Census: Tampa Bay shows fourth highest population growth in nation

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http://www.tampabay.com/news/growth/census-tampa-bay-shows-fourth-highest-population-growth-in-nation/2317626

Census: Tampa Bay shows fourth highest population growth in nation

Thursday, March 23, 2017 6:58am

ORLANDO — The Tampa Bay area leads the way as three metro areas in Florida were among the nation's 10 biggest gainers in the number of people moving there last year.

In addition, another three were in the top 10 for overall growth rates.

The U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday said the Tampa area had the nation's fourth-highest gain from people moving there last year. Some 58,000 new residents moved there.

South Florida had the nation's seventh highest gain from migration, adding about 48,000 residents who moved there.

Orlando added nearly 47,000 residents through migration, placing it at No. 8.

Those three metro areas also were in the nation's top 10 for overall population growth — which includes natural population increases and migration.

Nationally, the Northeast and Midwest are losing people, while the South and West is gaining.

The 10 counties with the largest gains between July 2015 and July 2016 were largely in the Sunbelt, in Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Washington, California and Florida.

Maricopa County, Ariz., had the largest numeric growth, displacing Harris County, Tx., home to Houston, which had spent the previous eight years in the top slot. Maricopa, which includes Phoenix, was growing steadily before 2007 because of international migration, according to Peter Borsella, a demographer in the Census Bureau's population division.

The counties and metropolitan areas with biggest population losses were mostly in Midwestern and Rust Belt states. Notably, the Chicago area saw a decrease for the second year in a row, its only two years of losses since 1990.

South Florida grew by nearly 65,000 residents from births and migration, and its population stood at more than 6 million last year.

The Tampa area grew to 3 million residents last year, adding 61,000 residents through natural increases and migration. Orlando grew overall by nearly 60,000 residents and had a population of 2.4 million residents last year.

The Villages community northwest of Orlando had the nation's highest overall growth rate last year at 4.3 percent.

Fort Myers had the fifth highest at 3.1 percent. Punta Gorda's 3 percent rate placed it at No. 8.

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http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/realestate/lay-of-the-land-radical-transformations-underway-in-florida-real-estate/2317703

Lay of the land: radical transformations underway in Florida real estate

Susan Taylor Martin, Times Senior Correspondent

Friday, March 24, 2017 5:01am

CHAMPIONS GATE — When Dean Saunders graduated from high school in Clermont in the late 1970s, the Central Florida town had 3,200 residents and two stoplights between it and Winter Garden a dozen miles up the road.

Now there are 32,000 people and 21 stoplights.

"People are migrating to Florida, more than 1,000 a day," said Saunders, a commercial real estate broker and former state representative. "What do more people do? They provide a demand for real estate."

Saunders was the kickoff speaker at the recent "Lay of the Land Florida Land Conference," which drew nearly 300 brokers, appraisers and others to a Polk County golf resort for an update on Florida's real estate market including the booming Tampa Bay area.

The upshot: Florida is a great place to be in real estate now with its population growing at 2.3 times the national rate and outstripping even that of California.

"People want to live, work and play here," Saunders said.

Florida will also benefit from what economist Mark Dotzour called "euphoria" in the U.S. business community over the election of Donald J. Trump as president. A real estate developer, Trump has pledged to cut government regulations that critics say have impeded an otherwise robust housing recovery by making it harder to get mortgages.

Dotzour noted that employment, consumer confidence and the stock market all have risen since November despite the barrage of negative news on cable TV.

"There's no threat of recession in the near future," he said. "Business people and consumers are pretty content right now; it's nothing like you see on TV. If you're making investment decisions based on what you see on CNN, you're going to be in trouble."

Here's what Dotzour and others forecast for Tampa Bay and the rest of the country this year:

Home Sweet Home — For hedge funds and other big-bucks groups, apartment communities have been the hottest investments in the past several years. But as rents continue to rise (up an average of $40 a month this year in Tampa Bay), the ardor for apartment living has begun to cool. A recent Pew survey found that 72 percent of renters including millennials want a home of their own.

That means a "bull market for single- family housing," Dotzour said. As more baby boomers retire, "millennials can check in (their) Uber badge and get a really good job," he said. "All of a sudden living in a high-rise urban apartment is just not working."

Some possible headwinds: Unless lending regulations are eased, it still could be tough to get a mortgage. And developers stung by the housing crash are more cautious today, meaning the supply of new homes in Tampa Bay and elsewhere in Florida has yet to catch up with demand.

"In the mid 2000s, developers were buying land left and right — if all that were built on, we would have had 60 million people," Saunders said "They're a bit more disciplined in their acquisitions today."

Here comes Lucky's Market, there goes Sears — Due to the ever-increasing volume of online shopping, the bricks-and-mortar retail business is going through a radical change.

"Class A retail and the bottom have done very well," said Fred Schmidt, president of Coldwell Banker Commercial Affiliates. "The middle is where you don't want to be."

Schmidt predicts more malls will be anchored by grocers — Sears is being replaced by Lucky's Market at St. Petersburg's Tyrone Square Mall, for instance — and that there will be "a lot of re-purposing" of vacant storefronts, especially with local start-ups and expanding businesses that cater to the 18-34 crowd.

"Food, entertainment — what millennials want is experiential,'' Schmidt said. "Baby boomers are still very, very key but we're starting to die off and our spending years aren't what they used to be."

Out of the office — Office rents in the Tampa Bay area are rising to the point they could justify new office construction, which all but stopped after the Great Recession.

"I think you're going to see new construction in Tampa. Channelside is rocking," said Gary M. Ralston, a commercial real estate broker and certified building contractor.

But as with the retail business, e-commerce will have a huge impact on the office market in coming years. Thanks to smart phones and computers, many workers today rarely set foot in an office. And the need for physical office space will further decline as Generation Z — the 70 million people born between 1998 and 2017 — moves into the labor force.

"This group is the wired generation. That's what they know; they don't know any other reality," Schmidt said. "This is the future demographically for commercial real estate for the next 25 years. If you thought millennials were changing things, you ain't seen nothing yet."

Hit the road, Jack — Tampa Bay's location on the 1-4 corridor is making it an attractive industrial market, especially as e-commerce revolutionizes that part of the real estate business, too.

With consumers demanding quick delivery of goods, Tampa Bay truckers are within a five-hour driving distance of 20 million people — as many as in the greater Los Angeles area.

The bay area already is home to a huge Amazon distribution center in Ruskin and vacancy rates are low in other local warehouse and industrial space. "So look for more of that to come,'' Saunders said.

Blue is the new orange — “A day without orange juice," as the old slogan began, is becoming more common. Once synonymous with Florida, the citrus industry has been slammed by freezes, the disastrous "citrus greening'' disease and a perception that O.J. is too sugary to be good for you.

In the past 10 years, citrus production has plunged 61 percent and 150,000 acres have been lost to other uses like subdivisions. "Lots of citrus is transitioning to other agriculture including blueberries because it is using the infrastructure, primarily irrigation," Saunders said.

In South Florida, farmers are growing more mangoes and other specialty crops though they face stiff competition from Mexico. An end to the North American Free Trade Agreement — as Trump has called for — could trigger trade wars that would further hurt Florida farmers including Hillsborough tomato growers.

Dotzour, the economist, doubts Trump will get his way on two other priorities: tax cuts and a massive program to rebuild the aging infrastructure in Florida and other states.

"This current environment does not tolerate huge deficits," he said. And, noting that the nation is near or at full employment, he added:

"We don't need a trillion dollars worth of bridges because there's nobody to build them."

Contact Susan Taylor Martin at smartin@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8642. Follow @susanskate

Florida real estate by the numbers

$2.265 trillion — Just market value of Florida land

10,198,457 —Total number of parcels

100,000 — New parcels in past year due to land dividing

529,241 — Total acres of orange groves in 2006

425,728 — Total acres of orange groves in 2016

Sources: USDA, Florida Department of Revenue

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http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/romano-you-can-fret-you-can-rejoice-or-you-can-get-used-to-baseball-in-st/2317813

Romano: You can fret, you can rejoice or you can get used to baseball in St. Petersburg

John Romano, Times Columnist

Friday, March 24, 2017 12:04pm

For 10 years, we have crept. You may even say plodded.

The search for a new baseball stadium in Tampa Bay has been nothing if not deliberate and, on most days, stealthy. Speculation has run up the score on confirmation almost every step of the way.

And then, suddenly, BOOM!

The headline says the Rays' top five choices for stadium sites have all been eliminated. If this isn't game-changing, it's at least significant.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Stu Sternberg says top choices for Rays news stadium are unavailable

So what's the proper reaction to owner Stuart Sternberg's revelation that three prime sites in Tampa and two in St. Petersburg have been taken off the board? That depends on your point of view.

1. This is terrible.

For those who love the Rays, this can't possibly be good news. The one message that has never changed from Rays ownership is that, because of this market's challenges, any new stadium has to be built on a near-perfect site. So how many "perfect'' sites can possibly remain?

2. This is wonderful.

If you belong to the crowd who does not believe a Major League Baseball stadium is a good community investment, then you're already preparing different variations of a "good riddance'' rant and shouting that this was all part of the Rays-to-Montreal conspiracy.

3. This is inevitable.

If you're a realist, you understand that this was never going to be a pretty process. It involves too much money, too many government layers and far too many variables when it comes to finding suitable land in a market that is close to being built-out.

So where do we go from here?

RELATED COVERAGE: Hillsborough Commissioner takes shot across bow of Rays owners as stadium search drags

If I were a betting man, I would say about a few hundred yards to the east of the current Tropicana Field site. The Trop site has always been the most accessible path to a new stadium, even if it was never the most desirable for either the Rays or a lot of fans in North Pinellas and Hillsborough.

The site information confirmed by Sternberg to Tampa Bay Times reporter Marc Topkin on Thursday was intriguing for a lot of reasons, but mostly for this:

The Rays still have genuine interest in St. Petersburg's downtown area. Granted the Al Lang and Albert Whitted sites are both much more attractive than Tropicana because of the potential waterfront views, but this means the team has not totally soured on baseball in St. Pete.

The comments from Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan may have been even more intriguing.

Hagan told the Times' Steve Contorno that he had concerns about the team's "ability to have a significant investment'' in the ballpark.

This could simply mean that the Rays are not willing and/or able to make a sizable contribution to the building of a stadium. It might mean Tampa and Hillsborough County officials recognize it will be difficult to persuade taxpayers to pony up as much money as the Rays expected.

It might mean Hagan, as the point man for the Hillsborough effort, is already anticipating a Rays return to St. Petersburg, and he's beginning to assign blame ahead of time. It has not gone unnoticed that Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn has never made the Rays a top priority, which could be construed as a shrewd politician recognizing this deal was going to be difficult to pull off.

"I would not have made the deal allowing them to look around the region if I didn't have complete confidence in St. Petersburg and the opportunity that the Trop site presents them,'' St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman said. "They may have had ideas in their head of other locations that might seem to be a better fit, but once you starting getting into the details of the investments involved, you discover those other sites are not so great, for whatever reasons might exist there.

"I think that's exactly what's happened.''

The major hurdle that must be cleared for the Trop site?

What's the cost, and who is picking up the tab?

For the Rays, this has always been a mathematics question. If they can boost their revenues $15 million a year in a downtown Tampa location, then they would invest a certain amount in construction. If a new stadium on the Trop site only boosts their revenues $5 million a year, then one might assume their investment would not be as high.

The difference at the Trop site is there is an abundance of property that does not have to be purchased, and the Rays currently hold the development rights through their stadium use agreement.

Those rights could go a long way toward deferring the team's costs, and they would allow the Rays to be partners in whatever development goes up around the stadium.

This doesn't mean a site in downtown Tampa won't suddenly become available at a better asking price, but the odds seem a lot less likely than a week ago.

What's now clear is that St. Pete is still a viable location, and that Hillsborough voices are less optimistic than in the past. All of which makes the Trop site seem a lot more attractive today.

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http://www.tampabay.com/sports/soccer/rowdies-beat-orlando-city-in-usl-debut-before-record-crowd-at-al-lang/2317954

Rowdies beat Orlando City in USL debut before record crowd at Al Lang

By Darek Sharp, Times Correspondent

Saturday, March 25, 2017 10:27pm

ST. PETERSBURG — Georgi Hristov's penalty kick goal, the result of a long period of Rowdies dominant play, was the difference in Tampa Bay's 1-0 defeat of Orlando City B on Saturday night before a loud and record Rowdies crowd at Al Lang Stadium.

It was the first game for the Rowdies in the United Soccer League, and 7,710 were on hand. Tampa Bay's next two games are also at home, with Toronto FC II visiting next Saturday.

"The most important thing is we won in front of this unbelievable crowd," Hristov said.

Midfielder Leo Fernandes, in his Rowdies debut, sidestepped around two defenders and was taken down for the penalty. In the 57th minute, Hristov, who led Tampa Bay with 11 goals last season, drilled a high shot down the middle, and a diving Earl Edwards had no chance.

It was redemption for Hristov, who, in a three-minute span, left two first-half opportunities begging. In the 39th minute, Joe Cole's offering placed Hristov one-on-one with Edwards, but instead of a quick shot, Hristov tried to work around and was denied.

In the 42nd minute, Michael Nanchoff dropped a perfect pass to Hristov, but the shot went barely over the crossbar. In the late stages of the first half, Hristov broke in alone on the right wing but shot the ball wide left.

"I maybe wasn't happy with myself tonight, but was very happy with the team," he said.

At 1:05, OCB made its most dangerous push, but Danny Deakin's advancement was swallowed up by Rowdies goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald.

"I don't remember many 'heart in the throat' chances for them," Rowdies coach Stuart Campbell said, whose team played in the North American Soccer League last season.

Edwards made a stellar punch save on Cole's 30-yard chip shot in the 78th minute to keep it 1-0.

Cole departed shortly after the 90th minute as Tampa Bay's first substitution to a standing ovation. Hristov departed moments later as the Rowdies' starters played the bulk of the game.

The Rowdies finished with a 21-3 shot advantage.

"It was crucial to come out and get the first win," Campbell said. "It was if, not when" they would get on the scoreboard, he said.

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http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2017/03/26/rowdies-knock-off-orlando-cit-b-1-0-in-usl-debut/2678

Rowdies Knock Off Orlando City B 1-0 in USL Debut

March 26, 2017 Jake Nutting Articles, Eastern Conference, USL   

by JAKE NUTTING

The 1-0 scoreline might not reflect it, but the Tampa Bay Rowdies dominated in their United Soccer League debut against Orlando City B. Fittingly, it was a penalty from the Rowdies all-time leading scorer in the modern era Georgi Hristov that sealed the win in the first ever league meeting between the two rivals.

“I’m happy to have scored the goal on an important night for the Rowdies,” Hristov said. “We played really well tonight and should’ve won by more, so I’m proud of the way all my teammates played. There’s things we can do better, but this is a good start.”

7,710 packed into Al Lang Stadium to witness the match, creating an atmosphere that led to some frantic play for both teams in the opening minutes.

The Rowdies, though, were the ones who eventeually settled in and took hold of the match. Following a probing long-range shot from Orlando’s Richie Laryea that was collected easily by keeper Akira Fitzgerald — filling in for the injured Matt Pickens — the visitors failed to record another shot on goal in the match.

Rowdies newcomer Marcel Schäfer angled to win the hearts and minds of the crowd early on with scoring chance in the 24th minute with the first chance of the match. Midfielder Leo Fernandes fed a ball into space down the left side of the box for the Bundesliga veteran, who got off a shot to the far post with his first touch, but OCB keeper Earl Edwards Jr. denied him with an outstanding save. Fernandes attempted to jump on the rebound only to see it cleared away at the last moment.

Joe Cole looked to put the Rowdies up at the half-hour mark with a set-piece strike. The English veteran missed out on grabbing his first goal of the year when his whizzing free kick from just outside the box didn’t quite curl left enough in time.

Hristov had two achingly similar chances within five minutes of each other at the end of the first 45 minutes that were both begging to be put away. On the first, the Bulgarian received a pass from Cole in the center of the box, attempted to push the ball right of the charging Edwards but instead fired it right into his arms on the ground.

The second was the result of a run from Michael Nanchoff, who chipped an awkward pass to Hristov in the center of the box again. Once again, the forward pushed the ball to his right, only this time he got under the bouncing ball and sent the it over the outfield wall.

Hristov finally gave the Rowdies the lead in the 57th minute following an incredible individual effort from Fernandes to draw a penalty. Fernadnes flicked a ball between a crowd of OCB defenders and raced into the box where he was taken out by a sliding challenge from Edwards. The third time was the charm for Hristov, who buried the penalty straight down the middle as Edwards dove to his right.

“Honestly, I was a bit nervous,” Hristov said of the penalty. “I had one or two very good chances before that I could’ve scored. Maybe I should’ve score two goals, at least. But at least we won. This is what we were talking about before the game. We had to keep believing in each other. My teammates kept telling me to keep my head up, so in end in the end everything worked out and we got our first win of the season.”

Cole came close to doubling the lead in the 78th minute with a clever chip from distance. The ball was on its way to dipping down under the crossbar, but Edwards recovered in time to make another fantastic save.

“It was a big game with a big atmosphere and my players came good tonight,” Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell said. “I’m delighted for Georgi because he worked his absolute socks off and if anyone deserved a goal tonight, it’s him.”

The Rowdies will stick around St. Petersburg next weekend for a matchup with Toronto FC II.

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http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/economicdevelopment/biotech-giant-amgen-to-open-tampa-center-creating-up-to-450-jobs/2317525

Biotech giant Amgen to open Tampa center, creating up to 450 jobs

By Malena Carollo, Times Staff Writer

Wednesday, March 22, 2017 1:44pm

TAMPA — Biotechnology giant Amgen is opening a facility in Tampa this October with promises to create as many as 450 jobs here by 2018.

The facility will be primarily back-office operations spanning four floors of Corporate Center One in Tampa, which neighbors Tampa International Airport to the east.

Amgen, which is investing $25 million in the Tampa project, specializes in developing medicine for diseases with few treatment options. Their focus areas include: oncology and hematology, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, bone health, nephrology and neuroscience. Based in Thousand Oaks, Calif., the company operates in nearly 100 countries with nearly 20,000 employees worldwide.

It joins upward of 1,100 companies in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device sectors in Florida.

Ken Atwater, chairman of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp., said Amgen's move builds on Hillsborough County's efforts to attract more life science companies to the area such as Bristol-Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson.

Amgen did not receive any tax incentives through the state job-creation agency Enterprise Florida, or any local incentives, economic development officials said.

The news came on the heels of Gov. Rick Scott's roundtable in Seminole earlier in the day where he insisted that Enterprise Florida is necessary to incentivize job creation in state.

Related coverage: Gov. Rick Scott hosts jobs roundtable in Seminole

At the roundtable, Scott said that Northrop Grumman was likely to bring 3,200 more jobs to Florida. All will be in St. Johns and Brevard counties.

"I don't know if we'll get all of them," Scott said, "but there's a potential for (3,200) more jobs only because they're here."

Another defense contractor, Lockheed Martin, has committed to bringing 920 new jobs. Of those, 140 will come to Pinellas County, while 780 will be split between Brevard, Palm Beach, Orange and Polk counties.

Northrop was one of several companies that made commitments to bring jobs to the state in exchange for incentive packages Scott offered through Enterprise Florida. In 2013, Northrop committed to adding 1,000 new jobs for one project.

Those jobs, however, haven't materialized to their full extent yet. Only 503 jobs had been confirmed for the 2014 reporting period, the most recent data available. The state Department of Economic Opportunity, which maintains the data, considers this to be on track, however.

Enterprise Florida currently gives businesses tax breaks as an incentive for creating more jobs in the state. Earlier this month, the Florida House voted to shut down the agency down with an 87-28 vote. The Florida Senate has not acted on that measure.

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http://www.tampabay.com/sports/soccer/rowdies-loaded-with-new-faces-for-saturday-opener-in-new-league/2317822

Rowdies loaded with new faces for Saturday opener in new league

By Darek Sharp, Times Correspondent

Friday, March 24, 2017 2:30pm

ST. PETERSBURG — Short of getting awarded a Major League Soccer franchise — and they're trying hard on that front — it was as eventful an offseason as the Tampa Bay Rowdies have ever had.

"Normally it's pretty quiet. This one … well, you'd do well to beat it," said coach Stuart Campbell.

It has finally come to an end. The Rowdies take the field tonight as new members of the United Soccer League, hosting Orlando City B at Al Lang Stadium.

The Tampa Bay franchise awaits a May 2 citywide vote on whether St. Petersburg can negotiate a lease up to 25 years with Rowdies owner Bill Edwards. The team plans to expand the downtown stadium to 18,000 seats, with Edwards paying for it through $80 million in private investment.

Tampa Bay is one of 11 markets vying for a Major League Soccer franchise, with the league expected to announce this year the addition of its 25th and 26th teams.

But the MLS can wait. The Rowdies dropped out of the North American Soccer League, which is down to 10 teams, to join the USL, which has 30. The Rowdies will play 32 games: home and away to each Eastern Conference opponent with an extra home game against Ottawa and Charleston, an additional trip to Orlando, and one game against a Western foe, at San Antonio.

Campbell and staff had a lot of tape to dissect. "Straightaway my staff and I started watching games. Hundreds of games between us," he said. "We got in depth into their style play; we had a good look."

One thing that jumped out: The average age of a USL roster is much younger, and the legs are a lot faster. The Rowdies had to respond.

"We have a lot more speed than we had last year. More energy from our younger players. We can press the ball further," Campbell said.

One of those speedy additions is Deshorn Brown, 26, who scored 20 goals in three seasons with MLS Colorado (2013-15). Brown, who has played 14 games for the Jamaican national team, most recently suited up for China's top league Shenzen (seven goals, 14 games).

Darwin Jones, 24, scored 14 goals for USL Seattle 2 over the past two seasons.

Alex Morrell, 22, a Lakeland George Jenkins High product, was drafted by the Chicago Fire out of North Florida.

"You blink and you might miss a couple of the new guys," Campbell said. "It would be a good bloody race between Darnell (King), Darwin, Deshorn, Alex.''

King is a prime example of how the Rowdies maintained their key pieces. At the top of that list is Joe Cole, the three-time English Premier League champ who was added early last year (nine goals, seven assists). Leading scorer Georgi Hristov (11 goals) is back, along with captain Tam Mkandawire and goaltender Matt Pickens.

In all, the Rowdies have 11 returners and 11 new faces. Based on preseason alignments, British defender Luke Boden, 28, will start, along with 25-year-old Brazilian midfielder Leo Fernandes.

"It's really competitive," Campbell said. "We went with a smaller (numbers) squad. Come Saturday there will be some disappointed players sat on the bench that deserve to be starters.

"When you make a transition to another league, I was wary how players would perceive it. But thankfully, all the players we wanted to bring back, wanted back. They weren't short of offers. They really believe in what's happening with the Rowdies."

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https://atl2018.com/en/home

TWO NEW TEAMS ARE COMING TO ATLANTA

We are bringing professional soccer back to the east side of Atlanta. Beginning in 2018, both a men's team and a women's team will call Atlanta their home. We will play out of Atlanta Sports City - a unique complex unlike anything else in the country. Find out more about our plans or our people.

Stay tuned!

A MAJOR announcement regarding professional soccer in Atlanta is coming in...

Spread the word, please share #ATL2018

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http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-soccer/story/3087448/sir-alex-ferguson-says-major-league-soccer-is-definitely-improving

Sir Alex Ferguson says Major League Soccer is 'definitely improving'

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http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/gallery/chicago-fire-signing-bastian-schweinsteiger-is-the-backwards-step-mls-doesnt-need-032117

Chicago Fire signing Bastian Schweinsteiger is the backwards step MLS doesn’t need

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http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2017/03/24/2017-preview-tampa-bay-rowdies/2659

2017 Preview: Tampa Bay Rowdies

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http://bshambles.blogspot.com/2017/03/2017-nasl-prediction-polls.html

2017 NASL Prediction Polls

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https://www.facebook.com/MFAStPete/videos/10154423422518317/

Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Florida

March 24 at 11:00am ·

Experience the great American road trip! Hit The Open Road at the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Florida. Now showing, this photographic exhibition traces the rise of road culture in America from the mid-1950's to today! 📷 🚗

For exhibition tickets and gallery hours: http://bit.ly/OpenRoadMFA

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http://mfastpete.org/exh/the-open-road/

The Open Road

Photography and the American Road Trip

February 9 – June 4, 2017

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/03/23/nasl-aims-take-drama-boardroom-pitch/

NASL aims to 'take drama out of boardroom and on to pitch'

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http://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2017/03/24/orlando-city-sc-announces-loans-orlando-city-b

Orlando City SC Announces Loans to Orlando City B

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http://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/mls-usl-evolving-relationship-jake-edwards-interview-analysis

After boost from MLS, USL looking at what's next in evolving relationship

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http://www.indomitablecitysoccer.com/2017/3/23/15042070/2017-usl-season-preview-tampa-bay-rowdies

2017 USL Season Preview: Tampa Bay Rowdies

Back in the USL after six years away, the ambitious club is bringing an exciting brand of soccer to the Eastern Conference.

by Tyler Bodnar Mar 23, 2017, 3:05pm PDT

Year Founded: 2008, in its current state

Affiliation: Independent

2016 record: 9th in the NASL Combined Standings

2016 playoffs: Did not Qualify for NASL Playoffs

Key additions: Marcel Schäfer from VfL Wolfsburg, Leo Fernandes from Philadelphia Union, Deshorn Brown from Shenzhen, Luke Boden from Orlando City

Key departures: Darwin Espinal, Victor “PC” Giro

Projected/ideal starting XI (4-2-3-1): Matt Pickens; Luke Boden, Neil Collins, Tamika Mkandawire, Darnell King; Michael Nanchoff, Marcel Schäfer; Alex Morrell, Joe Cole (c), Darwin Jones; Deshorn Brown

The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced their move to the USL after what many fans would consider a disappointing final run to the playoffs in the last North American Soccer League season. The Rowdies are coming into the newly expanded USL fighting, with several new and exciting additions to the squad to bolster former England international Joe Cole and friends this season. They started the trade window by offering talented young winger Victor “PC” Giro to Orlando City SC of MLS in exchange for veteran left back Luke Boden, who will attempt to fill a position where the Rowdies have been in need for three years. They have also picked up Bundesliga Champion and former German international Marcel Schäfer from Vfl Wolfsburg to improve an already strong midfield, led by Cole.

This will be the second full season at the helm for former Rowdies player and captain Stuart Campbell, who took over as head coach after the controversial sacking of manager Thomas Rongen midway through the 2015 NASL season. Campbell has a lot to prove this season, and all eyes are on him going into the USL, as the Rowdies only won a single preseason game en route to a possible MLS bid. After ending 2016 in decline, the club hopes to bounce back this season in the USL starting, with a game against cross-state rivals Orlando City B.

Why you should watch the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2017:

The Rowdies have made several offseason moves in acquiring high-pace forwards, such as Alex Morrell and Deshorn Brown, to play up top in front of Cole. Expect high-paced action and over-the-top balls, as talented and fast players attempt to guide the Rowdies to a high-scoring season.

3 players to watch:

Joe Cole: Since joining the Rowdies in the 2016 season, Cole has been a leader on the field. He finished the last campaign with nine goals and seven assists to lead the Rowdies in scoring, so expect Cole to bring the same magic to the USL.

Deshorn Brown: Brown was a preseason trialist with the Rowdies from Shenzhen in China, at first only for training. But, after several impressive preseason displays, the Rowdies were able to acquire the lightning-fast forward to help lead the line this year.

Matt Pickens: One of the most reliable goalkeepers in North America is now going to be in the USL. Last season Pickens played 31 games, in which he recorded eight shutouts with a 1.23 GAA. At 34, don't expect the former MLS champion to die down just yet.

The 2017 season will be a success if... the Rowdies can finally wrap their heads around the 4-2-3-1. Cole is the number-10 the Rowdies have been looking for, and hopefully with the right offseason pickups, they will finally be able to master the formation Campbell has been using.

Read More:

Tampa Bay Rowdies and The MLS

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http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2017/03/22/rowdies-team-up-with-youth-soccer-group-as-next.html?ana=fbk

Rowdies team up with youth soccer group as next step in MLS bid

Mar 22, 2017, 2:45pm EDT

The Tampa Bay Rowdies are extending their brand to the Tampa Bay United Soccer Club, a youth soccer group, as the team works to become the next expansion team for Major League Soccer.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2017/3/25/15058216/usa-vs-honduras-2018-world-cup-qualifying-jurgen-klinsmann

The USMNT’s demolition of Honduras showed just how bad Jurgen Klinsmann was at his job

This is the last time we’ll take Klinsmann to task. We promise.

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http://620wdae.iheart.com/onair/ronnie-and-tkras-55522/record-crowd-for-rowdies-usl-opening-15680024/?cmp=managed_social

Record Crowd for Rowdies USL Opening Win

posted by Darek Sharp

Darek was covering the Rowdies' USL season opener Saturday and he wasn't alone at Al Lang -- a record 7,710 came out to see the 1-0 victory over Orlando City B. Darek's game story is (here) and the lone goal came on this penalty kick.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.360nobs.com/2017/03/toni-kroos-major-league-soccer-china/

Toni Kroos Issues His Damning Verdict About Moving To Major League Soccer Or China

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https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/a-football-team-ran-an-internet-poll-to-choose-its-name--have-a-guess-what-happened-783182.html

A football team ran an internet poll to choose its name - have a guess what happened

Yes, way out in front is of course Footy McFooty Face.

You might also have spotted in there the San Diego Bad Hombres – apparently a cheeky reference to President Donald Trump’s campaign promise that “we have some bad hombres here and we’re going to get them out”. San Diego, which is near the Mexican border, has a large Hispanic community and, according to the city’s Union-Tribune newspaper, voted overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton in the election.

The only real surprise with the poll is that the name San Diego Harambes doesn’t feature at all.

Footy McFooty Face of course follows the template laid down by James Hand, whose suggestion Boaty McBoatface won a poll to decide what a new polar research vessel in the UK would be called.

In the end, the vessel was named the RRS Sir David Attenborough, though an unmanned submarine, which recently went on its first polar mission, did take the Boaty name.

If the San Diego franchise follows a similar pattern, perhaps they could go with San Diego Surf for the first team and name their reserve side Footy McFooty Face.

Whatever the fans go for, though, should San Diego win a place in MLS, the final decision on the name will sit with league itself – so don’t expect to see the LA Galaxy facing Footy McFooty Face any time soon.

The league is set to announce which two of 10 bidding cities will be added for the 2020 season later this year.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://fox2now.com/2017/03/26/mls-commissioner-to-visit-st-louis-monday-to-rally-support-for-soccer-stadium/

MLS commissioner to visit St. Louis Monday to rally support for soccer stadium

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http://www.beinsports.com/th-en/major-league-soccer/news/all-time-great-buffon-too-old-for-mls-move-5/492791

All-time great Buffon too old for MLS move, says Pirlo

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http://sports.yahoo.com/news/back-irregular-heartbeat-dempsey-hopes-4th-cup-234148220--mls.html

Back from irregular heartbeat, Dempsey hopes for 4th Cup

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http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/benjamin-hochman/hochman-st-louis-has-chance-to-be-progressive-with-soccer/article_be0f7bd1-6051-5e02-805c-d8ed3fd6b079.html

Hochman: St. Louis has chance to be progressive with soccer stadium

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http://fox2now.com/2017/03/26/mls-commissioner-to-visit-st-louis-monday-to-rally-support-for-soccer-stadium/

MLS commissioner to visit St. Louis Monday to rally support for soccer stadium

(Follow link for full article.)

http://napavalleyregister.com/sports/college-and-pro/napa-valley-fc-opens-season-by-falling---to/article_5aaca467-0629-5217-82f0-4b3e4735601f.html

National Premier Soccer League

Napa Valley 1839 FC opens season by falling 2-1 to CD Aguiluchos USA of Oakland

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/774156?referrer_id=2364194-news-archive

I-4 Derby Lives Up to Billing

Rowdies’ stadium-record sellout, victory vs. OCB provide impressive atmosphere

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http://www.tbo.com/sports/rowdies-beat-orlando-city-in-usl-debut-before-record-crowd-at-al-lang-20170325/

Rowdies beat Orlando City in USL debut before record crowd at Al Lang

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http://saintpetersblog.com/5-things-keep-eye-rowdies-open-usl-era/

5 things to keep your eye on as Rowdies open their USL era

Gary Shelton

Five things to look for in tonight’s home opener for the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

1. The crowd: Sure, most teams look for a big gate in their opening game. For the Rowdies, who have been pushing their attendance to make the MLS notice, it’s even more important. Tampa Bay has to establish itself as a solid market.

2. New surroundings: The USL isn’t where the Rowdies were, and it isn’t where they want to be long-term. But it’s a stable league, which pulled the Rowdies from the NASL, where they had played for years. The opponent, Orlando B, could be the birth of a new rivalry.

3. Joe Cole: Someday, Cole will get old. Not yet, though. Cole has looked as frisky as ever in the Rowdies’ training camp, and he’s still capable of taking your breath away with a key goal. At this stage of his career, Cole is also a calming influence for a young team.

4. Marcel Shafer: The Rowdies hope Shafer, too, can have a bit impact on their roster. He spent 10 seasons playing for German Bundesliga’s VfL Wolfsburg.

5. Georgi Hristov: Hristov, last season’s leading scorer for the Rowdies, leads an attack the team hopes will be more productive. Speed gives the Rowdies’ fans reason to hope.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/soccer/rowdies-beat-orlando-city-in-usl-debut-before-record-crowd-at-al-lang/2317954

Rowdies beat Orlando City in USL debut before record crowd at Al Lang

By Darek Sharp, Times Correspondent

Saturday, March 25, 2017 10:27pm

ST. PETERSBURG — Georgi Hristov's penalty kick goal, the result of a long period of Rowdies dominant play, was the difference in Tampa Bay's 1-0 defeat of Orlando City B on Saturday night before a loud and record Rowdies crowd at Al Lang Stadium.

It was the first game for the Rowdies in the United Soccer League, and 7,710 were on hand. Tampa Bay's next two games are also at home, with Toronto FC II visiting next Saturday.

"The most important thing is we won in front of this unbelievable crowd," Hristov said.

Midfielder Leo Fernandes, in his Rowdies debut, sidestepped around two defenders and was taken down for the penalty. In the 57th minute, Hristov, who led Tampa Bay with 11 goals last season, drilled a high shot down the middle, and a diving Earl Edwards had no chance.

It was redemption for Hristov, who, in a three-minute span, left two first-half opportunities begging. In the 39th minute, Joe Cole's offering placed Hristov one-on-one with Edwards, but instead of a quick shot, Hristov tried to work around and was denied.

In the 42nd minute, Michael Nanchoff dropped a perfect pass to Hristov, but the shot went barely over the crossbar. In the late stages of the first half, Hristov broke in alone on the right wing but shot the ball wide left.

"I maybe wasn't happy with myself tonight, but was very happy with the team," he said.

At 1:05, OCB made its most dangerous push, but Danny Deakin's advancement was swallowed up by Rowdies goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald.

"I don't remember many 'heart in the throat' chances for them," Rowdies coach Stuart Campbell said, whose team played in the North American Soccer League last season.

Edwards made a stellar punch save on Cole's 30-yard chip shot in the 78th minute to keep it 1-0.

Cole departed shortly after the 90th minute as Tampa Bay's first substitution to a standing ovation. Hristov departed moments later as the Rowdies' starters played the bulk of the game.

The Rowdies finished with a 21-3 shot advantage.

"It was crucial to come out and get the first win," Campbell said. "It was if, not when" they would get on the scoreboard, he said.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2017/03/25/match-recap-ocb-drops-season-opener-tampa-bay-rowdies

Match Recap | OCB Drops Season Opener at Tampa Bay Rowdies

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https://mlsmultiplex.com/2017/03/24/nasl-san-francisco-deltas-expanding-soccer-coverage-twitter/

NASL: San Francisco Deltas expanding soccer coverage to Twitter

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http://saintpetersblog.com/tampa-bay-rowdies-welcome-2017-season-1000-fans-mahaffey-theater/

Tampa Bay Rowdies welcome 2017 Season with 1,000 fans at Mahaffey Theater

The Tampa Bay Rowdies kicked off their 2017 Season Thursday night.

Rowdies officials and players were joined by over 1,000 fans at the Mahaffey Theater in downtown St. Petersburg to welcome in the regular season.

Highlights of the night included a question and answer session with Rowdies Chairman and CEO Bill Edwards, former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker and Rowdies COO Lee Cohen, moderated by the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Alexis Muellner.

In the Q&A, Edwards and Baker emphasized the upcoming St. Petersburg referendum on May 2 which would allow the Rowdies to negotiate a long-term use agreement with City Council for the use of Al Lang Stadium.

As the show continued, a Rowdies midfielder debuted an all-new white alternate kit featuring a single sharp green and gold stripe on both the jersey and socks. Rowdies goalkeeper Matt Pickens debuted a new electric blue goalkeeper jersey, while Akira Fitzgerald modeled a gray version.

In addition to the white alternate kit, the Rowdies will continue to use their famed hooped jerseys and the green kits from 2016.

The party leads into Saturday’s home opener against Orlando City B. Tickets are available by calling (727) 222-2000 or online to purchase.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://archpaper.com/2017/03/etfe-stadiums/

Why is ETFE the material of choice for U.S. stadia?

By The Editors • March 24, 2017

“Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Thankfully “E-T-F-E” does. The material—commonly referred to by its acronym—is all the rave within the architecture world right now, mostly notably seen in contemporary stadia design.

A Project Engineer at New York firm, Thornton Tomasetti, Alloy Kemp spoke to The Architect’s Newspaper about the material’s key role in stadia projects such across the U.S. These included: the Banc of California Stadium (for the Los Angeles Football Club) and the U.S. Bank Stadium (for the Minnesota Vikings).

With regard to the latter example, the stadium makes use of a 240,000-square-foot transparent ETFE roof—the largest of its kind in the country. Here, transparency facilitates clear views outside and bathes the playing field in natural light. This also aids climate control within the space, a key factor when growing pitch-perfect grass. While the ETFE system facilitates solar gains, excess heat vents at the stadium’s peak supplement ventilation requirements.

The latter meanwhile uses the material expose the structure as a roof clad with 190,000 square feet of ETFE film reveal long-span cantilevers. Kemp pointed out that the material lets a full spectrum of UV light through, something “which aids in plant growth.” She also cited the material’s “high span to weight ratio” and “its ability to warp” that allow “lighter and sparser structure,” as a main reason for its selection. Additionally, kemp added that a low friction coefficient means with regular rainfall, it is capable of cleaning itself with little maintenance necessary.

Another stadium, this time for the LA Rams NFL team, also makes use of ETFE. The stadium, designed by New York–based HKS, features a giant triangular roof supported by thick columns and made of the material. This super-roof also spans across an adjacent outdoor lobby called “champions plaza” to be used as a communal gathering spot for game day spectators. For year-round events, the stadium features a transparent ETFE canopy covering nearly 19 acres. The canopy allows all sides of the building to remain open to the air, allowing natural breezes to pass through while protecting the up to 80,000 patrons from inclement weather.

Kemp will be speaking at the next Facades+ conference in New York April 6 and 7. There she and Edward Peck of Forum Studio will discuss ETFE’s use in the LA Football Club and Minnesota Vikings stadiums as well as in the DS+R’s Hudson Yards Culture Shed. Seating is limited. To register, go to facadesplus.com.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://buffalonews.com/2017/03/24/fc-buffalo-announces-preliminary-roster-2017/

FC Buffalo announces preliminary roster for 2017

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http://napavalleyregister.com/sports/napa-valley-fc-dives-into-men-s-soccer-season-saturday/article_a300fe19-9e6b-51d7-a9a4-5ade5ae35101.html

National Premier Soccer League

Napa Valley 1839 FC dives into men's soccer season Saturday night

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http://www.stltoday.com/sports/soccer/st-louis-fc-kicks-off-season-with-preki-in-charge/article_dd4cc55b-efdc-547a-ba1c-033adb0a2647.html

St. Louis FC kicks off season with Preki in charge

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https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/03/23/la-galaxy-ii-announce-roster-ahead-2017-usl-regular-season

LA Galaxy II announce roster ahead of 2017 USL Regular Season

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https://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2017/03/23/orlando-city-b-opens-2017-usl-season-tampa-bay-rowdies

Orlando City B Opens 2017 USL Season at the Tampa Bay Rowdies

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http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/phoenix-rising-fc-march-25-home-opener-is-sold-out-300428931.html

Phoenix Rising FC March 25 Home Opener is SOLD OUT

YurView Arizona Cox Channels 7 & 1007 To Air All 2017 Matches Live in English and Spanish

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https://www.orlandocitysc.com/post/2017/03/24/orlando-city-sc-announces-loans-orlando-city-b

Orlando City SC Announces Loans to Orlando City B

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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-city-lions/on-the-pitch/os-sp-orlando-city-loans-nine-players-to-ocb-20170324-story.html

Orlando City loans 9 MLS players to United Soccer League side OCB

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http://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/soccer/louisville-city-fc/2017/03/24/usl-test-video-assistant-refereeing-2-louisville-city-matches/99583194/

USL to test video assistant refereeing in 2 Louisville City matches

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https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2017/03/24/game-preview-swope-park-rangers-open-2017-usl-season-home-against-okc-energy-fc

Game Preview: Swope Park Rangers to open 2017 USL season at home against OKC Energy FC

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/03/23/nasl-aims-take-drama-boardroom-pitch/

NASL aims to 'take drama out of boardroom and on to pitch'

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http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/soccer/article140432448.html

Mexican team’s friendly with NC FC helps warm up fans for NASL season

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http://midfieldpress.com/2017/03/23/sf-deltas-season-preview/
   
SF Deltas Season Preview

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http://www.fox13news.com/good-day/charley-s-world/243431492-story

Rowdies begin 2017 season with kickoff party

Posted:Mar 23 2017 10:38AM EDT

Updated:Mar 23 2017 10:43AM EDT

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - It's almost soccer season in Charley's World! He headed to Al Lang Stadium on Thursday to chat with the Tampa Bay Rowdies players about the season ahead and their MLS bid.

The team is throwing a free kickoff party for fans at the Mahaffey Theater tonight, March 23 at 6:30 p.m. Fans will enjoy free beerhors d'oeuvres presented by Big Storm Brewing and Chouinard's Cuisine. 

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/03/23/mls-commissioner-don-garber-attend-rally-st-louis-next-week

MLS Commissioner Don Garber to attend rally in St. Louis next week

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http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2017/03/22/twitter-twtr-san-francisco-deltas-nasl-fb-soccer.html

How Twitter and S.F.’s new pro soccer team plan to score together

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http://jacksonville.com/armada-fc/sports/2017-03-22/armada-announces-2017-broadcast-deal

Armada announces 2017 broadcast deal

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https://www.socceramerica.com/article/72756/whats-new-in-2017-nasl-1-10.html

What's new in 2017 NASL: 1-10

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http://www.studlife.com/forum/staff-editorials/2017/03/26/st-louis-voters-should-exercise-caution-on-soccer-in-st-louis/

Staff Editorials

St. Louis voters should exercise caution on soccer in St. Louis

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http://us.blastingnews.com/sports/2017/03/international-club-friendly-recap-sounders-necaxa-settles-for-draw-001580411.html

International club friendly recap: Sounders, Necaxa settles for draw

Weekend's international club friendly roundup between Seattle Sounders vs. Club Necaxa, the game ended in a 1-1 draw at CenturyLink Field.