Three years on and David Beckham's Miami MLS dream still looks light years away

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https://sports.yahoo.com/news/three-years-on-beckhams-mls-dreams-looking-light-years-away-103044254.html

Three years on and David Beckham's Miami MLS dream still looks light years away

Kristan Heneage

Yahoo Sport UK

Feb 6, 2017, 5:30 AM

When David Beckham joined MLS in 2007 one of the clauses in his contract allowed him to purchase a team at anytime for a set fee (believed to be $25million).

A subtle hint at where Beckham saw his future, the former LA Galaxy man finally confirmed his intentions in February 2014 at a glitzy press conference. “This is an exciting time for myself, for my family and friends,” Beckham said, confirming his intention to bring an MLS team to Miami, Florida.

Three years on and that dream progressed little past Beckham’s initial pitch to a captivated audience. The 41 year old outlined his plans with a welcoming smile, but the warmth generated that day has since been replaced by disappointment and frustration. The group’s inability to secure a stadium in downtown Miami has proven the greatest stumbling block, with the issue something skeptics highlighted after his announcement.

Furthermore, the general viability of an MLS team in Miami remains questionable. The city was home to the Miami Fusion from 1997 until 2001, when amid chronic financial difficulty the team was forced to fold. Granted, Beckham’s venture has his name attached and MLS is a much more attractive brand than it was some 15 years ago, but the belief it would be a roaring success was not shared by all.

Those same skeptics have been validated with each fresh delay. For context, in the time since Beckham’s announcement a rival team — Miami FC — has not only formed, but also completed their debut season in the rival North American Soccer League. Fronted by former Milan and Italy defender Alessandro Nesta, they will likely provide strong competition to any Beckham led franchise that materialises.

Any thought that it is MLS making things difficult is also shattered when you consider Atlanta United. The team based in the neighbouring state of Georgia was granted a spot in MLS two months after Beckham’s announcement, and will commence play in March.

For Atlanta, things have progressed at a fairly smooth pace. The team partnered up with a prominent youth soccer team (Georgia United) in order to acquire young talent, and their signings — including former Barcelona coach Tata Martino — suggest a diligent and well considered thought process. The same cannot realistically be said for the group referred to as, ‘Miami Beckham United’.

Certainly, Miami is not devoid of professional sports teams. The Heat, the Marlins and the Dolphins make for great brothers in arms in what is one of America’s glitziest cities. Boasting a large Hispanic population, it would also suggest that a supporter base could be cultivated for Beckham’s team, with reports last year claiming he had earmarked Roberto Carlos as a potential head coach for that very reason.

Yet long before they can entertain hiring a coach the team needs a home. In December 2015 it seemed like Beckham had finally received a slice of good fortune when his ownership group secured a location in Overtown for $19million. A less than desirable part of Miami, it represented the group’s fourth attempt to secure land and suggested progress had been made. “I believe this is a much better deal for the taxpayer,” Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez stated during a news conference.

However, the group still requires an additional three acres of land — owned by Miami-Dade County – and although they are ready to sell, Beckham’s representatives have delayed negotiations claiming they require more investment.

Perhaps understandably, the league’s commissioner Don Garber is becoming impatient. MLS will also welcome Minnesota United to competitive action next month, with LAFC — a project backed by a number of well-known California-based celebrities — slated to compete in 2018.

Miami were supposed to enter alongside LAFC, but delays have pushed that back to at least 2019 and forced Garber into urgency with Beckham’s project. “We have a lot invested in it because of the amount of time we’ve spent on it,” Garber said in December. “Everybody needs to understand, including David and his partners, that we’ve worked hard, and it’s time for us to reach a conclusion.”

Yet for those speculating that Miami Beckham United could be close to extinction there was a vital dose of hope from Mark Abbott, the MLS president and deputy commissioner. “That is not something we’re thinking about,” he said when asked if the league had considered skipping Miami entirely. “We’re focused on finalising a stadium deal in Miami.”

That remark came after Garber himself said he was now, ‘more confident’ of a deal being concluded than a year ago. Of course, good feelings will do little to actually get the deal done. Beckham has maintained a positive public rhetoric, with sources close to his group indicating they too are optimistic about securing the required land and investment needed.

However, the fact over 1000 days have passed since the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder announced the team is disappointing. So desperate to bring a club of his own to MLS, there was even talk in December that Beckham is entertaining moving the team to Las Vegas.

Regardless, MLS has waited a long time for Beckham’s ambitious plan in Miami to come to fruition, but it won’t wait forever, even for someone like him.

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http://www.northernstartingeleven.com/the-canadian-premier-league-january-rumour-roundup/

The Canadian Premier League: January Rumour Roundup

February 7, 2017

Kevin Senior

The Canadian Premier League: The Story So Far returns with an update on the movements made this past month. Remember – all the blue dates are links to the source content. I encourage you to follow the links and support the authors, as this article is only a summary of all of their hard work. Enjoy!

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http://prorelforusa.blogspot.com/2017/02/did-garber-lie-to-media.html?m=1

Monday, February 6, 2017

Did Garber lie to the media?

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http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/02/07/commisso-new-york-cosmos-nasl-soccer-columbia-juventus/

Why Rocco Commisso saved the New York Cosmos

By Nicholas Mendola

Feb 7, 2017, 10:00 AM EST

Rocco Commisso went from interested observer to owner of the New York Cosmos and savior of the North American Soccer League in a little over 24 hours.

And though it came together quickly, it also took a lifetime.

An Italian immigrant and cable television magnate, Commisso’s name may have come out of nowhere to Cosmos fans but in a sense his move into American soccer power is the logical next step in a lifelong relationship with soccer that began on the beaches of southern Italy, was nurtured on the field at Columbia University, and grew with his love for The Old Lady.

Let’s take a step back, though, and recall the status of the Cosmos in late December 2016. Reigning champions of the NASL, financial troubles had the Cosmos releasing players from their contracts and putting their front office on furlough. The team looked set for at least a one year absence from the playing field, and there was a lot of smoke and certainly some fire regarding the potential demise of the NASL for a second time. It seemed probable the only silver lining was that the Cosmos would go out as champions.

Members of the Cosmos staff approached Commisso, 67, who was no stranger to ownership opportunities both here and abroad. Perhaps the closest he came was in 2011, when the DeBenedetto/Pallotta Group spoke with him about helping with their takeover of AS Roma. Commisso eventually declined, he says, because his Juventus fandom wouldn’t allow him to trade clubs.

The rare opportunity to save both a storied name and a growing league was too much to pass up, however.

And the sport had given him so much that he felt he owed it a debt. His Bronx high school did not field a soccer team in the 1960s, and Commisso needed help from his gym teacher to get interest from colleges, eventually winning a four-year scholarship to Columbia University. He became a three-time All-Ivy League player, and was invited to tryout for the 1972 U.S. Olympic Team.

Commisso also helped the Lions to the 1970 NCAA Tournament, scoring in a win over Buffalo State and future NBA star Randy Smith — “The highlight of my soccer life” — before using his degree to forge a wildly successful financial and media career.

“I tell everyone my experience on the soccer field at Columbia is the one that I remember the most and which I cherish the most,” said Commisso.

The game remained a big part of his life. He started an over-30 league in Westchester County,was a youth coach for 15 years and has been involved with the Columbia soccer program for almost 50 years, both as a player and alumni supporter. The university’s soccer stadium was named after him, and he was never ignorant of the fortunes of Juventus back home in Italy.

So it didn’t come as a massive surprise to those who knew him well that the Cosmos idea would intrigue him. Approached by Cosmos staffers named Joe Barone and Jack Gaeta, who also played at Columbia, Commisso was sold on the project if the NASL maintained its Division 2 status and the Cosmos could hit the pitch this season.

“There were competing bids where people wanted to shut it down and shut up the name, or buy the intellectual property rights and try to sell it to somebody else,” Commisso said. “But in neither scenario was the team going to be around in 2017. I felt an obligation to help out, and my first condition when I entered the room was I’m only here to talk about the team playing a full season in 2017.”

The NASL was granted provisional D-2 status, and Commisso sealed the deal. Years after his first offers to own a team, he was doing it his adopted hometown of New York City.

There wasn’t much time to celebrate, but surely there’s been plenty to smile about. Right, Rocco?

“My smiles or my tears?” Commisso said. “This is not a typical business, like the cable business. The next day was the realization that we had to put the team together. The front office needed to be rehired. There were some emergencies that we had to deal with right at the outset. Making sure that Giovanni (Savarese) was staying around and convincing the existing players, there were only a few, that there was a club.”

And there was that whole question of where to play. The Cosmos of the first NASL had played at Yankee Stadium and Giants Stadium, while the second spent last season at Hofstra University on Long Island. Commisso wanted back in the City, though that had proven a major obstacle for soccer teams in the Empire State.

Somehow, they found a home: MCU Park in Brooklyn, home of New York-Penn League baseball team the Brooklyn Cyclones, an affiliate of the New York Mets.

“Just think about it,” Commisso said. “New York City FC still doesn’t have a soccer-specific stadium after four years.We finalized a stadium lease and game schedules in less than a month. A great location in the Five Boroughs in a short period of time. Typically these things take years. We managed to strike a deal to bring the Cosmos back to New York City where it all began in 1971. Now we’ve gotta try to install a soccer field on top of the baseball field.

“The next major job is how to go out and fill up the stadium with fans. We went out and the appetite is very high. In the media and Twitter, so far I must say 99 percent of the comments are very positive by everyone, and especially the loyal Cosmos fans. Lots of work. We’re working day and night. Even though we don’t have the luxury of a five-month window before the start of the season, we will be ready by April 1. Gio has 16 or 17 players already signed up, so we’re almost finished filling up the team roster. We’re not there yet, but we are well on our way proceeding with Spring Training the next couple weeks.”

Commisso is careful not to guarantee much regarding his maiden voyage through the NASL. For one thing, he says, American soccer provides less opportunities for upward mobility than the rest of the world. For another, business has taught him to work harder than he speaks.

“I’ve been known my entire career for never, never making promises that I can’t deliver on,” Commisso said. “I’d rather under promise and over deliver than the other way around. As you know, plenty of people came to this country including the prior ownership of the Cosmos, where they were going to revolutionize the whole game, the whole system, and look what happened. Unfortunately, the road to establishing sustainable professional soccer in the U.S. has been littered with financial failures.”

“The simple problem is that I don’t control my destiny. You’ve got the NASL, the USSF, MLS, the USL, the stadium issue, the money… at least on the money side I’ll be okay. I’m not gonna run out of money tomorrow, but in terms of where I want to see the Cosmos, I don’t know what the future will hold, other than doing the job a day at a time.”

That’s fine. After all, here’s one of many tremendous immigrant stories, a man who built from nothing the fifth largest cable television company in America which is wholly-owned by him and his family, and who fashioned an accolade-heavy college career without having played organized soccer before college.

“I started playing with a soccer ball that was a bunch of rags tied up with rubber bands, some underwear, too,” Commisso said of his early playing days in Italy.

And of course, there was Juventus. Commisso was a young fan for a terrific spell that saw The Old Lady win three titles in four seasons with Welsh star John Charles, fiery Argentine forward Omar Sivori, and Giampiero Boniperti(an attack trio that in some ways calls to mind Barcelona’s current trident).

But what stands out to Commisso is what happened after Juventus was relegated following the Calciopoli scandal a little over a decade ago.

“I knew I would be one of those people who stayed with the team when things got bad,” he said. “In 2006, Buffon and Del Piero, world-class icons of international soccer, they went down with the team into the Second Division. And within one year, we came back up and now we have won five-straight Seria A championships.”

Perhaps there’s a bright ray of hope in there for Cosmos fans. No, they aren’t far removed from winning a title, but they are only weeks removed from thinking their club was lost. Now it’s off to Brooklyn, and there are many reasons to schedule a visit to MCU Park in Coney Island.

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http://www.empireofsoccer.com/lets-talk-queens-boro-prez-wants-a-soccer-or-hockey-stadium-in-flushing-57719/

Let’s Talk: Queens Boro Prez wants a soccer stadium in Flushing

by DAVE MARTINEZ

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz shocked the local soccer community during her recent State of the Borough address, coming out in favor of a soccer stadium in Willets Point — mere blocks away from Major League Soccer’s original targeted “MLS to QUEENS” space in Flushing Meadows Park.

And why did she do it?

Simply put, she wants to start a conversation — one she feels will serve her constituents and better her borough.

“It was important for someone to say, on a borough wide or city level, this discussion is worth having,” Katz tells EoS in an exclusive interview. “This was about responding to constituent needs … You cant walk through Flushing Meadow Park without seeing the thousands of families playing soccer today. It has become part of our culture, a beautiful part of our culture in Queens and it’s something I think we should respond to.”

Willets Point, as Katz points out, has been a maelstrom of political turmoil. From community activism to litigative measures, the dilapidated Iron Triangle has been the source of debate for years as parties wage war over the usage of land in this long neglected area. The interests of the soccer community are no different. Willets Point provides a zoned area for sports and entertainment which can place a soccer club right in the middle of the most vibrant soccer community in New York City, making it the most desirable location in the five boroughs.

“Queens has an enormous amount of growth over the past several years and the whole State of the Borough concept was about the fact that we are a borough of growth but still a borough of family. Willets Point is a subject we have been talking about for generations. First of all, we need to clean it up,” Katz said. “The second thing is its in the middle of a lawsuit for the Willets Point properties but there is no reason to wait for that to be done to just talk about what else can go there. If we are going to be a borough of growth and a borough of families, responding to families needs is also important and this is a borough that has always had a lot of need for soccer fields and being responsive to a lot of different folks that like soccer.

“A soccer stadium there would respond to a lot of the constituents request, to have a first class, first rate soccer stadium in the borough of Queens,” she continues. “We have to think bigger, think out of the box more than we have been doing over the last few years and to allow us to have those discussions. Its not park property. It is city or private property and is well worth the discussion.”

Both New York City FC and the New York Cosmos have previously spoken to City officials about building a stadium and training grounds in Queens, EoS has learned. Joining them are the Islanders of NHL fame who are looking for an expedient exit from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. However, none of these groups has reached out since Katz’s State of the Borough address.

“I’ve had discussions over the years with both (Cosmos and NYCFC) but it never focused on Willets Point,” Katz said. “This [address] was not about one organization. This was about the use of the property and whether Willets Point was the right place to continue the stadium like atmosphere of Flushing Meadow Park while continuing to be a place for families to go. Which organization is not what I am about right now.”

Despite that, Katz felt it her duty to get the ball rolling for the thousands of soccer lovers in the area.

“We need to think about where we will be in 30-40 years and soccer is a larger part of our constituency every single day,” she continues, adding: “Nothing is going there until we clean it up and it will be years until we clean it up.”

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https://medium.com/@nipun7c/the-eight-step-process-for-nasl-4cc612c87822#.j8x9akbo2

The Eight-step process for NASL

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http://www.socceramerica.com/article/72233/mls-expansion-detroit-group-makes-offer-for-jail.html

MLS Expansion: Detroit group makes offer for jail site

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http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/don-garber-mls-major-league-soccer-vancouver-whitecaps-toronto-fc-montreal-impact/

Don Garber: We want to make MLS relevant in Canada

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http://www.onceametro.com/2017/2/7/14533382/report-howard-webb-has-quit-saudi-arabia-job-for-role-in-us-soccer-mls-var-don-garber

Report: Howard Webb has quit Saudi Arabia job for role in US soccer

Howard Webb was rumored to have been offered a job in the USA. Now he is reported to be free to take any job he might want.

Retired from active refereeing since 2014, Webb remains one of the best known soccer refs in the world. Don Garber's recent comments in Vancouver revealed MLS is sensitive to criticism of its refereeing standards. The VAR initiative is one step toward seeking to advance both the perception and reality of those standards in the US top flight. Hiring a world-famous ref to oversee the VAR initiative will certainly add visibility to the efforts of MLS and the USSF to counter criticism of professional refereeing standards in the American (and Canadian) game.

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http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/story/3055821/mls-would-subsidize-beckham-caliber-dp-for-canadian-clubs-garber

MLS would subsidize Beckham-caliber DP for Canadian clubs - Don Garber

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/mls-soccer-has-big-marketing-plans-for-canada/article33947927/

MLS to make big marketing push in Canada

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http://www.whitecapsfc.com/post/2017/02/07/mls-commissioner-don-garber-visits-covenant-house-vancouver-donate-10000

MLS Commissioner Don Garber visits Covenant House Vancouver to donate $10,000

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http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/time-to-talk-real-football-is-phoenix-ready-for-a-major-league-soccer-expansion-team-9054666

Time to Talk Real Football: Is Phoenix Ready for a Major League Soccer Expansion Team?

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http://www.oregonlive.com/timbers/index.ssf/2017/02/mls_testing_video_assistance_f.html

MLS testing video assistance for referees in Portland Timbers preseason games

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http://www.soundersfc.com/post/2017/02/06/seattle-sounders-video-assistant-replay-mls-preseason

Seattle Sounders among MLS teams involved in preseason matches testing Video Assistant Replay

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http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/02/06/mls-clubs-feature-us-soccer-unveils-development-academy-expansion

MLS clubs feature as US Soccer unveils Development Academy expansion

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http://www.therecord.com/sports-story/7105984-mls-says-nasl-is-violating-us-labour-laws/

MLS says NASL is violating US labour laws

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http://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/02/06/mls-starts-testing-video-assistant-referee-system-select-preseason-games-insider

MLS starts testing Video Assistant Referee system in select preseason games

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http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/mls-expansion-city-charlotte-marcus-smith-020617

MLS expansion city profile: Charlotte

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http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/major-league-soccer/2017/02/06/32400922/mls-to-continue-var-testing-in-preseason-matches

MLS to continue VAR testing in preseason matches

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http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2017/02/06/mls-expansion-city-charlotte-marcus-smith

MLS expansion city profile: Charlotte

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http://www.sportingkc.com/post/2017/02/06/mls-continue-video-assistant-referee-testing-select-preseason-games

MLS to continue Video Assistant Referee testing in select preseason games

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http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20170206/NEWS/170209999/gilbert-gores-submit-plan-to-build-new-jail-complex-for-wayne-county

Gilbert submits plan to build new jail complex for Wayne County to make way for MLS stadium

Complex would be at I-75 and East Forest Avenue

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http://theprovince.com/sports/soccer/mls/vancouver-whitecaps/growth-the-name-of-the-game-for-mls-czar-on-vancouver-visit

Patrick Johnston: Growth the name of the game for MLS czar on Vancouver visit

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http://www.rednationonline.ca/Articles2016/GarbersteamvisitinVancouverbringsanswersto.aspx

Garber's team visit in Vancouver brings answers to several Canadian questions

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http://sport360.com/article/football/international-football/221782/sacramento-face-huge-battle-to-win-mls-vote/

STATESIDE: Republic revolts over Sacramento MLS bid

Dispute between investor and Republic FC president threatens the very existence of Sacramento’s Major League Soccer bid.

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http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/02/07/whitecaps-co-owner-steve-nash-talks-fandom-approach-player-signings

Whitecaps co-owner Steve Nash talks fandom, approach to player signings

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http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/story/3055820/mls-expansion-dan-gilbert-makes-offer-for-detroit-stadium-as-cincinnati-plans-emerge

Dan Gilbert makes offer for Detroit MLS stadium; Cincinnati plans emerge

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http://www.espnfcasia.com/major-league-soccer/story/3055827/pro-hires-howard-webb-to-oversee-video-assistant-referee-program-in-mls

PRO hires Howard Webb to oversee video assistant referee program in MLS

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http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/mls-canada-stars-designated-players-torontofc-whitecaps-impact-020717

MLS will start subsidizing Canadian teams signing big Canadian stars

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http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/major-league-soccer/2017/02/07/32433822/webb-to-oversee-mls-vars

Howard Webb to oversee Video Assistant Referees in MLS

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http://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2017/02/06/mls-continue-video-assistant-referee-testing-select-preseason-matches

MLS to Continue Video Assistant Referee Testing in Select Preseason Matches

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http://www.dailyprogress.com/webb-will-direct-mls-s-development-of-video-technology/article_42e9349e-cbfa-5680-a123-2940919049e9.html

Webb will direct MLS's development of video technology

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http://www.expressnews.com/sports/columnists/roy-bragg/article/USL-might-be-a-better-fit-for-San-Antonio-10915656.php

USL might be a better fit for San Antonio

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http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2017/02/07/why-fc-cincy-reaching-10k-season-ticket-holders-matters/97613834/

Why FC Cincy reaching 10K season ticket holders matters

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http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/chinese-super-league-mls-major-league-soccer-sebastian-giovinco-toronto-fc/

The Chinese Super League’s spending spree: All you need to know

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http://www.mountroyalsoccer.com/2017/2/7/14543734/what-howard-webb-will-bring-to-the-mls

What Howard Webb Will Bring to the MLS

Howard Webb will help improve the game in North America

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http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/02/07/mls-expansion-hopefuls-cincinnati-pass-10000-season-tickets-sold-2017

MLS expansion hopefuls Cincinnati pass 10,000 season tickets sold for 2017

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http://www.rslsoapbox.com/2017/2/7/14319346/why-rsl-needs-real-monarchs

RSL, Explained: Why RSL needs Real Monarchs

It’s more than player development — but development is still important.

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http://www.thebluetestament.com/2017/2/7/14526930/mls-expansion-update-san-diego-st-louis-phoenix-indianapolis

MLS Expansion Update: San Diego, St. Louis, Phoenix, Indianapolis, Sacramento + MUCH MORE

We have the latest expansion updates for San Diego, St. Louis, Phoenix, Sacramento, Indianapolis, Tampa Bay, Charlotte, Nashville, Las Vegas and Louisville City.

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http://www.83degreesmedia.com/inthenews/Tampa-Bay-Area-mayors-strategize-for-future-020717.aspx

Mayors of Clearwater, St. Pete, Tampa eye future collaborations

Tuesday, February 07, 2017

The mayors of the Tampa Bay Area's largest cities -- George Cretekos of Clearwater, Rick Kriseman of St. Petersburg and Bob Buckhorn of Tampa -- say they plan to build on natural alliances and trusted relationships to help forge economic success.

All three mayors faced a surly but welcoming audience at the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club's annual meet the mayors lunch in Pinellas County.

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https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/mls-says-nasl-counting-canadian-213431626.html

MLS says NASL counting Canadian players as domestics is 'a violation of US law'

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http://www.news4jax.com/sports/armada-will-play-home-matches-at-unf-this-season

Armada will play home matches at UNF this season

Played last two seasons at Baseball Grounds

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https://www.soccernation.com/arena-dreams-kraig-chiles-and-san-diego-sockers-on-quest-for-15/

Arena Dreams: Kraig Chiles and San Diego Sockers on Quest for 15

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https://www.soccernation.com/albion-pros-kick-off-2017-season-in-style/

Albion Pros Kick Off 2017 Season in Style

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http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/mls/article130174289.html

MLS still has Beckham’s Miami team in its plans

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http://www.football365.com/news/quote-unquote-beckham-and-the-art-of-saying-nothing

Quote unquote: Beckham and the art of saying nothing

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https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2017/02/02/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/MLS.aspx

Miami Expansion Still Top Of Mind For MLS; Can Cincinnati Support A Third Pro Team?

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https://therealdeal.com/miami/2017/02/02/beckhams-miami-stadium-is-still-in-the-works-mls-says/

Beckham’s Miami stadium is still in the works, MLS says

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http://www.onceametro.com/2017/2/6/14526468/don-garber-said-what-about-mls-favoring-certain-teams

Don Garber said what about MLS favoring certain teams?

Don Garber is in Vancouver doing the usual MLS Commissioner stuff he does - and also casually dropping the confession that the competition he presides over might once have been rigged. Um...clarification and context would be helpful here, Don.

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http://cfjctoday.com/article/558567/mls-says-nasl-counting-canadian-players-domestics-violation-us-law

MLS says NASL counting Canadian players as domestics is 'a violation of US law'

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http://www.rednationonline.ca/Articles2016/GarbersteamvisitinVancouverbringsanswersto.aspx

Garber's team visit in Vancouver brings answers to several Canadian questions

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http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports/2017/02/06/lansing-united-reveals-2017-schedule-no-match-msu/97546892/

Lansing United reveals 2017 schedule, no match at MSU

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http://wnpr.org/post/hartford-pro-soccer-team-planning-may-start

Hartford Pro Soccer Team Planning For May Start

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http://www.mlive.com/sports/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2017/02/2017_grand_rapids_fc_schedule.html

2017 Grand Rapids FC schedule released

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http://www.tbnweekly.com/pinellas_county/content_articles/020617_pco-02.txt

Jeffrey Vinik shares dreams for regional growth and prosperity

By SUZETTE PORTER, Tampa Bay Newspapers

Article published on Monday, Feb. 6, 2017

CLEARWATER – The owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning stopped by the Clearwater Courthouse Feb. 2 to “share what’s going on” with the Pinellas County Commission.

“One thing I’m not going to talk about is hockey,” said Jeffrey Vinik, who also owns the Tampa Bay Storm.

Vinik bought the Lightning in 2010 and moved his family to Tampa because he thought it was “an amazing place to live,” he said. He soon began work to develop the “under-potentialized” areas in the city, and with the help of Bill Gates’ Cascade fund, he is making his dreams come true.

“It’s kind of fun to dream big,” he said.

He described the work being done to transform the city of Tampa and he talked about two of his big initiatives – entrepreneurship and transportation.

“These are two areas where I feel I can move the needle,” he said.

He wants to help jump start an ecosystem that fosters high wages and attracts the best talent. He said Tampa Bay has “pockets of strength” now, but it needs more. To achieve that goal, he says five things are required - space, customers, coders, leadership and capital.

He wants to create a hub downtown with young companies all under one roof to “encourage a collision of ideas and all the ingredients for entrepreneurship.” He wants to use entrepreneurship as a catalyst to improve the quality of jobs and keep people in Tampa Bay.

But transportation is a problem. He said the region needed to be able to move people.

“Getting people around is critical to the region,” he said.

He is taking transportation studies done in the past and updating them to 2017 standards in an effort to come up with the best solution within the next six to nine months. He said the solution needed to include all modes of transportation to be successful. The next question will be how to fund the necessary improvements.

He said the success would hinge on ride-share legislation and “getting it right” so the Tampa Bay Express was inclusive. He advocates consolidation of the Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco counties metropolitan planning organizations to facilitate regional planning. He also advocates the more difficult task of consolidating the transit authorities under the umbrella of a single authority.

“It will make it easier if we speak as a region,” he said, adding that local needs also should remain a focus.

Transportation improvements would be a real win, economically and growthwise, connecting the region into one metropolis, he said.

Prior to moving to Tampa, he spent 25 years in Boston and 25 years in New York. But he is happy living in Tampa.

“I love it down here. My wife and family love it,” Vinik said. We feel so welcomed.”

He said the region needed to change the way it is perceived so people know about the quality of life here and the fullness of what you can do.

“I lived in the Northeast for 50 years; I didn’t have any understanding of how great it is here.”

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http://www.capecoral.com/news/2017/02/06/dutch-lions-fc-compete-us-womens-premier-soccer-league/62526

Dutch Lions FC to compete in US Women's Premier Soccer League

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http://www.expressnews.com/sports/columnists/roy-bragg/article/MLS-So-close-yet-so-far-10910241.php

MLS: So close, yet so far

By Roy Bragg, San Antonio Express-News

February 5, 2017 Updated: February 7, 2017 5:17pm

The planets of soccer expansion are coming into alignment, and there’s a chance San Antonio will once again be Uranus: not big enough, not understood, and often used as a punchline.

Many of you don’t care for soccer. Some of you loathe it. But you do care for your wallet and, like it or not, the San Antonio soccer story is ultimately one of money.

The cover charge for getting into Major League Soccer’s exclusive club is $150 million. Spurs Sports & Entertainment will pay it, but you must know that cost will be passed on to fans. And if the city gets an MLS team, local officials will come to taxpayers asking for $38-$45 million or so to add 10,500 seats to Toyota Field.

Do I have your attention now? Good. That said, you probably don’t need to worry about it. Based on criteria MLS Commissioner Don Garber has outlined, San Antonio might be, to steal a cliché from college basketball, a bubble team.

San Antonio lays out a case that’s not too shabby, but is it enough?

As previously noted, there’s a soccer-specific stadium here and a youth development academy in place. That’s a huge factor for MLS officials.

The Alamo City’s vast and diverse population presents an incredible potential market for any sport. Austin’s proximity is another major selling point.

The biggest advantage for San Antonio, however, is Spurs Sports & Entertainment, the global standard for excellence in sports ownership. The Spurs bring tons of expertise and a clear understanding of this market. Plus, MLS likes owners who have teams in other sports.

A cynic might say that’s MLS’s subtle way of admitting the league hemorrhages money and owners should have other income streams.

The league also values attendance because it is the fountain from which all profits flow. And that might work against San Antonio.

San Antonio F.C. has intense fans, but there aren’t enough of them. Can SAFC attendance jump from the official average of “6,170” (in quotes because, well, I’ve been to games) to five digits for every match? Does MLS have enough credibility to scrounge up 6,000 more fans — either in person or as “paid attendance” — on hotter-than-hell South Texas summer nights?

Ultimately, it won’t matter. While San Antonio looks promising, four other cities have a leg up, and each of those legs has a knee-high soccer sock on it.

Among other cities to submit bids, Cincinnati looks the best. While the town is one-fifth the size of San Antonio (297,517 vs. 1.409 million as of 2013), FC Cincinnati drew nearly three times as many fans (17,296 vs. “6,170”) as SAFC last season.

Detroit has two deep-pocketed prospective owners, one of whom owns the Cleveland Cavaliers. That group wants to build a soccer-specific stadium downtown. The mere mention of the words “Detroit” or “Motown” makes Garber’s pupils turn into dollar signs.

Now that the Chargers have moved from San Diego, it’s a lock for a team. Garber said as much in December in a conference call to media. As a bonus, the city has a large, rabid Liga MX fan base that has been attending Club Tijuana games across the border.

St. Louis, another city often heard from the lips of Garber’s quislings, settled its stadium financing debate last week and has jumped up to a top contender.

Regardless of the MLS decision, our local organization has positioned itself well. There’s a five-year window to land an MLS team, a city official said Friday, which means the Spurs will still have a few years to buy a team and move it here.

Even if that doesn’t work, SS&E comes out OK. Violating the five-year requirement, the city official said, would cost SS&E $5 million. Meh. The Spurs paid that much to Tim Duncan this season even though he’s not on the roster.

And if all of that fails, there is a solid Plan B. True, it would cost the Spurs $5 million, and it won’t make the MLS True Believers happy, but it won’t cost taxpayers a stinking dime. And frankly, it’s a better option.

We’ll talk about it on Wednesday, in a column headlined “More Paragraphs About Scarves & Pitches” or “Don’t Shoot Me! I’m Only The Columnist.”

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http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/02/02/extratime-radio-more-dps-mls-president-mark-abbott-talks-expansion

ExtraTime Radio: More DPs! + MLS president Mark Abbott talks expansion

More Designated Players? Yes, please. After Atlanta United and Portland snagged big-time attackers in  Josef Martinez and Sebastian Blanco, the guys sit down to try to pin down what the expansion side's formation might look like (2-3-5 anyone?) and whether the Timbers are in position to spoil their rivals' title defense despite a big injury on the backline. Meanwhile, in Orlando and New York, Jason Kreis and Jesse Marsch put out quotes that raised some eyebrows. Which players are on the outs with the Lions? Why does Marsch feel bad about the way the Dax McCarty trade went down?

After the break, MLS president and deputy commissioner Mark Abbott sits down with Andrew and David to discuss the expansion rush that saw 12 cities and ownership groups make their case to be teams 25-28. Why the new process? What comes next? Who'll have the final say? What's going on in Sacramento? Plus, Abbott describes what it's been like to build the league from scratch and what the future looks like.

In the mailbag, the guys try to settle on the worst DP of all time, hear expansion pitches that revolve around tacos, ponder DaMarcus Beasley's future and pass on breaking news from San Jose.

Miss last week's ExtraTime Extravaganza? Check out all five shows below!

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http://www.scout.com/stadium-journey/story/1752513-mls-team-becoming-a-possibility-for-nashville

MLS Team Becoming a Possibility for Nashville

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http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article130764399.html

It’s a deal: Sacramento’s soccer owners settle dispute, press on with MLS bid

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https://portcitydaily.com/2017/02/04/mls-expansion-north-carolina-fc-submits-application-for-major-league-soccer-bid-stadium-plans-to-be-released/

North Carolina FC submits application for Major League Soccer bid, stadium plans to be released

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http://www.indomitablecitysoccer.com/2017/2/4/14509576/sacramento-republic-fcs-mls-dream-continues-agreement-reached-expansion-drama

Sacramento Republic FC’s MLS Dream Continues

An agreement has been reached between the Republic and Sac Soccer & Entertainment Holdings.

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http://www.tribtown.com/2017/02/03/soc-mls-st-louis-stadium-2/

St. Louis voters to decide whether to fund soccer stadium

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http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2017/02/04/sacramento-republic-is-potential-major-league-soccer-team/

Sacramento Republic Is Potential Major League Soccer Team

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.abc10.com/news/local/sacramento-soccer-owners-settle-dispute-will-push-for-mls-together/398738801

Sacramento soccer owners settle dispute, will push for MLS team together

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http://www.capradio.org/articles/2017/02/04/republic-owners-come-to-agreement,-team-to-change-hands/

Sac Republic FC Owners Come To Agreement – United Effort For MLS Team From Here On

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http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/st-louis-voters-to-decide-whether-to-fund-soccer-stadium/article_a3e99c4d-3f4c-560f-ab72-22935f9ff6e2.html

St. Louis voters to decide whether to fund soccer stadium

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http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/sd-soccer-san-diego-20170203-story.html

San Diego fútbol: Region would back a soccer team

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http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/marcos-breton/article130848389.html

How the passion and emotion that drove Sacramento's MLS bid nearly destroyed it

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http://mlsmultiplex.com/2017/02/05/cesc-fabregas-mls-expected/

Cesc Fabregas Could be on His Way to Major League Soccer

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http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/02/05/sacramento-mls-bid-group-enters-agreement-acquire-sacramento-republic-fc

Sacramento MLS bid group enters agreement to acquire Sacramento Republic FC

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http://www.rslsoapbox.com/2017/2/5/14445594/harnessing-youth-five-rsl-turned-into-mls-veterans

Harnessing Youth: Five players RSL developed into MLS veterans

Real Salt Lake’s influence has turned some young players into MLS veterans.

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http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/585364/Man-City-Willy-Caballero-New-York-City

Man City man Willy Caballero wanted in the MLS: Pep Guardiola's new No.1 could be off

WILLY CABALLERO suddenly finds himself a goalkeeper in demand.

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http://www.scout.com/stadium-journey/story/1752744-12-cities-in-the-running-for-mls-expansion

12 Cities Officially in the Running for MLS Expansion

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http://www.whig.com/article/20170202/AP/302029673

US women's soccer team, federation hope for new CBA by April

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http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/Damion-Lowe-wants-to-chart-own-course_88534

Damion Lowe wants to chart own course

...says he does not intend to live in his father’s shadow

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee — Damion Lowe wants to make one thing clear. Perfectly clear.

Despite what anyone thinks, the Tampa Bay Rowdies defender says while his father, Onandi Lowe, is a good example for him, he walks his own walk.

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http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/leagues/nasl2.php?article_id=47006

NEW RULE

NASL: Canadians to be considered as domestic players on U.S. clubs

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http://www.news4jax.com/sports/armada-release-preseason-schedule

Armada release preseason schedule

Club will open preseason Feb. 18

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http://www.ibj.com/articles/62334-indy-elevens-owner-investment-group-say-theres-urgency-to-mls-bid

Indy Eleven’s owner, investment group say there’s urgency to MLS bid

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http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2017/02/03/fabregas-wants-mls-refuses-rule-out-china

Fabregas wants MLS but refuses to rule out China

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http://www.chattanoogan.com/2017/2/7/341426/CFC-Prepares-For-MLS-Expansion-Club.aspx

CFC Prepares For MLS Expansion Club Atlanta United FC
 
Tuesday, February 7, 2017

The CFC Boys in Blue are preparing for a truly unprecedented event. In just four days, MLS expansion club Atlanta United FC will play it's first match EVER, and they're playing it against Chattanooga FC in Finley Stadium.

Atlanta United FC has already sold 27,000 season tickets for the upcoming season, and are expected to bring many of those fans 102 miles north to Finley Stadium this Saturday, February 11th, at 3:00pm.

"It really is a David vs. Goliath situation, and we need every CFC fan in attendance to help us cheer on our home team," said Sean McDaniel, GM for Chattanooga FC.

"We met a lot of Atlanta United fans this past weekend at the Men's National team game, and they all told us they were coming back for this. This is our opportunity to show a major league club exactly why Chattanooga is such a great soccer town. It has all the makings of a great atmosphere and a great game."

Ticket sales are strong, and the team is expecting several thousand in attendance.

Saturday's match tickets are available at bit.ly/CFCvsATL. All available season pass options include entry to the Atlanta United FC match, as well as all regular season, playoff, cup matches, and friendlies for 2017.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4202910/Freddy-Adu-fails-land-contract-Portland-Timbers.html

Freddy Adu fails to land contract at MLS side Portland Timbers after trial

Freddy Adu, 27, is looking for a team after parting from Tampa Bay Rowdies

He was handed a trial by Portland Timbers through a former USA under 23 coach

But after two weeks he was released - Timbers said due to squad depth