-sized fan base. They also inherit facility and venue issues and a need to grow both ticket and sponsorship revenue to the point where the club could be a sustainable long-term business.

Miami FC

The club which played its first season in 2016, were reportedly the biggest spenders outside of MLS in US club soccer last year. Southeast Florida is a tough sports market and even more difficult one for the American club game. In most large markets be it MLS ones or lower division once the cool/hipness factor of a new club that spends lots of money wears off problems ensue. Miami FC has made a lot of right moves but NASL as a whole has to pull back from its unrealistic ambition of challenging MLS for the foreseeable future, and how that will impact a club that marketed itself as a global brand and beamed live feeds of its matches to 140 countries is anyone’s guess. Also the overall historic weakness of the local market is a problem for this club.

I don’t have great long-term hopes for this club but perhaps this model and not the Rowdies hyper-local one is better? Miami FC has hired lots of capable folks in its front office, but even that might not be enough over the long haul.

USL

Tampa-based USL is a league whose management operates a company that sells franchises to individual owners in markets across the US and Canada. I will state here my personal preference is against this sort of model and way of doing business. I prefer open leagues and owner-driven decision making, not independent businesses selling franchises to local operators. However, USL is much healthier than NASL at the current time, and provides the level of club services and support to its clubs that NASL isn’t even close to matching.

USL demonstrated its club services and discipline with every team sending out similar press releases and graphics packages on Twitter after the USSF decision was announced. NASL, by contrast had clubs bumbling and stumbling around and the league itself sent out a short release long after most USL clubs and the league had made contact with the media.

Right now USL looks an attractive proposition for those owners who will want to mitigate the high costs of doing business in lower division soccer, an industry that has proven through the years to be a loss-leader. However, NASL per my sources has already become more aggressive in seeking expansion teams by undercutting the entry costs to join.

NASL

The cost structure of NASL is out-of-whack for a lower division league. A high-rent New York headquarters which was ostensibly acquired to secure big sponsorships which never materialized is a strong symbol of the wasteful and largely purposeless spending that drove the league to the brink of extinction in the past few months.  NASL’s spending on staff and an elaborate headquarters doesn’t prevent USL from doing more for its member clubs at the league level than NASL. This is both a curse and a blessing because NASL does allow its clubs the type of autonomy which owners prefer but when clubs run into trouble, the league has time and again appeared helpless to ensure smooth operations and timely pay for players, coaches, staff and vendors. A few more problems of this nature next season and it could be all-she-wrote for the league. Additionally, NASL needs to reassess its scheduling, travel, club spending on players/technical staff, TV/streaming video options and long-term vision and goals if they are to continue as a D2 league beyond 2017.

Ultimately my view is it would be good for a hybrid D2 league with NASL’s ideological principles but USL’s business savvy and understanding of the soccer business to prosper. I believe that is what the US Soccer Federation wants as well but unless both leagues are willing to be more mature about things as I articulated on Twitter Saturday morning, we might be in the same place again nine months from now.

*At the time of the Edwards loans and legal action I was serving as the official media contract for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Therefore, I am bound to only discuss this loan in terms of what others have posted/written publicly. I cannot analyze the legal action or the loans publicly.

Disclaimer: Kartik Krishnaiyer worked for the NASL from December 2009 to May 2013 and has served in various advisory capacities to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers over the past six years.

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https://thefloridasqueeze.com/2017/01/06/tampa-bay-rowdies-sign-orlando-city-sc-legend-and-fan-favorite-luke-boden/

Tampa Bay Rowdies sign Orlando City SC legend and fan favorite Luke Boden

January 6, 2017 · by Kartik Krishnaiyer

The I-4 derby just got more interesting.  The Tampa Bay Rowdies signed Luke Boden an English left back who had played every season of Orlando City SC’s existence with the club. Boden’s signing with the Rowdies means they have essentially swapped left backs with Orlando City after PC went the other way earlier this week.  From my vantage point Tampa Bay wins out short term with the more finished article but Orlando could have a player in PC with greater upside.

A 28-year old left back, Boden made 45 MLS appearances for Orlando in the past two seasons. He originally joined the club in 2011 and made 95 USL appearances from 2011 to 2014. He was one of eight players to make the transition from the USL to MLS with the Lions. He also appeared in one USL match last season for Orlando City B.

“Luke is a great addition to our team,” Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell said. “He brings a great deal of experience to our side having played in so many matches at both the USL and MLS levels. He’s a reliable defender with a great left foot that will bring a lot of intensity to our side.”

Born in Sheffield, England, Boden came up through Sheffield Wednesday’s academy and broke into the first team in 2006. Boden played for Wednesday from 2006 to 2011, including loan spells at Rushden & Diamonds, Chesterfield and Northampton Town.

Boden moved stateside in 2011 to join Orlando City. In his six years with the club, Boden won three USL Championships and was named to the USL Pro Team of the Season in 2014.

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http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/dsport-to-telecast-the-chinese-super-league/articleshow/57277676.cms

DSPORT to telecast the Chinese Super League

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http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/02/21/atlanta-united-inks-multi-year-television-deal.html

Atlanta United inks multi-year television deal with FOX Sports South, FOX Sports Southeast

Should Beckham move MLS franchise to Las Vegas?

This article below about Beckham and MLS is out of date. 

MLS turned down Las Vegas a few years ago; there's a lot of good reasons why MLS would not want a Las Vegas team now, now that we have 12 much larger markets currently vying for 4 MLS expansion slots. 

More importantly, no one bothered to submit a Las Vegas bid to MLS by the January 31st deadline, so Las Vegas is not even under consideration for MLS expansion, at this time. 

Even more importantly: 

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http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/raiders/2017/01/30/sheldon-adelson-las-vegas-raiders-oakland-stadium-project/97267980/

Sheldon Adelson withdraws from Raiders' Las Vegas project

The Raiders’ primary plan for a new stadium in Las Vegas has apparently come up snake eyes.

Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson has pulled out as an investor from a proposed project tagged at nearly $2 billion, apparently blindsided by the franchise's negotiating tactics.

Adelson, chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., issued a statement Monday saying his family “will no longer be involved in any facet of the stadium discussion.”

.  .  . 

“The Oakland Raiders came before the Las Vegas Stadium Authority last week with a proposed lease agreement that has sent shockwaves through our community,” read his statement. “It was certainly shocking to the Adelson family. We were not only excluded from the proposed agreement; we weren’t even aware of its existence.

“In addition to being discouraged by the surprise submission, I was deeply disappointed for the disregard the Raiders showed our community partners, particularly UNLV, through the proposed agreement.

“It’s clear the Raiders have decided their path for moving to Las Vegas does not include the Adelson family.”


So, Sheldon Adelson is not going to help pay for this Las Vegas NFL stadium, which was part of the plan. IIRC David Beckham was tied to Sheldon Adelson and his casino businesses; David Beckham is not tied to the Oakland Raiders. Even if the stadium eventually gets built and the Raiders move to Las Vegas, there is no evidence that the Raiders want an MLS team to share their NFL stadium in Las Vegas. 

Basically I don't see David Beckham being able to pivot from Miami to Las Vegas, if Miami does not work out. That option seems to be no longer on the table, IMO. And if it eventually does become an option again, it will probably be too late. Time is running out. I suspect that if Beckham gives up on Miami and wants another option, he will be limited to trying to partner with one of the 12 groups currently vying for an MLS spot.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/us-sport/major-league-soccer/david-villa-sent-off-video-technology-new-york-city-mls-a7588261.html

Should Beckham move MLS franchise to Las Vegas?

Given that the MLS is said to be growing impatient with delays, rumours surfaced in December that Beckham may be considering a switch to Las Vegas. But is it a good idea?

by Kristan Heneage

19th February 2017

On February 5, 2014, David Beckham had a big announcement — he was bringing Major League Soccer to Miami.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star had negotiated a clause into his LA Galaxy contract that allowed him to purchase a franchise at any time for a set fee of $25 million, and after retiring in 2013 he decided ownership would be his next step.

Clad in a tailored suit and speaking with a mix of ambition and humility, Beckham said, “We don’t want public funding…we want to create a stadium, we want to create a soccer team — a football club — that is a people’s football club, it’s as simple as that.”

Unfortunately for Beckham three years have passed since that day with little progress to show for it. Given that the league is said to be growing impatient with delays, rumours surfaced in December that he may be considering a switch to Las Vegas. but is it a good idea?

THE PROS

No competition

Should David Beckham’s MLS franchise eventually spawn in Miami, it will be operating within a competitive market for football.

No one argues that Miami’s large Hispanic population makes it a good place for a football team, but the presence of Miami FC — fronted by Alessandro Nesta — means Beckham has already lost out on a number of potential fans.

Perhaps the more galling aspect of this is that Nesta’s team was announced after Miami Beckham United. Furthermore, Miami FC has already completed one season in the rival North American Soccer League and are currently preparing for year two.

If Beckham was to move to Las Vegas he wouldn’t have any notable competition. Their closest rivals, the brilliantly named Las Vegas Mobsters, play in the amateur PDL and at present play in a venue that only holds 1,000 people.

That means he would be the dominant force in the region which will make it easier to cultivate a fan base.

A stadium in downtown Vegas is achievable

One of the major stumbling blocks for Beckham’s franchise has been securing land for a stadium. His ownership group failed on three separate occasions to secure land, and despite finally buying some land in Overtown, Miami, last year they still need an additional three acres.

Compare that with the situation in Las Vegas, where the city’s Mayor, Carolyn Goodman, actually backed a recent proposal from the Oakland Raiders. Interestingly, Beckham took part in the pitch, and discussed the idea of bringing European teams to the city for exhibition games.

However, it’s worth considering his own team for the stadium especially when you consider that its location on the Las Vegas strip will appease league commissioner Don Garber.

Garber has been keen for all new MLS franchises to have downtown stadiums for accessibility reasons, which makes sense. A stadium that is close to the city’s main attractions should make it tempting to Beckham, with public transport routes also advantageous.

It’s a better fit for his needs

Of the many stereotypes about Las Vegas few ring more true than the fact it is filled with money. A rich place full of people looking to spend money that is certainly something Beckham needs right now.

In recent months his stadium efforts have been hampered by what his people describe as a ‘need for further investment’. Realistically, Beckham is being smart and not looking to sink his fortune into a football club.

Regardless, he needs to persuade people to get on board and Las Vegas has a number of potential candidates that could be enticed by the chance to link up with him in the same way LAFC has a number of Californian celebrity backers.

Furthermore, the star power Vegas holds is also beneficial. Celebrities flock to the city year round, and that would help Beckham create the type of glitzy experience that seems synonymous with his name.

Overall, Las Vegas is a better fit for what he needs right now, and if he was to abandon Miami then Vegas has to be his first port of call.

There was a time when David Beckham could do no wrong in MLS. In 2007 he was the league’s marquee name, and catapulted MLS onto a global stage.

However, things have changed. No longer a professional player, there is less of an appeal to his name, and when Garbrer spoke of deadlines approaching in December it was a subtle hint that he would not wait forever.

“There is a deadline on the Miami deal,” he told reporters while refusing to reveal just when that is. “We continue to work with the ownership group because we want a team in Miami. We continue to be very engaged there.”

If Beckham chooses to abandon the idea of Miami it could force the league to question the legitimacy of his plans altogether. MLS has already waited three years for a franchise fronted by Beckham, but it won’t wait forever, even for him.

It confirms his Miami plans as a failure

When David Beckham did make his announcement there were certainly skeptics voicing concerns. Miami was not primed for a team, nor a stadium, but the star power of Beckham helped dull those concerns.

Three years on those same pebbles of doubt now look like roadblocks. Atlanta United will play their MLS opener next month (despite being announced two months after Beckham’s franchise) and so the pressure starts to mount on Beckham again.

Everyone associated with the project has maintained a positive rhetoric in public. “Our partners are 100 percent committed to Miami,” spokesman Tadd Schwartz said in a statement.

“And we will continue working with Commissioner Garber and the league as we finalise the launch of our world-class soccer club. We’re making progress, and we appreciate the strong support of our fans as our launch draws closer.”

A sudden change of direction would confirm the plan was a failure, and Beckham is far from used to that. His time at LA Galaxy began with difficulties, but ultimately saw him ride off into the sunset with two MLS Cups to his name.

The same won’t happen if he abandons his team in Miami, with his pride taking as much of a dent as his reputation.

Vegas remains an untested market

One of the benefits of Miami is the city’s history as a football market. Granted, MLS has had a team based there before (the Miami Fusion, which folded in 2001) but that was a significantly different time for both MLS and football in America.

Tapping into the strong Hispanic market in Miami, there was talk last year that Beckham had headhunted Roberto Carlos to be coach of his team for that very reason. On the field, it would not be difficult to persuade some of South America’s best talent to relocate to Florida in the same way Kaka did with Orlando City.

For that reason, Miami is more of a known quantity. The same cannot be said for Las Vegas. The original iteration of the NASL did have a team there – Las Vegas Quicksilvers – containing by the late Eusebio, but the team folded after just one year of competition.

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http://sport360.com/article/other/us-sports/223506/three-pros-and-cons-of-david-beckhams-option-to-move-his-mls-franchise-from-miami-to-las-vegas/

Should Beckham move MLS franchise to Las Vegas?

Given that the MLS is said to be growing impatient with delays, rumours surfaced in December that Beckham may be considering a switch to Las Vegas. But is it a good idea?

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http://saintpetersblog.com/st-pete-city-council-approves-ordinance-language-schedules-march-2-public-hearing-ahead-al-lang-stadium-referendum/

St. Pete City Council approves ordinance language and schedules March 2 public hearing ahead of Al Lang Stadium referendum

St. Petersburg City Council approved today ordinance language in the first step towards scheduling a May 2 referendum, which would allow residents of St. Petersburg to vote on giving City Council the authority to negotiate a long-term use agreement for Al Lang Stadium.

The use agreement, which can’t exceed 25 years, would allow Al Lang Stadium’s primary purpose to be the home field for a potential Major League Soccer team.

City Council also announced today, that they have set the public hearing date for Thursday, March 2, where St. Petersburg residents and business owners are invited to weigh in on the ordinance before Council votes on scheduling the May 2 special election.

Rowdies owner Bill Edwards will cover the entire cost of the May 2 election.

In a release, the Tampa Bay Rowdies said it appreciates St. Petersburg City Council for scheduling the Public Hearing and allowing the club to continue its aspirations of bringing another major league sports team to the city.

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http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/baybuzz/st-pete-council-moves-rowides-mls-bid-forward/2313531

St. Petersburg City Council moves Rowdies' MLS bid forward

Charlie Frago, Times Staff Writer

Thursday, February 16, 2017 5:37pm

ST. PETERSBURG — The City Council chamber had plenty of soccer aficionados outfitted in green and gold show up Thursday to support the Tampa Bay Rowdies' bid to join Major League Soccer and expand their waterfront home at Al Lang Stadium.

Those fans also had a former mayor (and potential future mayor if he runs in 2017) in attendance. Edwards Group president Rick Baker, representing Rowdies owner Bill Edwards, was there but did not speak in favor of the ordinance.

It would authorize a May 2 referendum that would allow the city to negotiate a long-term lease with the Rowdies contingent upon the team receiving one of a handful of MLS expansion slots from the United States’ premier soccer league.

But Baker did step forward when a proposed tweak to the ballot language raised the issue if whether the city could make a deadline to post a legal notice in the Tampa Bay Times in time for the final March 2 vote.

The Rowdies would pay the $1,000 fee for the legal notice, Baker said. In fact, Edwards has pledged to pay for up to $80 million in stadium improvements and a $150 million MLS franchise fee without asking for any public money.

That stance was applauded by many of fans and other supporters at Thursday's meeting, including the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Partnership and the Downtown Neighborhood Association. They also argued that bringing the MLS to the city would stimulate economic development, attract a diverse population and put the city on the map of hip destinations.

Council members agreed. They advanced the measure to a final vote set for March 2.

There were a few dissenters, however. They said the downtown waterfront was ill prepared for an influx of fans, parking hassles and trash that would be generated by a proposed 18,000-seat stadium.

City Council member Charlie Gerdes successfully altered the ballot language to make clear that soccer wouldn't be the only event held at the historic waterfront stadium. Edwards, a music promoter who also manages the nearby Mahaffey Theater, has said he wants to use the space for concerts, too.

“I just want people to know before they vote, that there’s going to be other types of events,” Gerdes said during a break. City staff contacted the Times to see if there was a way to run the notice (Short answer: yes.)

How many concerts would be needed to make the financing work, asked council member Karl Nurse.

Baker promised to get those details for council members.

City Council chairwoman Darden Rice, an ardent Rowdies fan and season ticket holder, said she understood residents’ instincts to protect the city's downtown waterfront.

But, she said, the city’s founders didn’t envision that space would always remain a green space. After all, she said, they built Al Lang in 1947.

“Someone said this was a generational opportunity,” said Rice, echoing a previous resident. “I agree.”

MLS officials have said they'll select the first two of four expansion teams in the coming months, probably in early summer. More than a dozen cities have submitted applications to the league.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2017/02/16/rowdies-al-lang-referendum-moves-ahead-to-public-hearing-after-passing-first-city-council-vote/2569

Rowdies’ Al Lang Referendum Moves Ahead to Public Hearing After Passing First City Council Vote

February 16, 2017 Jake Nutting Articles, MLS, USL   

by JAKE NUTTING

The ordinance calling for a public referendum to allow the Tampa Bay Rowdies and city of St. Petersburg to negotiate a new 25-year use agreement to manage Al Lang Stadium as part of the team’s bid to win an expansion spot in Major League Soccer took an important step on Thursday.

St. Petersburg’s city council unanimously voted to approve the language for the ordinance, paving the way for a public hearing and possible adoption on March 2. Should the ordinance be approved, a referendum on the new use agreement at Al Lang would be scheduled for May 2.

During the open forum discussion of the meeting, the majority of speakers voiced support for the ordinance moving forward. Those in favor included team supporters, local sponsors of the team, as well as representatives from the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Partnership and the Downtown Neighborhood Association.

Rowdies fan and St. Petersburg resident Mike Pendleton noted how the Rowdies have helped strengthened his family’s roots to the area after arriving over ten years ago.

“Even though we’ve been here for 12 years, I think when we stumbled upon the Rowdies four years ago it has probably one of the biggest things that has made St Petersburg feel like a home for our family,” said Pendleton. “It’s not just going to the games every Saturday in the spring, fall and the summer. It’s also the folks that you meet along the way. There’s a tremendous amount of support for the Rowdies in the community. It’s a special part of the community. My son is coached by a former player. So there’s a lot of reasons why I think the Rowdies mean an awful lot to this community, and the history of the Rowdies means a lot to this community.”

The Rowdies’s proposal also received support from a surprising source. As a founding member of the group Preserve Our Wallets and Waterfront, Hal Freedman played an important role in squashing the Tampa Bay Rays’ plan to construct a new stadium at the Al Lang site nearly a decade ago. Now Freedman is offering his backing of the plan put forth by the Rowdies.

“The Rowdies proposal for an MLS team takes care of almost all of the objections we had to [the Rays’ plan],” said Freedman. “It’s half the size, there’s no taxpayer money involved, it’s the height of the Mahaffey rather than a 325 ft high sail. They pulled it together and I think it just makes a lot of sense for downtown.”

Freedman, however, did note reservations about Al Lang becoming a regular host to concerts after the stadium expansion. Three speakers at Thursday’s meeting came out against the referendum, echoing Freedman’s worry about the noise pollution from concerts but also questioning if the downtown area is capable of handling the amount of people an 18,000-seat Al Lang Stadium would bring.

After listening the concerns, Council member Charlie Gerdes successfully changed the ballot language of the potential referendum to convey to voters that soccer will not be the sole use of the expanded Al Lang.

Former Mayor of St. Petersburg and current President of the Edwards Group Rick Baker informed the city council the team would be open to discussing the issue of limiting the amount of concerts and other events during the negotiations for the new use agreement should the referendum pass. Currently there is no cap on how many concerts Rowdies Owner Bill Edwards can host at Al Lang. Instead, the present lease agreement has a minimum requirement of non-soccer events that he must bring to Al Lang every year.

As far as the logistics of managing 18,000 people flooding in the downtown area, Council member Steve Kornell took issue with the comments from those who believed the city was incapable of handling the foot traffic or parking issues. He touted the city’s staff and its ability pull off events such as the city’s annual Grand Prix event.

A point of contention between some of the speakers in the meeting was whether the team’s stadium proposal fits with what the Downtown Waterfront Master Plan (DWMP) created through years of work proposed for Al Lang. Many said the plan laid out by the Rowdies jibes perfectly with the suggestions made for the Al Lang site in the DWMP, but one resident stated his understanding was that plan never called for a stadium the size of the one the Rowdies hope to have.

The exact wording of the section of the Al Lang section in the DWMP leaves room for interpretation, though it is clear that it calls for redevelopment and for the area to remain a destination for sports.

From the DWMP:

    The Al Lang Stadium block, from 2nd Ave. S to 4th Ave. SE, should also be redeveloped with sports associated program, and ancillary retail and commercial uses. This concept has many site design issues that will require creative solutions to realize the goal of a vibrant, walkable mixed-use area.

While sympathetic to the issue of protecting the city’s waterfront, Council chairwoman Darden Rice expressed a belief that the proposal from the Rowdies to stay within the current footprint of Al Lang and upgrade the stadium honors the sporting legacy of the site.

“The founders of the city never had in mind for the downtown waterfront park system to be nothing but green space and passive parks, said Rice. “That’s why the Al Lang stadium is there, which you all know has served our community for a little over 60 years as a baseball stadium.

“I’m sensitive to the comments that were made earlier about the concern of the number of seats and the number of people that will be brought into the area, but I don’t think it’s that far of a stretch to think that a baseball stadium that was built in 1947 with 7,500 seats would someday in the year 2017 be a more modernized stadium that would seat more people.”

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.cltampa.com/arts-entertainment/sports/article/20852563/rowdies-clear-first-hurdle-in-pursuit-of-al-lang-mls-renovations

Rowdies clear first hurdle in pursuit of Al Lang MLS renovations

Council unanimously passed the first reading of the resolution. But what does that mean?

Colin O'Hara     

Feb 17, 2017 1 PM

The Tampa Bay Rowdies’ initiative to renovate Al Lang Stadium to fit Major League Soccer’s requirements cleared its first speed bump Thursday as St. Petersburg City Council approved the first reading of a ballot question that would be posed to the city's voters on the issue.

The handshakes and smiles began before the meeting even started. Spirits were high and so was support for the referendum, which would allow a special election to be held on May 2 to determine whether or not the city will enter into a 25-year agreement with Bill Edwards, owner of the Rowdies, who has pledged to carry out the upgrade using his own money. Edwards plans on funding renovations that will upgrade the stadium to the required minimum of 18,000 seats, more than doubling its capacity.

Several St. Petersburg organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, local small businesses who gave credit to the Rowdies for increases in profits and residents from downtown urged council to move forward in the referendum process.

“Having an MLS team in St. Petersburg is a perfect match for the changing demographics as well as the growing recognition … as an international destination,” Gina Driscoll, president of the St. Petersburg Downtown Neighborhood Association, said. “We are grateful for the thoughtful planning that everyone put into it … as well as the stadium and franchise fees being self-financed. We need to take advantage of that.”

Several more organizations and about a dozen Tampa Bay Rowdies fans heaped praise on the potential project, including, even, some who had opposed moving the Tampa Bay Rays to the city's downtown waterfront.

“The stadium clears all previous objections to the Rays stadium,” Hal Freedman, founder of St. Pete Preserve Our Wallets and Waterfront—which opposed the waterfront stadium idea, said. “They’ve got their act together.”

The reasons he sees the soccer stadium project differently, he said, are myraid. It does not exceed the height of the Mahaffee theater, and it fits in the current footprint of the stadium.

Though, not all in attendance supported the plans.

Downtown residents such as Gill Gentry raised legitimate concerns regarding excess traffic and the logistics of “masses of people” converging on the stadium site. He added that it's “not feasible” financially to accommodate nearly 20,000 fans on a regular basis. Other residents rallied around concerns of noise pollution, too many other events at the stadium, and concern over whether other types of events would take place at the facility.

Councilman Charlie Gerdes’ sought to allay these concerns by amending the resolution, assuring the stadium’s “primary purpose will not be its sole purpose.”

As for traffic and parking, Councilman Steve Kornell said, the city will be able to handle it just as it does other attractions that have sprung up throughout the city.

“Our downtown didn’t happen by accident … The idea that we’re not going to be able to manage parking or whatever, I just don’t see that. Our staff is very good at what they do,” he said.

Council unanimously passed the resolution, but that was just the first reading.

A second reading of the ordinance will take place on March 2, here council will likely replicate Wednesday’s meeting with a reading, public comment and approval. Once the second approval comes, Edwards will pony up the nearly $250,000 it takes to hold such an election. The election would be held on May 2 and will then determine the fate of Al Lang, which will also determine the fate of the Rowdies’ future in MLS.

No stadium means no MLS, which would crush the dreams of the Bay Area’s most passionate fans.

“I went to my first Rowdies game was when I was nine in 1975,” Rowdies super fan Nancy Bataille, who grew up in Pinellas County. “I decided to move back to St. Pete after I lived in Pasco County for nine years only because the Rowdies moved to St. Petersburg [in 2011].”

Bataille added that she retired from her former job as a veterinary tech to become the club’s retail manager.

Edwards Group president and former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker was pleased with the meeting’s successes.

“I’m very happy. We got a lot of support from the community. I think there’s an enthusiasm building out in the city for the Rowdies. It’s a good time to be in St. Pete,” Baker said.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/02/17/tampa-bay-rowdies-take-step-forward-proposed-mls-stadium-plan

Tampa Bay Rowdies take step forward in proposed MLS stadium plan

February 17, 20171:30PM EST

Sam Stejskal

The Tampa Bay Rowdies’ plan to upgrade Al Lang Stadium in the hopes of landing an MLS expansion team took a step forward on Thursday, when the St. Petersburg City Council approved ordinance language for the project.

Approving the ordinance language is the first step in a process that, if successful, would lead to a May 2 referendum that would allow St. Petersburg residents to vote on giving City Council the authority to negotiate a long-term use agreement for Al Lang Stadium.

According to a press release issued by the Rowdies on Thursday, the use agreement would not be able to exceed 25 years and would allow Al Lang Stadium’s primary purpose to be as the home field for a potential MLS team.

In addition to approving the ordinance language, the St. Petersburg City Council also announced on Thursday that they have set a public hearing for Thursday, March 2 to discuss the ordinance before the Council votes on scheduling the May 2 special election. Rowdies owner Bill Edwards would cover the entire cost of the May 2 election if the Council votes to hold it.

The proposed upgrades would cost up to $80 million and would increase capacity of Al Lang Stadium from approximately 7,500 to 18,000. The full cost of the renovations would be financed entirely by Edwards and the upgrades would only happen if Tampa Bay is awarded an MLS expansion team.

The Rowdies, who are moving from NASL to USL this year, submitted their expansion application to MLS on Jan. 30. The club is one of 12 groups in 12 different cities that submitted a bid. The league will announce two new expansion clubs in 2017, with those teams set to begin MLS play by 2020. Two more teams will be added at a later date, taking the league to 28 total clubs.

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http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mls/article132822539.html

MLS team hiring a Chief Tattoo Officer

David Beckham, on the site of a 2012 H&M commercial shoot, would surely be intrigued by the Philadelphia Union’s hiring of a tattoo artist.

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http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/02/16/extratime-radio-star-power-dp-signings-and-david-beckhams-mls-legacy

ExtraTime Radio: Star power, DP signings and David Beckham's MLS legacy

LISTEN: What's David Beckham's MLS legacy? Outside of much-needed awareness, it might just be the rule that was initially named after the world superstar. Once the Beckham Rule, now just part of the everyday MLS landscape, Designated Players have changed the league since Beckham signed for LA in 2007. The guys take a close look at MLS star power with none other than the GM who helped sign Beckham at the Galaxy, Alexi Lalas.

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http://www.thedrive.com/news/7694/audi-scores-naming-rights-for-d-c-uniteds-new-soccer-stadium

Audi Scores Naming Rights for D.C. United's New Soccer Stadium

We've been told there are a lot of Americans who really like soccer. Apparently some of them work at Audi.

AAudi shoots, Audi scores. Audi has acquired the naming rights for Major Leage Soccer team D.C. United's new stadium in Washington, D.C., the company announced in a press release Wednesday. 

Audi Field, as the new stadium will be called, will open in 2018 in the southwestern D.C. neighborhood of Buzzard Point. The 20,000-seat facility is also intended to be used for concerts and other events that require, well, seating for 20,000 people.

And it may have paid plenty for it. A source told Bloomberg that the decade-plus contract for the new field is one of the three priciest naming-rights deals in MLS, ranking in line with the $6.6 million a year Banc of California pays for the right to keep its moniker on the LA Galaxy's stadium.

The carmaker has had a long history of supporting the sport the rest of the world irritatingly calls "football." Audi has been the official automotive sponsor of America's Major League Soccer since 2015; it also also sponsored Munich-area professional German soccer team FC Bayern München since 2002.

D.C. United is one of the 10 charter teams in MLS, dating back to 1996. It's the second-most successful franchise in the series, with four overall championships. (The only team with more? The LA Galaxy.)

Audi, along with several other U.S. branches of the Volkswagen Group, is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, roughly 25 miles from RFK Stadium, the home D.C. United currently shares with the Washington Nationals major league baseball franchise.

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http://www.theindychannel.com/news/photos-mls-stadiums-across-united-states

PHOTOS: MLS stadiums across United States

Some MLS stadiums are multi-purpose. The teams share them with other sports, like Gillette Stadium or Yankee Stadium. But a few teams have their own stadiums. Check out photos of the MLS-only stadiums.

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http://www.rslsoapbox.com/2017/2/16/14314712/mls-explained-targeted-allocation-money

MLS Explained: Targeted Allocation Money

The bitcoin of U.S. Soccer, allocation money, is full of complicated rules. Targeted allocation money, even more so.

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http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2017/02/16/fc-cincinnati-no-point-responding-stadium-rumors-speculation/97892584/

FC Cincinnati: No point in responding to stadium rumors, speculation

Plenty of people are talking about Futbol Club Cincinnati's future stadium prospects, but you won't find the club itself joining in the discourse.

Why? At present, there's nothing to talk about, FC Cincinnati President and General Manager Jeff Berding told The Enquirer Monday....

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https://www.luxurydaily.com/audi-to-be-title-sponsor-of-washingtons-state-of-the-art-stadium/

Audi to be title sponsor of Washington’s state-of-the-art stadium

German automaker Audi is extending its Major League Soccer sponsorship to include both a top-winning team and stadium in Washington.

Audi will be the sponsor of the new D.C. United stadium, a state-of-the-art field scheduled to open next year. As the home of Washington’s MLS team D.C. United, Audi will also sponsor the soccer club to strengthen its supportive relationship.

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http://www.carscoops.com/2017/02/audi-earns-naming-rights-to-dc-uniteds.html

Audi Earns Naming Rights To DC United's New State-Of-The-Art Stadium

Audi announced that starting with the 2018 season, DC United's brand new soccer stadium will be called 'Audi Field'.

The new stadium, home to one of the most decorated soccer franchises in the US, will host a variety of sporting, music and cultural events along the newly developed DC southwest waterfront.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.soccernation.com/will-the-nasl-come-to-san-diego/

Will the NASL come to San Diego?

There is no guarantee that San Diego will get a Major League Soccer franchise. It is looking mighty likely of late, but the fate of the city’s expansion aspirations is far from sealed.

Even if MLS Commissioner Don Garber and his staff were to select San Diego as one of the league’s expansion locations by the end of this year, top flight soccer would still be a significant length of time away from kicking off in America’s Finest City. A prospective MLS team would not take to the pitch in San Diego until the year 2020 at the earliest.

As the sporting community of San Diego anxiously awaits the potential arrival of MLS, the perennial dark horse that is the North American Soccer League has been sparking an intriguing flame.

Thought to be dead in the water just a few months ago, the NASL is still alive and kicking as the league enters its seventh calendar year of competitive operations.

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https://news.azpm.org/p/news-articles/2017/2/16/106371-desert-diamond-cup-brings-major-league-soccer-to-tucson/

Desert Diamond Cup Brings Major League Soccer to Tucson

Three games will be played each Saturday for two weeks at Kino Sports Complex's North Field.

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http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2017/02/16/mls-expansion-san-diego-chargers-sdsu-aztecs-nfl

MLS expansion city profile: San Diego

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http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/16/dc-united-receive-zoning-approval-to-build-stadium/

D.C. United receive zoning approval to build stadium

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http://bowdoinorient.com/article/11828

MLS expansion may spell death for promotion/relegation dreams

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http://www.newstalk.com/kevin-kilbane-football-fashion-evolution

Kevin Kilbane: White boots and sleeve tattoos... football's evolving trends

Off The Ball's Kevin Kilbane reminisces about changing styles among players

Recently I heard the news that Major League Soccer side Philadelphia Union are planning on hiring their own tattoo artist....

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http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/02/16/dc-united-announce-stadium-groundbreaking-ceremony-february-27

DC United announce stadium groundbreaking ceremony on February 27

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http://tucson.com/sports/local/mls-teams-get-down-to-the-work-in-first-weekend/article_aa199978-7f87-5d05-b58e-4ec4a86e4efa.html

MLS teams get down to the work in first weekend of Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson

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http://saintpetersblog.com/rowdies-compete-mls-teams-suncoast-invitational/

Rowdies compete against MLS teams in Suncoast Invitational

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http://www.postandcourier.com/sports/battery-opens-carolina-challenge-cup-against-mls-champion-seattle-sounders/article_33d3f046-f246-11e6-af40-eb878d9cd362.html

Battery opens Carolina Challenge Cup against MLS champion Seattle Sounders

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http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-soccer-20170218-story.html

Rise of MLS-affiliated 'lower league' is a win-win for players, teams

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http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/story/3064075/new-york-city-star-david-villa-sees-red-in-first-instance-of-var-support

NYCFC's David Villa sees red for slap on A.J. DeLaGarza after VAR used

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http://www.beinsports.com/th-en/major-league-soccer/news/david-villa-sent-off-after-video-replay-5/458775

David Villa sent off after video replay

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http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/major-league-soccer/2017/02/19/32839412/watch-david-villa-sent-off-after-referee-uses-video-replay

WATCH: David Villa sent off after referee uses video replay

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http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/us-sport/major-league-soccer/david-villa-sent-off-video-technology-new-york-city-mls-a7588261.html

New York City striker David Villa sent off after referee uses video technology

Villa dismissed in first instance of a referee making use of the VAR system for a red-card decision

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http://www.rslsoapbox.com/2017/2/19/14331556/beckham-rule-designated-player

MLS History: The Beckham Rule and the rise of the designated player

Without David Beckham and the rise of the designated player, MLS would have a markedly different future.

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https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/02/where-the-majority-of-mls-players-are-coming-from.html

Where do the Majority of MLS Players Come From? The Atlantic Ocean.

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http://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/football/david-villa-slapped-a-player-and-video-replay-made-sure-he-got-red-carded/news-story/e9a60f45e9e343c8e45de222b7759e48

David Villa slapped a player and video replay made sure he got red carded

NO one can escape the watchful eye of video replay, not even reigning Major League Soccer MVP and former Barcelona star David Villa.

Villa, of New York City FC, was ejected from a preseason match vs. the Houston Dynamo on Saturday night after video replay showed him giving defender A.J. DeLeGarza a slap to the face.

The replay shows that the slap itself wasn’t very violent, but the hand-to-face contact is clearly a red card nonetheless. The first official initially gave Villa a yellow card, but after the video review he issued the red card.

With that, the Spanish striker joined the ranks of other players who have been penalised during the MLS preseason, thanks to video replay trials.

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http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/sd-fd-soccer-details-20170219-story.html

SoccerCity details coming Monday

Details will be released Monday   on SoccerCity,  the $1 billion-plus, soccer-based redevelopment proposal for Qualcomm Stadium property in Mission Valley.

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http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/sports/MLS-OwnershipStadium-Group-Reveals-More-Details-414213553.html

MLS Stadium Group Reveals More MV Redevelopment Details

New look at proposed River Park made public

The group vying to bring Major League Soccer to San Diego in a new, privately-financed stadium in Mission Valley said it was going to reveal more details of its plan in due time and they are making good on that.

On Sunday the group led by FS Investors founder Mike Stone and former Qualcomm Executive Steve Altman released an artist’s rendering of what they think the proposed 55-acre River Park would look like.

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http://fox5sandiego.com/2017/02/19/investors-to-unveil-renderings-of-major-league-soccer-stadium-plan/

Investors to unveil renderings of Major League Soccer stadium plan

SAN DIEGO - A group of investors who applied for a Major League Soccer franchise and released a concept plan for the Qualcomm Stadium property will unveil a detailed site plan Monday.

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http://flbusinessdaily.com/stories/511081670-it-s-almost-time-for-tampa-to-get-rowdy

It's almost time for Tampa to get Rowdy

Soccer lovers can now get their game faces on for the upcoming season, as single-game tickets for the Tampa Bay Rowdies went on sale recently. The Rowdies open their season against Orlando City B on March 25.

Rowdies Chairman and CEO Bill Edwards said Tampa's squad is the best he's seen.

“We’ve recently focused on our push to join Major League Soccer, but it’s time to shift gears and prepare for the upcoming 2017 United Soccer League season,” Edwards said. “Unlike previous seasons, this year you will see a great variety of opponents come to Al Lang Stadium, with 15 teams in the Eastern Conference alone. It’s important that you’re in the stands to show them why Al Lang Stadium is our house.”

Of Tampa's home game schedule, 14 are being played on Saturday nights. Tickets, which range in price from $23.50 to $80, are available by calling the front office at (727) 222-2000.

"With Major League Soccer watching us, it’s time to show them how great Tampa Bay’s appetite for soccer is," Edwards said. "Let’s fill Al Lang Stadium and together bring a MLS team to Tampa Bay. Bring your family, your friends and even your coworkers.”

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.phillysoccerpage.net/2017/02/18/preseason-match-report-tampa-bay-rowdies-0-1-philadelphia-union/

Preseason match report: Tampa Bay Rowdies 0-1 Philadelphia Union

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http://saintpetersblog.com/rowdies-fall-1-0-unions-late-goal-exhibition-opener/

Rowdies fall 1-0 on Union’s late goal in exhibition opener

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http://m.startribune.com/mls-commissioner-don-garber-not-concerned-when-loons-stadium-opens/413904773/

MLS Commissioner Don Garber not concerned when Loons' stadium opens

In the end, the way Don Garber tells it, time is meaningless.

At least when it comes to Minnesota United FC’s new stadium possibly opening in 2019 instead of 2018.

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http://journalofcommerce.com/Home/News/2017/2/Winnipegs-Leaf-conservatory-to-have-unusual-roof-1021862W/

Winnipeg’s Leaf conservatory to have unusual roof

by Mary Baxter Feb 16, 2017

The developers of a new conservatory in Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park are banking on an unusual lightweight roofing material called ETFE to make a significant expanse of indoor growing space financially feasible.

Winnipeg’s Leaf conservatory to have unusual roof

"It would be cost prohibitive if we did it conventionally; we would have a much, much smaller facility, no question," says Gerald Dieleman, project director for Assiniboine Park Conservancy.

The conservancy, a non-profit organization, operates the 400 acres of park next to the city's southwest neighbourhoods.

The $75-million Diversity Gardens project, $61 million of which will be used to build the Leaf conservatory and landscaping, is the final phase of a larger $200 million park revitalization that launched in 2009.

The first phases updated the destination's duck pond and restaurant and revamped its zoo.

Doug Corbett, the conservancy's executive architect, says the idea to use ETFE (ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer) as the structure's main cover arose out of concerns that a conventional approach would create structural shading because of the large beams and structure needed to support a glass roof.

Trees and plants are going to grow crooked and not get the really full sunlight as if they were outside," he explains.

The project's climate engineer, Stuttgart, Germany-based Transsolar, suggested using ETFE, a clear membrane material like polyethylene, Corbett says.

To date, ETFE has been used primarily in sports stadiums, says Corbett, referring to its use as cladding for the Beijing National Aquatics Centre during the 2008 Summer Olympics.

"It looks kind of like a down jacket that's quilted," he says, noting air is applied in three layers with air between "so it creates 'pillows.' These pillows are what actually give it strength to not sag."

The design team developed a lightweight cable net truss structure to support the ETFE, similar to a tent structure. Along with Transsolar, the design team members are as follows: KPMB, Toronto; Architecture A-49 and landscape architects HTFC Planning & Design, both of Winnipeg; and engineering firms Integral Group Inc., Calgary, SMS Engineering Ltd., Winnipeg and Blackwell Engineering, Toronto.

A steel-framed cylindrical "tent pole" which the team calls a diagrid supports the truss structure. Guy wires similar to tent poles along the perimeter will hold the roof to the ground.

"It's quite big," says Corbett. The diagrid will hold components such as two elevator shafts and double stairwells. The mechanical system is on the diagrid's roof.

Biomes containing a large tropical plant garden as well as smaller Mediterranean gardens, display and butterfly gardens will occupy the 30,000-square-foot structure. The biomes are greenhouse spaces physically divided by transparent ETFE and glass to facilitate different climate zones.

The goal, Corbett says, is to create a higher level of sustainability. To this end, the project's designers are eliminating as much of the mechanical and ventilation systems as possible, "appreciating that these are botanical gardens so you're really not trying to make it 22 C year-round all the time inside them."

The facility's transparency will allow the sun to help heat its interior but there are backups.

"We're going to have some normal perimeter radiation with a boiler system that makes heat," he says. "We're just trying to make sure that it doesn't get too cold that the plants will start to die. It's going to be a fairly passive mechanical system."

With plenty of parkland as a resource, the conservancy will develop a geothermal field to use as an energy source for the boilers.

A waterfall in the interior as well as misting jets inside the biomes will create clouds to control the indoor climates.

The other portion of the facility is a more conventionally built and mechanically serviced "box" building to house a restaurant, banquet facilities, multipurpose and classroom spaces and administration offices.

Exterior gardens created along different themes — an arboretum, traditional formal plantings and an indigenous peoples' garden — will bank the Leaf conservatory. The internal and external plantings together make up the Diversity Gardens.

The use of ETFE for roofing is a first in the prairie province and may be a first in Canada at this scale.

"I think there are ETFE elements at B.C. Place Stadium (in Vancouver) and in Mosaic Stadium in Saskatchewan," Dieleman says.

Public conservatory colleagues elsewhere in North America are watching closely, he says.

Obtaining LEED Gold is a goal, says Corbett, but there's a challenge to qualifying for the sustainable practice certification: the building's unique biomes don't fit into the criteria used for assessment.

"We are going to work with the CaGBC (Canada Green Building Council)," to establish an approach to its evaluation, he says.

Dieleman says the goal is to begin construction in the spring of this year with the aim to open the facility in late fall 2019.

Timing is tricky. The plants must be introduced during summer. A delay of three months in building the roof would end up pushing the project back a year. Conservancy staff is now awaiting the outcome of provincial and federal government funding applications for the project.

In the meantime, they are ensuring the project is shovel-ready.

Dieleman describes the building as a significant design project because unlike a building constructed in a densely packed urban centre, all of its sides have to be carefully considered to fit in with the park experience.

"You can view this building from all sides," he explains. "There's no back door, if you will. It's a real interesting way of approaching design in a park."

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/thursdays-daily-deal-round-up-fivb-nets-senoh-deal

Thursday’s Daily Deal Round-Up: FIVB nets Senoh deal

More industry news in brief.

Soccer: Second-tier Italian soccer club AC Pisa have agreed a major sponsorship deal with Toscana Aeroporti. The regional airport operator's logo will appear on the front of the Serie B strugglers' matchday shirts.

Also in soccer: United Soccer League (USL) team Colorado Springs Switchbacks have sold the naming rights to their home stadium to Weidner Apartment Homes. The 5,000-seater venue will be known as Weidner Field when it hosts the Switchbacks' first home game of the new USL season - the league's first as US soccer's second tier - when OKC Energy FC visit on 1st April.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://southbmore.com/2017/02/16/south-baltimore-business-roundup-125/

South Baltimore Business Roundup

The Washington Post is reporting that a “strong” bid for a United Soccer League (USL) franchise has been submitted by a group of Baltimore investors that have not yet been identified. From the article:

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http://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2017/02/10/full-list-americas-fastest-growing-cities-2017/#75db848e6007

Full List: America's Fastest-Growing Cities 2017

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/02/16/after-long-wait-d-c-united-gets-final-go-ahead-to-build-new-stadium/?utm_term=.4bb001919748

After long wait, D.C. United gets final go-ahead to build new stadium

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http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/758595?referrer_id=2909153

St Petersburg City Council Approves Ordinance Language and Schedules March 2 Public Hearing Ahead of Al Lang Stadium Referendum

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (February 16, 2017) – St. Petersburg City Council approved today ordinance language in the first step towards scheduling a May 2 referendum, which would allow residents of St. Petersburg to vote on giving City Council the authority to negotiate a long-term use agreement for Al Lang Stadium.

The use agreement, which can’t exceed 25 years, would allow Al Lang Stadium’s primary purpose to be the home field for a potential Major League Soccer team.

City Council also announced today, that they have set the public hearing date for Thursday, March 2, where St. Petersburg residents and business owners are invited to weigh in on the ordinance before Council votes on scheduling the May 2 special election.

Rowdies owner Bill Edwards will cover the entire cost of the May 2 election.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies appreciate St. Petersburg City Council for scheduling the Public Hearing and allowing the club to continue its aspirations of bringing another major league sports team to the city.

About #MLS2StPete

The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced their #MLS2StPete campaign in December 2016, only to be named as one of the 12 candidates in the running for an MLS franchise less than two weeks later. The campaign also includes a privately funded renovation and expansion plan to Al Lang Stadium in downtown St. Petersburg. For more information, visit MLS2StPete.com.

The best way to show that Tampa Bay is ready for a Major League Soccer franchise is to secure 2017 season tickets. For information on how to become a 2017 Season Ticket Member, call (727)222-2000 or click here.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/02/17/d-c-uniteds-13-year-stadium-timeline-by-the-headline/?postshare=6261487342152955&tid=ss_fb&utm_term=.7c80b4eda795

D.C. United’s 13-year stadium timeline, by the headline

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/as-rfk-stadium-loses-its-final-tenant-lets-remember-the-richness-it-housed/2017/02/17/3403d5fe-f53e-11e6-8d72-263470bf0401_story.html?utm_term=.62774a4dbc3d

As RFK Stadium loses its final tenant, let’s remember the richness it housed

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/02/17/d-c-united-owner-says-new-stadium-deal-could-pay-roster-dividends-this-summer/?utm_term=.f485f04b2d29

D.C. United owner says new stadium deal could pay roster dividends this summer

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.facebook.com/TampaBayRowdies/videos/10155788864168835/?pnref=story

Tampa Bay Rowdies

on Saturday ·

HIGHLIGHTS: The Rowdies opened up their participation in the Suncoast Invitational with 1-0 loss to Philadelphia Union. Both teams created chances, but the Union came out on top thanks to a 73rd minute goal by Derrick Jones.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SuGyDlYkn4&feature=em-lss

Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Philadelphia Union- February 18, 2017 - ROWDIES SUNCOAST INVITATIONAL

Streamed live on Feb 18, 2017

ROWDIES SUNCOAST INVITATIONAL - Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Philadelphia Union

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg

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https://www.facebook.com/mutinyluv/posts/10154199478250811?pnref=story

Amanda Milligan

February 17 at 11:09pm ·

Seriously, public transport will be the demise of this area... it's the pits! Buses are great, drivers are great, but routes are bad and there just isn't enough!

It may be a problem for Real Life Problem Solvers Scorpion

TAMPA — Sabrena Lloyd could drive to her barista job at Tampa International Airport in 25 minutes. But she can’t afford a car, so instead the 42-year-old leaves her two-bedroom apartment north of Fletcher Avenue and catches one bus, then another, then a third, looping miles out of her way. When everything goes perfectly, Lloyd spends five hours a day, six days a week, getting to and from work.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.tampabay.com/projects/2017/data/public-transportation-worst/

Tampa Bay has one of the worst public transit systems in America. Here’s why.

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http://theeaglesbeak.com/2017/02/21/rhinos-stay-strong-even-after-fading-from-mls-view/

Rhinos Stay Strong Even After Fading From MLS View

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https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/20/sports/soccer/mike-piazza-italy-reggiana-owner.html?_r=1

Mike Piazza Learns How to Be an Owner. Of a Soccer Team. In Italy.

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http://www.socceramerica.com/article/72367/usl-john-harkes-is-fired-as-fc-cincinnati-coach.html?edition=16847

USL: John Harkes is fired as FC Cincinnati coach

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http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/02/20/san-diego-mls-expansion-bid-group-reveal-full-plans-new-stadium-site

San Diego MLS expansion bid group reveal full plans for new stadium site

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article133904574.html

County commissioners: Bring MLS soccer to Wake

RALEIGH

County leaders want to formally invite Major League Soccer to Wake.

The owner of North Carolina FC, formerly known as the Carolina RailHawks, announced late last year his goal of bringing an MLS team to the Triangle. It’ll be tough, since a stadium could cost up to $150 million and owner Steve Malik is competing with groups from 11 other U.S. cities that also want to launch an MLS franchise.

With that in mind, the Wake County Board of Commissioners on Monday said they plan to write a public letter showing support for Malik’s idea.

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http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/sports/WATCH-Former-Charger-Throws-Support-to-MLS-Proposal-414291913.html

WATCH: Former Charger Throws Support to MLS Proposal

Luis Castillo is on board with the idea of building a new soccer stadium in Mission Valley

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http://www.10news.com/news/group-heading-major-league-soccer-bid-to-unveil-plans-for-qualcomm-stadium-land-in-mission-valley

Group heading Major League Soccer bid unveils plans for Qualcomm Stadium land in Mission Valley

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http://www.goal.com/en/news/8/main/2017/02/20/32884662/a-summer-move-to-the-mls-ex-man-utd-hitman-chicharito-still

A summer move to MLS? Ex-Man Utd hitman Chicharito still a star at the highest level

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http://www.hudsonriverblue.com/2017/2/20/14664904/david-villa-red-card-var-nycfc-sent-off-robot-apocalypse-mls

Bow Down to Our Video Replay Overlords, for the Robots’ Enslavement of Mankind Has Already Begun

David Villa was the first victim of VAR. Before you know it, we’ll all be vivisected and converted into plasma fuel for impossible doomsday machines.

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http://www.nnbw.com/news/2017-united-soccer-league-season-marks-inaugural-campaign-for-reno-1868-fc/

2017 United Soccer League season marks inaugural campaign for Reno 1868 FC,

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http://www.phillysoccerpage.net/2017/02/20/stock-risingfalling-union-1-0-rowdies/comment-page-1/

Stock rising/falling: Union 1-0 Rowdies

Posted by Jim O'Leary on February 20, 2017 at 9:45 am

With many players carrying over from their NASL team, it’s likely the Tampa Bay Rowdies are going to be a force to be reckoned with in USL, but the gap between levels of the North American soccer pyramid was still very obvious as the Union always looked like they were going to win their first match of the 2017 Rowdies Suncoast Invitational.

Granted, the 1-0 scoreline isn’t quite as definitive as one would like, but it was clear that Jim Curtin picked his lineup with a focus on getting a real look at certain players rather than pushing hard for a win — which is what preseason is for, finding out who is ready for first team minutes and who might need to spend some time with Bethlehem Steel before being seriously considered.

So who impressed, and who needs to keep working? Obviously, we can’t know what Jim Curtin is thinking, but there certainly were a few players who increased their value with this game, while a few others still have work left to do.

#MLS2StPete

The announcers should have consulted a pronunciation guide, and the stadium looked like, felt like, and is a converted baseball stadium. But as cheesy as the constant reminders of the Rowdies’ MLS intentions were, they honestly convinced me that it was an expansion bid worth taking very seriously. On top of that, Ralph’s Mob could probably teach some MLS supporters groups a thing or two, considering how vocal their support was at a preseason game for their recently-moved-to-USL team.

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http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/022017aaa.html

Ray Reid Makes Another Gift Toward Soccer Stadium

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http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-soccer/story/3065348/san-diego-group-unveils-full-redevelopment-plans-for-new-stadium-site

San Diego investors group unveils complete plan for new stadium site

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http://fox5sandiego.com/2017/02/20/group-pushing-for-pro-soccer-team-unveils-mission-valley-site-plan/

Group pushing for pro-soccer team unveils Mission Valley site plan

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http://www.coinflipsoccer.com/2017/02/what-next-for-beckham-fc.html

What Next for 'Beckham FC'

Since December of 2013 when Don Garber announced that a new 'Miami FC' would have principle ownership in David Beckham the fans of other teams have watched on helplessly as their MLS dreams lie in wait on the franchise. It has been more than 3 years since an official statement about ownership groups and plans to bring the league back to Miami, and little to no progress has been made. A real stadium plan has really yet to be set forth while other teams in the Miami metro market struggle to find stable ground themselves. So what is the next step for the league and Beckham to make before preparing the next set of MLS bids. Miami has to be confirmed in or out before the league prepares to move forward.

More of recent with teams beginning to either franchise, or re-franchise, to the Las Vegas area has brought up the idea of moving the Beckham bid West. However, Miami was announced with a western counterpart, LAFC. So the ideas of establishing a new soccer market, though already beyond doubt, seems to make less sense in the notion of disproportioning the league. In addition, the fact exists that there currently is no market for MLS to build off of in the Las Vegas area, with regard to the 5th division Las Vegas Mobsters team. An average recorded attendance of 375 does not exactly scream Major League franchise, including the fact that 2 of the last 4 entering MLS teams were extended market ventures by lower divisional teams.

The league seems to be moving away from the notion of establishing an entire new club, with Beckham FC being a clear example of why. No stadium, no fans, no attendance records, no sales. That is not the model I could see anyone truly investing in. One of the reasons bids were raised to $250 million was to deter small venture owners from financially destroying their clubs and metro soccer itself. But Beckham's foothold lasts, because his bid was only $25 million per his first MLS contract. And to be fair to him, this would not be the first failed Miami venture, or the second, with notion to the attempts made by FC Barcelona in 2009 and the original MLS franchise Miami Fusion. The market itself is just not independently established yet, give the North American Soccer League's Miami time to expand or decline to show the worth of the Miami market first and move from there. Currently Miami FC draws an average home crowd of about 5,200 in a stadium with seating for 20,000 so the math is there to be done on the viability of the Miami market.

So beyond Miami, beyond Vegas, and beyond Western expansion; what is to be done about this bid. Biased and factual opinion would be to extend the bid to another strong Florida market for several reasons. Not only has the rivalry factor increased viewership and attendance, but an established team can take this so much further and be able to create their club culture in a new eye. The Tampa Bay Rowdies seem the most fit to take this bid, or to work with Beckham and the league to work out the bid. Tampa has fans, a stadium, a stadium plan, and the solid financial backing to create not only a proper Florida, but an East coast market team.