(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.phillysoccerpage.net/2017/12/28/putting-the-book-in-american-soccer-literature-to-read-this-winter/
Putting the book in: American soccer literature to read this winter
People will sometimes ask me, “whatever possessed you to start digging up American soccer history and writing pieces about it?”
My answer is quite simple: envy.
Like most American kids, soccer was not the only sport I played. I played street hockey in the winter, touch football in the fall, baseball in the spring, and basketball whenever I could get an open basket. I not only played those sports, but I followed them—eagerly anticipating the 3:30 arrival of the afternoon Camden Courier-Post and devouring the box scores and game reports from the previous evening’s contests.
I also collected the Topps bubblegum cards of all of those sports—baseball, in particular, but with a special affinity for basketball cards because they actually included American Basketball Association players along with the NBA stars (the other sports did not include rival leagues like the World Hockey Association in their sets).
When I started playing soccer as an 8-year old in 1973, I naturally assumed I would slot it alongside the other sports. However, there were no soccer cards to be found…standings and statistics were not included in the newspaper…no Street & Smith’s annual season previews to whet my appetite. Nothing.
It drove me crazy.
As I got into my teens, and began to come across books like Basil Kane’s Kyle Rote Jr.’s Complete Handbook of Soccer (the book was, and technically still is miscredited to Kyle Rote Jr.) and Zander Hollander’s The Encyclopedia of American Soccer, I learned that American soccer did exist prior to 1967. Still, a lot of the story was not being told. And I resolved, when I got the time and resources, to help tell that story.
I’d like to think that my work—along with the much more important work of Colin Jose, Roger Allaway, David Wangerin and (dare I say it?) Ed Farnsworth has done a lot to fill in the gaps and connect those dots. Certainly, readers here have expressed appreciation for what they have read about famous teams and players from the 1920s to the present. So, in some small way, I can kick back and think “mission accomplished.”
Nevertheless…I’m still jealous.
Let’s face it—there will never be a Ken Burns’ Soccer. Too much material is forever lost to time. No one bothered to ask the players who played in the American Soccer League of the 1920s for their stories (Jim Smith in Hollander’s book had the chance, but he dismissed his interviewees’ stories about an “old” ASL and “Soccer War” as urban myth in his intro to his American Soccer League chapter—opportunity forever lost). To date, no uniforms from any of the 1920s ASL teams have been found. The league’s cup—the Lewis Cup—sits in a museum in Ukraine. No one made tobacco cards of Archie Stark, Billy Gonsalves, or Davie Brown.
And it’s not just in history and collectibles where American soccer unfortunately lags behind. In America, we get to enjoy some outstanding sports literature. Baseball, in particular, has inspired some absolutely magnificent writings over the decades. Go to a Barnes & Noble, however—or even your local library—and you are most likely to see books like Coaching Soccer For Eight Year Olds on the shelf before any “real” soccer literature.
As with history, however, great American soccer literature exists. You just need to know where to find it. With Amazon making the acquisition of out-of-print books easier than ever, digging up these forgotten classics is a snap. As the season for American soccer approaches, allow me to recommend these fine examples of American soccer literature.
(Note: I am deliberately omitting “history books” like Wangerin’s Soccer In A Football World.)
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7mvi7t/cole_we_know_what_we_have_to_do/
Cole: We Know What We Have To Do (rowdiessoccer.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/870400
Cole: We Know What We Have To Do
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7mn7si/sch%C3%A4fer_eager_for_more_in_2018/
Schäfer Eager For More In 2018 (rowdiessoccer.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/870276?referrer_id=2824806
Schäfer Eager For More In 2018
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7mmhum/rowdies_u23s_ricky_lopezespin_invited_to_mls/
Rowdies U23's Ricky Lopez-Espin Invited to MLS Combine (uslpdl.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.uslpdl.com/news_article/show/869148
MLS Combine List Includes 46 PDL Alums
Ricky Lopez-Espin - Creighton/Tampa Bay Rowdies U23
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7mjp5e/ralphs_mob_grand_theft_auto_mob_city_tifo_is_up/
Ralph’s Mob - “Grand Theft Auto, Mob City” Tifo is up for 2017 /r/MLS Best Tifo/Fan Display Award (self.TampaBayRowdies)
You can check it out (and vote) here:
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/7mis2w/stage_2_of_the_2017_rmls_awards_voting_thread/druc2uy/
Stage 2 of the 2017 /r/MLS Awards - Voting Thread (self.MLS)
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7mfi6y/collins_gearing_up_for_2018_season/
Collins Gearing Up For 2018 Season (rowdiessoccer.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/870045?referrer_id=2824806
Collins Gearing Up For 2018 Season
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7ldbi9/2017_ruslpro_raise_your_game_awards_winners/
2017 r/USLPRO "Raise Your Game" Awards: WINNERS ANNOUNCED!!! - (Rowdies take home 3 awards) (reddit.com)
Four awards if you count the "Mitch Face" meme that was caused by Marcel Schäfer's rocket...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/USLPRO/comments/7laasx/2017_ruslpro_raise_your_game_awards_winners/
2017 r/USLPRO "Raise Your Game" Awards: WINNERS ANNOUNCED!!! self.USLPRO
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
MLS expansion is coming to Nashville; Tampa Bay may be a future candidate
Tampa Bay Area will be left out in the cold, soccer-wise, AGAIN, unless Bill Edwards can get additional MLS investors, and soon.
Miami is still uncertain, because despite the new investors nothing has been announced yet. After the last addition of a new investor earlier this year we were told things would be wrapped up by August, then nothing happened. Now we are being told that things will be wrapped up by January, or before the start of MLS 2018 season (March) at the latest. We shall see. The zoning hearings will be interesting; if NIMBYism strikes that is where and when it will strike.
Also lol at comments from people about expansion "diluting" MLS talent. Have they not been paying attention these past 10-15 years? As MLS has expanded it has gotten better. More investment in the league means better players. It's a worldwide market for soccer talent, and MLS is a minor league in global terms. Dilution is a worry for NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL, not for MLS.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.tampabay.com/MLS-expansion-is-coming-to-Nashville-Tampa-Bay-may-be-a-future-candidate_163756491
MLS expansion is coming to Nashville; Tampa Bay may be a future candidate
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.tbo.com/MLS-expansion-is-coming-to-Nashville-Tampa-Bay-may-be-a-future-candidate_163756491
MLS expansion is coming to Nashville; Tampa Bay may be a future candidate
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.thebluetestament.com/2017/12/20/16799182/mls-expansion-nashville-is-in-and-updates-on-sacramento-miami-detroit-phoenix-power-rankings
MLS Expansion: Nashville is in and Updates on Sacramento, Miami, Detroit + Power Rankings
Although all the focus is on Nashville, there are big updates on Miami and many other cities vying for expansion.
Miami, Florida
Oh Miami. February 2018, just two months away, will mark four years since their expansion bid was announced. Now the Miami Herald is reporting that Todd Boehly, previously the majority partner in the bid is out to be replaced by Jorge and Jose Mas and Masayoshi Son.
The Mas Brothers overseas MasTec, a multi-billion dollar infrastructure firm. They are based out of Florida, which has to be seen as a boost for the Miami bid. Son’s networth also dwarfs Mas as he’s reportedly worth $23 billion.
This would seem to sure up Miami’s situation, but with Miami you never know. The new owners have already been approved by the MLS Board of Governors.
With Miami’s continued uncertainty, one has to wonder if three of the final four don’t get in before Miami does. Don Garber didn’t put that idea to rest when in his State of the League Address he stated that a 3rd team getting in over Miami was “conceivable.”
Miami is still uncertain, because despite the new investors nothing has been announced yet. After the last addition of a new investor earlier this year we were told things would be wrapped up by August, then nothing happened. Now we are being told that things will be wrapped up by January, or before the start of MLS 2018 season (March) at the latest. We shall see. The zoning hearings will be interesting; if NIMBYism strikes that is where and when it will strike.
Also lol at comments from people about expansion "diluting" MLS talent. Have they not been paying attention these past 10-15 years? As MLS has expanded it has gotten better. More investment in the league means better players. It's a worldwide market for soccer talent, and MLS is a minor league in global terms. Dilution is a worry for NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL, not for MLS.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.tampabay.com/MLS-expansion-is-coming-to-Nashville-Tampa-Bay-may-be-a-future-candidate_163756491
MLS expansion is coming to Nashville; Tampa Bay may be a future candidate
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.tbo.com/MLS-expansion-is-coming-to-Nashville-Tampa-Bay-may-be-a-future-candidate_163756491
MLS expansion is coming to Nashville; Tampa Bay may be a future candidate
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.thebluetestament.com/2017/12/20/16799182/mls-expansion-nashville-is-in-and-updates-on-sacramento-miami-detroit-phoenix-power-rankings
MLS Expansion: Nashville is in and Updates on Sacramento, Miami, Detroit + Power Rankings
Although all the focus is on Nashville, there are big updates on Miami and many other cities vying for expansion.
Miami, Florida
Oh Miami. February 2018, just two months away, will mark four years since their expansion bid was announced. Now the Miami Herald is reporting that Todd Boehly, previously the majority partner in the bid is out to be replaced by Jorge and Jose Mas and Masayoshi Son.
The Mas Brothers overseas MasTec, a multi-billion dollar infrastructure firm. They are based out of Florida, which has to be seen as a boost for the Miami bid. Son’s networth also dwarfs Mas as he’s reportedly worth $23 billion.
This would seem to sure up Miami’s situation, but with Miami you never know. The new owners have already been approved by the MLS Board of Governors.
With Miami’s continued uncertainty, one has to wonder if three of the final four don’t get in before Miami does. Don Garber didn’t put that idea to rest when in his State of the League Address he stated that a 3rd team getting in over Miami was “conceivable.”
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Rowdies Announce Head Coach Stuart Campbell to Return for 2018 Season (rowdiessoccer.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7ko84u/rowdies_announce_head_coach_stuart_campbell_to/
Rowdies Announce Head Coach Stuart Campbell to Return for 2018 Season (rowdiessoccer.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/867730
Rowdies Announce Head Coach Stuart Campbell to Return for 2018 Season
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7km4wc/coach_stuart_campbell_will_again_lead_the_squad/
Coach Stuart Campbell will again lead the squad in 2018 (twitter.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/942771484388413441
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Verified account
@TampaBayRowdies
NEWS - After a record-setting season, Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell will again lead the squad in 2018, signing a new contract. It will be Campbell’s third full season at the helm and seventh as a member of the Rowdies organization.
READ MORE: http://tinyurl.com/Stu2018USL
7:00 AM - 18 Dec 2017
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7ko84u/rowdies_announce_head_coach_stuart_campbell_to/
Rowdies Announce Head Coach Stuart Campbell to Return for 2018 Season (rowdiessoccer.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/news_article/show/867730
Rowdies Announce Head Coach Stuart Campbell to Return for 2018 Season
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7km4wc/coach_stuart_campbell_will_again_lead_the_squad/
Coach Stuart Campbell will again lead the squad in 2018 (twitter.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
https://twitter.com/TampaBayRowdies/status/942771484388413441
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Verified account
@TampaBayRowdies
NEWS - After a record-setting season, Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell will again lead the squad in 2018, signing a new contract. It will be Campbell’s third full season at the helm and seventh as a member of the Rowdies organization.
READ MORE: http://tinyurl.com/Stu2018USL
7:00 AM - 18 Dec 2017
Sunday, December 17, 2017
Approval For David Beckham's Miami MLS Plan Could Come As Soon As January
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2017/12/15/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Miami-MLS.aspx
Approval For David Beckham's Miami MLS Plan Could Come As Soon As January
Published December 15, 2017
David Beckham’s plans to bring MLS to Miami is "expected to finally reach a happy conclusion with the official granting of the team expected as early as late January," according to Michelle Kaufman of the MIAMI HERALD. The MLS BOG met in N.Y. on Thursday and "approved Beckham’s...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://ussoccerplayers.com/2017/12/miami-takes-another-mls-step.html
Miami takes another MLS step
Friday's soccer news starts with the latest from the ongoing saga that is MLS expanding to Miami. We now know that the league is fine with the changes to the investor/operator group that will back David Beckham's MLS expansion team. With that settled and a stadium plan in place, the expectation is a quick conclusion to what has been a lengthy process to officially award a Miami MLS team.
It's been a long time coming, with various announcements, rethinks, and negotiations to get to the point that MLS would agree. That includes various stadium plans, so many that they have their own Wikipedia page.
"Major League Soccer announced on Thursday that the MLS Board of Governors approved the addition of three men, brothers Jorge and Jose Mas, and Masayoshi Son, to the ownership group of Miami's prospective MLS expansion team Jorge Mas is the co-founder and chairman of the board of MasTec. Jose Mas is the telecommunications company’s CEO. Both are Miami natives who live in the city. Son is a Japanese entrepreneur, and is the founder and CEO of SoftBank…. MLS also announced on Thursday that a further announcement on the Miami team is expected to be made ahead of the start of the 2018 MLS regular season."
The Miami Herald's Michelle Kaufman reports on that new ownership group for Beckham's Miami expansion bid and the likelihood that MLS will grant the team in January. ESPN''s Jeff Carlisle on the Miami expansion.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2017/12/15/miami-mls-bid-change-could-affect-detroit-timeline/108629532/
Miami MLS bid change could affect Detroit timeline
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.geosuper.tv/latest/256577-beckham-s-mls-venture-gets-go-ahead-for-additional-owners
Beckham´s MLS venture gets go-ahead for additional owners
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/76111/wait-continues-on-decisions-on-three-fronts-with-h.html
Wait continues on decisions on three fronts with huge implications for American soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-david-beckhams-miami-mls-venture-nears-reality-christian-pulisic-voted-best
Football: David Beckham's Miami MLS venture nears reality, Christian Pulisic voted best US player
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/14/three-new-owners-added-david-beckhams-miami-expansion-team
Three new owners added to David Beckham's Miami expansion team
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/3311829/mls-board-of-governors-approves-david-beckhams-expansion-bid-group?src=com
MLS board of governors approves David Beckham's expansion bid group
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2017/12/14/mls-expansion-vote-expected-new-miami-owners-steals-show/953891001/
With MLS expansion vote expected, new Miami owners steal the show
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2017/12/15/soccer/softbanks-masayoshi-son-among-new-partners-david-beckhams-mls-expansion-team/
SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son among new partners for David Beckham’s MLS expansion team
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.goal.com/en-sa/news/beckhams-miami-team-gets-mls-approval-for-additional-owners/11mwkxgug4fvo19cewyme482w0
Beckham's Miami team gets MLS approval for additional owners
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/12/14/three-new-owners-added-david-beckhams-miami-ownership-group
Three new owners added to David Beckham's Miami ownership group
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.local10.com/news/local/miami/major-league-soccer-approves-david-beckhams-3-new-partners-in-miami-dream
Major League Soccer approves David Beckham's 3 new partners in Miami dream
New Miami Beckham United Group aims for 2020 inaugural game
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mls/article189854229.html
Beckham’s new partners have been approved — and final decision on team not far behind
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8S4SU9OlZY
Section Spotlight: Corner Reserved
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Dec 14, 2017
Want prime location for the postgame autograph session? Make sure you secure your Corner Reserved season tickets today!
PURCHASE: tinyurl.com/TBRSTM18
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC0ZWD6SQys
Section Spotlight: Sideline Upper Reserved
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Dec 14, 2017
Do you like to watch Rowdies games from a high vantage point? The Sideline Upper Reserved section is the place for you! Secure your season tickets today by calling 727-222-2000 or visiting tinyurl.com/TBRSTM18.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7ka4gy/rowdies_gear_in_tampa/
Rowdies gear in Tampa (self.TampaBayRowdies)
I just visited Tampa Bay Sports (the Lightning’s store) at International Plaza. They had a few Rowdies items there finally. It wasn’t much. Just two t-shirts, a scarf and a deflated soccer ball (literally one ball lol). But it’s a start. And it’s Rowdies merch in Tampa. And there was no purple to be found anywhere in the store, too.
Wish they had some jerseys, but at least it’s a start.
https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2017/12/15/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Miami-MLS.aspx
Approval For David Beckham's Miami MLS Plan Could Come As Soon As January
Published December 15, 2017
David Beckham’s plans to bring MLS to Miami is "expected to finally reach a happy conclusion with the official granting of the team expected as early as late January," according to Michelle Kaufman of the MIAMI HERALD. The MLS BOG met in N.Y. on Thursday and "approved Beckham’s...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://ussoccerplayers.com/2017/12/miami-takes-another-mls-step.html
Miami takes another MLS step
Friday's soccer news starts with the latest from the ongoing saga that is MLS expanding to Miami. We now know that the league is fine with the changes to the investor/operator group that will back David Beckham's MLS expansion team. With that settled and a stadium plan in place, the expectation is a quick conclusion to what has been a lengthy process to officially award a Miami MLS team.
It's been a long time coming, with various announcements, rethinks, and negotiations to get to the point that MLS would agree. That includes various stadium plans, so many that they have their own Wikipedia page.
"Major League Soccer announced on Thursday that the MLS Board of Governors approved the addition of three men, brothers Jorge and Jose Mas, and Masayoshi Son, to the ownership group of Miami's prospective MLS expansion team Jorge Mas is the co-founder and chairman of the board of MasTec. Jose Mas is the telecommunications company’s CEO. Both are Miami natives who live in the city. Son is a Japanese entrepreneur, and is the founder and CEO of SoftBank…. MLS also announced on Thursday that a further announcement on the Miami team is expected to be made ahead of the start of the 2018 MLS regular season."
The Miami Herald's Michelle Kaufman reports on that new ownership group for Beckham's Miami expansion bid and the likelihood that MLS will grant the team in January. ESPN''s Jeff Carlisle on the Miami expansion.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/2017/12/15/miami-mls-bid-change-could-affect-detroit-timeline/108629532/
Miami MLS bid change could affect Detroit timeline
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.geosuper.tv/latest/256577-beckham-s-mls-venture-gets-go-ahead-for-additional-owners
Beckham´s MLS venture gets go-ahead for additional owners
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/76111/wait-continues-on-decisions-on-three-fronts-with-h.html
Wait continues on decisions on three fronts with huge implications for American soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-david-beckhams-miami-mls-venture-nears-reality-christian-pulisic-voted-best
Football: David Beckham's Miami MLS venture nears reality, Christian Pulisic voted best US player
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/14/three-new-owners-added-david-beckhams-miami-expansion-team
Three new owners added to David Beckham's Miami expansion team
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/3311829/mls-board-of-governors-approves-david-beckhams-expansion-bid-group?src=com
MLS board of governors approves David Beckham's expansion bid group
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2017/12/14/mls-expansion-vote-expected-new-miami-owners-steals-show/953891001/
With MLS expansion vote expected, new Miami owners steal the show
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2017/12/15/soccer/softbanks-masayoshi-son-among-new-partners-david-beckhams-mls-expansion-team/
SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son among new partners for David Beckham’s MLS expansion team
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.goal.com/en-sa/news/beckhams-miami-team-gets-mls-approval-for-additional-owners/11mwkxgug4fvo19cewyme482w0
Beckham's Miami team gets MLS approval for additional owners
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/12/14/three-new-owners-added-david-beckhams-miami-ownership-group
Three new owners added to David Beckham's Miami ownership group
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.local10.com/news/local/miami/major-league-soccer-approves-david-beckhams-3-new-partners-in-miami-dream
Major League Soccer approves David Beckham's 3 new partners in Miami dream
New Miami Beckham United Group aims for 2020 inaugural game
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mls/article189854229.html
Beckham’s new partners have been approved — and final decision on team not far behind
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8S4SU9OlZY
Section Spotlight: Corner Reserved
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Dec 14, 2017
Want prime location for the postgame autograph session? Make sure you secure your Corner Reserved season tickets today!
PURCHASE: tinyurl.com/TBRSTM18
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC0ZWD6SQys
Section Spotlight: Sideline Upper Reserved
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Dec 14, 2017
Do you like to watch Rowdies games from a high vantage point? The Sideline Upper Reserved section is the place for you! Secure your season tickets today by calling 727-222-2000 or visiting tinyurl.com/TBRSTM18.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7ka4gy/rowdies_gear_in_tampa/
Rowdies gear in Tampa (self.TampaBayRowdies)
I just visited Tampa Bay Sports (the Lightning’s store) at International Plaza. They had a few Rowdies items there finally. It wasn’t much. Just two t-shirts, a scarf and a deflated soccer ball (literally one ball lol). But it’s a start. And it’s Rowdies merch in Tampa. And there was no purple to be found anywhere in the store, too.
Wish they had some jerseys, but at least it’s a start.
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Beckham's MLS expansion bid group restructured at 11th hour - sources
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/3309216/beckhams-mls-expansion-group-restructured-at-11th-hour-sources?src=com
Beckham's MLS expansion bid group restructured at 11th hour - sources
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/major-shake-up-in-david-beckhams-mls-franchise-bid
Major shake-up in David Beckham’s MLS franchise bid
Mas brothers join consortium as Todd Boehly exits stalled project.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://therealdeal.com/miami/2017/12/13/mas-bros-team-up-with-beckham-in-pitch-for-miami-mls-stadium/
Mas bros. team up with Beckham in pitch for Miami MLS stadium
Jorge and Jose Mas lead engineering and construction giant MasTec
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportbusiness.com/sport-news/beckham%E2%80%99s-mls-bid-secures-new-backers-ahead-key-meeting
Beckham’s MLS bid secures new backers ahead of key meeting
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2017/12/13/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Miami-MLS.aspx
David Beckham's Bidding Group Undergoes Shakeup With Todd Boehly Out, Mas Brothers In
Published December 13, 2017
The investors behind David Beckham’s bid for a Miami soccer stadium have "undergone a significant shake-up," with majority partner and Dodgers co-Owner Todd Boehly out and Miami moguls Jorge and Jose Mas "joining the venture," according to sources cited in a front-page story by Kaufm...
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.espn.in/football/major-league-soccer/story/3309216/beckhams-mls-expansion-group-restructured-at-11th-hour-sources
Beckham's MLS expansion bid group restructured at 11th hour - sources
David Beckham's investor group, one still hoping to land a Major League Soccer expansion franchise, has undergone a significant restructuring just days before a critical meeting of the MLS board of governors, sources have confirmed to ESPN FC.
Todd Boehly, who was set to be the majority partner for Beckham's group -- called Miami Beckham United -- is now no longer involved and has been replaced by local businessmen Jorge and Jose Mas, as well as Sprint chairman Masayoshi Son.
The news was first reported by the Miami Herald.
A Beckham spokesman declined comment, as did MLS.
Beckham's effort to acquire an MLS expansion team has been fraught with delays since it was first proposed back in February of 2014. As recently as last Friday MLS commissioner Don Garber told ESPN FC that MBU still needed "a solid ownership group -- one that hopefully could be very connected locally -- and a finalized stadium plan."
This came on the heels of comments from Tim Leiweke, who wondered aloud in a recent interview if the deal would get done.
The stadium plan appeared to be nearing completion when MBU agreed to purchase three acres from Miami-Dade County back in June. Combined with an adjoining six-acre parcel, MBU has secured the site it needed to build a stadium in Miami's Overtown neighborhood.
But local landowner Bruce Matheson filed a lawsuit alleging that the county violated the law by not opening up the sale to competitive bidding. A judge sided with the county back in October, but Matheson has appealed the ruling, resulting in a further delay. The City of Miami must also approve zoning changes for the site.
Boehly was thought to be the last piece of the puzzle for the investment group when he was brought in last April. He and Beckham presented their plan to the Board of Governors in Chicago around the time of the MLS All-Star game in August, and initially it was well received.
"We're not announcing MLS Miami today, but I am confident we'll be able to do that, perhaps by the end of the summer," said Garber at the time.
But sources have told ESPN FC that the ownership structure proposed by Boehly, one that would see him have a clear majority stake in the venture, didn't sit well with MLS. There has been pushback among MLS owners over Beckham's discounted $25 million expansion fee, and the sight of Boehly becoming the majority owner gave the impression he was getting the franchise on the cheap when MLS is currently charging new expansion teams a fee of $150 million. The league also wanted a larger local presence.
The additions of the Mas brothers as well as Son appear to fit that requirement for the investment group. Jose Mas is the CEO of MasTec Inc., an engineering and construction firm whose headquarters are in nearby Coral Gables, Florida. His brother Jorge is the Chairman of the Board. Earlier this year the Mas brothers attempted to buy the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball, but were beaten out by an investment group led by Derek Jeter.
Son has been brought in by another member of Beckham's investment group, Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure. According to Forbes, Son's net worth is $23 billion. Son also gives MLS a bigger conduit to the Asian market than what it currently has.
What has emerged is an ownership structure -- one that still includes Beckham and his business partner Simon Fuller -- where the stakes are more evenly spread out. Sources indicated that Leiweke's role with Beckham's group going forward is to be determined.
Sources have added that Beckham's group feels it has satisfied all of the league's requirements and the ongoing litigation with Matheson is not expected to be a deal breaker.
"The litigation slowed things down, but I don't believe the litigation will prevent us from being in Miami," said Garber.
The MLS board of governors is meeting in New York on Thursday where it will discuss the next round of expansion as well as Beckham's project.
It is now up to MLS to either grant Beckham a franchise or look elsewhere.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/76068/report-mas-futbol-for-miami-beckham-united.html
Report: Mas futbol for Miami Beckham United
The on-again, off-again bid by David Beckham to launch an MLS team in Miami took another turn as the Miami Herald reported that Beckham might have found a local owner the group needs for MLS to go forward with the team.
Several sources close to the talks told the Herald that majority partner Todd Boehly (who was brought in as majority owner earlier this year) is out and brothers Jorge and Jose Mas have joined Miami Beckham United.
Before the MLS All-Star Game in Chicago on Aug. 2, MLS commissioner Don Garber said the MLS board of governors was impressed with the work Boehly and Beckham had been doing to move the bid forward, finally securing a stadium site for the team that has been in a holding pattern since Beckham exercised his option on an MLS expansion team -- price tag: $25 million -- and was introduced to the Miami media in February 2014.
Garber cautioned work still needed to be done but he was confident about announcing MLS Miami was official, "perhaps by the end of the summer." A Miami circuit court judge dismissed a nuisance suit attacking Miami-Dade County's sale of a three-acre truck depot Miami Beckham United needs to complete the stadium site in Overtown as an attempt to sabotage the deal with what he termed a "sham bid."
Tim Leiweke, who brought Beckham to MLS in 2007 when he was CEO and president of AEG and was brought in to help Miami Beckham United win approval for the stadium site in Overtown after plans at several other Miami stadium sites fell through, had recently raised doubts whether the deal will ever get done.
At his state of the league address on Friday, Garber termed Beckham's pursuit of a stadium "the most complicated situation in any market that we've experienced." Garber said for the first time on Friday that that even if the stadium picture is clearer -- a 25,000-seat stadium in the Overtown neighborhood -- the Beckham group must find a local owner for the deal to go forward.
"I continue to say that we want Miami in the league," he said. "It's a large market, a gateway city. There are a lot of values to us having a team down there and I'm very confident that we will get something done."
Garber also added, though, that it was "conceivable" one of the one of the four finalists for the two expansion spots up for grabs -- Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville and Sacramento -- could move ahead of Miami in the expansion order.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/13/new-national-soccer-hall-fame-will-host-first-inductions-october-2018
New National Soccer Hall of Fame will host first inductions in October 2018
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2017/12/13/mls-board-governors-set-thursday-meeting-expansion-discussed/944764001/
MLS Board of Governors set for Thursday meeting, expansion to be discussed
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/12/13/mls-commissioner-maybe-columbus-should-look-at.html
MLS commissioner: 'Maybe Columbus should look at what Detroit and Nashville and Cincinnati and Sacramento are doing'
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/12/12/mls-commissioner-expansion-teams-timetable-could.html
MLS commissioner: Expansion teams’ timetable could move up
As FC Cincinnati awaits a decision on its bid to become one of Major League Soccer’s two expansion clubs to begin play in 2020, MLS commissioner Don Garber said one of the teams selected could begin play a year earlier than anticipated.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL6TRt144Mw
Section Spotlight: Lower Goal Reserved
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Dec 13, 2017
For the same low price as general admission, you can sit even closer to the action! Secure your Lower Goal Reserved season tickets today!
PURCHASE: tinyurl.com/TBRSTM18
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJHUbWAQuxU
Why should Amazon come to Tampa?
CityofTampa
Published on Dec 6, 2017
We asked local residents why they think amazon should move to Tampa!
http://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/3309216/beckhams-mls-expansion-group-restructured-at-11th-hour-sources?src=com
Beckham's MLS expansion bid group restructured at 11th hour - sources
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/major-shake-up-in-david-beckhams-mls-franchise-bid
Major shake-up in David Beckham’s MLS franchise bid
Mas brothers join consortium as Todd Boehly exits stalled project.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://therealdeal.com/miami/2017/12/13/mas-bros-team-up-with-beckham-in-pitch-for-miami-mls-stadium/
Mas bros. team up with Beckham in pitch for Miami MLS stadium
Jorge and Jose Mas lead engineering and construction giant MasTec
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportbusiness.com/sport-news/beckham%E2%80%99s-mls-bid-secures-new-backers-ahead-key-meeting
Beckham’s MLS bid secures new backers ahead of key meeting
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2017/12/13/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Miami-MLS.aspx
David Beckham's Bidding Group Undergoes Shakeup With Todd Boehly Out, Mas Brothers In
Published December 13, 2017
The investors behind David Beckham’s bid for a Miami soccer stadium have "undergone a significant shake-up," with majority partner and Dodgers co-Owner Todd Boehly out and Miami moguls Jorge and Jose Mas "joining the venture," according to sources cited in a front-page story by Kaufm...
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.espn.in/football/major-league-soccer/story/3309216/beckhams-mls-expansion-group-restructured-at-11th-hour-sources
Beckham's MLS expansion bid group restructured at 11th hour - sources
David Beckham's investor group, one still hoping to land a Major League Soccer expansion franchise, has undergone a significant restructuring just days before a critical meeting of the MLS board of governors, sources have confirmed to ESPN FC.
Todd Boehly, who was set to be the majority partner for Beckham's group -- called Miami Beckham United -- is now no longer involved and has been replaced by local businessmen Jorge and Jose Mas, as well as Sprint chairman Masayoshi Son.
The news was first reported by the Miami Herald.
A Beckham spokesman declined comment, as did MLS.
Beckham's effort to acquire an MLS expansion team has been fraught with delays since it was first proposed back in February of 2014. As recently as last Friday MLS commissioner Don Garber told ESPN FC that MBU still needed "a solid ownership group -- one that hopefully could be very connected locally -- and a finalized stadium plan."
This came on the heels of comments from Tim Leiweke, who wondered aloud in a recent interview if the deal would get done.
The stadium plan appeared to be nearing completion when MBU agreed to purchase three acres from Miami-Dade County back in June. Combined with an adjoining six-acre parcel, MBU has secured the site it needed to build a stadium in Miami's Overtown neighborhood.
But local landowner Bruce Matheson filed a lawsuit alleging that the county violated the law by not opening up the sale to competitive bidding. A judge sided with the county back in October, but Matheson has appealed the ruling, resulting in a further delay. The City of Miami must also approve zoning changes for the site.
Boehly was thought to be the last piece of the puzzle for the investment group when he was brought in last April. He and Beckham presented their plan to the Board of Governors in Chicago around the time of the MLS All-Star game in August, and initially it was well received.
"We're not announcing MLS Miami today, but I am confident we'll be able to do that, perhaps by the end of the summer," said Garber at the time.
But sources have told ESPN FC that the ownership structure proposed by Boehly, one that would see him have a clear majority stake in the venture, didn't sit well with MLS. There has been pushback among MLS owners over Beckham's discounted $25 million expansion fee, and the sight of Boehly becoming the majority owner gave the impression he was getting the franchise on the cheap when MLS is currently charging new expansion teams a fee of $150 million. The league also wanted a larger local presence.
The additions of the Mas brothers as well as Son appear to fit that requirement for the investment group. Jose Mas is the CEO of MasTec Inc., an engineering and construction firm whose headquarters are in nearby Coral Gables, Florida. His brother Jorge is the Chairman of the Board. Earlier this year the Mas brothers attempted to buy the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball, but were beaten out by an investment group led by Derek Jeter.
Son has been brought in by another member of Beckham's investment group, Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure. According to Forbes, Son's net worth is $23 billion. Son also gives MLS a bigger conduit to the Asian market than what it currently has.
What has emerged is an ownership structure -- one that still includes Beckham and his business partner Simon Fuller -- where the stakes are more evenly spread out. Sources indicated that Leiweke's role with Beckham's group going forward is to be determined.
Sources have added that Beckham's group feels it has satisfied all of the league's requirements and the ongoing litigation with Matheson is not expected to be a deal breaker.
"The litigation slowed things down, but I don't believe the litigation will prevent us from being in Miami," said Garber.
The MLS board of governors is meeting in New York on Thursday where it will discuss the next round of expansion as well as Beckham's project.
It is now up to MLS to either grant Beckham a franchise or look elsewhere.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/76068/report-mas-futbol-for-miami-beckham-united.html
Report: Mas futbol for Miami Beckham United
The on-again, off-again bid by David Beckham to launch an MLS team in Miami took another turn as the Miami Herald reported that Beckham might have found a local owner the group needs for MLS to go forward with the team.
Several sources close to the talks told the Herald that majority partner Todd Boehly (who was brought in as majority owner earlier this year) is out and brothers Jorge and Jose Mas have joined Miami Beckham United.
Before the MLS All-Star Game in Chicago on Aug. 2, MLS commissioner Don Garber said the MLS board of governors was impressed with the work Boehly and Beckham had been doing to move the bid forward, finally securing a stadium site for the team that has been in a holding pattern since Beckham exercised his option on an MLS expansion team -- price tag: $25 million -- and was introduced to the Miami media in February 2014.
Garber cautioned work still needed to be done but he was confident about announcing MLS Miami was official, "perhaps by the end of the summer." A Miami circuit court judge dismissed a nuisance suit attacking Miami-Dade County's sale of a three-acre truck depot Miami Beckham United needs to complete the stadium site in Overtown as an attempt to sabotage the deal with what he termed a "sham bid."
Tim Leiweke, who brought Beckham to MLS in 2007 when he was CEO and president of AEG and was brought in to help Miami Beckham United win approval for the stadium site in Overtown after plans at several other Miami stadium sites fell through, had recently raised doubts whether the deal will ever get done.
At his state of the league address on Friday, Garber termed Beckham's pursuit of a stadium "the most complicated situation in any market that we've experienced." Garber said for the first time on Friday that that even if the stadium picture is clearer -- a 25,000-seat stadium in the Overtown neighborhood -- the Beckham group must find a local owner for the deal to go forward.
"I continue to say that we want Miami in the league," he said. "It's a large market, a gateway city. There are a lot of values to us having a team down there and I'm very confident that we will get something done."
Garber also added, though, that it was "conceivable" one of the one of the four finalists for the two expansion spots up for grabs -- Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville and Sacramento -- could move ahead of Miami in the expansion order.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/13/new-national-soccer-hall-fame-will-host-first-inductions-october-2018
New National Soccer Hall of Fame will host first inductions in October 2018
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2017/12/13/mls-board-governors-set-thursday-meeting-expansion-discussed/944764001/
MLS Board of Governors set for Thursday meeting, expansion to be discussed
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/12/13/mls-commissioner-maybe-columbus-should-look-at.html
MLS commissioner: 'Maybe Columbus should look at what Detroit and Nashville and Cincinnati and Sacramento are doing'
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/12/12/mls-commissioner-expansion-teams-timetable-could.html
MLS commissioner: Expansion teams’ timetable could move up
As FC Cincinnati awaits a decision on its bid to become one of Major League Soccer’s two expansion clubs to begin play in 2020, MLS commissioner Don Garber said one of the teams selected could begin play a year earlier than anticipated.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL6TRt144Mw
Section Spotlight: Lower Goal Reserved
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Dec 13, 2017
For the same low price as general admission, you can sit even closer to the action! Secure your Lower Goal Reserved season tickets today!
PURCHASE: tinyurl.com/TBRSTM18
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJHUbWAQuxU
Why should Amazon come to Tampa?
CityofTampa
Published on Dec 6, 2017
We asked local residents why they think amazon should move to Tampa!
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
Mas brothers join Beckham bid in shake-up that sees top partner exit Miami MLS venture
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article189445954.html
Mas brothers join Beckham bid in shake-up that sees top partner exit Miami MLS venture
The investors behind David Beckham’s bid for a Miami soccer stadium have undergone a significant shake-up, with majority partner Todd Boehly out and Miami moguls Jorge and Jose Mas joining the venture, according to several sources close to the talks.
News of the shake-up comes days before the Beckham group hopes to finally win approval from Major League Soccer owners to grant the retired soccer star an expansion franchise in Miami for the deeply discounted price of $25 million. The discount, attached to Beckham’s MLS contract as its marquee player when he joined the Los Angeles team a decade ago, has been a sticking point with some owners as Beckham’s bid for a Miami soccer team is on the verge of entering its fifth year.
In losing Boehly, Beckham parted with the latest in a series of would-be top investors: the co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers was slated to be the majority owner and controlling partner in the MLS league. But in the Mas brothers, Beckham gains as partners two of the most prominent business executives in Miami and the family behind a leading corporate name in the region, MasTec.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportstalkflorida.com/soccer/mls-expansion-time-near/
MLS Expansion Time Is Near
Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber will be announcing new teams are joining the league very soon.
The MLS seems to not be interested in the Tampa Bay market even though St. Petersburg voters said yes to a proposal to renovate Al Lang Stadium through a lease deal as long as the owner of the proposed MLS expansion team paid for the revamping of the facility.
Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis, Nashville, Phoenix, Raleigh, Sacramento, St. Louis, San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa Bay were on the MLS’s expansion list. Major League Soccer granted David Beckham a Miami expansion franchise in 2014 but Beckham’s group has had difficulty finding a suitable spot for a stadium. The MLS is still a money loser, but there is no shortage of potential owners who want an expansion team.
David Beckham still has no home for his Miami MLS team.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/12/12/mls-commissioner-expansion-teams-timetable-could.html
MLS commissioner: Expansion teams’ timetable could move up
As FC Cincinnati awaits a decision on its bid to become one of Major League Soccer’s two expansion clubs to begin play in 2020, MLS commissioner Don Garber said one of the teams selected could begin play a year earlier than anticipated.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/7jfa5n/mas_brothers_join_beckham_bid_in_shakeup_that/
Mas brothers join Beckham bid in shake-up that sees top partner exit Miami MLS venture (miamiherald.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7jfwmk/mas_brothers_join_beckham_bid_in_shakeup_that/
Mas brothers join Beckham bid in shake-up that sees top partner exit Miami MLS venture (miamiherald.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPQeHpN9HCQ
Section Spotlight: Midfielder's Reserved
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Dec 12, 2017
Want one of the best seats in the house? Get your Midfielder’s Reserved season seats today by calling 727-222-2000 or by visiting tinyurl.com/TBRSTM18.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5xDiq61K2I
Section Spotlight: Sideline Reserved
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Dec 12, 2017
Want to be close to the action but still be in the stadium bowl? Then Sideline Reserved section is the place to be! Secure your season seats today by calling 727-222-2000 or by visiting tinyurl.com/TBRSTM18.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article189445954.html
Mas brothers join Beckham bid in shake-up that sees top partner exit Miami MLS venture
The investors behind David Beckham’s bid for a Miami soccer stadium have undergone a significant shake-up, with majority partner Todd Boehly out and Miami moguls Jorge and Jose Mas joining the venture, according to several sources close to the talks.
News of the shake-up comes days before the Beckham group hopes to finally win approval from Major League Soccer owners to grant the retired soccer star an expansion franchise in Miami for the deeply discounted price of $25 million. The discount, attached to Beckham’s MLS contract as its marquee player when he joined the Los Angeles team a decade ago, has been a sticking point with some owners as Beckham’s bid for a Miami soccer team is on the verge of entering its fifth year.
In losing Boehly, Beckham parted with the latest in a series of would-be top investors: the co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers was slated to be the majority owner and controlling partner in the MLS league. But in the Mas brothers, Beckham gains as partners two of the most prominent business executives in Miami and the family behind a leading corporate name in the region, MasTec.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportstalkflorida.com/soccer/mls-expansion-time-near/
MLS Expansion Time Is Near
Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber will be announcing new teams are joining the league very soon.
The MLS seems to not be interested in the Tampa Bay market even though St. Petersburg voters said yes to a proposal to renovate Al Lang Stadium through a lease deal as long as the owner of the proposed MLS expansion team paid for the revamping of the facility.
Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis, Nashville, Phoenix, Raleigh, Sacramento, St. Louis, San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa Bay were on the MLS’s expansion list. Major League Soccer granted David Beckham a Miami expansion franchise in 2014 but Beckham’s group has had difficulty finding a suitable spot for a stadium. The MLS is still a money loser, but there is no shortage of potential owners who want an expansion team.
David Beckham still has no home for his Miami MLS team.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/12/12/mls-commissioner-expansion-teams-timetable-could.html
MLS commissioner: Expansion teams’ timetable could move up
As FC Cincinnati awaits a decision on its bid to become one of Major League Soccer’s two expansion clubs to begin play in 2020, MLS commissioner Don Garber said one of the teams selected could begin play a year earlier than anticipated.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/7jfa5n/mas_brothers_join_beckham_bid_in_shakeup_that/
Mas brothers join Beckham bid in shake-up that sees top partner exit Miami MLS venture (miamiherald.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/7jfwmk/mas_brothers_join_beckham_bid_in_shakeup_that/
Mas brothers join Beckham bid in shake-up that sees top partner exit Miami MLS venture (miamiherald.com)
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPQeHpN9HCQ
Section Spotlight: Midfielder's Reserved
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Dec 12, 2017
Want one of the best seats in the house? Get your Midfielder’s Reserved season seats today by calling 727-222-2000 or by visiting tinyurl.com/TBRSTM18.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5xDiq61K2I
Section Spotlight: Sideline Reserved
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Dec 12, 2017
Want to be close to the action but still be in the stadium bowl? Then Sideline Reserved section is the place to be! Secure your season seats today by calling 727-222-2000 or by visiting tinyurl.com/TBRSTM18.
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Garber still confident of MLS future in Miami
This is new and different:
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sports.yahoo.com/garber-still-confident-mls-future-182942601.html
Garber still confident of MLS future in Miami
It’s been months since we’ve heard anything concrete regarding Major League Soccer’s return to Miami, but MLS commissioner Don Garber believes that David Beckham’s ownership group is closer to its goal of a soccer-specific stadium, paving the way for an expansion franchise.
In an interview with ESPN, Garber said that he was confident “something is coming together” regarding Miami’s MLS future and that the major issues over the proposed stadium and ownership group have been resolved.
“I’ve been saying all along we need a number of things to go forward with David Beckham and his option: a solid ownership group — one that hopefully could be very connected locally — and a finalized stadium plan,” Garber told ESPN. For many years now, we’ve not been able to close the loop on those two issues. I believe we are getting closer, and I believe we’ll have a team in Miami. Actually, I believe something is coming together rather soon.
“We had a meeting last August in which we presented an opportunity to the MLS Board of Governors, which they approved us pursuing, and we’re still trying to finalize the details of that.”
Just last week, Beckham’s ownership partner Tim Lieweke expressed doubts that the stadium come to fruition, with complaints from residents in the stadium neighborhood and a pending lawsuit from a local resident in the Miami area over a three-acre block of land that Miami-Dade County is selling to Beckham.
And with every month that passes, momentum for the ownership group and the potential franchise wanes, especially as folks still have hard feelings over how the former Miami Marlins ownership fleeced the city for their new stadium, only to put a poor product on the field.
So it remains to be seen how much longer Beckham, and MLS, is willing to wait for a stadium deal to formalize, before the league moves on to other cities who are vying for expansion franchises.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sports.yahoo.com/mls-confident-over-miami-team-garber-224241309--sow.html
MLS confident over Miami team: Garber
David Beckham heads a consortium hoping to launch a Miami Major League Soccer team, and has been battling to secure a site for a stadium despite local opposition (AFP Photo/Alexia Fodere)
Los Angeles (AFP) - Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said Friday the league remained determined to launch a team in Miami but acknowledged the task had been the toughest challenge of his 18-year reign.
Garber told reporters on the eve of Saturday's MLS Cup final in Toronto that he was confident the long-awaited arrival of an MLS team in the Florida metropolis would happen eventually.
English football icon David Beckham heads a consortium hoping to launch a Miami team, and has been battling to secure a site for a stadium despite local opposition.
The group inched towards its goal earlier this year after securing a land deal for a proposed stadium project.
"It is the most complicated situation in any market that we've experienced at least in my 18 years," Garber told reporters, citing Miami's fast-changing real-estate environment and local political structure.
Finding a local owner to join Beckham's group was also crucial, Garber said.
"We've been working hard on trying to find a local owner for David Beckham. I feel confident that it will come together," he said. "I continue to say that we want Miami in the league.
"It's a large market, it's a gateway city, there are a lot of values to having a team down there. I remain confident we will get something done."
Miami is currently slated to be the 24th MLS team following the launch in 2018 of Los Angeles Football Club, the 23rd team.
MLS chiefs will announce the 25th and 26th expansion teams before the end of the year from a shortlist of four candidates -- Detroit, Cincinnati, Nashville and Sacramento.
However Garber admitted it was possible that one of the two new expansion franchises chosen this month could be bumped up the pecking order and take Miami's place as the 24th team.
"It's conceivable. It's conceivable that could happen," Garber said.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://nationalpost.com/pmn/sports-pmn/columbus-future-front-and-centre-in-commissioners-state-of-the-league-address
Columbus future front and centre in commissioner's state of the league address
Los Angeles FC will become the league’s 23rd team next season. Miami is also guaranteed a spot with the league currently entertaining applications from Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville and Sacramento for the next two teams. An upcoming league board meeting will decide the matter.
Garber said Miami may fall down the pecking order of new clubs entering the league because of issues with a stadium site and the search for local ownership to join David Beckham in the venture.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-usa-garber/soccer-garber-quizzed-on-plodding-progress-of-beckham-franchise-idUSKBN1E22VB
Soccer: Garber quizzed on plodding progress of Beckham franchise
The original timeline has long had Miami penciled in as the league’s 24th club but Garber conceded on Friday that one of the two franchises from Detroit, Cincinnati, Sacramento and Nashville being looked at for expansion could step to the front of the line.
”It’s conceivable that could happen,“ said Garber, ahead of Saturday’s MLS Cup final between Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders. ”This is the most complicated situation in any market we have experienced at least in my 18 years.
”Part of it has been complicated by the Miami market, generally it is a difficult sports market. The second part of that is that it is one of the fastest growing value markets as leads to their real estate.
“Third it is their political structure, there is a variety of different mayors all for the same space.”
The major stumbling block for Miami Beckham United, the team’s working title, has been finding financing and land for a stadium.
After failed attempts to secure land in the downtown waterfront area the Beckham group settled on the Overtown neighborhood of Miami as the site for a 25,000-seat soccer specific stadium.
In June the Beckham group acquired a parcel of land needed for their project and Garber said on Friday that the proposed franchise had cleared another hurdle when an appeal that could have blocked progress was turned down.
Dec 8, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; MLS commissioner Don Garber speaks during a state of the league address at Westin Harbour Castle. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
“We’ve needed to get a finalization of the land, the lawsuit on that land was just settled when the appeal was turned down last week and we have been working hard to try to find a local owner for David Beckham,” said Garber.
According to Forbes the average price of a MLS franchise is currently set at $225 million.
Beckham, however, is getting a major discount.
As part of the blockbuster deal that lured Beckham from Europe to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 the league gave the option to purchase a franchise for $25 million.
“I feel confident that it will come together,” said Garber. “I continue to say we want Miami in the league, it is a large market, a gateway city there is a lot of value to us having a team down there and I am confident we will get something done.”
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/mls-state-of-the-league-don-garber-offers-updates-on/ta0t0lm4oe701ph7oo346lh31
MLS State of the League: Garber on Columbus relocation talks, Beckham's Miami bid and more
Garber 'confident' in Beckham's Miami team
Garber also discussed David Beckham's long-gestating expansion bid in Miami, expressing confidence that the proposed club will find an additional local owner and clear a path to building a soccer-specific stadium.
MLS tentatively announced Miami as an expansion side in 2014, with the franchise to be confirmed upon finalizing stadium plans. Although Garber offered hope in August that a formal confirmation would come "perhaps by the end of the summer," the process was delayed by a lawsuit accusing Miami-Dade County of improperly selling land to Beckham's group. That lawsuit was dismissed in October, however, and Garber said Friday that the appeal was denied last week.
The commissioner did acknowledge that Miami — currently envisioned as the 24th MLS club, following Los Angeles FC's introduction as team No. 23 next year — could be pushed down the line. (MLS is set to announce two expansion teams later this month from finalists Sacramento, Nashville, Cincinnati and Detroit.)
But Garber believes the introduction of a South Florida-based owner should pave the road to finally getting Beckham's Miami side on the field.
"It is the most complicated in any market that we've experienced, at least in my 18 years," Garber said. "We've been working hard on trying to find a local owner for David Beckham. I feel confident that that will come together, so I continue to say that we want Miami in the league. It's a large market, a gateway city. There are a lot of values to us having a team down there and I'm very confident that we'll get something done."
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/12/08/mls-commissioner-don-garber-columbus-relocation-austin-expansion-tam
Garber Clarifies MLS Position on Columbus, Says Expansion Bids Could Leap Miami
Miami—As the MLS board of governors is scheduled to meet Dec. 14 to discuss which two cities from among Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville and Sacramento to add as expansion markets, David Beckham’s project in Miami has dragged deep into its fourth year.
Garber confirmed Friday that it was “conceivable” that one or more of the new entrants—long identified as teams Nos. 25-26 (to be named in December and begin play in 2020) and Nos. 27-28 (to be named next year or after) could jump ahead of Miami, which has been considered team No. 24.
“It is the most complicated situation in any market that we’ve experienced,” Garber said, citing real estate prices, politics and other issues. He also mentioned the need for a “local owner." Beckham and his partners, Marcelo Claure and Tim Leiweke, finally recruited majority investor Todd Boehly in the spring. He’s based in Los Angeles.
“We’ve seen that at least in the success of some Miami teams, having a local owner has been one of the factors,” Garber said. “We’ve been working hard on trying to find a local owner for David Beckham. I feel confident that that will come together. I continue to say that we want Miami in the league … there are a lot of values to us having a team down there, and I remain confident that we’ll get something done.”
It’s still expected that MLS will name only two expansion teams this month.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/garber-quizzed-on-plodding-progress-of-beckham-franchise
Garber quizzed on plodding progress of Beckham franchise
TORONTO (Reuters) - Ever since David Beckham ended his playing career in 2013 it has become a Major League Soccer tradition that commissioner Don Garber is asked during his annual state of the league address about the former-England captain's effort to bring a franchise to Miami.
With the league pushing ahead with expansion plans and set to decide on two new franchises at meetings in New York next week, Garber was again quizzed on Friday about the status of a team, which seems no closer to taking the pitch than it was nearly four years ago when he began the pursuit.
This season Atlanta and Minnesota joined MLS and next year LAFC will become the league's 23rd franchise.
The original timeline has long had Miami pencilled in as the league's 24th club but Garber conceded on Friday that one of the two franchises from Detroit, Cincinnati, Sacramento and Nashville being looked at for expansion could step to the front of the line.
"It's conceivable that could happen," said Garber, ahead of Saturday's MLS Cup final between Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders. "This is the most complicated situation in any market we have experienced at least in my 18 years.
"Part of it has been complicated by the Miami market, generally it is a difficult sports market. The second part of that is that it is one of the fastest growing value markets as leads to their real estate.
"Third it is their political structure, there is a variety of different mayors all for the same space."
The major stumbling block for Miami Beckham United, the team’s working title, has been finding financing and land for a stadium.
After failed attempts to secure land in the downtown waterfront area the Beckham group settled on the Overtown neighbourhood of Miami as the site for a 25,000-seat soccer specific stadium.
In June the Beckham group acquired a parcel of land needed for their project and Garber said on Friday that the proposed franchise had cleared another hurdle when an appeal that could have blocked progress was turned down.
"We've needed to get a finalisation of the land, the lawsuit on that land was just settled when the appeal was turned down last week and we have been working hard to try to find a local owner for David Beckham," said Garber.
According to Forbes the average price of a MLS franchise is currently set at $225 million.
Beckham, however, is getting a major discount.
As part of the blockbuster deal that lured Beckham from Europe to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 the league gave the option to purchase a franchise for $25 million.
"I feel confident that it will come together," said Garber. "I continue to say we want Miami in the league, it is a large market, a gateway city there is a lot of value to us having a team down there and I am confident we will get something done."
(Follow link for full article.)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/edf7c22d-f8be-4710-836f-b5314a628fa5.aspx
MLS confident over Miami team, says Garber
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sacbee.com/sports/mls/article188868954.html
Garber talks MLS expansion, relocation in annual address
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.themaneland.com/2017/12/9/16754844/lion-links-12-9-17
Lion Links: 12/9/17
Garber’s State of the League address, Coxy and H find new teams, Hope Solo for president, and more.
About Miami, Garber said:
"We've been working hard on trying to find a local owner for David Beckham. I feel confident that that will come together, so I continue to say that we want Miami in the league.”
This is an interesting new twist in what Garber has said about Miami in the past. It did not go unnoticed.
MLS issues in Miami have always been focused on securing land for stadium, land free and clear of lawsuits. Now, Don Garber says issue is finding local owner.
— Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) December 8, 2017
So in a matter of hours Don Garber has gone from telling me that moving Miami out of spot No. 24 is "not being contemplated" to being "conceivable" at his State of the League address. Okay then.
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) December 8, 2017
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/3302176/garber-beckhams-miami-franchise-coming-together-rather-soon
Garber: Beckham's Miami franchise 'coming together rather soon'
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.euronews.com/2017/12/09/garber-quizzed-on-plodding-progress-of-beckham-franchise
Garber quizzed on plodding progress of Beckham franchise
(Follow link for full article.)
https://worldsoccertalk.com/2017/12/08/mls-confident-over-miami-team-garber/
MLS confident over Miami team: Garber
(Follow link for full article.)
https://soundcloud.com/meninblazers/men-in-blazers-120717-don-garber-pod-special
Men in Blazers 12/07/17: MLS Pod Special With Don Garber
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/08/mls-commissioner-don-garber-joins-men-blazers-podcast-special
MLS Commissioner Don Garber joins Men in Blazers for podcast special
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mls/article188885759.html
Don’t give up hope, Miami. MLS commissioner “confident” Beckham deal will get done
Hey, South Florida soccer fans: Don’t give up hope just yet on David Beckham’s seemingly-endless quest to bring Major League Soccer to Miami.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in his State of the League address on Friday that he remains “confident” they will work out a deal and he believes a yet-to-be-named local owner would help resolve the challenges the group has faced since Beckham first proposed the team in February 2104.
“It is the most complicated situation in any market that we’ve experienced, at least in my 18 years,” Garber began. “Part of it has been complicated by the Miami market generally. It’s a difficult sports market. The second part of that is that it’s one of the fastest-growing value markets as it relates to their real estate. Third is the political structure. There’s a variety of different mayors all for the same space.
“And, part of it is we ‘ve needed a local owner because we’ve seen that in at least in the success of some of those Miami teams, having a local owner has been one of the factors. So, we’ve needed to get finalization of the land. The lawsuit on that land, the appeal was turned down last week. We’ve been working hard to find a local owner for David Beckham. I feel comfortable that will come together.”
Garber concluded by affirming that MLS has not given up on the idea of a Miami team.
“I continue to say we want Miami in the league,” Garber said. “It’s a large market. It’s a gateway city. There are a lot of values to us having a team down there and I remain confident we’ll get something done.”
Last week, Beckham’s partner and chief negotiator Tim Leiweke sounded pessimistic about the deal in an interview with the Toronto Sun. He said: “I have my fears as to whether it’s going to get done, because things like this drag on this long that’s always tough on a process. But for David I hope he lands somewhere.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.geekwire.com/2017/nhl-seattle-microsofts-new-cricket-grounds-mls-cup-predictions-week-sports-tech/
NHL to Seattle; Microsoft’s new cricket grounds; MLS Cup predictions; and more from the week in sports tech
Leading the Key Arena development is Oak View Group, a Los Angeles-based organization headed up by Tim Leiweke, a sports industry veteran who has experience building new arenas across the globe.
Leiweke spoke at the GeekWire Sports Tech Summit this summer in Seattle and talked about his vision for the redeveloped Key Arena, in particular for how technology will play a role. He addressed various topics ranging from transportation; security, esports; Amazon; and Seattle’s technology industry boom.
I’m especially interested to see how OVG and Leiweke work with Amazon, particularly with Key Arena as a music concert destination. Back in March, I sat down with Leiweke and he raved about Amazon’s new cashier-less grocery shopping concept, noting how it could be implemented in Key Arena.
And here’s this from longtime Seattle sports columnist Art Thiel this week, who noted that Leiweke “has been quite public in his ardor for Amazon”:
Amazon abruptly has become a global leader in consumer entertainment. Leiweke aspires to have OVG supplant his hated former boss, Philip Anschutz of Anschutz Entertainment Group, as one of the world’s largest entertainment presenters. So it becomes easier to understand why Leiweke is willing, in a building he will not own, to gamble hundreds of millions of dollars, including covering all cost overruns on the Key renovation, to create a concerts-first venue: It’s a neighbor to the world headquarters of the retail/entertainment colossus.
Along with his equity partner in the Key remodel, concert promoter Live Nation, Leiweke’s OVG needs to win Seattle, the next big marketplace opportunity, to win the bigger turf war with rival AEG.
This marks the latest chapter in a decade-long saga that started after the Sonics departed to Oklahoma City nearly a decade ago. Numerous high-powered groups and individuals have been involved in the process of building a potential new stadium in Seattle, including former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who was part of a ownership group that nearly brought the NBA back to Seattle in 2013.
Highlights from the week in sports tech
Microsoft is building a cricket field on its redeveloped campus in Redmond, Wash.
The Seattle Sounders are in Toronto for an MLS Cup rematch at 1 p.m. PT Saturday on ESPN. I caught up with former Sounders star Roger Levesque, who predicts a 2-0 win for Seattle. EA Sports’ FIFA simulation disagrees.
2018 is shaping up to be quite the year for sports streaming rights. A new report predicts that Amazon will be a live sports powerhouse as soon as next year. Sports Business Journal reported this week that Facebook is looking for a top-level executive to negotiate sports rights. That person would have a budget of “a few billion dollars.”
Hulu has partnered with NBA teams to let fans watching on the company’s streaming platform show up on the big screen at games.
What to watch this weekend: As noted above, the MLS Cup is at 1 p.m. on ESPN this Saturday … Army at Navy at noon Saturday is the only college football action … Seahawks at Jaguars or Eagles at Rams, both at 1:25 p.m.on FOX, are the best NFL matchups.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-s-forgotten-soccer-champions-remembering-metros-croatia-on-the-eve-of-mls-final-1.4438551
Toronto's forgotten soccer champions? Remembering Metros-Croatia on the eve of MLS final
Robert Iarusci and Carmen Marcantonio remember their triumph as Metros-Croatia rookies 41 years ago
In fact, even when they had a lead in their NASL semi-final match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, none of the 35,000 people in Tampa's stadium thought Toronto would make it to the title game.
"They had a promotion going on over the loudspeaker during the game," Iarusci remembered, "that was going to enable three or four spectators to go to Seattle, where the final was going to be played ... because they assumed Tampa was going to beat Toronto Metros-Croatia."
When Toronto went up 2-0, stadium staff kept playing the advertisement, even with 10 minutes to go. Finally, Iarusci said, one Toronto player went to a member of the staff to tell them to stop playing the ad.
"By the way, do you realize that perhaps you're not going to win this game?" Iarusci remembers the player saying. "Stop giving people false hope."
The Metros-Croatia would shock the North American soccer world, as well as the city of Toronto with their 3-0 victory over Minnesota in the final. In fact, they shocked even themselves by beating the Rowdies and making it to the Soccer Bowl in Seattle in the first place.
"And so we went to Seattle, Iarusci remembered. "We never even thought we were going to go. We didn't have a change of clothes ... And then we won handily, 3-0, with Eusebio scoring a magnificent goal."
Finding a local owner to join Beckham's group was also crucial, Garber said.
"We've been working hard on trying to find a local owner for David Beckham. I feel confident that it will come together," he said. "I continue to say that we want Miami in the league.
As the internet meme goes: "wat"?
Isn't Marcelo Claure a local investor? They need more local investors for some reason, which they didn't need six months ago?
I thought the addition of Todd Boehly earlier this year solved all of Miami Beckham United's investor problems?
Now all of a sudden they need more, and local, investors?
Something here doesn't add up, but the reporters seem to be too clueless to ask obvious follow up questions about this.
Also, Garber indicates that some of the new expansion teams could jump ahead of Miami as Miami is obviously not going to be ready for 2019 or even 2020. No surprise there.
I really wish MLS would give up on Miami for now and choose the Tampa Bay Rowdies, instead, obviously; I hope they (and Beckham, too!) come to this realization soon and don't drag this Miami situation out for another two or three years.
Also, Garber indicates that some of the new expansion teams could jump ahead of Miami as Miami is obviously not going to be ready for 2019 or even 2020. No surprise there.
I really wish MLS would give up on Miami for now and choose the Tampa Bay Rowdies, instead, obviously; I hope they (and Beckham, too!) come to this realization soon and don't drag this Miami situation out for another two or three years.
https://sports.yahoo.com/garber-still-confident-mls-future-182942601.html
Garber still confident of MLS future in Miami
It’s been months since we’ve heard anything concrete regarding Major League Soccer’s return to Miami, but MLS commissioner Don Garber believes that David Beckham’s ownership group is closer to its goal of a soccer-specific stadium, paving the way for an expansion franchise.
In an interview with ESPN, Garber said that he was confident “something is coming together” regarding Miami’s MLS future and that the major issues over the proposed stadium and ownership group have been resolved.
“I’ve been saying all along we need a number of things to go forward with David Beckham and his option: a solid ownership group — one that hopefully could be very connected locally — and a finalized stadium plan,” Garber told ESPN. For many years now, we’ve not been able to close the loop on those two issues. I believe we are getting closer, and I believe we’ll have a team in Miami. Actually, I believe something is coming together rather soon.
“We had a meeting last August in which we presented an opportunity to the MLS Board of Governors, which they approved us pursuing, and we’re still trying to finalize the details of that.”
Just last week, Beckham’s ownership partner Tim Lieweke expressed doubts that the stadium come to fruition, with complaints from residents in the stadium neighborhood and a pending lawsuit from a local resident in the Miami area over a three-acre block of land that Miami-Dade County is selling to Beckham.
And with every month that passes, momentum for the ownership group and the potential franchise wanes, especially as folks still have hard feelings over how the former Miami Marlins ownership fleeced the city for their new stadium, only to put a poor product on the field.
So it remains to be seen how much longer Beckham, and MLS, is willing to wait for a stadium deal to formalize, before the league moves on to other cities who are vying for expansion franchises.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sports.yahoo.com/mls-confident-over-miami-team-garber-224241309--sow.html
MLS confident over Miami team: Garber
David Beckham heads a consortium hoping to launch a Miami Major League Soccer team, and has been battling to secure a site for a stadium despite local opposition (AFP Photo/Alexia Fodere)
Los Angeles (AFP) - Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said Friday the league remained determined to launch a team in Miami but acknowledged the task had been the toughest challenge of his 18-year reign.
Garber told reporters on the eve of Saturday's MLS Cup final in Toronto that he was confident the long-awaited arrival of an MLS team in the Florida metropolis would happen eventually.
English football icon David Beckham heads a consortium hoping to launch a Miami team, and has been battling to secure a site for a stadium despite local opposition.
The group inched towards its goal earlier this year after securing a land deal for a proposed stadium project.
"It is the most complicated situation in any market that we've experienced at least in my 18 years," Garber told reporters, citing Miami's fast-changing real-estate environment and local political structure.
Finding a local owner to join Beckham's group was also crucial, Garber said.
"We've been working hard on trying to find a local owner for David Beckham. I feel confident that it will come together," he said. "I continue to say that we want Miami in the league.
"It's a large market, it's a gateway city, there are a lot of values to having a team down there. I remain confident we will get something done."
Miami is currently slated to be the 24th MLS team following the launch in 2018 of Los Angeles Football Club, the 23rd team.
MLS chiefs will announce the 25th and 26th expansion teams before the end of the year from a shortlist of four candidates -- Detroit, Cincinnati, Nashville and Sacramento.
However Garber admitted it was possible that one of the two new expansion franchises chosen this month could be bumped up the pecking order and take Miami's place as the 24th team.
"It's conceivable. It's conceivable that could happen," Garber said.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://nationalpost.com/pmn/sports-pmn/columbus-future-front-and-centre-in-commissioners-state-of-the-league-address
Columbus future front and centre in commissioner's state of the league address
Los Angeles FC will become the league’s 23rd team next season. Miami is also guaranteed a spot with the league currently entertaining applications from Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville and Sacramento for the next two teams. An upcoming league board meeting will decide the matter.
Garber said Miami may fall down the pecking order of new clubs entering the league because of issues with a stadium site and the search for local ownership to join David Beckham in the venture.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-usa-garber/soccer-garber-quizzed-on-plodding-progress-of-beckham-franchise-idUSKBN1E22VB
Soccer: Garber quizzed on plodding progress of Beckham franchise
The original timeline has long had Miami penciled in as the league’s 24th club but Garber conceded on Friday that one of the two franchises from Detroit, Cincinnati, Sacramento and Nashville being looked at for expansion could step to the front of the line.
”It’s conceivable that could happen,“ said Garber, ahead of Saturday’s MLS Cup final between Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders. ”This is the most complicated situation in any market we have experienced at least in my 18 years.
”Part of it has been complicated by the Miami market, generally it is a difficult sports market. The second part of that is that it is one of the fastest growing value markets as leads to their real estate.
“Third it is their political structure, there is a variety of different mayors all for the same space.”
The major stumbling block for Miami Beckham United, the team’s working title, has been finding financing and land for a stadium.
After failed attempts to secure land in the downtown waterfront area the Beckham group settled on the Overtown neighborhood of Miami as the site for a 25,000-seat soccer specific stadium.
In June the Beckham group acquired a parcel of land needed for their project and Garber said on Friday that the proposed franchise had cleared another hurdle when an appeal that could have blocked progress was turned down.
Dec 8, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; MLS commissioner Don Garber speaks during a state of the league address at Westin Harbour Castle. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
“We’ve needed to get a finalization of the land, the lawsuit on that land was just settled when the appeal was turned down last week and we have been working hard to try to find a local owner for David Beckham,” said Garber.
According to Forbes the average price of a MLS franchise is currently set at $225 million.
Beckham, however, is getting a major discount.
As part of the blockbuster deal that lured Beckham from Europe to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 the league gave the option to purchase a franchise for $25 million.
“I feel confident that it will come together,” said Garber. “I continue to say we want Miami in the league, it is a large market, a gateway city there is a lot of value to us having a team down there and I am confident we will get something done.”
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/mls-state-of-the-league-don-garber-offers-updates-on/ta0t0lm4oe701ph7oo346lh31
MLS State of the League: Garber on Columbus relocation talks, Beckham's Miami bid and more
Garber 'confident' in Beckham's Miami team
Garber also discussed David Beckham's long-gestating expansion bid in Miami, expressing confidence that the proposed club will find an additional local owner and clear a path to building a soccer-specific stadium.
MLS tentatively announced Miami as an expansion side in 2014, with the franchise to be confirmed upon finalizing stadium plans. Although Garber offered hope in August that a formal confirmation would come "perhaps by the end of the summer," the process was delayed by a lawsuit accusing Miami-Dade County of improperly selling land to Beckham's group. That lawsuit was dismissed in October, however, and Garber said Friday that the appeal was denied last week.
The commissioner did acknowledge that Miami — currently envisioned as the 24th MLS club, following Los Angeles FC's introduction as team No. 23 next year — could be pushed down the line. (MLS is set to announce two expansion teams later this month from finalists Sacramento, Nashville, Cincinnati and Detroit.)
But Garber believes the introduction of a South Florida-based owner should pave the road to finally getting Beckham's Miami side on the field.
"It is the most complicated in any market that we've experienced, at least in my 18 years," Garber said. "We've been working hard on trying to find a local owner for David Beckham. I feel confident that that will come together, so I continue to say that we want Miami in the league. It's a large market, a gateway city. There are a lot of values to us having a team down there and I'm very confident that we'll get something done."
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/12/08/mls-commissioner-don-garber-columbus-relocation-austin-expansion-tam
Garber Clarifies MLS Position on Columbus, Says Expansion Bids Could Leap Miami
Miami—As the MLS board of governors is scheduled to meet Dec. 14 to discuss which two cities from among Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville and Sacramento to add as expansion markets, David Beckham’s project in Miami has dragged deep into its fourth year.
Garber confirmed Friday that it was “conceivable” that one or more of the new entrants—long identified as teams Nos. 25-26 (to be named in December and begin play in 2020) and Nos. 27-28 (to be named next year or after) could jump ahead of Miami, which has been considered team No. 24.
“It is the most complicated situation in any market that we’ve experienced,” Garber said, citing real estate prices, politics and other issues. He also mentioned the need for a “local owner." Beckham and his partners, Marcelo Claure and Tim Leiweke, finally recruited majority investor Todd Boehly in the spring. He’s based in Los Angeles.
“We’ve seen that at least in the success of some Miami teams, having a local owner has been one of the factors,” Garber said. “We’ve been working hard on trying to find a local owner for David Beckham. I feel confident that that will come together. I continue to say that we want Miami in the league … there are a lot of values to us having a team down there, and I remain confident that we’ll get something done.”
It’s still expected that MLS will name only two expansion teams this month.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/garber-quizzed-on-plodding-progress-of-beckham-franchise
Garber quizzed on plodding progress of Beckham franchise
TORONTO (Reuters) - Ever since David Beckham ended his playing career in 2013 it has become a Major League Soccer tradition that commissioner Don Garber is asked during his annual state of the league address about the former-England captain's effort to bring a franchise to Miami.
With the league pushing ahead with expansion plans and set to decide on two new franchises at meetings in New York next week, Garber was again quizzed on Friday about the status of a team, which seems no closer to taking the pitch than it was nearly four years ago when he began the pursuit.
This season Atlanta and Minnesota joined MLS and next year LAFC will become the league's 23rd franchise.
The original timeline has long had Miami pencilled in as the league's 24th club but Garber conceded on Friday that one of the two franchises from Detroit, Cincinnati, Sacramento and Nashville being looked at for expansion could step to the front of the line.
"It's conceivable that could happen," said Garber, ahead of Saturday's MLS Cup final between Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders. "This is the most complicated situation in any market we have experienced at least in my 18 years.
"Part of it has been complicated by the Miami market, generally it is a difficult sports market. The second part of that is that it is one of the fastest growing value markets as leads to their real estate.
"Third it is their political structure, there is a variety of different mayors all for the same space."
The major stumbling block for Miami Beckham United, the team’s working title, has been finding financing and land for a stadium.
After failed attempts to secure land in the downtown waterfront area the Beckham group settled on the Overtown neighbourhood of Miami as the site for a 25,000-seat soccer specific stadium.
In June the Beckham group acquired a parcel of land needed for their project and Garber said on Friday that the proposed franchise had cleared another hurdle when an appeal that could have blocked progress was turned down.
"We've needed to get a finalisation of the land, the lawsuit on that land was just settled when the appeal was turned down last week and we have been working hard to try to find a local owner for David Beckham," said Garber.
According to Forbes the average price of a MLS franchise is currently set at $225 million.
Beckham, however, is getting a major discount.
As part of the blockbuster deal that lured Beckham from Europe to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 the league gave the option to purchase a franchise for $25 million.
"I feel confident that it will come together," said Garber. "I continue to say we want Miami in the league, it is a large market, a gateway city there is a lot of value to us having a team down there and I am confident we will get something done."
(Follow link for full article.)
http://gulftoday.ae/portal/edf7c22d-f8be-4710-836f-b5314a628fa5.aspx
MLS confident over Miami team, says Garber
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sacbee.com/sports/mls/article188868954.html
Garber talks MLS expansion, relocation in annual address
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.themaneland.com/2017/12/9/16754844/lion-links-12-9-17
Lion Links: 12/9/17
Garber’s State of the League address, Coxy and H find new teams, Hope Solo for president, and more.
About Miami, Garber said:
"We've been working hard on trying to find a local owner for David Beckham. I feel confident that that will come together, so I continue to say that we want Miami in the league.”
This is an interesting new twist in what Garber has said about Miami in the past. It did not go unnoticed.
MLS issues in Miami have always been focused on securing land for stadium, land free and clear of lawsuits. Now, Don Garber says issue is finding local owner.
— Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) December 8, 2017
So in a matter of hours Don Garber has gone from telling me that moving Miami out of spot No. 24 is "not being contemplated" to being "conceivable" at his State of the League address. Okay then.
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) December 8, 2017
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.espn.com/soccer/major-league-soccer/story/3302176/garber-beckhams-miami-franchise-coming-together-rather-soon
Garber: Beckham's Miami franchise 'coming together rather soon'
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.euronews.com/2017/12/09/garber-quizzed-on-plodding-progress-of-beckham-franchise
Garber quizzed on plodding progress of Beckham franchise
(Follow link for full article.)
https://worldsoccertalk.com/2017/12/08/mls-confident-over-miami-team-garber/
MLS confident over Miami team: Garber
(Follow link for full article.)
https://soundcloud.com/meninblazers/men-in-blazers-120717-don-garber-pod-special
Men in Blazers 12/07/17: MLS Pod Special With Don Garber
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/08/mls-commissioner-don-garber-joins-men-blazers-podcast-special
MLS Commissioner Don Garber joins Men in Blazers for podcast special
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mls/article188885759.html
Don’t give up hope, Miami. MLS commissioner “confident” Beckham deal will get done
Hey, South Florida soccer fans: Don’t give up hope just yet on David Beckham’s seemingly-endless quest to bring Major League Soccer to Miami.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in his State of the League address on Friday that he remains “confident” they will work out a deal and he believes a yet-to-be-named local owner would help resolve the challenges the group has faced since Beckham first proposed the team in February 2104.
“It is the most complicated situation in any market that we’ve experienced, at least in my 18 years,” Garber began. “Part of it has been complicated by the Miami market generally. It’s a difficult sports market. The second part of that is that it’s one of the fastest-growing value markets as it relates to their real estate. Third is the political structure. There’s a variety of different mayors all for the same space.
“And, part of it is we ‘ve needed a local owner because we’ve seen that in at least in the success of some of those Miami teams, having a local owner has been one of the factors. So, we’ve needed to get finalization of the land. The lawsuit on that land, the appeal was turned down last week. We’ve been working hard to find a local owner for David Beckham. I feel comfortable that will come together.”
Garber concluded by affirming that MLS has not given up on the idea of a Miami team.
“I continue to say we want Miami in the league,” Garber said. “It’s a large market. It’s a gateway city. There are a lot of values to us having a team down there and I remain confident we’ll get something done.”
Last week, Beckham’s partner and chief negotiator Tim Leiweke sounded pessimistic about the deal in an interview with the Toronto Sun. He said: “I have my fears as to whether it’s going to get done, because things like this drag on this long that’s always tough on a process. But for David I hope he lands somewhere.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.geekwire.com/2017/nhl-seattle-microsofts-new-cricket-grounds-mls-cup-predictions-week-sports-tech/
NHL to Seattle; Microsoft’s new cricket grounds; MLS Cup predictions; and more from the week in sports tech
Leading the Key Arena development is Oak View Group, a Los Angeles-based organization headed up by Tim Leiweke, a sports industry veteran who has experience building new arenas across the globe.
Leiweke spoke at the GeekWire Sports Tech Summit this summer in Seattle and talked about his vision for the redeveloped Key Arena, in particular for how technology will play a role. He addressed various topics ranging from transportation; security, esports; Amazon; and Seattle’s technology industry boom.
I’m especially interested to see how OVG and Leiweke work with Amazon, particularly with Key Arena as a music concert destination. Back in March, I sat down with Leiweke and he raved about Amazon’s new cashier-less grocery shopping concept, noting how it could be implemented in Key Arena.
And here’s this from longtime Seattle sports columnist Art Thiel this week, who noted that Leiweke “has been quite public in his ardor for Amazon”:
Amazon abruptly has become a global leader in consumer entertainment. Leiweke aspires to have OVG supplant his hated former boss, Philip Anschutz of Anschutz Entertainment Group, as one of the world’s largest entertainment presenters. So it becomes easier to understand why Leiweke is willing, in a building he will not own, to gamble hundreds of millions of dollars, including covering all cost overruns on the Key renovation, to create a concerts-first venue: It’s a neighbor to the world headquarters of the retail/entertainment colossus.
Along with his equity partner in the Key remodel, concert promoter Live Nation, Leiweke’s OVG needs to win Seattle, the next big marketplace opportunity, to win the bigger turf war with rival AEG.
This marks the latest chapter in a decade-long saga that started after the Sonics departed to Oklahoma City nearly a decade ago. Numerous high-powered groups and individuals have been involved in the process of building a potential new stadium in Seattle, including former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who was part of a ownership group that nearly brought the NBA back to Seattle in 2013.
Highlights from the week in sports tech
Microsoft is building a cricket field on its redeveloped campus in Redmond, Wash.
The Seattle Sounders are in Toronto for an MLS Cup rematch at 1 p.m. PT Saturday on ESPN. I caught up with former Sounders star Roger Levesque, who predicts a 2-0 win for Seattle. EA Sports’ FIFA simulation disagrees.
2018 is shaping up to be quite the year for sports streaming rights. A new report predicts that Amazon will be a live sports powerhouse as soon as next year. Sports Business Journal reported this week that Facebook is looking for a top-level executive to negotiate sports rights. That person would have a budget of “a few billion dollars.”
Hulu has partnered with NBA teams to let fans watching on the company’s streaming platform show up on the big screen at games.
What to watch this weekend: As noted above, the MLS Cup is at 1 p.m. on ESPN this Saturday … Army at Navy at noon Saturday is the only college football action … Seahawks at Jaguars or Eagles at Rams, both at 1:25 p.m.on FOX, are the best NFL matchups.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-s-forgotten-soccer-champions-remembering-metros-croatia-on-the-eve-of-mls-final-1.4438551
Toronto's forgotten soccer champions? Remembering Metros-Croatia on the eve of MLS final
Robert Iarusci and Carmen Marcantonio remember their triumph as Metros-Croatia rookies 41 years ago
In fact, even when they had a lead in their NASL semi-final match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, none of the 35,000 people in Tampa's stadium thought Toronto would make it to the title game.
"They had a promotion going on over the loudspeaker during the game," Iarusci remembered, "that was going to enable three or four spectators to go to Seattle, where the final was going to be played ... because they assumed Tampa was going to beat Toronto Metros-Croatia."
When Toronto went up 2-0, stadium staff kept playing the advertisement, even with 10 minutes to go. Finally, Iarusci said, one Toronto player went to a member of the staff to tell them to stop playing the ad.
"By the way, do you realize that perhaps you're not going to win this game?" Iarusci remembers the player saying. "Stop giving people false hope."
The Metros-Croatia would shock the North American soccer world, as well as the city of Toronto with their 3-0 victory over Minnesota in the final. In fact, they shocked even themselves by beating the Rowdies and making it to the Soccer Bowl in Seattle in the first place.
"And so we went to Seattle, Iarusci remembered. "We never even thought we were going to go. We didn't have a change of clothes ... And then we won handily, 3-0, with Eusebio scoring a magnificent goal."
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Rob Stone from FOX Sports Talks 2018 World Cup Draw (Part 3)
(Follow link for full article.)
http://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2017/12/06/rob-stone-from-fox-sports-talks-2018-world-cup-draw-part-3/
Rob Stone from FOX Sports Talks 2018 World Cup Draw (Part 3)
I had seen it do very well in the youth system, I had obviously seen some university programs do well but on the professional level really outside of the old-school Tampa Bay Rowdies really kind of struggle. And it’s always hard to say Florida is in the south even though it’s more south than the Carolinas and Georgia and company but I had been tracking the Atlanta market for a long time. I used to work local television in Albany, Georgia. Atlanta always struck me as kind of this fair-weather sports town where you better be doing well or no one is really going to care, so when the Braves were hot back in the day man it was fantastic. I loved watching the games. And then when they dipped I was like ‘wow that brand new stadium seems awfully empty. Here come the Falcons and the Dirty Bird and when they dipped, there go the fans. You just hadn’t seen that popularity of the sport to that type of level to the south and I was not optimistic.
You mentioned the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Tell me about your love for the Rowdies.
ROB: My sports love on the professional side. I was born in Tampa but moved away at a very early age and when I first got involved in the sport of soccer my dad said to me ‘you need a team to follow’ and back then you didn’t follow EPL, you didn’t know what was going on in Germany and Italy. There wasn’t this lifeline to that and he said there was a team in my hometown. Tampa. The Tampa Bay Rowdies. And that just became my team. I loved the green and yellow, I had the fully kit, I loved Rodney Marsh, The Crown-Prince of soccer. I had a poster of him up on my bedroom wall. When I would go to school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina I wouldn’t sign my papers Rob Stone when I was in second grade, I signed them Rodney Stone. So that’s how much I loved Rodney Marsh and the teachers did not know what the hell was going on with young student Stone over there and I’m sure there were some parent teacher meetings where that came up and they had to properly explain why I had to sign my papers that way. But that’s how it started and it just never left.
I’m a Tar Heel at heart I’ll always cheer for North Carolina basketball. I’m a Rowdie at heart. I’ll always cheer for the success of the Tampa Bay Rowdies. But in my business, I don’t really allow myself too many options to be a fan. I’m just a fan of sports in general and a fan of the stories and you need to cover it in an even-keeled manner. People ask me ‘who is your favorite soccer team? Who is your favorite EPL team?’ I don’t really have one. I just love the game and I love watching and I love cheering for American success.
http://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2017/12/06/rob-stone-from-fox-sports-talks-2018-world-cup-draw-part-3/
Rob Stone from FOX Sports Talks 2018 World Cup Draw (Part 3)
I had seen it do very well in the youth system, I had obviously seen some university programs do well but on the professional level really outside of the old-school Tampa Bay Rowdies really kind of struggle. And it’s always hard to say Florida is in the south even though it’s more south than the Carolinas and Georgia and company but I had been tracking the Atlanta market for a long time. I used to work local television in Albany, Georgia. Atlanta always struck me as kind of this fair-weather sports town where you better be doing well or no one is really going to care, so when the Braves were hot back in the day man it was fantastic. I loved watching the games. And then when they dipped I was like ‘wow that brand new stadium seems awfully empty. Here come the Falcons and the Dirty Bird and when they dipped, there go the fans. You just hadn’t seen that popularity of the sport to that type of level to the south and I was not optimistic.
You mentioned the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Tell me about your love for the Rowdies.
ROB: My sports love on the professional side. I was born in Tampa but moved away at a very early age and when I first got involved in the sport of soccer my dad said to me ‘you need a team to follow’ and back then you didn’t follow EPL, you didn’t know what was going on in Germany and Italy. There wasn’t this lifeline to that and he said there was a team in my hometown. Tampa. The Tampa Bay Rowdies. And that just became my team. I loved the green and yellow, I had the fully kit, I loved Rodney Marsh, The Crown-Prince of soccer. I had a poster of him up on my bedroom wall. When I would go to school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina I wouldn’t sign my papers Rob Stone when I was in second grade, I signed them Rodney Stone. So that’s how much I loved Rodney Marsh and the teachers did not know what the hell was going on with young student Stone over there and I’m sure there were some parent teacher meetings where that came up and they had to properly explain why I had to sign my papers that way. But that’s how it started and it just never left.
I’m a Tar Heel at heart I’ll always cheer for North Carolina basketball. I’m a Rowdie at heart. I’ll always cheer for the success of the Tampa Bay Rowdies. But in my business, I don’t really allow myself too many options to be a fan. I’m just a fan of sports in general and a fan of the stories and you need to cover it in an even-keeled manner. People ask me ‘who is your favorite soccer team? Who is your favorite EPL team?’ I don’t really have one. I just love the game and I love watching and I love cheering for American success.
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Handling rejection: What happens when MLS says 'no' to your expansion bid?
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/mls-expansion-race-rejection-implications
Handling rejection: What happens when MLS says 'no' to your expansion bid?
Four of the 12 finalists in the expansion race will become MLS teams. The implications for each, should it fail, vary greatly.
No shame in minor-league success
There may not be first-division soccer in Raleigh-Durham, Tampa Bay or Indianapolis in the immediate future – or maybe ever – and that’s OK. North Carolina FC, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Indy Eleven are among the stronger second-division clubs in the country. They’ve proven their markets will support the game, and even better, they’ve (mostly) got business models that continue to ensure their success.
When Steve Malik bought North Carolina FC – then known as the Carolina RailHawks – in 2015, he did so touting his goal to bring the organization into MLS. Shifting the club back to the USL in 2018 after eight seasons in the unstable NASL was a move in that direction. Not getting over the finish line will hurt his pride, but the club has developed a devoted core following in the Triangle, drawing in the 4,000-5,000 range for attendance at its soccer-specific venue, Sahlen’s Stadium.
Meanwhile, the Rowdies have also been a consistent hit at the gate, with attendance growing each year since the club was re-established in 2010 – it topped out at a record 5,894 in 2017. Owner Bill Edwards is deep-pocketed and pumps his own money into the team, including a proposed $28 million refurbing of Al Lang Stadium if Tampa Bay gets the MLS nod. If it doesn’t, he’ll go back to being a good tenant in St. Petersburg with a class organization. MLS could potentially come sniffing around the Tampa Bay area again – it is, after all, the 11th-largest media market in the country. But if David Beckham gets his Miami plans finalized (which is no sure thing), it’s hard to imagine the league putting a third team in Florida, especially with Orlando less than 90 miles away.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.blackandredunited.com/dc-united-offseason-2017-2018/2017/12/5/16737666/dc-united-malmo-ff-2018-mls-preseason
D.C. United to play Malmo FF in 2018 MLS preseason
In what is becoming an annual tradition, Malmo FF has announced that they will be playing D.C. United in a preseason game on February 8 at 2:30 PM Eastern. The teams have been playing in most preseasons since 2012, with both MLS and the Allsvensken being in their offseasons.
The release says that the game will take place at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, which is an hour away from Clearwater, Florida, which is what sources have told is us D.C. United’s home for all of preseason. The only exception to that is a trip to Las Vegas to take on Las Vegas Lights FC, in a trip that will no doubt help prepare the team for the long early-season road trip.
Soccer teams have been following in the footstep of baseball teams and have begun clustering their preseasons in Florida and Arizona. D.C. United has settled on Florida as their preseason home, and hopefully familiarity with the location will help get them into a rhythm going into the season. We are still awaiting news on whether or not the Tampa Bay Rowdies will host a Suncoast Invitational as they have the past two years, but a some kind of tournament seems likely.
If you’re looking for a trip in February, you could do a lot worse than Florida.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2017/12/05/fc-cincinnati-sign-veteran-forward-tommy-heinemann-2018
FC Cincinnati Sign Veteran Forward Tommy Heinemann for 2018
The former Tampa Bay Rowdies man is no stranger to performing under pressure. He scored a PK for the Deltas in the 2017 Soccer Bowl and scored for Charlotte in the 2010 USSF D2 Championship. Heinemann notched 12 goals in all competitions for San Francisco in 2017. That number is tied for his ...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7LDVS0QZag
Section Spotlight: General Admission
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Dec 5, 2017
Want to chant with Ralph's Mob the entire 90 minutes? Then general admission is the place to be! Secure your GA season seats today by calling 727-222-2000 or by visiting http://tinyurl.com/TBRSTM18 .
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26vAPIkCTnU
St. Pete Site - Amazon HQ2
St. Petersburg, FL
Published on Dec 5, 2017
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2017/12/05/detroits-mls-expansion-bid-gores-gilbert-ford/922442001/
Detroit's MLS expansion bid may hinge on Wednesday presentation in NYC
(Follow link for full article.)
http://worldsoccertalk.com/2017/12/05/rocco-commisso-speaks-steve-malik-ussf/
Rocco Commisso speaks out about Steve Malik and USSF
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/12/05/kathy-carter-us-soccer-president-election-sunil-gulati-don-garber-sum
Kathy Carter Denies Being Gulati, Garber's Strategic Pick for U.S. Soccer President
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2017/12/05/nashville-mls-group-make-final-pitch-new-york-what-you-need-know/923103001/
Nashville MLS group to make final pitch in New York: What you need to know
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.massivereport.com/2017/12/5/16738350/mls-has-had-an-official-lobbyist-in-austin-since-at-least-august-7-2017-columbus-crew-sc-precourt
MLS has had an official lobbyist in Austin since at least August 7, 2017
A recently released letter suggests that MLS has been actively pursuing an Austin franchise since the summer.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article188224514.html
Sacramento makes its pitch for a Major League Soccer team against three other cities
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/12/05/jlab-audio-named-official-audio-partner-la-galaxy
JLab Audio named official audio partner of the LA Galaxy
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/cincinnati-set-make-final-expansion-pitch-mls/i5a1oGkV7zeQ5lYXOa3oEL/
FC Cincinnati set to make final expansion pitch to MLS
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sports.yahoo.com/stadium-emerges-austin-possible-mls-144051891.html
Stadium site emerges in Austin for possible MLS franchise
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.kentucky.com/sports/article188086474.html
Soccer exec Kathy Carter announces bid as USSF president
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.menafn.com/1096186459/JLab-Audio-Named-Official-Audio-Partner-Of-Major-League-Soccer
JLab Audio Named Official Audio Partner Of Major League Soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
http://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2017/12/05/fc-cincinnatis-case-for-mls-rivalries
FC Cincinnati’s Case for MLS: Rivalries
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/sports/soccer/kathy-carter-us-soccer-election.html
Kathy Carter Joins a Crowded Race for U.S. Soccer President
(Follow link for full article.)
https://ussoccerplayers.com/2017/12/seattle-sounders-nhl-expansion-team-sports-market.html
What if Seattle gets a hockey team?
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/284900/the-business-of-major-league-soccer-ahead-of-mls-cup
The Business of Major League Soccer Ahead of MLS Cup
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sports.yahoo.com/sums-kathy-carter-will-run-u-s-soccer-presidency-153728290.html
Soccer United Marketing's Kathy Carter will run for U.S. Soccer president
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.dealerscope.com/article/jlab-audio-named-official-audio-partner-major-league-soccer/
JLab Audio Named Official Audio Partner of Major League Soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.goal.com/en/news/sum-president-kathy-carter-announces-us-soccer-candidacy/13vpw0l4wmvu510ymp3rfj5qk7
SUM president Kathy Carter announces U.S. Soccer candidacy
(Follow link for full article.)
http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/12/05/stadium-site-emerges-in-austin-for-possible-mls-franchise/
Stadium site emerges in Austin for possible MLS franchise
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jlab-audio-named-official-audio-partner-of-major-league-soccer-300565542.html
JLab Audio Named Official Audio Partner Of Major League Soccer
Multi-year partnership brings amazing audio to the player and fan experience
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/soccer-exec-kathy-carter-announces-bid-as-ussf-president-120517
Soccer exec Kathy Carter announces bid as USSF president
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.kentucky.com/sports/article188086474.html
Soccer exec Kathy Carter announces bid as USSF president
(Follow link for full article.)
http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/12/05/kathy-carter-announces-she-will-run-for-us-soccer-president/
Kathy Carter announces she will run for US Soccer president
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/12/05/u-s-soccer-will-have-a-new-president-but-sunil-gulati-isnt-going-to-disappear/?utm_term=.7f284e126ee2
U.S. Soccer will have a new president, but Sunil Gulati isn’t going to disappear
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics-extra/2017/12/05/px-why-didnt-major-league-soccer-make-exception-fc-cincinnati/920904001/
PX: Why didn't Major League Soccer make an exception for FC Cincinnati?
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-republic-fc-makes-pitch-in-nyc-for-mls-team/14109601
Sacramento Republic FC makes pitch in NYC for MLS team
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.mesquite-news.com/local-soccer-fans-cry-foul/
Local soccer fans cry ‘Foul!’
San Antonio’s dream of a Major League Soccer team could be shattered by a potential relocation to Austin.
In early October, Sports Illustrated broke the news that Anthony Precourt, owner of the Columbus Crew SC, announced intentions to move the team to Austin, Texas.
This potential move would have an obvious impact on San Antonio’s chances of getting an MLS expansion team. Many local soccer fans were not too happy about this move by MLS and Precourt.
Benji Mendoza, owner and operator of Soy San Antonio Futbol, has been a supporter of soccer for 15 years. Mendoza believes it is unfair to the city of San Antonio to lose out on a franchise to Austin.
“[The city] tried to attract a team to San Antonio,” Mendoza said. “Unfortunately, the way politics and favoritism is working right now with the commissioner of MLS and ownership [of Columbus], I think the true color of basic business is being shown.”
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sacbee.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/ailene-voisin/article188261629.html
Why does Republic FC belong in Major League Soccer? This was love at first kick
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/75971/mls-expansion-the-four-sales-pitches-and-quest.html
MLS Expansion: The four sales pitches -- and questions that will be asked
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.oaoa.com/news/us_news/article_7289bb6f-62ae-55ed-8500-ba0c05ed78e1.html
BC-SOC--USSF President-Carter, 3rd Ld-Writethru,503
Soccer exec Kathy Carter announces bid as USSF president
Eds: Updates.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbymcmahon/2017/12/06/a-big-day-for-cincinnati-detroit-nashville-and-sacramento-as-they-vie-for-two-mls-expansion-teams/
A Big Day For Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, and Sacramento As They Vie For Two MLS Expansion Teams
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states/story/3297955/kathy-carter-running-for-united-states-soccer-federation-presidency?src=com
SUM's Kathy Carter announces candidacy for U.S. Soccer president
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/05/mls-cup-jerseys-throughout-years-visual-history
MLS Cup jerseys throughout the years: a visual history
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/mls-expansion-race-rejection-implications
Handling rejection: What happens when MLS says 'no' to your expansion bid?
Four of the 12 finalists in the expansion race will become MLS teams. The implications for each, should it fail, vary greatly.
No shame in minor-league success
There may not be first-division soccer in Raleigh-Durham, Tampa Bay or Indianapolis in the immediate future – or maybe ever – and that’s OK. North Carolina FC, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Indy Eleven are among the stronger second-division clubs in the country. They’ve proven their markets will support the game, and even better, they’ve (mostly) got business models that continue to ensure their success.
When Steve Malik bought North Carolina FC – then known as the Carolina RailHawks – in 2015, he did so touting his goal to bring the organization into MLS. Shifting the club back to the USL in 2018 after eight seasons in the unstable NASL was a move in that direction. Not getting over the finish line will hurt his pride, but the club has developed a devoted core following in the Triangle, drawing in the 4,000-5,000 range for attendance at its soccer-specific venue, Sahlen’s Stadium.
Meanwhile, the Rowdies have also been a consistent hit at the gate, with attendance growing each year since the club was re-established in 2010 – it topped out at a record 5,894 in 2017. Owner Bill Edwards is deep-pocketed and pumps his own money into the team, including a proposed $28 million refurbing of Al Lang Stadium if Tampa Bay gets the MLS nod. If it doesn’t, he’ll go back to being a good tenant in St. Petersburg with a class organization. MLS could potentially come sniffing around the Tampa Bay area again – it is, after all, the 11th-largest media market in the country. But if David Beckham gets his Miami plans finalized (which is no sure thing), it’s hard to imagine the league putting a third team in Florida, especially with Orlando less than 90 miles away.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.blackandredunited.com/dc-united-offseason-2017-2018/2017/12/5/16737666/dc-united-malmo-ff-2018-mls-preseason
D.C. United to play Malmo FF in 2018 MLS preseason
In what is becoming an annual tradition, Malmo FF has announced that they will be playing D.C. United in a preseason game on February 8 at 2:30 PM Eastern. The teams have been playing in most preseasons since 2012, with both MLS and the Allsvensken being in their offseasons.
The release says that the game will take place at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, which is an hour away from Clearwater, Florida, which is what sources have told is us D.C. United’s home for all of preseason. The only exception to that is a trip to Las Vegas to take on Las Vegas Lights FC, in a trip that will no doubt help prepare the team for the long early-season road trip.
Soccer teams have been following in the footstep of baseball teams and have begun clustering their preseasons in Florida and Arizona. D.C. United has settled on Florida as their preseason home, and hopefully familiarity with the location will help get them into a rhythm going into the season. We are still awaiting news on whether or not the Tampa Bay Rowdies will host a Suncoast Invitational as they have the past two years, but a some kind of tournament seems likely.
If you’re looking for a trip in February, you could do a lot worse than Florida.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2017/12/05/fc-cincinnati-sign-veteran-forward-tommy-heinemann-2018
FC Cincinnati Sign Veteran Forward Tommy Heinemann for 2018
The former Tampa Bay Rowdies man is no stranger to performing under pressure. He scored a PK for the Deltas in the 2017 Soccer Bowl and scored for Charlotte in the 2010 USSF D2 Championship. Heinemann notched 12 goals in all competitions for San Francisco in 2017. That number is tied for his ...
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7LDVS0QZag
Section Spotlight: General Admission
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Dec 5, 2017
Want to chant with Ralph's Mob the entire 90 minutes? Then general admission is the place to be! Secure your GA season seats today by calling 727-222-2000 or by visiting http://tinyurl.com/TBRSTM18 .
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26vAPIkCTnU
St. Pete Site - Amazon HQ2
St. Petersburg, FL
Published on Dec 5, 2017
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https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2017/12/05/detroits-mls-expansion-bid-gores-gilbert-ford/922442001/
Detroit's MLS expansion bid may hinge on Wednesday presentation in NYC
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http://worldsoccertalk.com/2017/12/05/rocco-commisso-speaks-steve-malik-ussf/
Rocco Commisso speaks out about Steve Malik and USSF
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/12/05/kathy-carter-us-soccer-president-election-sunil-gulati-don-garber-sum
Kathy Carter Denies Being Gulati, Garber's Strategic Pick for U.S. Soccer President
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2017/12/05/nashville-mls-group-make-final-pitch-new-york-what-you-need-know/923103001/
Nashville MLS group to make final pitch in New York: What you need to know
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https://www.massivereport.com/2017/12/5/16738350/mls-has-had-an-official-lobbyist-in-austin-since-at-least-august-7-2017-columbus-crew-sc-precourt
MLS has had an official lobbyist in Austin since at least August 7, 2017
A recently released letter suggests that MLS has been actively pursuing an Austin franchise since the summer.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article188224514.html
Sacramento makes its pitch for a Major League Soccer team against three other cities
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/12/05/jlab-audio-named-official-audio-partner-la-galaxy
JLab Audio named official audio partner of the LA Galaxy
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/cincinnati-set-make-final-expansion-pitch-mls/i5a1oGkV7zeQ5lYXOa3oEL/
FC Cincinnati set to make final expansion pitch to MLS
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sports.yahoo.com/stadium-emerges-austin-possible-mls-144051891.html
Stadium site emerges in Austin for possible MLS franchise
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.kentucky.com/sports/article188086474.html
Soccer exec Kathy Carter announces bid as USSF president
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.menafn.com/1096186459/JLab-Audio-Named-Official-Audio-Partner-Of-Major-League-Soccer
JLab Audio Named Official Audio Partner Of Major League Soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
http://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2017/12/05/fc-cincinnatis-case-for-mls-rivalries
FC Cincinnati’s Case for MLS: Rivalries
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/sports/soccer/kathy-carter-us-soccer-election.html
Kathy Carter Joins a Crowded Race for U.S. Soccer President
(Follow link for full article.)
https://ussoccerplayers.com/2017/12/seattle-sounders-nhl-expansion-team-sports-market.html
What if Seattle gets a hockey team?
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/284900/the-business-of-major-league-soccer-ahead-of-mls-cup
The Business of Major League Soccer Ahead of MLS Cup
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sports.yahoo.com/sums-kathy-carter-will-run-u-s-soccer-presidency-153728290.html
Soccer United Marketing's Kathy Carter will run for U.S. Soccer president
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.dealerscope.com/article/jlab-audio-named-official-audio-partner-major-league-soccer/
JLab Audio Named Official Audio Partner of Major League Soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.goal.com/en/news/sum-president-kathy-carter-announces-us-soccer-candidacy/13vpw0l4wmvu510ymp3rfj5qk7
SUM president Kathy Carter announces U.S. Soccer candidacy
(Follow link for full article.)
http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/12/05/stadium-site-emerges-in-austin-for-possible-mls-franchise/
Stadium site emerges in Austin for possible MLS franchise
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jlab-audio-named-official-audio-partner-of-major-league-soccer-300565542.html
JLab Audio Named Official Audio Partner Of Major League Soccer
Multi-year partnership brings amazing audio to the player and fan experience
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/soccer-exec-kathy-carter-announces-bid-as-ussf-president-120517
Soccer exec Kathy Carter announces bid as USSF president
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.kentucky.com/sports/article188086474.html
Soccer exec Kathy Carter announces bid as USSF president
(Follow link for full article.)
http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/12/05/kathy-carter-announces-she-will-run-for-us-soccer-president/
Kathy Carter announces she will run for US Soccer president
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/12/05/u-s-soccer-will-have-a-new-president-but-sunil-gulati-isnt-going-to-disappear/?utm_term=.7f284e126ee2
U.S. Soccer will have a new president, but Sunil Gulati isn’t going to disappear
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https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics-extra/2017/12/05/px-why-didnt-major-league-soccer-make-exception-fc-cincinnati/920904001/
PX: Why didn't Major League Soccer make an exception for FC Cincinnati?
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http://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-republic-fc-makes-pitch-in-nyc-for-mls-team/14109601
Sacramento Republic FC makes pitch in NYC for MLS team
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http://www.mesquite-news.com/local-soccer-fans-cry-foul/
Local soccer fans cry ‘Foul!’
San Antonio’s dream of a Major League Soccer team could be shattered by a potential relocation to Austin.
In early October, Sports Illustrated broke the news that Anthony Precourt, owner of the Columbus Crew SC, announced intentions to move the team to Austin, Texas.
This potential move would have an obvious impact on San Antonio’s chances of getting an MLS expansion team. Many local soccer fans were not too happy about this move by MLS and Precourt.
Benji Mendoza, owner and operator of Soy San Antonio Futbol, has been a supporter of soccer for 15 years. Mendoza believes it is unfair to the city of San Antonio to lose out on a franchise to Austin.
“[The city] tried to attract a team to San Antonio,” Mendoza said. “Unfortunately, the way politics and favoritism is working right now with the commissioner of MLS and ownership [of Columbus], I think the true color of basic business is being shown.”
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sacbee.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/ailene-voisin/article188261629.html
Why does Republic FC belong in Major League Soccer? This was love at first kick
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https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/75971/mls-expansion-the-four-sales-pitches-and-quest.html
MLS Expansion: The four sales pitches -- and questions that will be asked
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http://www.oaoa.com/news/us_news/article_7289bb6f-62ae-55ed-8500-ba0c05ed78e1.html
BC-SOC--USSF President-Carter, 3rd Ld-Writethru,503
Soccer exec Kathy Carter announces bid as USSF president
Eds: Updates.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobbymcmahon/2017/12/06/a-big-day-for-cincinnati-detroit-nashville-and-sacramento-as-they-vie-for-two-mls-expansion-teams/
A Big Day For Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, and Sacramento As They Vie For Two MLS Expansion Teams
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http://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states/story/3297955/kathy-carter-running-for-united-states-soccer-federation-presidency?src=com
SUM's Kathy Carter announces candidacy for U.S. Soccer president
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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/05/mls-cup-jerseys-throughout-years-visual-history
MLS Cup jerseys throughout the years: a visual history
Monday, December 4, 2017
Four Cities, Two Spots: Who Would You Like to See Added to MLS?
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https://www.burgundywave.com/2017/12/4/16732312/four-cities-two-spots-who-would-you-like-to-see-added-to-mls-expansion-teams
Four Cities, Two Spots: Who Would You Like to See Added to MLS?
Who will be the next two expansion teams?q
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2017/12/04/metro-asks-judge-dismiss-lawsuit-seeks-stop-nashville-mls-stadium-plans/918974001/
Metro seeks dismissal of lawsuit aimed at stopping Nashville MLS stadium plans
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/12/04/mls-deferral-on-sas-expansion-bid-gives-austin.html
MLS deferral on SA's expansion bid gives Austin more time to cut in line
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2017/12/04/downtown-austin-park-emerges-as-frontrunner-for.html
Downtown Austin park emerges as frontrunner for pro soccer stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/major-league-soccer-and-la-galaxy-partner-with-jlab-audio
Major League Soccer and LA Galaxy partner with JLab Audio
Headphone and speaker brand becomes league's first audio partner.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/toronto-fc-seattle-sounders-mls-cup-rematch-money-ambition-evolution
All that money can buy: MLS Cup rematch underscores league’s evolution toward wealth, ambition
Seattle-Toronto Part 2 is another telling sign of Major League Soccer's evolution. Spend or be left behind.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2017/12/04/fc-cincinnatis-case-for-mls-fan-base
FC Cincinnati’s Case for MLS: Fan base
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/04/jlab-audio-named-official-audio-partner-major-league-soccer-0
JLab Audio named official audio partner of Major League Soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.columbiachronicle.com/metro/article_6ea0791a-d70b-11e7-ad49-1b78c637f69a.html
Soccer stadium could score goal in North Side
With a new United Soccer League stadium scheduled to arrive on Chicago’s North Side in 2020, fans and urban planning experts are still unsure it can survive.
The USL is a minor league of teams below Major League Soccer. The stadium is being developed by Sterling Bay, a Chicago real estate company, which will also own the stadium’s team; however, the company still does not have a team for the location. The stadium will have 20,000 seats and a retractable roof for year-round events.
The stadium is part of the 70-acre Lincoln Yards development project and has been linked to Chicago’s bid to house Amazon’s second headquarters.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2017/12/04/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/MLS-finance.aspx
League flexes muscles in securing $425M loan
By Daniel Kaplan, Staff Writer
Published December 4, 2017, Page 5
Major League Soccer borrowed $425 million from a consortium of banks led by JP-Morgan and Bank of America, underscoring the quickly changing financial fortunes of the soccer league as it prepares to award lucrative expansion franchises. MLS confirmed the loan, though not the amount, whi...
(Follow link for full article.)
http://thecomeback.com/soccer/sum-president-kathy-carter-looking-run-ussf-president-will-face-many-challenges.html
SUM President Kathy Carter “exploring” run for US Soccer President, will face many challenges
Kathy Carter is reportedly is at a "95 percent" chance of running for US Soccer President.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/12/04/path-to-2019-womens-world-cup-will-begin-at-home-for-u-s-team/?utm_term=.d1eea2d28ad3
Path to 2019 Women’s World Cup will begin at home for U.S. team
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2017/12/4/16734026/usa-host-2018-concacaf-womens-world-cup-qualifying
USA will host Women’s World Cup qualifying
(Follow link for full article.)
https://nypost.com/2017/12/04/face-of-us-soccer-since-2006-wants-out/
Face of US Soccer since 2006 wants out
U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati will not seek a fourth term, announcing his decision two months after the Americans failed to qualify for next year’s World Cup.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.richmond.com/news/latest-news/ap/gulati-will-not-seek-th-term-as-us-soccer-president/article_90fcfd8f-6b5f-5945-982c-bed43f08e8eb.html
Gulati will not seek 4th term as US Soccer president
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/12/04/that-nutty-idea-of-a-world-cup-for-failed-countries-dont-hold-your-breath/?utm_term=.7ad5abee57a5
That nutty idea of a World Cup for failed countries? Don’t hold your breath.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2017/12/04/metro-fires-back-in-mls-stadium-lawsuit.html
Metro fires back in MLS stadium lawsuit
Wasting no time, Metro Nashville is calling for the dismissal of a lawsuit over plans for a soccer stadium at The Fairgrounds Nashville.
Metro filed its motion to dismiss Friday, two days after a coalition of fairgrounds advocates filed their suit.
The plaintiffs — including the Save Our Fairgrounds organization, its leader Rick Williams, former Metro Councilman Duane Dominy and former Metro fair board member Neil Chaffin — have asked a Davidson County Chancery Court judge to halt plans for the potential Major League Soccer stadium as well as separate plans to convert 46 acres at the fairgrounds into parkland and recreational soccer fields.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/dec/04/sunil-gulati-us-soccer-president-re-election
US Soccer president Gulati will not seek reelection after World Cup failure
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sports.yahoo.com/sunil-gulati-will-not-run-re-election-u-s-soccer-president-221259114.html
Sunil Gulati will not run for re-election as U.S. Soccer president
https://www.burgundywave.com/2017/12/4/16732312/four-cities-two-spots-who-would-you-like-to-see-added-to-mls-expansion-teams
Four Cities, Two Spots: Who Would You Like to See Added to MLS?
Who will be the next two expansion teams?q
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2017/12/04/metro-asks-judge-dismiss-lawsuit-seeks-stop-nashville-mls-stadium-plans/918974001/
Metro seeks dismissal of lawsuit aimed at stopping Nashville MLS stadium plans
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/12/04/mls-deferral-on-sas-expansion-bid-gives-austin.html
MLS deferral on SA's expansion bid gives Austin more time to cut in line
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2017/12/04/downtown-austin-park-emerges-as-frontrunner-for.html
Downtown Austin park emerges as frontrunner for pro soccer stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/major-league-soccer-and-la-galaxy-partner-with-jlab-audio
Major League Soccer and LA Galaxy partner with JLab Audio
Headphone and speaker brand becomes league's first audio partner.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/toronto-fc-seattle-sounders-mls-cup-rematch-money-ambition-evolution
All that money can buy: MLS Cup rematch underscores league’s evolution toward wealth, ambition
Seattle-Toronto Part 2 is another telling sign of Major League Soccer's evolution. Spend or be left behind.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2017/12/04/fc-cincinnatis-case-for-mls-fan-base
FC Cincinnati’s Case for MLS: Fan base
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/12/04/jlab-audio-named-official-audio-partner-major-league-soccer-0
JLab Audio named official audio partner of Major League Soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.columbiachronicle.com/metro/article_6ea0791a-d70b-11e7-ad49-1b78c637f69a.html
Soccer stadium could score goal in North Side
With a new United Soccer League stadium scheduled to arrive on Chicago’s North Side in 2020, fans and urban planning experts are still unsure it can survive.
The USL is a minor league of teams below Major League Soccer. The stadium is being developed by Sterling Bay, a Chicago real estate company, which will also own the stadium’s team; however, the company still does not have a team for the location. The stadium will have 20,000 seats and a retractable roof for year-round events.
The stadium is part of the 70-acre Lincoln Yards development project and has been linked to Chicago’s bid to house Amazon’s second headquarters.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2017/12/04/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/MLS-finance.aspx
League flexes muscles in securing $425M loan
By Daniel Kaplan, Staff Writer
Published December 4, 2017, Page 5
Major League Soccer borrowed $425 million from a consortium of banks led by JP-Morgan and Bank of America, underscoring the quickly changing financial fortunes of the soccer league as it prepares to award lucrative expansion franchises. MLS confirmed the loan, though not the amount, whi...
(Follow link for full article.)
http://thecomeback.com/soccer/sum-president-kathy-carter-looking-run-ussf-president-will-face-many-challenges.html
SUM President Kathy Carter “exploring” run for US Soccer President, will face many challenges
Kathy Carter is reportedly is at a "95 percent" chance of running for US Soccer President.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/12/04/path-to-2019-womens-world-cup-will-begin-at-home-for-u-s-team/?utm_term=.d1eea2d28ad3
Path to 2019 Women’s World Cup will begin at home for U.S. team
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2017/12/4/16734026/usa-host-2018-concacaf-womens-world-cup-qualifying
USA will host Women’s World Cup qualifying
(Follow link for full article.)
https://nypost.com/2017/12/04/face-of-us-soccer-since-2006-wants-out/
Face of US Soccer since 2006 wants out
U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati will not seek a fourth term, announcing his decision two months after the Americans failed to qualify for next year’s World Cup.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.richmond.com/news/latest-news/ap/gulati-will-not-seek-th-term-as-us-soccer-president/article_90fcfd8f-6b5f-5945-982c-bed43f08e8eb.html
Gulati will not seek 4th term as US Soccer president
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/12/04/that-nutty-idea-of-a-world-cup-for-failed-countries-dont-hold-your-breath/?utm_term=.7ad5abee57a5
That nutty idea of a World Cup for failed countries? Don’t hold your breath.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2017/12/04/metro-fires-back-in-mls-stadium-lawsuit.html
Metro fires back in MLS stadium lawsuit
Wasting no time, Metro Nashville is calling for the dismissal of a lawsuit over plans for a soccer stadium at The Fairgrounds Nashville.
Metro filed its motion to dismiss Friday, two days after a coalition of fairgrounds advocates filed their suit.
The plaintiffs — including the Save Our Fairgrounds organization, its leader Rick Williams, former Metro Councilman Duane Dominy and former Metro fair board member Neil Chaffin — have asked a Davidson County Chancery Court judge to halt plans for the potential Major League Soccer stadium as well as separate plans to convert 46 acres at the fairgrounds into parkland and recreational soccer fields.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/dec/04/sunil-gulati-us-soccer-president-re-election
US Soccer president Gulati will not seek reelection after World Cup failure
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sports.yahoo.com/sunil-gulati-will-not-run-re-election-u-s-soccer-president-221259114.html
Sunil Gulati will not run for re-election as U.S. Soccer president
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