(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2019/03/27/st-petersburg-still-waiting-to-hear-from-rays-on-whether-a-new-stadium-will-be-pursued/
St. Petersburg still waiting to hear from Rays on whether a new stadium will be pursued
Owner Stuart Sternberg met with St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman on Wednesday.
Rays owner Stuart Sternberg, left, talks with St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman prior to the Rays' 2014 home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays. [CHRIS URSO | Times]
ST. PETERSBURG — After meeting with Rays owner Stuart Sternberg on Wednesday, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman said he is still waiting to hear if the team wants to pursue a new baseball stadium in the city.
But, Kriseman said, the clock is ticking.
The city wants some clarity on whether a stadium could be part of the redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site, and there are potential stadium funds that may soon be earmarked for other projects.
“The (Pinellas) County Commission oversees those TDC (Tourist Development Council) dollars and they’ve indicated they would keep that money in a lock box, but it’s not going to sit there forever,’’ Kriseman said. “We’ve been looking at the finances and figuring out where the money would come from if the team is interested in building here. Once they make that decision, we’ll be ready to start having serious conversations. We just need to know if we’ll have a dance partner.’’
Sternberg has previously said it would likely be summertime before he decides what direction to go in terms of a new stadium.
The Rays spent the previous three years focused on a potential stadium in Hillsborough County, but the deadline for that deal expired on Dec. 31 without a financing plan the team considered viable.
The team is tied to its Tropicana Field lease through 2027, and can no longer have discussions with anyone outside of St. Pete.
Attendance is less important than it was in '98... the TV deal, the luxury boxes, the naming rights... this is where the $$$ is... T/SP/Clw is a very big and important TV market where MLB simply MUST be a player.
What MLB wants is expansion, not relocation.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.epluribusloonum.com/2019/3/26/18281483/bold-beautiful-allianz-field-is-so-much-more-than-a-place-to-watch-soccer-minnesota-united-stadium
Bold and Beautiful: Allianz Field is so much more than a place to watch soccer
The ground makes a perfect frame for Minnesotan soccer.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://loudounnow.com/2019/03/27/loudoun-united-formally-breaks-ground-on-stadium/
Loudoun United Formally Breaks Ground on Stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://emorywheel.com/an-odd-state-of-the-union-the-disparity-between-us-mens-and-womens-soccer/
An Odd State of the Union: The Disparity Between US Men’s and Women’s Soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/mls-must-eradicate-the-cancer-of-neo-nazi-hooliganism-1.3839383
MLS must eradicate the cancer of neo-Nazi hooliganism
Commissioner's tepid response to New York City FC ultras was disconcerting
(Follow link for full article.)
https://wjla.com/sports/dc-united/loudoun-county-breaks-ground-new-leesburg-soccer-stadium
Loudoun County breaks ground on new Leesburg soccer stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2019/03/27/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-against-nashville-mls-stadium-construction/3290497002/
Judge dismisses lawsuit that fought Nashville's MLS stadium construction
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sporttechie.com/mls-soccer-attendance-growth-teams-embrace-technology/
MLS Attendance Surges as Franchises Embrace Technology
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/03/27/austin-fcs-stadium-will-be-ready-2021-mls-home-opener
Austin FC's stadium will be ready for 2021 MLS home opener
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/03/27/how-fanbase-was-built-achieve-fc-cincinnatis-mls-dream
How a fanbase was built to achieve FC Cincinnati's MLS dream
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
David Beckham's Soccer Club Tries To Win Over Miami While Flirting With Fort Lauderdale
“We’ve been in conversation with those involved with the Strikers brand,” Mas said. “We want to be very respectful to the history. We have some very cool ideas.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bisnow.com/south-florida/news/construction-development/beckham-soccer-stadium-98188
David Beckham's Soccer Club Tries To Win Over Miami While Flirting With Fort Lauderdale
David Beckham's new Major League Soccer team, Inter Miami, has gone through a lot — multiple proposed-then-nixed stadium sites, a key public vote, legal challenges and scads of political battles — to get where it is now: negotiating to build a 25,000-seat stadium and $1B mixed-use project on a city-owned golf course.
In the meantime, because the team is scheduled to start playing in 10 months, it went to Fort Lauderdale for permission to redevelop that city's Lockhart Stadium to use for pro matches for the first two years and for training after that.
This divvying up of team operations has upset some Miamians who fought for the team to be based there, expecting more than just 18 or so pro games per year. So now Beckham's group is in an awkward position of convincing Miami it is still its No. 1 city while Fort Lauderdale's lipstick is all over its collar — lest the whole Miami deal fall through.
Whereas the Miami negotiations have been marked by careful maneuvering, the team was easily welcomed in Fort Lauderdale. Mayor Dean Trantalis was in a celebratory mood at a Bisnow conference last week, the morning after his Fort Lauderdale City Commission voted to move forward in talks with Beckham's team rather than a rival soccer startup that has long wanted the space — and feels Beckham's group undercut it.
“David Beckham has landed!” Trantalis said in his opening statement to the audience. "Fort Lauderdale is going to be the center of soccer. We’re so pleased and so happy that the commission unanimously voted to make that happen."
Now, a week after winning approval in Fort Lauderdale, Inter Miami is tackling its next big obstacle: the Miami City Commission. The commission is expected to vote on lease terms by September.
Jorge Mas, the managing partner and lead investor behind Beckham’s franchise, spoke to Magic City Soccer on Monday about plans for the publicly owned Melreese Country Club site.
Mas faces an uphill task at the Miami City Commission, where Inter Miami appears to be one vote short for approval of his plans. Commissioner Manolo Reyes has been one of the primary critics of the deal, and if he votes against the project, the final decision may rest with Willy Gort, whose district includes Melreese and surrounding neighborhoods.
In Monday’s interview with Magic City Soccer, Mas appealed to the commissioners directly, detailing how the team has been hosting focus groups and community meetings to gauge concerns in their districts. He also reminded them of the election result last November: Miami voters overwhelmingly supported the city entering into negotiations for the Melreese site without having to consider competing bids.
Mas framed the project at Melreese, dubbed Miami Freedom Park, as an “economic engine” for the city. He cited the importance of his fellow investors in the franchise, who include Masayoshi Son and Marcelo Claure, the CEO and chief operating officer of SoftBank, respectively. SoftBank controls significant stakes in Uber and WeWork, through its Vision Fund, the world’s largest tech and private equity fund.
“What we are trying to develop at Miami Freedom Park is a technology hub that can be the home of the creative minds of young men and women in South Florida, that can establish high-paying jobs,” Mas said.
The franchise claims that Miami Freedom Park would result in $44M in annual tax revenue to local governments. Mas also defended the decision to play their first two years at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, which will house the team’s youth academy and technical headquarters. That site would also host Miami’s USL League One affiliate, which would play in the American third division of soccer.
Inter Miami negotiators committed to branding the affiliate team with a Fort Lauderdale identity. Different iterations of a pro team called the Fort Lauderdale Strikers have played at Lockhart on-and-off since the late 1970s.
“We’ve been in conversation with those involved with the Strikers brand,” Mas said. “We want to be very respectful to the history. We have some very cool ideas.”
Hours after Mas spoke with Magic City Soccer, an opponent of the stadium deal, Miami-based attorney William Douglas Muir, filed a fresh court challenge. He had already sued, alleging that the city of Miami should not have been allowed to negotiate a closed-bid deal for Miami Freedom Park. He lost that challenge, but is now appealing.
See Also: Will Miami Marlins Finally Build Youth Academy That Was Promised In 2007?
Related Topics: David Beckham, Jorge Mas, Miami MLS, Miami CRE, InterMiami
(Follow link for full article.)
https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/2019/3/27/18283429/kolo-toure-usmnt-thierry-henry-monaco-david-beckham-concacaf-gold-cup-raheem-sterling-against-racism
Wednesday cannon fodder: positive clattered cap
MLS/Americas
USMNT draws Chile, 1-1, for a positive result in Gregg Berhalter era | Pro Soccer USA
The United States men’s national team drew against South American powerhouse Chile on Tuesday evening in Houston.
Why David Beckham is desperate to keep Inter Miami out of the suburbs | Football | The Guardian
The former England captain wants his team to play in downtown Miami, as soccer in North America markets itself as an urban game.
CONCACAF Gold Cup participants determined - Stars and Stripes FC
CONCACAF Nations League qualifying helped fill in the tournament field.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.brotherlygame.com/2019/3/27/18283025/brotherly-game-daily-links-fabian-returns-with-a-point-to-prove
Brotherly Game Daily Links: Fabian returns with a point to prove
Marco Fabián returning from suspension, MLS Power Rankings and Paul Pogba is going nowhere
Why David Beckham wants to keep Inter Miami out of the suburbs
As of 2010 the largest block of MLS fans fall between the ages of 18 and 34 and the league wants to solidify that demographic. That means being in downtown and urban areas, which draw in millennials. It’s no coincidence that the last five stadiums to open in MLS have been in cities.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://mlsmultiplex.com/2019/03/27/inter-miami-stadium-renderings-satisfy-fans-now/
Inter Miami: Stadium renderings satisfy fans… for now
Inter Miami play their first MLS game in under a year. They have no training facility nor stadium yet, but the plans made are satisfying fans… for now.
The City of Fort Lauderdale recently approved converting their Lockhart Stadium complex for Inter Miami’s Academy and training center. But first, the team will play the first two MLS seasons at existing Lockhart Stadium, as well. So while not permanent, Inter Miami does indeed have a place to play. For now.
In the meantime, they are still working on their first top players. While wild speculations erupt regularly on top international soccer stars, an easy-to-believe player prediction came out of Mexico.
Inter Miami began serious queries to acquire defender Hector Moreno. The center-back plays for La Liga Real Sociedad and regularly starts for Mexico’s international team. Inter Miami couldn’t appear smarter than starting to build their starting roster from the backline. And they couldn’t do better than starting with Moreno.
Moreno does not make many tackles and is not the busiest defender, but he’s solid everywhere else. He is also strongest at holding onto the ball. Beyond that, few are better than he is in crossing, passing, and concentration.
He used those strengths in his best game this season for Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid. He got 58 touches, won one aerial duel and finished with 87% passing success. That was a 2-0 win over Madrid.
When Inter Miami signs Moreno and his teammates, they’ll eventually play at a mixed-use Miami complex at what is now Melreese Park. The club plans to sign a 99-year lease to build Miami Freedom Park with the local government later this year. Officials, including owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas, will then have to fill out coaching and staff positions.
Inter Miami expanded into MLS without the advantage of organizations such as FC Cincinnati, where the locals had a USL soccer structure in place to launch from. Miami has had to move carefully.
The South Florida fan base so far has stayed satisfied with renderings of the stadium complex. They haven’t complained much about the cautious pace of development. Still, Miami Herald writer Greg Cote recently erupted at the realization that Inter Miami would, at first, become Inter Fort Lauderdale. They’ll play there at the future practice site until the local complex gets built.
With just a bit of acid in the terms, he did acknowledge that the Inter Miami organization has had to clear many hurdles and vault many obstacles to get to this point. But it has taken time.
With all that time invested, Cote warned that the team had best become instant league champions. The temporary stadium plans have satisfied fans for now. But success is a requisite to keep them happy.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://insights.digitalmediasolutions.com/news/mls-popularity
Soccer Scores Big In The U.S: A Look Into The Audience Causing The Sport’s Rising Popularity And Marketing Potential
(Follow link for full article.)
https://media.sportbusiness.com/news/bein-acquires-exclusive-major-league-soccer-rights-in-france/
BeIN acquires exclusive Major League Soccer rights in France
(Follow link for full article.)
https://themontclarion.org/opinion/soccer-is-finally-kicking-off-in-america/
SOCCER IS FINALLY KICKING OFF IN AMERICA
(Follow link for full article.)
http://en.brinkwire.com/news/lionel-messi-and-cristiano-ronaldo-to-join-mls-david-beckham-gives-his-verdict/
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to join MLS? David Beckham gives his verdict
(Follow link for full article.)
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2019/3/28/18284680/where-are-they-now-chelsea-joe-cole
Chelsea heroes and legends, where are they now? — Joe Cole, One Of Our Own
A series dedicated to Chelsea legends and cult favorites
In May 2016, Cole took his talents to South Beach made it across the pond to join one of America’s oldest teams, the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL, in the second tier of the US pyramid. His move to North America came at a time when a lot of his former Chelsea teammates had also made the jump. Cole was unable to add further silverware to his trophy cabinet, but he was able to further his coaching endeavors. He completed his UEFA A license (source) and became the Rowdies’ assistant manager in his second year. He even became a vegetarian.
Life after retirement
Paulo Ferreira and Joe Cole take in a UEFA Youth League match at Cobham Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Joe Cole called time on his playing career this past November. He’s currently employed as a coach in the Chelsea academy for the remainder of this season. Next season, he’s likely to specialize in one of the club’s academy teams.
“Looking to the future, I want to stay involved in the game. I feel I can offer a lot as a coach and have really enjoyed the opportunity to undertake some of these duties with the Rowdies. To lend my experience to help other young footballers achieve their dreams, just like I did, is a big passion of mine.”
-Joe Cole, source: Telegraph
Off the pitch, Cole has popped up as a television pundit with increasing frequency, even appearing just a few days ago on ITV for the European qualifiers between England and Montenegro.
It’s always refreshing to see and hear pundits speak kindly of Chelsea, and Cole has been a vocal advocate for us thus far. We hope to see more him!
In other news, Cole is kayaking across the English Channel for charity, partnering with a Richard House Children’s Hospice. Cole crossed the English Channel in 2011 to play with Lille, so this adventure should be a piece of cake. If you’d like read more about Cole’s efforts to raise money for charity or to make a donation yourself, please check out his charity page.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bisnow.com/south-florida/news/construction-development/beckham-soccer-stadium-98188
David Beckham's Soccer Club Tries To Win Over Miami While Flirting With Fort Lauderdale
David Beckham's new Major League Soccer team, Inter Miami, has gone through a lot — multiple proposed-then-nixed stadium sites, a key public vote, legal challenges and scads of political battles — to get where it is now: negotiating to build a 25,000-seat stadium and $1B mixed-use project on a city-owned golf course.
In the meantime, because the team is scheduled to start playing in 10 months, it went to Fort Lauderdale for permission to redevelop that city's Lockhart Stadium to use for pro matches for the first two years and for training after that.
This divvying up of team operations has upset some Miamians who fought for the team to be based there, expecting more than just 18 or so pro games per year. So now Beckham's group is in an awkward position of convincing Miami it is still its No. 1 city while Fort Lauderdale's lipstick is all over its collar — lest the whole Miami deal fall through.
Whereas the Miami negotiations have been marked by careful maneuvering, the team was easily welcomed in Fort Lauderdale. Mayor Dean Trantalis was in a celebratory mood at a Bisnow conference last week, the morning after his Fort Lauderdale City Commission voted to move forward in talks with Beckham's team rather than a rival soccer startup that has long wanted the space — and feels Beckham's group undercut it.
“David Beckham has landed!” Trantalis said in his opening statement to the audience. "Fort Lauderdale is going to be the center of soccer. We’re so pleased and so happy that the commission unanimously voted to make that happen."
Now, a week after winning approval in Fort Lauderdale, Inter Miami is tackling its next big obstacle: the Miami City Commission. The commission is expected to vote on lease terms by September.
Jorge Mas, the managing partner and lead investor behind Beckham’s franchise, spoke to Magic City Soccer on Monday about plans for the publicly owned Melreese Country Club site.
Mas faces an uphill task at the Miami City Commission, where Inter Miami appears to be one vote short for approval of his plans. Commissioner Manolo Reyes has been one of the primary critics of the deal, and if he votes against the project, the final decision may rest with Willy Gort, whose district includes Melreese and surrounding neighborhoods.
In Monday’s interview with Magic City Soccer, Mas appealed to the commissioners directly, detailing how the team has been hosting focus groups and community meetings to gauge concerns in their districts. He also reminded them of the election result last November: Miami voters overwhelmingly supported the city entering into negotiations for the Melreese site without having to consider competing bids.
Mas framed the project at Melreese, dubbed Miami Freedom Park, as an “economic engine” for the city. He cited the importance of his fellow investors in the franchise, who include Masayoshi Son and Marcelo Claure, the CEO and chief operating officer of SoftBank, respectively. SoftBank controls significant stakes in Uber and WeWork, through its Vision Fund, the world’s largest tech and private equity fund.
“What we are trying to develop at Miami Freedom Park is a technology hub that can be the home of the creative minds of young men and women in South Florida, that can establish high-paying jobs,” Mas said.
The franchise claims that Miami Freedom Park would result in $44M in annual tax revenue to local governments. Mas also defended the decision to play their first two years at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, which will house the team’s youth academy and technical headquarters. That site would also host Miami’s USL League One affiliate, which would play in the American third division of soccer.
Inter Miami negotiators committed to branding the affiliate team with a Fort Lauderdale identity. Different iterations of a pro team called the Fort Lauderdale Strikers have played at Lockhart on-and-off since the late 1970s.
“We’ve been in conversation with those involved with the Strikers brand,” Mas said. “We want to be very respectful to the history. We have some very cool ideas.”
Hours after Mas spoke with Magic City Soccer, an opponent of the stadium deal, Miami-based attorney William Douglas Muir, filed a fresh court challenge. He had already sued, alleging that the city of Miami should not have been allowed to negotiate a closed-bid deal for Miami Freedom Park. He lost that challenge, but is now appealing.
See Also: Will Miami Marlins Finally Build Youth Academy That Was Promised In 2007?
Related Topics: David Beckham, Jorge Mas, Miami MLS, Miami CRE, InterMiami
(Follow link for full article.)
https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/2019/3/27/18283429/kolo-toure-usmnt-thierry-henry-monaco-david-beckham-concacaf-gold-cup-raheem-sterling-against-racism
Wednesday cannon fodder: positive clattered cap
MLS/Americas
USMNT draws Chile, 1-1, for a positive result in Gregg Berhalter era | Pro Soccer USA
The United States men’s national team drew against South American powerhouse Chile on Tuesday evening in Houston.
Why David Beckham is desperate to keep Inter Miami out of the suburbs | Football | The Guardian
The former England captain wants his team to play in downtown Miami, as soccer in North America markets itself as an urban game.
CONCACAF Gold Cup participants determined - Stars and Stripes FC
CONCACAF Nations League qualifying helped fill in the tournament field.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.brotherlygame.com/2019/3/27/18283025/brotherly-game-daily-links-fabian-returns-with-a-point-to-prove
Brotherly Game Daily Links: Fabian returns with a point to prove
Marco Fabián returning from suspension, MLS Power Rankings and Paul Pogba is going nowhere
Why David Beckham wants to keep Inter Miami out of the suburbs
As of 2010 the largest block of MLS fans fall between the ages of 18 and 34 and the league wants to solidify that demographic. That means being in downtown and urban areas, which draw in millennials. It’s no coincidence that the last five stadiums to open in MLS have been in cities.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://mlsmultiplex.com/2019/03/27/inter-miami-stadium-renderings-satisfy-fans-now/
Inter Miami: Stadium renderings satisfy fans… for now
Inter Miami play their first MLS game in under a year. They have no training facility nor stadium yet, but the plans made are satisfying fans… for now.
The City of Fort Lauderdale recently approved converting their Lockhart Stadium complex for Inter Miami’s Academy and training center. But first, the team will play the first two MLS seasons at existing Lockhart Stadium, as well. So while not permanent, Inter Miami does indeed have a place to play. For now.
In the meantime, they are still working on their first top players. While wild speculations erupt regularly on top international soccer stars, an easy-to-believe player prediction came out of Mexico.
Inter Miami began serious queries to acquire defender Hector Moreno. The center-back plays for La Liga Real Sociedad and regularly starts for Mexico’s international team. Inter Miami couldn’t appear smarter than starting to build their starting roster from the backline. And they couldn’t do better than starting with Moreno.
Moreno does not make many tackles and is not the busiest defender, but he’s solid everywhere else. He is also strongest at holding onto the ball. Beyond that, few are better than he is in crossing, passing, and concentration.
He used those strengths in his best game this season for Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid. He got 58 touches, won one aerial duel and finished with 87% passing success. That was a 2-0 win over Madrid.
When Inter Miami signs Moreno and his teammates, they’ll eventually play at a mixed-use Miami complex at what is now Melreese Park. The club plans to sign a 99-year lease to build Miami Freedom Park with the local government later this year. Officials, including owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas, will then have to fill out coaching and staff positions.
Inter Miami expanded into MLS without the advantage of organizations such as FC Cincinnati, where the locals had a USL soccer structure in place to launch from. Miami has had to move carefully.
The South Florida fan base so far has stayed satisfied with renderings of the stadium complex. They haven’t complained much about the cautious pace of development. Still, Miami Herald writer Greg Cote recently erupted at the realization that Inter Miami would, at first, become Inter Fort Lauderdale. They’ll play there at the future practice site until the local complex gets built.
With just a bit of acid in the terms, he did acknowledge that the Inter Miami organization has had to clear many hurdles and vault many obstacles to get to this point. But it has taken time.
With all that time invested, Cote warned that the team had best become instant league champions. The temporary stadium plans have satisfied fans for now. But success is a requisite to keep them happy.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://insights.digitalmediasolutions.com/news/mls-popularity
Soccer Scores Big In The U.S: A Look Into The Audience Causing The Sport’s Rising Popularity And Marketing Potential
(Follow link for full article.)
https://media.sportbusiness.com/news/bein-acquires-exclusive-major-league-soccer-rights-in-france/
BeIN acquires exclusive Major League Soccer rights in France
(Follow link for full article.)
https://themontclarion.org/opinion/soccer-is-finally-kicking-off-in-america/
SOCCER IS FINALLY KICKING OFF IN AMERICA
(Follow link for full article.)
http://en.brinkwire.com/news/lionel-messi-and-cristiano-ronaldo-to-join-mls-david-beckham-gives-his-verdict/
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to join MLS? David Beckham gives his verdict
(Follow link for full article.)
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2019/3/28/18284680/where-are-they-now-chelsea-joe-cole
Chelsea heroes and legends, where are they now? — Joe Cole, One Of Our Own
A series dedicated to Chelsea legends and cult favorites
In May 2016, Cole took his talents to South Beach made it across the pond to join one of America’s oldest teams, the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL, in the second tier of the US pyramid. His move to North America came at a time when a lot of his former Chelsea teammates had also made the jump. Cole was unable to add further silverware to his trophy cabinet, but he was able to further his coaching endeavors. He completed his UEFA A license (source) and became the Rowdies’ assistant manager in his second year. He even became a vegetarian.
Life after retirement
Paulo Ferreira and Joe Cole take in a UEFA Youth League match at Cobham Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Joe Cole called time on his playing career this past November. He’s currently employed as a coach in the Chelsea academy for the remainder of this season. Next season, he’s likely to specialize in one of the club’s academy teams.
“Looking to the future, I want to stay involved in the game. I feel I can offer a lot as a coach and have really enjoyed the opportunity to undertake some of these duties with the Rowdies. To lend my experience to help other young footballers achieve their dreams, just like I did, is a big passion of mine.”
-Joe Cole, source: Telegraph
Off the pitch, Cole has popped up as a television pundit with increasing frequency, even appearing just a few days ago on ITV for the European qualifiers between England and Montenegro.
It’s always refreshing to see and hear pundits speak kindly of Chelsea, and Cole has been a vocal advocate for us thus far. We hope to see more him!
In other news, Cole is kayaking across the English Channel for charity, partnering with a Richard House Children’s Hospice. Cole crossed the English Channel in 2011 to play with Lille, so this adventure should be a piece of cake. If you’d like read more about Cole’s efforts to raise money for charity or to make a donation yourself, please check out his charity page.
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
BREAKING: Initial appeal brief filed against Miami Freedom Park
(Follow link for full article.)
http://magiccity.soccer/2019/03/26/breaking-initial-appeal-brief-filed-against-miami-freedom-park/
BREAKING: Initial appeal brief filed against Miami Freedom Park
Inter Miami CF has been thrown another curveball in the journey for a permanent home. Last week, Miami Beckham United, LLC (the ownership group that controls Inter Miami CF) decidedly beat out FXE Futbol to acquire the negotiating rights to reconstruct Lockhart Stadium in their image. As the focus begins to shift back into Miami-Dade County, Mas was confident during our conversations with him on Monday to secure a deal for the Melreese site. Just seven hours after that conversation, an appeal was filed by Miami-based attorney William Douglas Muir, seeking revision of the City of Miami’s ability to negotiate with Mas on a closed-bid deal for Miami Freedom Park.
There have been many court cases through the years of MLS Miami’s journey to find a home. We’ve discussed at length the cases that dealt with county-owned land for the Overtown site. During that time, Bruce Matheson filed a complaint against Miami-Dade County claiming that Miami Beckham United was receiving subsidies from the county. His argument, which was later ruled against in both the lower and appellate court, stated that “taxpayers deserved the same price per square foot that the previous owners of the adjoining land sold it for.” The appellate court ruled once again that the county is allowed by Florida law to award such deals if they promote economic development, as reported first by the Miami Herald.
Details of the appeal
This specific appeal stems from an original complaint filed in July 2018 against the City of Miami. While the case falls along similar lines as Matheson’s complaint against the county, the original complaint dives deep into the city charter and brings up several instances where transparency, the city charter, and even state statutes may have been violated by the city commission. The judge in the case dismissed Muir’s complaint in August of 2018.
In the initial brief, Muir presents five pages of related cases, state statutes, state rules, and articles from Florida’s constitution. In addition, Muir seems to be arguing that the City should be the party burdened with proving that it in fact has preformed its legal duty with regards to the Melreese site. The argument goes on to state that “Commissioners are bound in their discretion for sale or lease of public land to choose competitive sealed bidding, or ensure public notice in order to allow potential purchasers to compete and ensure that the any lease or sale of property goes to the highest responsible bidder.”
Magic City Soccer has obtained a copy of the “Initial Brief of Appellant” and a full copy of the filing is available below.
Initial Brief On Merits
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article228383174.html
‘As American as apple pie’: How Miami commissioner’s aunt became a high-priced lobbyist
Commissioner Keon Hardemon, left, shakes hands with David Beckham during a 2018 public hearing on bringing a Major League Soccer stadium to Miami. Hardemon’s aunt was a lobbyist for Beckham’s ownership group. PEDRO PORTAL PPORTAL@MIAMIHERALD.COM
Theme park executives hoping to build a hotel along the causeway to South Beach say they paid around $20,000 last summer to the aunt of a Miami city commissioner to help negotiate a deal with his office in the hours leading up to a crucial vote.
After failing the previous year to convince the city to hold a voter referendum on the project at Jungle Island, real estate investment firm ESJ Capital Partners hired Barbara Hardemon to hurriedly set up meetings during the first week in June with Commissioner Keon Hardemon’s staff. Over a 48-hour stretch, they say she assisted in negotiating a deal that will steer millions into housing and economic development funds during the life of the park’s extended lease on Watson Island and helped nail down her nephew’s support for a voter referendum.
One month later, Barbara Hardemon was hired again, this time by David Beckham’s Major League Soccer franchise as it neared a make-or-break vote on a $1 billion stadium and retail proposal. She registered three days before a scheduled vote and arranged a lunch at a waterfront restaurant between her nephew and the Mas brothers, the Miami businessmen who are part owners of the MLS franchise. Days later, Commissioner Hardemon voted in a close decision to put the proposal on the November ballot.
Some companies and developers have chosen not to hire Barbara Hardemon as a lobbyist due to concerns about the perception of undue influence. But in the years since his November 2013 election, the commissioner’s aunt has emerged as a closer for some of Miami’s biggest businesses.
It’s unclear if Commissioner Hardemon has ever voted against one of her clients. In 2015, he told the Herald that “Barbara has never approached me about voting on anything.”
“My consulting company has been operating for over 20 years, more time than my nephew has been a commissioner,” Barbara Hardemon said in an interview. “I have a legal right to conduct my business in the city of Miami, including lobbying.”
Billy and Barbara Hardemon of B&B Professional Consultants in 1999.
Miami Herald file
As she said, Hardemon’s City Hall lobbying shop is allowed under state and local laws, which prohibit elected officials and their immediate family from profiting personally off the contracts they oversee but say nothing about their extended family. Her husband, local activist and community consultant Billy Hardemon, told the Miami Herald that lobbying “is as American as apple pie.”
But her lucrative rise from occasional City Hall lobbyist to 11th-hour power broker has blurred the lines between negotiations and nepotism. Some businesspeople told the Miami Herald that they hire the commissioner’s aunt for fear that doing otherwise would be political malpractice, but nobody wanted to be identified as saying that.
Since helping her nephew first get elected in November 2013 as his campaign consultant, Barbara Hardemon has helped the Ultra Music Festival stay in Miami after gate-crashers trampled a security guard, and helped a marina operator win a competition to take over a picturesque city boatyard on a barrier island. A developer hoping to build a controversial digital billboard tower hired her as he tried to negotiate a deal with Hardemon’s redevelopment agency in 2015, and communications conglomerate Harris Corp. hired her in 2017 as it tried to land an $11 million emergency radio contract.
And when Jungle Island needed to nail down votes ahead of a special meeting to consider its request to place a hotel project and lease extension on the August ballot, executives turned to Barbara Hardemon. They needed at least four of the city’s five commissioners to support their project and Commissioner Hardemon had already said he planned to be out of town.
“Sometimes your presence is not needed. And sometimes it really is. We shall see,” Hardemon said from the dais as he set a date for a special hearing on Jungle Island’s project.
That was on May 24. On June 7, the day before the vote, Barbara Hardemon registered as a lobbyist for ESJ Capital Partners, which hired her primarily to help them work with her nephew’s office — where some businesses and lobbyists have found it difficult to get face time.
“She helped us set up meetings with Commissioner Hardemon’s staff during the last 48 hours before our Commission vote and helped us communicate our position as it related to the timing and amount of payments to affordable housing in the City,” explained Micha Dubernard, ESJ Capital’s chief of staff.
The firm entered into a non-disclosure agreement with Barbara Hardemon, but Micha said they paid her “in the $20,000 range” — a little less than what Johnson & Johnson was paying David T. Daniel per quarter as the company fought a sunscreen ban on Miami Beach, one of the few South Florida jurisdictions where lobbyist fees are disclosed.
At the time, Jungle Island already had land-use attorney Alex Tachmes and C.J. Gimenez, the son of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, on its lobbying and negotiating team. Dubernard said Jungle Island, which backed off a push to get on the ballot in 2017 amid concerns from a different commissioner about protests from neighbors on the Venetian Causeway, wanted to beef up its lobbying corps in 2018 as it negotiated a public benefits agreement.
A month later, Hardemon voted again in support of one of his aunt’s clients when InterMiami FC needed to get a proposal to build a $1 billion complex at Melreese golf course onto the November ballot.
An InterMiami FC spokeswoman declined to say how much Barbara Hardemon was paid when she registered to lobby three days before a scheduled vote. The spokeswoman said that Hardemon was hired primarily to conduct “community outreach.”
But it was Barbara Hardemon’s role in scheduling a meeting between her nephew and the Mas brothers at a Casablanca restaurant between July 9 and July 12 that caught attention when it was mentioned in a report by the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics this month as part of an investigation into lobbying disclosures around the soccer group’s efforts to get the stadium plan on the ballot. Hardemon told an investigator that she set up the meeting and had lunch with Jorge Mas, Jose Mas and her nephew.
“And I sat there and had lunch,” she said.
View image on Twitter
Joey Flechas
@joeflech
Excerpt from memo released today on Beckham ethics matter. Barbara Hardemon, Miami Commissioner Keon Hardemon’s aunt, told ethics investigators she “facilitated a meeting between Jorge Mas and Commissioner Hardemon.”
Below that, statements from C.J. Gimenez, county mayor’s son
5:40 PM - Mar 13, 2019
Hardemon told investigators that her primary role on Beckham’s team was to help with the campaign for the voter referendum that passed in November. She said Steve Marin, one of Miami’s most prolific campaign strategists and lobbyists, contacted her about joining the Beckham group’s lobbying team. In a separate ethics interview, Jorge Mas said he relied on Marin as his main lobbyist and didn’t know if Barbara Hardemon was on the lobbying team.
Barbara Hardemon described the July lunch as a “meet-and-greet,” although Mas said he’d met with Keon Hardemon and his chief of staff at City Hall on another occasion before the vote. It was not clear when this meeting occurred.
It’s unclear what Commissioner Hardemon knows of his aunt’s contracts, or to what extent he discusses his votes with her, if at all. He was traveling and unable to comment for this story, according to his chief of staff, James McQueen. The Miami Herald submitted questions in writing to McQueen Monday afternoon but did not receive a response by a Tuesday afternoon deadline.
Lobbying isn’t the only service that Barbara Hardemon and her husband, Billy Hardemon, provide.
Some businesses seeking city contracts and special approvals hire the Hardemons, or B&B Professional Consultants, to engage in “community outreach” by helping to broker meetings with local activists and establishing relationships with neighborhood groups. The couple are longtime activists themselves.
When developer Moishe Mana needed special zoning approvals in order to pursue a massive Wynwood development project, the couple helped his team of consultants reach out to organizations and activists in Overtown. Michael Simkins, a developer who wanted to build a flashing LED tower and innovation district within the boundaries of a redevelopment district overseen by Hardemon, told the Miami Herald around the same time that he hired the commissioner’s aunt to help him establish trust in the community as he was negotiating a public benefits agreement with the Overtown Community Redevelopment Agency.
The Beckham group explained in a statement that Barbara Hardemon “provided counsel on reaching voters in the Overtown area —sharing where canvassers should focus their outreach to educate the most voters in the area and providing insight on what materials to share with them, for example.” The soccer group stated she also provided insight on the Overtown community’s reaction to the plans and advised the team on which pastors to contact to reach voters.
In some cases, businesses told the Miami Herald that they pay the couple to go out into Miami’s black communities because they feel more comfortable with the Hardemons working in the sunshine rather than behind closed doors. Some companies and consultants that have either hired or declined to hire the Hardemons said they didn’t fear the couple working behind the scenes to kill their project, and that there was no suggestion that would happen.
Still, the allegation is made from time to time.
Miami Commissioner Miami Keon Hardemon takes part in a 2014 commission meeting.
Hector Gabino El Nuevo Herald file
Alex Karakhanian recently faced that accusation from a neighbor who filed a lawsuit last month pointing out that Karakhanian was spared from new and restrictive billboard laws around the Design District in 2017 after hiring Billy Hardemon. The property owner who filed the suit, Michael Siegel, says he lost the right to erect a billboard on his property after he refused to hire the commissioner’s uncle.
Karakhanian said he didn’t hire Billy Hardemon as a lobbyist on the mural legislation. But he said he did discuss the legislation with the commissioner’s uncle and has hired Hardemon to help him with community issues in the past related to other properties he owns around Miami. He specifically mentioned a property near Liberty City, where Billy Hardemon is chairman of the city-sponsored Martin Luther King Economic Development Corp.
“I own a property in a district where Billy has a community center on [Northwest] Seventh Avenue. We just kind of talked and met to see if there’s anything I could do with the community,” said Karakhanian, who was specifically looking for tenants. “Nothing ended up happening.”
Like others who spoke to the Herald about paying the Hardemons to conduct community outreach or help them in cities outside City Hall, he said lobbying wasn’t part of the deal. And he said paying the Hardemons doesn’t mean you get Keon Hardemon’s vote.
“I’m pretty sure if you pull up 100 cases where Billy lobbied, it’s not a one-for-one. Using that logic it would mean he’s never not gotten what he wanted,” Karakhanian said. “I’m sure that’s not the case.”
Billy Hardemon last registered as a City Hall lobbyist in 2007 and says he isn’t a lobbyist. City registration records published since Keon Hardemon became a commissioner list about a dozen clients that have contracted Barbara Hardemon, five of which hired her before her nephew was elected.
Barbara Hardemon declined to speak to the Herald about specific clients, but said her consulting business can involve work as simple as setting up a breakfast or as detailed as running an entire political campaign. She said she has spoken directly with Keon Hardemon about her client’s issues in the past, and defended her right to do so.
“I have,” she said. “And I have the legal right to lobby anyone that is currently on the city of Miami commission.”
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.newsbug.info/sports/national/columnist-ben-frederickson-takes-cards-blues-mizzou-slu-and-stl/article_5d791773-4689-5272-be46-061f51e4b520.html
Columnist Ben Frederickson takes Cards, Blues, Mizzou, SLU and STL sports questions in his weekly chat
See what columnist Ben Frederickson has to say about the region's teams in his weekly chat with St. Louis sports fans.
Any news on when the MLS stadium renderings will be released? This may be just me but I don't see STL getting a team over SAC . They outdraw us at the USL level which if thats good or bad i don't know but this group still doesn't seem to know how to attract fans to the STLFC matches.
Hope to have some more insight on that by the end of the week. I'm turning a good chunk of attention back toward soccer now that my spring-training shift has wrapped up. I would be careful ranking USL attendance at the top of your list of what secures an expansion team. It's a factor, sure, but not a deciding one compared to sponsorship, stadium design, ownership group strength, etc. I'm a little confused by some in the USL camp. Using the push for MLS as a way to promote USL is great. Spinning USL attendance as the make-or-break of getting an MLS team is a bit disingenuous. MLS commissioner Don Garber did not come to St. Louis to gauge USL interest. He came to meet potential sponsors for an MLS team and get closer with the Enterprise side of the ownership group.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.epluribusloonum.com/2019/3/26/18281483/bold-beautiful-allianz-field-is-so-much-more-than-a-place-to-watch-soccer-minnesota-united-stadium
Bold and Beautiful: Allianz Field is so much more than a place to watch soccer
The ground makes a perfect frame for Minnesotan soccer.
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https://www.businessobserverfl.com/article/brian-auld-tampa-bay-rays-rowdies
Area sports leader juggles two franchises with overlapping schedules
Tampa Bay Rays President and Rowdies Vice Chairman Brian Auld has his hands full as the baseball and soccer seasons begin.
The St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce March 14 luncheon featured a guest who’s trying to keep a lot of balls in the air: Tampa Bay Rays President Brian Auld, now pulling double-duty as vice chairman of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the St. Pete-based soccer club the Rays acquired in October from local entertainment and property magnate Bill Edwards.
The luncheon, held at Al Lang Field, the picturesque waterfront home of the Rowdies, was a chance for Auld to discuss immediate changes to the game-day experience and lay out the long-term vision he, principal owner Stu Sternberg and Matt Silverman, the Rays’ president of baseball operations, have for the United Soccer League franchise.
“Al Lang Field is the most beautiful sports venue on the face of the planet,” Auld says. “Not a lot of USL teams have the advantages that the Rowdies have here.”
Auld says concession prices will be lower at Rowdies matches this season, and the team will provide space for more local food trucks outside the stadium. The Rowdies will also take a page from the Rays’ playbook and have more bulk giveaways of souvenirs.
“Having two franchises gives us more opportunities to really dig in and create synergies,” Auld says. “The teams’ training staffs are giddy about sharing information.”
Speaking of training and conditioning — and making fans happier — the club successfully lobbied the USL to have its schedule front- and back-loaded with home matches, meaning it will play less often in St. Pete’s sweltering summer weather. There will be just one home match in July.
Under new ownership, the Rowdies will not, however, actively pursue promotion to Major League Soccer, an effort begun under Edwards. “We are making no calls to MLS this season,” Auld says, though he did not rule out a future push.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://media.sportbusiness.com/news/mls-picks-sendtonews-for-local-digital-distribution-in-north-america/
MLS picks SendtoNews for local digital distribution in North America
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sendtonews-and-major-league-soccer-announce-local-digital-distribution-agreement-300818287.html
SendtoNews and Major League Soccer announce local digital distribution agreement
(Follow link for full article.)
https://advanced-television.com/2019/03/26/mls-selects-sendtonews-as-digital-partner/
MLS selects SendtoNews as digital partner
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.wfae.org/post/charlotte-talks-could-charlotte-get-mls-team-after-all#stream/0
Charlotte Talks: Could Charlotte Get An MLS Team After All?
The bid for a team seemed all but doomed back in 2017 when Mecklenburg County Commissioners decided they wouldn’t put public money forward to help, but it’s been revived this year. The new Charlotte Panthers owner, David Tepper, says that the Panthers and MLS are actively talking about making a new team.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sgbonline.com/sendtonews-major-league-soccer-announce-local-digital-distribution-agreement/
SendtoNews, Major League Soccer Announce Local Digital Distribution Agreement
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b5q98t/looking_for_a_good_place_to_park_this_saturday/
Looking for a good place to park this saturday
The first game I went to was the home opener and I parked in a garage on 2nd Ave s.. The parking garage seemed a bit congested and parking was a hassle to find as well as getting out after the game. Anyone know of an alternative to this garage? Would love to be able to park at the stadium itself but I think this is only for season ticket holders.
If I’m parking there and looking to leave the same night (which is rare, I normally just find a hotel to sleep at) then I generally park at the Sundial.
Thanks
I like parking on the street at the park next to Albert Whitted airport. This is just east of the Dali museum. Last year at least it was only a couple of dollars to park when using the ParkMobile app. Since it fronts the park there is plenty of green space for tailgating before and after the game. It is a 3 block walk to the stadium east entrance from there. And ladies - it has clean bathrooms!
Thanks
Platinum Parking Lot 100 2nd Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 (727) 565-0316 https://maps.app.goo.gl/3UKYq was a decent one I parked at for 10$ before
SouthCore Parking Garage 101 1st Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 (727) 896-2256 https://maps.app.goo.gl/23CKm Is 5$ but it was completely full last game but may have been because of St Patrick's day festivities
Thanks I'll look into these
SouthCore was full by 6pm at the home opener. We were one of the last in.
Just remember home opener was a poor barometer of general traffic because of Reggaefest and St Patrick’s day.
True. We’ll see how it fares for the next game
All garages should be fine this weekend, in my experience. The first game is nearly always the most attended match of the season. This year, it was on a day where downtown was already going to be crazy (St Paddy and Reggae Rise Up). Theoretically, you should be fine in any of the garages.
the mcnulty garage should be a good pl-
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha fuck 717 parking
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/47712560
FC Cincinnati: Are these the best fans in MLS?
BBC Sport heads to Ohio to experience a unique fan experience with FC Cincinnati, the latest team to join Major League Soccer in 2019.
WATCH MORE: A European Super League: The future of football?
http://magiccity.soccer/2019/03/26/breaking-initial-appeal-brief-filed-against-miami-freedom-park/
BREAKING: Initial appeal brief filed against Miami Freedom Park
Inter Miami CF has been thrown another curveball in the journey for a permanent home. Last week, Miami Beckham United, LLC (the ownership group that controls Inter Miami CF) decidedly beat out FXE Futbol to acquire the negotiating rights to reconstruct Lockhart Stadium in their image. As the focus begins to shift back into Miami-Dade County, Mas was confident during our conversations with him on Monday to secure a deal for the Melreese site. Just seven hours after that conversation, an appeal was filed by Miami-based attorney William Douglas Muir, seeking revision of the City of Miami’s ability to negotiate with Mas on a closed-bid deal for Miami Freedom Park.
There have been many court cases through the years of MLS Miami’s journey to find a home. We’ve discussed at length the cases that dealt with county-owned land for the Overtown site. During that time, Bruce Matheson filed a complaint against Miami-Dade County claiming that Miami Beckham United was receiving subsidies from the county. His argument, which was later ruled against in both the lower and appellate court, stated that “taxpayers deserved the same price per square foot that the previous owners of the adjoining land sold it for.” The appellate court ruled once again that the county is allowed by Florida law to award such deals if they promote economic development, as reported first by the Miami Herald.
Details of the appeal
This specific appeal stems from an original complaint filed in July 2018 against the City of Miami. While the case falls along similar lines as Matheson’s complaint against the county, the original complaint dives deep into the city charter and brings up several instances where transparency, the city charter, and even state statutes may have been violated by the city commission. The judge in the case dismissed Muir’s complaint in August of 2018.
In the initial brief, Muir presents five pages of related cases, state statutes, state rules, and articles from Florida’s constitution. In addition, Muir seems to be arguing that the City should be the party burdened with proving that it in fact has preformed its legal duty with regards to the Melreese site. The argument goes on to state that “Commissioners are bound in their discretion for sale or lease of public land to choose competitive sealed bidding, or ensure public notice in order to allow potential purchasers to compete and ensure that the any lease or sale of property goes to the highest responsible bidder.”
Magic City Soccer has obtained a copy of the “Initial Brief of Appellant” and a full copy of the filing is available below.
Initial Brief On Merits
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article228383174.html
‘As American as apple pie’: How Miami commissioner’s aunt became a high-priced lobbyist
Commissioner Keon Hardemon, left, shakes hands with David Beckham during a 2018 public hearing on bringing a Major League Soccer stadium to Miami. Hardemon’s aunt was a lobbyist for Beckham’s ownership group. PEDRO PORTAL PPORTAL@MIAMIHERALD.COM
Theme park executives hoping to build a hotel along the causeway to South Beach say they paid around $20,000 last summer to the aunt of a Miami city commissioner to help negotiate a deal with his office in the hours leading up to a crucial vote.
After failing the previous year to convince the city to hold a voter referendum on the project at Jungle Island, real estate investment firm ESJ Capital Partners hired Barbara Hardemon to hurriedly set up meetings during the first week in June with Commissioner Keon Hardemon’s staff. Over a 48-hour stretch, they say she assisted in negotiating a deal that will steer millions into housing and economic development funds during the life of the park’s extended lease on Watson Island and helped nail down her nephew’s support for a voter referendum.
One month later, Barbara Hardemon was hired again, this time by David Beckham’s Major League Soccer franchise as it neared a make-or-break vote on a $1 billion stadium and retail proposal. She registered three days before a scheduled vote and arranged a lunch at a waterfront restaurant between her nephew and the Mas brothers, the Miami businessmen who are part owners of the MLS franchise. Days later, Commissioner Hardemon voted in a close decision to put the proposal on the November ballot.
Some companies and developers have chosen not to hire Barbara Hardemon as a lobbyist due to concerns about the perception of undue influence. But in the years since his November 2013 election, the commissioner’s aunt has emerged as a closer for some of Miami’s biggest businesses.
It’s unclear if Commissioner Hardemon has ever voted against one of her clients. In 2015, he told the Herald that “Barbara has never approached me about voting on anything.”
“My consulting company has been operating for over 20 years, more time than my nephew has been a commissioner,” Barbara Hardemon said in an interview. “I have a legal right to conduct my business in the city of Miami, including lobbying.”
Billy and Barbara Hardemon of B&B Professional Consultants in 1999.
Miami Herald file
As she said, Hardemon’s City Hall lobbying shop is allowed under state and local laws, which prohibit elected officials and their immediate family from profiting personally off the contracts they oversee but say nothing about their extended family. Her husband, local activist and community consultant Billy Hardemon, told the Miami Herald that lobbying “is as American as apple pie.”
But her lucrative rise from occasional City Hall lobbyist to 11th-hour power broker has blurred the lines between negotiations and nepotism. Some businesspeople told the Miami Herald that they hire the commissioner’s aunt for fear that doing otherwise would be political malpractice, but nobody wanted to be identified as saying that.
Since helping her nephew first get elected in November 2013 as his campaign consultant, Barbara Hardemon has helped the Ultra Music Festival stay in Miami after gate-crashers trampled a security guard, and helped a marina operator win a competition to take over a picturesque city boatyard on a barrier island. A developer hoping to build a controversial digital billboard tower hired her as he tried to negotiate a deal with Hardemon’s redevelopment agency in 2015, and communications conglomerate Harris Corp. hired her in 2017 as it tried to land an $11 million emergency radio contract.
And when Jungle Island needed to nail down votes ahead of a special meeting to consider its request to place a hotel project and lease extension on the August ballot, executives turned to Barbara Hardemon. They needed at least four of the city’s five commissioners to support their project and Commissioner Hardemon had already said he planned to be out of town.
“Sometimes your presence is not needed. And sometimes it really is. We shall see,” Hardemon said from the dais as he set a date for a special hearing on Jungle Island’s project.
That was on May 24. On June 7, the day before the vote, Barbara Hardemon registered as a lobbyist for ESJ Capital Partners, which hired her primarily to help them work with her nephew’s office — where some businesses and lobbyists have found it difficult to get face time.
“She helped us set up meetings with Commissioner Hardemon’s staff during the last 48 hours before our Commission vote and helped us communicate our position as it related to the timing and amount of payments to affordable housing in the City,” explained Micha Dubernard, ESJ Capital’s chief of staff.
The firm entered into a non-disclosure agreement with Barbara Hardemon, but Micha said they paid her “in the $20,000 range” — a little less than what Johnson & Johnson was paying David T. Daniel per quarter as the company fought a sunscreen ban on Miami Beach, one of the few South Florida jurisdictions where lobbyist fees are disclosed.
At the time, Jungle Island already had land-use attorney Alex Tachmes and C.J. Gimenez, the son of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, on its lobbying and negotiating team. Dubernard said Jungle Island, which backed off a push to get on the ballot in 2017 amid concerns from a different commissioner about protests from neighbors on the Venetian Causeway, wanted to beef up its lobbying corps in 2018 as it negotiated a public benefits agreement.
A month later, Hardemon voted again in support of one of his aunt’s clients when InterMiami FC needed to get a proposal to build a $1 billion complex at Melreese golf course onto the November ballot.
An InterMiami FC spokeswoman declined to say how much Barbara Hardemon was paid when she registered to lobby three days before a scheduled vote. The spokeswoman said that Hardemon was hired primarily to conduct “community outreach.”
But it was Barbara Hardemon’s role in scheduling a meeting between her nephew and the Mas brothers at a Casablanca restaurant between July 9 and July 12 that caught attention when it was mentioned in a report by the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics this month as part of an investigation into lobbying disclosures around the soccer group’s efforts to get the stadium plan on the ballot. Hardemon told an investigator that she set up the meeting and had lunch with Jorge Mas, Jose Mas and her nephew.
“And I sat there and had lunch,” she said.
View image on Twitter
Joey Flechas
@joeflech
Excerpt from memo released today on Beckham ethics matter. Barbara Hardemon, Miami Commissioner Keon Hardemon’s aunt, told ethics investigators she “facilitated a meeting between Jorge Mas and Commissioner Hardemon.”
Below that, statements from C.J. Gimenez, county mayor’s son
5:40 PM - Mar 13, 2019
Hardemon told investigators that her primary role on Beckham’s team was to help with the campaign for the voter referendum that passed in November. She said Steve Marin, one of Miami’s most prolific campaign strategists and lobbyists, contacted her about joining the Beckham group’s lobbying team. In a separate ethics interview, Jorge Mas said he relied on Marin as his main lobbyist and didn’t know if Barbara Hardemon was on the lobbying team.
Barbara Hardemon described the July lunch as a “meet-and-greet,” although Mas said he’d met with Keon Hardemon and his chief of staff at City Hall on another occasion before the vote. It was not clear when this meeting occurred.
It’s unclear what Commissioner Hardemon knows of his aunt’s contracts, or to what extent he discusses his votes with her, if at all. He was traveling and unable to comment for this story, according to his chief of staff, James McQueen. The Miami Herald submitted questions in writing to McQueen Monday afternoon but did not receive a response by a Tuesday afternoon deadline.
Lobbying isn’t the only service that Barbara Hardemon and her husband, Billy Hardemon, provide.
Some businesses seeking city contracts and special approvals hire the Hardemons, or B&B Professional Consultants, to engage in “community outreach” by helping to broker meetings with local activists and establishing relationships with neighborhood groups. The couple are longtime activists themselves.
When developer Moishe Mana needed special zoning approvals in order to pursue a massive Wynwood development project, the couple helped his team of consultants reach out to organizations and activists in Overtown. Michael Simkins, a developer who wanted to build a flashing LED tower and innovation district within the boundaries of a redevelopment district overseen by Hardemon, told the Miami Herald around the same time that he hired the commissioner’s aunt to help him establish trust in the community as he was negotiating a public benefits agreement with the Overtown Community Redevelopment Agency.
The Beckham group explained in a statement that Barbara Hardemon “provided counsel on reaching voters in the Overtown area —sharing where canvassers should focus their outreach to educate the most voters in the area and providing insight on what materials to share with them, for example.” The soccer group stated she also provided insight on the Overtown community’s reaction to the plans and advised the team on which pastors to contact to reach voters.
In some cases, businesses told the Miami Herald that they pay the couple to go out into Miami’s black communities because they feel more comfortable with the Hardemons working in the sunshine rather than behind closed doors. Some companies and consultants that have either hired or declined to hire the Hardemons said they didn’t fear the couple working behind the scenes to kill their project, and that there was no suggestion that would happen.
Still, the allegation is made from time to time.
Miami Commissioner Miami Keon Hardemon takes part in a 2014 commission meeting.
Hector Gabino El Nuevo Herald file
Alex Karakhanian recently faced that accusation from a neighbor who filed a lawsuit last month pointing out that Karakhanian was spared from new and restrictive billboard laws around the Design District in 2017 after hiring Billy Hardemon. The property owner who filed the suit, Michael Siegel, says he lost the right to erect a billboard on his property after he refused to hire the commissioner’s uncle.
Karakhanian said he didn’t hire Billy Hardemon as a lobbyist on the mural legislation. But he said he did discuss the legislation with the commissioner’s uncle and has hired Hardemon to help him with community issues in the past related to other properties he owns around Miami. He specifically mentioned a property near Liberty City, where Billy Hardemon is chairman of the city-sponsored Martin Luther King Economic Development Corp.
“I own a property in a district where Billy has a community center on [Northwest] Seventh Avenue. We just kind of talked and met to see if there’s anything I could do with the community,” said Karakhanian, who was specifically looking for tenants. “Nothing ended up happening.”
Like others who spoke to the Herald about paying the Hardemons to conduct community outreach or help them in cities outside City Hall, he said lobbying wasn’t part of the deal. And he said paying the Hardemons doesn’t mean you get Keon Hardemon’s vote.
“I’m pretty sure if you pull up 100 cases where Billy lobbied, it’s not a one-for-one. Using that logic it would mean he’s never not gotten what he wanted,” Karakhanian said. “I’m sure that’s not the case.”
Billy Hardemon last registered as a City Hall lobbyist in 2007 and says he isn’t a lobbyist. City registration records published since Keon Hardemon became a commissioner list about a dozen clients that have contracted Barbara Hardemon, five of which hired her before her nephew was elected.
Barbara Hardemon declined to speak to the Herald about specific clients, but said her consulting business can involve work as simple as setting up a breakfast or as detailed as running an entire political campaign. She said she has spoken directly with Keon Hardemon about her client’s issues in the past, and defended her right to do so.
“I have,” she said. “And I have the legal right to lobby anyone that is currently on the city of Miami commission.”
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.newsbug.info/sports/national/columnist-ben-frederickson-takes-cards-blues-mizzou-slu-and-stl/article_5d791773-4689-5272-be46-061f51e4b520.html
Columnist Ben Frederickson takes Cards, Blues, Mizzou, SLU and STL sports questions in his weekly chat
See what columnist Ben Frederickson has to say about the region's teams in his weekly chat with St. Louis sports fans.
Any news on when the MLS stadium renderings will be released? This may be just me but I don't see STL getting a team over SAC . They outdraw us at the USL level which if thats good or bad i don't know but this group still doesn't seem to know how to attract fans to the STLFC matches.
Hope to have some more insight on that by the end of the week. I'm turning a good chunk of attention back toward soccer now that my spring-training shift has wrapped up. I would be careful ranking USL attendance at the top of your list of what secures an expansion team. It's a factor, sure, but not a deciding one compared to sponsorship, stadium design, ownership group strength, etc. I'm a little confused by some in the USL camp. Using the push for MLS as a way to promote USL is great. Spinning USL attendance as the make-or-break of getting an MLS team is a bit disingenuous. MLS commissioner Don Garber did not come to St. Louis to gauge USL interest. He came to meet potential sponsors for an MLS team and get closer with the Enterprise side of the ownership group.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.epluribusloonum.com/2019/3/26/18281483/bold-beautiful-allianz-field-is-so-much-more-than-a-place-to-watch-soccer-minnesota-united-stadium
Bold and Beautiful: Allianz Field is so much more than a place to watch soccer
The ground makes a perfect frame for Minnesotan soccer.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.businessobserverfl.com/article/brian-auld-tampa-bay-rays-rowdies
Area sports leader juggles two franchises with overlapping schedules
Tampa Bay Rays President and Rowdies Vice Chairman Brian Auld has his hands full as the baseball and soccer seasons begin.
The St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce March 14 luncheon featured a guest who’s trying to keep a lot of balls in the air: Tampa Bay Rays President Brian Auld, now pulling double-duty as vice chairman of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the St. Pete-based soccer club the Rays acquired in October from local entertainment and property magnate Bill Edwards.
The luncheon, held at Al Lang Field, the picturesque waterfront home of the Rowdies, was a chance for Auld to discuss immediate changes to the game-day experience and lay out the long-term vision he, principal owner Stu Sternberg and Matt Silverman, the Rays’ president of baseball operations, have for the United Soccer League franchise.
“Al Lang Field is the most beautiful sports venue on the face of the planet,” Auld says. “Not a lot of USL teams have the advantages that the Rowdies have here.”
Auld says concession prices will be lower at Rowdies matches this season, and the team will provide space for more local food trucks outside the stadium. The Rowdies will also take a page from the Rays’ playbook and have more bulk giveaways of souvenirs.
“Having two franchises gives us more opportunities to really dig in and create synergies,” Auld says. “The teams’ training staffs are giddy about sharing information.”
Speaking of training and conditioning — and making fans happier — the club successfully lobbied the USL to have its schedule front- and back-loaded with home matches, meaning it will play less often in St. Pete’s sweltering summer weather. There will be just one home match in July.
Under new ownership, the Rowdies will not, however, actively pursue promotion to Major League Soccer, an effort begun under Edwards. “We are making no calls to MLS this season,” Auld says, though he did not rule out a future push.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://media.sportbusiness.com/news/mls-picks-sendtonews-for-local-digital-distribution-in-north-america/
MLS picks SendtoNews for local digital distribution in North America
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sendtonews-and-major-league-soccer-announce-local-digital-distribution-agreement-300818287.html
SendtoNews and Major League Soccer announce local digital distribution agreement
(Follow link for full article.)
https://advanced-television.com/2019/03/26/mls-selects-sendtonews-as-digital-partner/
MLS selects SendtoNews as digital partner
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.wfae.org/post/charlotte-talks-could-charlotte-get-mls-team-after-all#stream/0
Charlotte Talks: Could Charlotte Get An MLS Team After All?
The bid for a team seemed all but doomed back in 2017 when Mecklenburg County Commissioners decided they wouldn’t put public money forward to help, but it’s been revived this year. The new Charlotte Panthers owner, David Tepper, says that the Panthers and MLS are actively talking about making a new team.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://sgbonline.com/sendtonews-major-league-soccer-announce-local-digital-distribution-agreement/
SendtoNews, Major League Soccer Announce Local Digital Distribution Agreement
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b5q98t/looking_for_a_good_place_to_park_this_saturday/
Looking for a good place to park this saturday
The first game I went to was the home opener and I parked in a garage on 2nd Ave s.. The parking garage seemed a bit congested and parking was a hassle to find as well as getting out after the game. Anyone know of an alternative to this garage? Would love to be able to park at the stadium itself but I think this is only for season ticket holders.
If I’m parking there and looking to leave the same night (which is rare, I normally just find a hotel to sleep at) then I generally park at the Sundial.
Thanks
I like parking on the street at the park next to Albert Whitted airport. This is just east of the Dali museum. Last year at least it was only a couple of dollars to park when using the ParkMobile app. Since it fronts the park there is plenty of green space for tailgating before and after the game. It is a 3 block walk to the stadium east entrance from there. And ladies - it has clean bathrooms!
Thanks
Platinum Parking Lot 100 2nd Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 (727) 565-0316 https://maps.app.goo.gl/3UKYq was a decent one I parked at for 10$ before
SouthCore Parking Garage 101 1st Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 (727) 896-2256 https://maps.app.goo.gl/23CKm Is 5$ but it was completely full last game but may have been because of St Patrick's day festivities
Thanks I'll look into these
SouthCore was full by 6pm at the home opener. We were one of the last in.
Just remember home opener was a poor barometer of general traffic because of Reggaefest and St Patrick’s day.
True. We’ll see how it fares for the next game
All garages should be fine this weekend, in my experience. The first game is nearly always the most attended match of the season. This year, it was on a day where downtown was already going to be crazy (St Paddy and Reggae Rise Up). Theoretically, you should be fine in any of the garages.
the mcnulty garage should be a good pl-
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha fuck 717 parking
(Follow link for full article.)
FC Cincinnati: Are these the best fans in MLS?
BBC Sport heads to Ohio to experience a unique fan experience with FC Cincinnati, the latest team to join Major League Soccer in 2019.
WATCH MORE: A European Super League: The future of football?
Why David Beckham is desperate to keep Inter Miami out of the suburbs
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/mar/26/inter-miami-david-beckham-soccer-mls-stadium
Why David Beckham is desperate to keep Inter Miami out of the suburbs
The former England captain wants his team to play in downtown Miami, as soccer in North America markets itself as an urban game
First, David Beckham’s MLS franchise, then unnamed, were to play in PortMiami, not far from the downtown home of the NBA’s Miami Heat. Then, the plan was to fill in a boat slip near Museum Park. After that, two more sites were suggested, one next to baseball’s Marlins Park and another out by Miami International Airport, and then two more sites, one in Overtown and another, again, out by the airport.
Despite all this, despite the numerous sites identified and analysed, Inter Miami, as they have now been christened, still don’t have a permanent home. That means they will play their first two MLS seasons at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, a 45-minute drive from downtown Miami. Beckham made the announcement in front of an overgrown wasteland at the former home of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The Fyre Festival jokes were irresistible.
MLS failed in Miami before. Will David Beckham's team be any different?
Beyond the punchlines, though, there is something to be said about Inter Miami’s struggle to find a stadium site downtown. Their troubles are similar to those of New York City FC, still playing at Yankee Stadium after four full seasons in MLS and are, in part, a result of a league-wide drive to change the way stadiums are built.
“We end up with sites that nobody else wants to build on,” says Bruce Miller of Populous, the architectural firm that designed stadiums for Houston Dynamo, Sporting KC, DC United, Minnesota United and Orlando City. “We look at the pros and cons of each one. The league is really driving this. They are big believers in urban stadiums so that the venue is close to a place people live, work … so that they’re close to their fanbase.”
The drive to build soccer specific stadiums, as they are dubbed, across North America can be traced back to the late 1990s and early 2000s, when somewhat primitive, out-of-town venues like MAPFRE Stadium, Toyota Stadium and SeatGeek Stadium sprung up. At that time, all that mattered was giving soccer in the United States and Canada a home, regardless of where that home was.
Now, after some of those hastily-built stadiums resulted in franchises without much of a native fanbase to speak of, there has been a change at MLS HQ. It’s not just about building stadiums, but stadiums that integrate into their communities. In most cases, that means downtown, urban arenas.
“[The MLS] fanbase in this country is very young, educated and likes to live in urban areas,” explains Miller, lead architect for Minnesota United’s recently-opened Allianz Field, “so the league is really encouraging teams to build in areas that have 365, 24/7 environments. They really want to encourage urban stadia because that’s where they believe the future of their fanbase exists.”
Indeed, as of 2010 the largest block of MLS fans fall between the ages of 18 and 34 and the league wants to solidify that demographic. That means being in downtown and urban areas, which draw in millennials. It’s no coincidence that the last five stadiums to open in MLS have been in cities.
Of course, with this drive to go urban comes difficulties, the primary one being that land is more expensive downtown than it is in the suburbs. Urban areas are typically tied up in more regulatory red tape, too. Even if a suitable site is identified and purchased, the planning process can be where everything falls down. Nobody has a problem with building next to a suburban McDonald’s drive-thru, but building next to packed apartment blocks, means more potential objections.
MLS, it seems, believes these complications are worth it, though. The city is where teams can capture the largest fanbase, partly down good public transport networks. Allianz Field, for instance, is directly served by light rail between Minneapolis and St Paul.
Traditionally, North American stadiums are sprawling structures. The best examples of this can be found in the NFL, where stadiums often occupy sites the size of whole districts, with vast parking lots around the perimeter.
But while huge stadiums work for the NFL, they do not suit MLS. The league’s aren’t so fond of tailgate parties, but have made the so-called ‘March to the Match’ a key part of the sport’s culture in North America. The effect of such a procession would be lost if it were forced to weave through the endless parked vehicles that encircle a typical NFL stadium.
Miller backs this up. “We try to emulate the UK and Europe,” he says. “That whole ceremony and experience is another benefit of having an urban site and something we take into account.” MLS fans, and North American soccer fans in general, have come to expect more than just a game from their matchday experience.
What’s more, the typically tighter, smaller plots of land downtown lend themselves to stadiums with steeper stands, which in turn generate more intense atmospheres. “The bowl is shaped by the land we have available,” says Miller. “Sporting KC, while it’s more of a suburban area … that’s a good example where the bowl and the building really responded to the site. It’s quite tight because of that tight site that we had.”
Serious thought has been applied to MLS’s natural habitat. A study conducted back in 2013, for instance, showed that an MLS team loses 260 fans per match for every mile their stadium is situated outside the closest urban core. This is why Beckham and Inter Miami, who did not respond to requests for comment for this article, have expended so much time and energy on finding a site pretty much anywhere in urban Miami. And why will be so disappointing if they end up in Fort Lauderdale for good.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.liberationnews.org/us-womens-national-soccer-team-sues-for-equal-treatment/
US women’s national soccer team sues for equal treatment
(Follow link for full article.)
https://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2019/03/86969/mens-soccer-hayes-twins-play-against-new-york-cosmos/
Men’s Soccer: Hayes twins play against New York Cosmos
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/mls-sendtonews-digital-content-distribution
MLS taps SendtoNews for digital content distribution
Video platform to exclusively distribute US soccer league’s highlights to local partners.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2019/03/25/austin-fc-picks-construction-manager-for-240.html
Austin FC picks construction manager for $240M Major League Soccer stadium
Precourt Sports exec: Plans 'unfolding nicely' for groundbreaking later this year
The company also built the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin and Toyota's massive corporate campus in Plano. It's a major step toward getting the $240 million, 20,500-seat stadium done by spring 2021.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://unafraidshow.com/nba-mlb-nhl-nfl-america-favorite-sport/
Will the NBA, MLB or NHL Overtake the NFL As America’s Favorite Sport?
This article will also discuss the rise of the National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Soccer (MLS).
Major League Soccer (MLS)
The dark horse of all American sports leagues is Major League Soccer (MLS). Many consider Major League Soccer the little brother (or distant relative) of European soccer. Yes, the Premier League does garner much success, ranking fourth in revenue in worldwide sports league. Yes the MLS has been in the shadow of other professional sports, but it has seen a hockey-like surge. Since 2008, Major League Soccer went from 14 teams to 24 and will have 27 teams by 2021. The league will also name its 28th team next season. Soccer is expanding across cities in the US.
Major League Soccer was also Yahoo Finance’s Business of the Year. Both ticket revenue and attendance were up in the 2018. Global stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic entering Major League Soccer have drawn support and increased followers of the league.
Most important, Major League Soccer’s 30th anniversary will coincide with the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This World Cup will take place in America. Due to a joint bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, games will be played in Mexico, Canada and the United States. In addition, the quarterfinals through the final will all be played in the United States. This will be monumental for Major League Soccer. Hosting the world’s most popular single-sport competition will certainly give Major League Soccer a major boost.
Nevertheless, just like the NHL, Major League Soccer will not be able to compete with the NFL. If it can grow to the revenue currently experienced by the NHL, that would be a large success. But don’t set expectations high for MLS soccer.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://wamu.org/story/19/03/26/with-a-new-professional-soccer-team-loudoun-county-gets-a-boost/
With A New Professional Soccer Team, Loudoun County Gets A Boost
Tucked away a few miles off Route 7 in Virginia, near the Leesburg Executive Airport, is Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park – the future home of Loudoun United Stadium. The stadium, which is currently under construction, will be the home of Loudoun United Football Club, a new professional men’s soccer team that is an affiliate of D.C. United.
Loudoun United Football Club is the newest team to join the United Soccer League, a professional league that sits just below Major League Soccer. The club kicked off its inaugural season in early March. With the new stadium and a new team, the county expects to feed into the enthusiasm of a soccer-hungry community and help boost area businesses and restaurants.
But first, it has to overcome the perception of other failed minor league teams in the area.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/mar/26/inter-miami-david-beckham-soccer-mls-stadium
Why David Beckham is desperate to keep Inter Miami out of the suburbs
The former England captain wants his team to play in downtown Miami, as soccer in North America markets itself as an urban game
First, David Beckham’s MLS franchise, then unnamed, were to play in PortMiami, not far from the downtown home of the NBA’s Miami Heat. Then, the plan was to fill in a boat slip near Museum Park. After that, two more sites were suggested, one next to baseball’s Marlins Park and another out by Miami International Airport, and then two more sites, one in Overtown and another, again, out by the airport.
Despite all this, despite the numerous sites identified and analysed, Inter Miami, as they have now been christened, still don’t have a permanent home. That means they will play their first two MLS seasons at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, a 45-minute drive from downtown Miami. Beckham made the announcement in front of an overgrown wasteland at the former home of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The Fyre Festival jokes were irresistible.
MLS failed in Miami before. Will David Beckham's team be any different?
Beyond the punchlines, though, there is something to be said about Inter Miami’s struggle to find a stadium site downtown. Their troubles are similar to those of New York City FC, still playing at Yankee Stadium after four full seasons in MLS and are, in part, a result of a league-wide drive to change the way stadiums are built.
“We end up with sites that nobody else wants to build on,” says Bruce Miller of Populous, the architectural firm that designed stadiums for Houston Dynamo, Sporting KC, DC United, Minnesota United and Orlando City. “We look at the pros and cons of each one. The league is really driving this. They are big believers in urban stadiums so that the venue is close to a place people live, work … so that they’re close to their fanbase.”
The drive to build soccer specific stadiums, as they are dubbed, across North America can be traced back to the late 1990s and early 2000s, when somewhat primitive, out-of-town venues like MAPFRE Stadium, Toyota Stadium and SeatGeek Stadium sprung up. At that time, all that mattered was giving soccer in the United States and Canada a home, regardless of where that home was.
Now, after some of those hastily-built stadiums resulted in franchises without much of a native fanbase to speak of, there has been a change at MLS HQ. It’s not just about building stadiums, but stadiums that integrate into their communities. In most cases, that means downtown, urban arenas.
“[The MLS] fanbase in this country is very young, educated and likes to live in urban areas,” explains Miller, lead architect for Minnesota United’s recently-opened Allianz Field, “so the league is really encouraging teams to build in areas that have 365, 24/7 environments. They really want to encourage urban stadia because that’s where they believe the future of their fanbase exists.”
Indeed, as of 2010 the largest block of MLS fans fall between the ages of 18 and 34 and the league wants to solidify that demographic. That means being in downtown and urban areas, which draw in millennials. It’s no coincidence that the last five stadiums to open in MLS have been in cities.
Of course, with this drive to go urban comes difficulties, the primary one being that land is more expensive downtown than it is in the suburbs. Urban areas are typically tied up in more regulatory red tape, too. Even if a suitable site is identified and purchased, the planning process can be where everything falls down. Nobody has a problem with building next to a suburban McDonald’s drive-thru, but building next to packed apartment blocks, means more potential objections.
MLS, it seems, believes these complications are worth it, though. The city is where teams can capture the largest fanbase, partly down good public transport networks. Allianz Field, for instance, is directly served by light rail between Minneapolis and St Paul.
Traditionally, North American stadiums are sprawling structures. The best examples of this can be found in the NFL, where stadiums often occupy sites the size of whole districts, with vast parking lots around the perimeter.
But while huge stadiums work for the NFL, they do not suit MLS. The league’s aren’t so fond of tailgate parties, but have made the so-called ‘March to the Match’ a key part of the sport’s culture in North America. The effect of such a procession would be lost if it were forced to weave through the endless parked vehicles that encircle a typical NFL stadium.
Miller backs this up. “We try to emulate the UK and Europe,” he says. “That whole ceremony and experience is another benefit of having an urban site and something we take into account.” MLS fans, and North American soccer fans in general, have come to expect more than just a game from their matchday experience.
What’s more, the typically tighter, smaller plots of land downtown lend themselves to stadiums with steeper stands, which in turn generate more intense atmospheres. “The bowl is shaped by the land we have available,” says Miller. “Sporting KC, while it’s more of a suburban area … that’s a good example where the bowl and the building really responded to the site. It’s quite tight because of that tight site that we had.”
Serious thought has been applied to MLS’s natural habitat. A study conducted back in 2013, for instance, showed that an MLS team loses 260 fans per match for every mile their stadium is situated outside the closest urban core. This is why Beckham and Inter Miami, who did not respond to requests for comment for this article, have expended so much time and energy on finding a site pretty much anywhere in urban Miami. And why will be so disappointing if they end up in Fort Lauderdale for good.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.liberationnews.org/us-womens-national-soccer-team-sues-for-equal-treatment/
US women’s national soccer team sues for equal treatment
(Follow link for full article.)
https://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2019/03/86969/mens-soccer-hayes-twins-play-against-new-york-cosmos/
Men’s Soccer: Hayes twins play against New York Cosmos
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/mls-sendtonews-digital-content-distribution
MLS taps SendtoNews for digital content distribution
Video platform to exclusively distribute US soccer league’s highlights to local partners.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2019/03/25/austin-fc-picks-construction-manager-for-240.html
Austin FC picks construction manager for $240M Major League Soccer stadium
Precourt Sports exec: Plans 'unfolding nicely' for groundbreaking later this year
The company also built the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin and Toyota's massive corporate campus in Plano. It's a major step toward getting the $240 million, 20,500-seat stadium done by spring 2021.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://unafraidshow.com/nba-mlb-nhl-nfl-america-favorite-sport/
Will the NBA, MLB or NHL Overtake the NFL As America’s Favorite Sport?
This article will also discuss the rise of the National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Soccer (MLS).
Major League Soccer (MLS)
The dark horse of all American sports leagues is Major League Soccer (MLS). Many consider Major League Soccer the little brother (or distant relative) of European soccer. Yes, the Premier League does garner much success, ranking fourth in revenue in worldwide sports league. Yes the MLS has been in the shadow of other professional sports, but it has seen a hockey-like surge. Since 2008, Major League Soccer went from 14 teams to 24 and will have 27 teams by 2021. The league will also name its 28th team next season. Soccer is expanding across cities in the US.
Major League Soccer was also Yahoo Finance’s Business of the Year. Both ticket revenue and attendance were up in the 2018. Global stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic entering Major League Soccer have drawn support and increased followers of the league.
Most important, Major League Soccer’s 30th anniversary will coincide with the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This World Cup will take place in America. Due to a joint bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, games will be played in Mexico, Canada and the United States. In addition, the quarterfinals through the final will all be played in the United States. This will be monumental for Major League Soccer. Hosting the world’s most popular single-sport competition will certainly give Major League Soccer a major boost.
Nevertheless, just like the NHL, Major League Soccer will not be able to compete with the NFL. If it can grow to the revenue currently experienced by the NHL, that would be a large success. But don’t set expectations high for MLS soccer.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://wamu.org/story/19/03/26/with-a-new-professional-soccer-team-loudoun-county-gets-a-boost/
With A New Professional Soccer Team, Loudoun County Gets A Boost
Tucked away a few miles off Route 7 in Virginia, near the Leesburg Executive Airport, is Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park – the future home of Loudoun United Stadium. The stadium, which is currently under construction, will be the home of Loudoun United Football Club, a new professional men’s soccer team that is an affiliate of D.C. United.
Loudoun United Football Club is the newest team to join the United Soccer League, a professional league that sits just below Major League Soccer. The club kicked off its inaugural season in early March. With the new stadium and a new team, the county expects to feed into the enthusiasm of a soccer-hungry community and help boost area businesses and restaurants.
But first, it has to overcome the perception of other failed minor league teams in the area.
Monday, March 25, 2019
St. Louis great fit for Major League Soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/mailbag/st-louis-great-fit-for-major-league-soccer/article_d949bbd8-8f92-5d3c-898a-bfeecc25cc2c.html
St. Louis great fit for Major League Soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/soccer/2019/03/25/riverhounds-sc-usl-championship-jake-edwards-highmark-stadium-pittsburgh/stories/201903200126
League president feels Riverhounds are poised for growth — perhaps into a new stadium
Jake Edwards isn’t worried about the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates or Pitt.
Those teams and programs certainly have more established followings than do Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, the city’s USL Championship pro team. The league’s president, however, doesn’t see them as competition.
“You’ve only got one professional soccer team there,” he said last week.
“Soccer’s very tribal. It’s very different. It’s not about which level or what I’m competing with in the market. Pittsburgh has one professional soccer team. Soccer fans will have other teams around the world, perhaps, that they have an affinity to, that they might watch on the television. But we want them to also come and get behind their local team and see these great players that are out there. So this is their team to support.”
It’s through that lens that Edwards views the job of boosting the Riverhounds’ visibility in the city’s sports landscape. It’s about reaching soccer fans.
They’ve demonstrated their existence here repeatedly over the course of the past decade, during which the world’s game has grown in popularity domestically.
Big crowds have turned out for exhibitions involving the U.S. women’s national team and European clubs at Heinz Field. And just last October, the Riverhounds drew a Highmark Stadium record 5,189 fans for their playoff loss against Bethlehem Steel FC.
Consistency has been the issue. The Riverhounds were 24th among 33 teams in attendance with an average gate of 2,401 in 2018, one of their best seasons in recent memory.
Perhaps not coincidentally, consistency on the field has been a challenge, too. Before last season, the Riverhounds had reached the playoffs just twice in the previous six seasons, and they didn’t make much noise once they got there.
The 2018 season was different. The team finished third in the Eastern Conference, its best finish since 2010, and Edwards feels that success is definitely not a coincidence. He pointed to owner Tuffy Shallenberger’s investments in Highmark Stadium and youth academies as well as the recruitment of championship-winning coach Bob Lilley as moves that are starting to bear fruit.
Keep it up, and he feels the support will follow .
“There’s always been a belief in that club that winning is a major identity of the community,” Edwards said.
So, too, is star power, something the USL Championship has started to gather in more abundance in recent years. International star Didier Drogba finished his career with the Phoenix Rising last year after signing with the club and gaining an ownership stake in 2017, and Premier League standout Joe Cole followed a similar path with the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Edwards suggested that the Riverhounds could be in the mix to get such face-of-the-franchise types in the coming years.
One thing that’s probably not on the table is promotion to Major League Soccer, the top professional division in the U.S. Other USL clubs including Orlando and Cincinnati have made the leap in recent years, but Edwards said a step up for the Riverhounds hasn’t been a focus for the league or the organization.
Instead, he’s looking toward another ambitious goal.
“Looking out toward five years, I think both the USL and the club would like to see a significant demand in support for that team that we are looking for a much bigger stadium somewhere in and around the city,” Edwards said. “And I think that will pay huge dividends for the city and the club. So I think [the goals are] success on the field, success in the stands and it’s working toward a bigger stadium down the road.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/norwich-city-loan-watch-fylde-wembley-wrexham-tampa-1-5956500
Norwich City loan watch: Wembley chance for Odusina and senior debut for Spyrou
Over in the USA, City left-back Caleb Richards started his third consecutive full match as Tampa Bay Rowdies continued their unbeaten start to the United Soccer League season, drawing 1-1 at St Louis in the Championship Eastern Conference.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/construction-firm-selected-for-new-mls-stadium-in-austin/1875428368
Construction firm selected for new MLS stadium in Austin
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sounderatheart.com/2019/3/25/18280805/italian-womens-league-smashes-another-attendance-record-juventus-mls-soccer-news
Major Link Soccer: Italian women's league smashes another attendance record
Another straight week of record crowds. Also, DeAndre Yedlin on Miguel Almiron at Newcastle, and FC Tucson goes pro.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://communityimpact.com/austin/development-construction/2019/03/25/austin-fc-selects-construction-manager-for-major-league-soccer-stadium/
Austin FC selects construction manager for Major League Soccer stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b5f9fh/were_first_place_in_the_sidebar_standings_for_the/
"We're first place in the sidebar standings for the first time in a long time" Upvote Party
UPVOTE PARTY
https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/mailbag/st-louis-great-fit-for-major-league-soccer/article_d949bbd8-8f92-5d3c-898a-bfeecc25cc2c.html
St. Louis great fit for Major League Soccer
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/soccer/2019/03/25/riverhounds-sc-usl-championship-jake-edwards-highmark-stadium-pittsburgh/stories/201903200126
League president feels Riverhounds are poised for growth — perhaps into a new stadium
Jake Edwards isn’t worried about the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates or Pitt.
Those teams and programs certainly have more established followings than do Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, the city’s USL Championship pro team. The league’s president, however, doesn’t see them as competition.
“You’ve only got one professional soccer team there,” he said last week.
“Soccer’s very tribal. It’s very different. It’s not about which level or what I’m competing with in the market. Pittsburgh has one professional soccer team. Soccer fans will have other teams around the world, perhaps, that they have an affinity to, that they might watch on the television. But we want them to also come and get behind their local team and see these great players that are out there. So this is their team to support.”
It’s through that lens that Edwards views the job of boosting the Riverhounds’ visibility in the city’s sports landscape. It’s about reaching soccer fans.
They’ve demonstrated their existence here repeatedly over the course of the past decade, during which the world’s game has grown in popularity domestically.
Big crowds have turned out for exhibitions involving the U.S. women’s national team and European clubs at Heinz Field. And just last October, the Riverhounds drew a Highmark Stadium record 5,189 fans for their playoff loss against Bethlehem Steel FC.
Consistency has been the issue. The Riverhounds were 24th among 33 teams in attendance with an average gate of 2,401 in 2018, one of their best seasons in recent memory.
Perhaps not coincidentally, consistency on the field has been a challenge, too. Before last season, the Riverhounds had reached the playoffs just twice in the previous six seasons, and they didn’t make much noise once they got there.
The 2018 season was different. The team finished third in the Eastern Conference, its best finish since 2010, and Edwards feels that success is definitely not a coincidence. He pointed to owner Tuffy Shallenberger’s investments in Highmark Stadium and youth academies as well as the recruitment of championship-winning coach Bob Lilley as moves that are starting to bear fruit.
Keep it up, and he feels the support will follow .
“There’s always been a belief in that club that winning is a major identity of the community,” Edwards said.
So, too, is star power, something the USL Championship has started to gather in more abundance in recent years. International star Didier Drogba finished his career with the Phoenix Rising last year after signing with the club and gaining an ownership stake in 2017, and Premier League standout Joe Cole followed a similar path with the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Edwards suggested that the Riverhounds could be in the mix to get such face-of-the-franchise types in the coming years.
One thing that’s probably not on the table is promotion to Major League Soccer, the top professional division in the U.S. Other USL clubs including Orlando and Cincinnati have made the leap in recent years, but Edwards said a step up for the Riverhounds hasn’t been a focus for the league or the organization.
Instead, he’s looking toward another ambitious goal.
“Looking out toward five years, I think both the USL and the club would like to see a significant demand in support for that team that we are looking for a much bigger stadium somewhere in and around the city,” Edwards said. “And I think that will pay huge dividends for the city and the club. So I think [the goals are] success on the field, success in the stands and it’s working toward a bigger stadium down the road.”
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/norwich-city-loan-watch-fylde-wembley-wrexham-tampa-1-5956500
Norwich City loan watch: Wembley chance for Odusina and senior debut for Spyrou
Over in the USA, City left-back Caleb Richards started his third consecutive full match as Tampa Bay Rowdies continued their unbeaten start to the United Soccer League season, drawing 1-1 at St Louis in the Championship Eastern Conference.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/construction-firm-selected-for-new-mls-stadium-in-austin/1875428368
Construction firm selected for new MLS stadium in Austin
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sounderatheart.com/2019/3/25/18280805/italian-womens-league-smashes-another-attendance-record-juventus-mls-soccer-news
Major Link Soccer: Italian women's league smashes another attendance record
Another straight week of record crowds. Also, DeAndre Yedlin on Miguel Almiron at Newcastle, and FC Tucson goes pro.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://communityimpact.com/austin/development-construction/2019/03/25/austin-fc-selects-construction-manager-for-major-league-soccer-stadium/
Austin FC selects construction manager for Major League Soccer stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b5f9fh/were_first_place_in_the_sidebar_standings_for_the/
"We're first place in the sidebar standings for the first time in a long time" Upvote Party
UPVOTE PARTY
Area sports leader juggles two franchises with overlapping schedules | Business Observer
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b47a1z/area_sports_leader_juggles_two_franchises_with/
Area sports leader juggles two franchises with overlapping schedules | Business Observer
Two interesting passages here, courtesy of u/unsubmatt...
Speaking of training and conditioning — and making fans happier — the club successfully lobbied the USL to have its schedule front- and back-loaded with home matches, meaning it will play less often in St. Pete’s sweltering summer weather. There will be just one home match in July.
Not sure how successful this was, since we have 3 matches in June and 3 in August, but good that they asked...
Under new ownership, the Rowdies will not, however, actively pursue promotion to Major League Soccer, an effort begun under Edwards. “We are making no calls to MLS this season,” Auld says, though he did not rule out a future push.
As we all knew...out of the running for spot 28. Wouldn’t be surprised to see them make a play for a later spot.
Matt isn't the only one who tweets from the pod account...
Oops...sorry Jake!
I demand credit for checking my Rowdies google alerts every morning!
But yeah, not sure about the schedule thing. Guess you could say it's a little better since they played 4 at Al Lang in July last year. Still the same as last year for June and August. Not sure how much better you can do given what you have to work with in the USL.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.businessobserverfl.com/article/brian-auld-tampa-bay-rays-rowdies
Area sports leader juggles two franchises with overlapping schedules
Tampa Bay Rays President and Rowdies Vice Chairman Brian Auld has his hands full as the baseball and soccer seasons begin
The St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce March 14 luncheon featured a guest who’s trying to keep a lot of balls in the air: Tampa Bay Rays President Brian Auld, now pulling double-duty as vice chairman of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the St. Pete-based soccer club the Rays acquired in October from local entertainment and property magnate Bill Edwards.
The luncheon, held at Al Lang Field, the picturesque waterfront home of the Rowdies, was a chance for Auld to discuss immediate changes to the game-day experience and lay out the long-term vision he, principal owner Stu Sternberg and Matt Silverman, the Rays’ president of baseball operations, have for the United Soccer League franchise.
“Al Lang Field is the most beautiful sports venue on the face of the planet,” Auld says. “Not a lot of USL teams have the advantages that the Rowdies have here.”
Auld says concession prices will be lower at Rowdies matches this season, and the team will provide space for more local food trucks outside the stadium. The Rowdies will also take a page from the Rays’ playbook and have more bulk giveaways of souvenirs.
“Having two franchises gives us more opportunities to really dig in and create synergies,” Auld says. “The teams’ training staffs are giddy about sharing information.”
Speaking of training and conditioning — and making fans happier — the club successfully lobbied the USL to have its schedule front- and back-loaded with home matches, meaning it will play less often in St. Pete’s sweltering summer weather. There will be just one home match in July.
Under new ownership, the Rowdies will not, however, actively pursue promotion to Major League Soccer, an effort begun under Edwards. “We are making no calls to MLS this season,” Auld says, though he did not rule out a future push.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b47afj/caleb_richards_on_settling_in_at_the_rowdies/
Caleb Richards on settling in at the Rowdies
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.canaries.co.uk/News/2019/march/caleb-richards-tampa-bay-rowdies/
Caleb Richards on settling in at the Rowdies
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b4bg6y/mob_watch_parties_for_stl_match_in_same_locations/
Mob watch parties for St.L match in same locations??
YES
Where can I catch the game tomorrow with fellow Mobsters?
Same as last time, Jimmy's on 35th in St Pete, Wild Rover in North Tampa, & Shamrock's down in Sarasota
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/USLPRO/comments/b2jbmk/usl_attendance_tracker_week_ending_317/
USL Attendance Tracker: Week Ending 3/17
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b4sh8u/j_kings_player_form_project_week_3_stl_v_tbr/
J King's Player Form Project Week 3- STL v TBR
Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kcs5D_0BPsGORIv_Nf1HPXzxzqpphkIKNdybGRtynn4/edit#gid=0
(Forgot to put in the link last week. Whoops.)
Player Impact Notes:
Ekra, Steinberger, and Diakite continue to remain the heart of the squad. The middle of the field is held down by some really competent, solid, and consistent play. Oduro not giving the ball away as much this week was crucial. Fernandes dribbling into defenders and losing the ball has become a consistent issue. St. Louis made it a point to really attack Richards and Morad and they held their own but not without a bevy of negative defensive plays attributed to them. Allen has his second straight forgettable week. Tejada has his first wake up call game as St. Louis didn't let him bother them. The offensive subs Collins has made so far have really yet to make a mark so far.
Stat Update:
Diakite, Richards, Oduro, McCarthy, Fernandes, Morad, and Ekra have played all 270 minutes for the Rowdies through three games.
Players who have yet to see the field are: Felix, Najem, Poku, Johnson, and Siaj.
Tinari and Doherty have 1 minute played. Steinberger has 269 minutes.
Hoppenot, who had 30 starts with Reno last season, has played 39 minutes.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b4sao0/j_kings_corner_stl_v_tbr_week_3_11/
J King's Corner STL v TBR (Week 3) 1-1
Grinding out a point- Today was a huge moral victory. In a match where the Rowdies couldn't buy a goal against a stingy St. Louis defense, St. Louis had one crucial mistake and Guenzatti was true from the penalty spot once again. Much of that penalty had to do with the relentlessness of the second half pressure the Rowdies put on putting St. Louis in a position where they could make a mistake. I was just happy that the ref saw the handball because so often refs in the USL miss handballs no matter how blatant they may seem to be. In the Campbell era facing a tough opponent on the road on turf was usually an unmitigated disaster so actually having a squad that never really felt out of the game is a new feeling.
Best of the East?- This game was fairly reminiscent of the Memphis game to start the season except for St. Louis really being polished on their set pieces and causing some trouble in the box. Diakite continues to own anything that happens in the middle of the field, but St. Louis really found some exploits by going after Morad on set pieces and attacking Richards. It's early but St. Louis is definitely off to a great start so this was a great litmus test to see where the Rowdies stand against a team with momentum.
Barry was sorely missed- After a great home game last week, Richards had big shoes to fill stepping into Barry's role. Richards floundered which all things considered a lot was asked of him as he played a crucial spot on the field. If David Najem is healthy that might've been a good role for him. But missing Barry's composure and ability to create in the attacking half while getting back and defending at a high level really could've turned the tides in this contest.
Forward play is becoming a growing concern- It's not time to hit the panic button yet, but it has now been three games without a non-penalty goal from either centre-forward. Allen has had chances served up on gold platters and just flat out whiffed and Guenzatti is a capable player who I've always remarked lacks lethal finishing instinct. Allen has been the poorest of the three forwards as he and Diakite now have the same amount of shots (1 shot, neither on target). The concern going forward for the Rowdies is where are they going to find their goals? Can they be a team that relies on goals by committee? Unless Allen or Guenzatti can prove otherwise, the Rowdies will have to find goal scorers however they can without relying on getting shots from their forwards.
Morad had some disastrous man marking moments- From an overall standpoint, Morad is a talented player who made a ton of good plays on both sides of the ball against St. Louis. But whenever set pieces and long balls came into the equation, Morad was either getting beaten physically, or flat out losing the man he was covering. Won't be surprised if Collins is chewing him out all week in practice. Set pieces are likely going to be terrifying for the rest of the season. Set piece defense was never really the Rowdies strong suit in the Campbell era either. Opposing teams will likely try and find far or near post options so they can take Diakite out of the play and force defenders like Morad and Richards to make clearances against brute defenders.
Ekra and Steinberger's roles refined- It was interesting to see that Ekra was playing deeper in the midfield while Steinberger was playing further up in a more attacking position for most of the game. Steinberger favors the left side of the field while Ekra favors the right. It's fairly reminiscent to how Cole and Schafer used to play in the midfield with Cole starting the offense from deep and Schafer operating further forward looking to create chances.
Intro to Kone- He was fine. Like Diakite he is very confident on the ball. It's something Collins definitely likes in defenders where not only can they defend but they can dribble well and don't feel pressured when being faced with a pressing attacker.
The Dead Zone: Apparently there's a vortex where anytime the ball goes into the left corner of the field the main broadcast angle can't go see what's going on. It's probably because where the camera is stationed the far left corner is blocked by an obstruction. But overall, the main broadcast camera operator was dreadful, he/she was having an awful hard time of keeping up with the action during several different moments in the game.
Commentary: I forgot to mention I quite enjoy the new color commentator for the Rowdies this season. Unfortunately his name is slipping my mind. This week we were treated to Poppy who I enjoy despite her casual lapses into cliche. The color commentary guy who I think is named Devin was actually really good with his analysis on many parts of the game. One of the few guys who will actually fairly criticize the play of players on both sides and call the game how he sees it. His comment at the end of the game talking about how he could go get his refereeing license had me in tears. I can only imagine he got a call from the USL League Office after the game.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b4ux1p/highlights_stl_11_tbr_stlouie_s_rowdies_a_tying/
Highlights: STL 1-1 TBR. StLouie ✋'s Rowdies a tying penalty
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnVm4fRioU8
Meet the Team: Jaime Siaj
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Mar 20, 2019
From Spain to Jordan to Tampa Bay, get to know the journey of Rowdies Forward, #32 Jaime Siaj.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH4FhDQENk0
Rowdies Highlights at Saint Louis FC - March 23, 2019
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Mar 23, 2019
🎥 Highlights of this afternoon's 1-1 draw on the road against Saint Louis FC. Sebastian Guenzatti scored the Rowdies goal from the penalty spot.
Category
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/03/19/report-inter-miami-advanced-talks-mexican-defender-hector-moreno
Report: Inter Miami in "advanced talks" with Mexican defender Hector Moreno
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.riverbender.com/articles/details/friday-and-saturday-area-sports-roundup-34483.cfm
Friday and Saturday Area Sports Roundup
UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE USL CHAMPIONSHIP
SAINT LOUIS FC 1, TAMPA BAY ROWDIES FC 1: In a hard-fought match between two of the top clubs in the USL Championship Eastern Conference, Saint Louis FC and Tampa Bay Rowdies FC fought to a 1-1 draw at Toyota Stadium at World Wide Technologies Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo., Saturday afternoon
Edwardsville native Sam Fink put STLFC up in the 26th minute, heading in a free kick from Lewis Hilton, but the Rowdies drew level from the penalty spot after Fink was called for a hand ball in the box. Sebastian Guenzatti’s kick found the upper left hand corner in the 76th minute to level the match at 1-1.
STLFC had a chance deep into second half stoppage time, but Fink’s shot off of a cross was stopped, preserving the draw.
STLFC is now 2-0-1 on the season for seven points, and sit in second place in the conference on goal differential. STLFC plays at home again next Saturday afternoon against the Charlotte Independence. Kickoff time is set for 1 p.m.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.ksdk.com/article/sports/saint-louis-fc-earns-draw-against-rowdies/63-026f067f-c6a7-4737-b5fc-791c3e192607
Saint Louis FC earns draw against Rowdies
Saint Louis FC sits at 2-0-1 on the season with seven points.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/st-petersburg/she-led-the-great-st-pete-parking-garage-revolt-then-she-was-arrested-20190320/
She led the great St. Pete parking garage revolt. Then she was arrested.
After spending two hours trapped in a line of traffic trying to escape the McNulty Parking Garage, Kathryn Socash took matters — and a wooden gate — into her own hands.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/florida/os-ne-tampa-bay-rowdies-gate-buster-arrested-20190321-story.html
Florida woman, 63, breaks parking garage gate to free hundreds of trapped soccer fans, spends weekend in jail
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/news-at-noon-in-trial-john-jonchuck-gave-his-mental-condition-a-name-woman-who-led-the-st-pete-parking-garage-revolt-was-arrested-and-more-20190321/
News at noon: In trial, John Jonchuck gave his mental condition a name; woman who led the St. Pete parking garage revolt was arrested; and more
Here are the top five latest headlines and updates on tampabay.com.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-pete-parking-garage-revolt-update-717-parking-is-sorry-20190322/
St. Pete parking garage revolt update: 717 Parking is sorry.
The garage operator, 717 Parking, will also offer free parking at the garage on March 30 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://rbnn.us/2019/03/20/usl-championship-week-3-preview/
USL Championship Week 3 Preview
Rowdies Hope to Stay Perfect
The Tampa Bay Rowdies imploded in 2018 but have started this year looking dominant. Thus far they are undefeated and have yet to concede a goal. Their opposition in week three is St. Louis FC, a team that is also undefeated but has arguably faced stiffer competition. St. Louis handled Indy in week one and toppled Nashville SC in a tight contest.
Both teams are looking to establish themselves in an Eastern Conference that has seemingly been dominated by Louisville over the past two years. They have upgraded in almost every area on the field and could make a statement with a win in Missouri.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://orangeandblacksoccercast.com/news-1/usl-championship-power-rankings-watch-week-2-2019
USL CHAMPIONSHIP POWER RANKINGS WATCH: WEEK 2
After two crazy weeks of USL Championship action in the books, the power rankings list has changed even more. Teams that were early season favorites on the top of the list in the preseason (Louisville City FC, Phoenix Rising FC, Nashville SC, Indy Eleven) have all dropped points in the early season, and thus have dropped from their initial rankings. Other teams have taken advantage by not dropping points, and have moved to the top of the list (Saint Louis FC, OKC Energy FC, North Carolina FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies).
And then there is Sacramento Republic FC, who seem to be stuck at number 5 regardless of their results. Maybe there is an error with the rankings that has them permanently stuck at 5. Or maybe the league had them placed perfectly in the preseason rankings.
Here are the highlights:
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/international/categories/international/david-beckham-hints-at-audacious-swoop-for-cristiano-ronaldo-or-lionel-messi/651899
Beckham Hints At Audacious Swoop For Messi Or Ronaldo
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6831459/David-Beckham-inspects-Fort-Lauderdale-site-Inter-Miami-play-2020.html
David Beckham's Field of Dreams: Former England captain inspects smashed windows and graffiti-covered stands of the Lockhart stadium in Fort Lauderdale where his new MLS side Inter Miami will play for two seasons from 2020
David Beckham has inspected the Fort Lauderdale site which will become his MLS side's temporary new home
Inter Miami will play at the Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale for two seasons from 2020
The site will be transformed into a £45million training and academy complex featuring 18,000-seat stadium
Beckham intends to eventually move into a stadium at the Miami Freedom Park site in the centre of the city
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.givemesport.com/1462716-david-beckhams-inter-miami-a-step-closer-to-entering-mls-in-2020-with-successful-stadium-bid
David Beckham's Inter Miami a step closer to entering MLS in 2020 with successful stadium bid
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6835639/How-David-Beckhams-Inter-Miami-shaping-ahead-2020-launch.html
From a rundown patch of grass to a $1billion dream: How David Beckham's Inter Miami MLS franchise is shaping up ahead of 2020 launch
David Beckham's long awaited MLS franchise is close to joining the league
Inter Miami will join the MLS as an expansion team for the 2020 season
However, there remain several issues to be resolved before they can play
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.independent.ng/how-david-beckhams-inter-miami-mls-franchise-is-shaping-up/
How David Beckham’s Inter Miami MLS Franchise Is Shaping Up
(Follow link for full article.)
https://the18.com/soccer-entertainment/inter-miami-stadium-david-beckham
The David Beckham-Inter Miami Empire Continues Toward Reality
AFTER YEARS OF NOTHING BUT RUMORS, INTER MIAMI IS A REALITY AND WILL NOW HAVE TWO HOMES.
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b47a1z/area_sports_leader_juggles_two_franchises_with/
Area sports leader juggles two franchises with overlapping schedules | Business Observer
Two interesting passages here, courtesy of u/unsubmatt...
Speaking of training and conditioning — and making fans happier — the club successfully lobbied the USL to have its schedule front- and back-loaded with home matches, meaning it will play less often in St. Pete’s sweltering summer weather. There will be just one home match in July.
Not sure how successful this was, since we have 3 matches in June and 3 in August, but good that they asked...
Under new ownership, the Rowdies will not, however, actively pursue promotion to Major League Soccer, an effort begun under Edwards. “We are making no calls to MLS this season,” Auld says, though he did not rule out a future push.
As we all knew...out of the running for spot 28. Wouldn’t be surprised to see them make a play for a later spot.
Matt isn't the only one who tweets from the pod account...
Oops...sorry Jake!
I demand credit for checking my Rowdies google alerts every morning!
But yeah, not sure about the schedule thing. Guess you could say it's a little better since they played 4 at Al Lang in July last year. Still the same as last year for June and August. Not sure how much better you can do given what you have to work with in the USL.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.businessobserverfl.com/article/brian-auld-tampa-bay-rays-rowdies
Area sports leader juggles two franchises with overlapping schedules
Tampa Bay Rays President and Rowdies Vice Chairman Brian Auld has his hands full as the baseball and soccer seasons begin
The St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce March 14 luncheon featured a guest who’s trying to keep a lot of balls in the air: Tampa Bay Rays President Brian Auld, now pulling double-duty as vice chairman of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the St. Pete-based soccer club the Rays acquired in October from local entertainment and property magnate Bill Edwards.
The luncheon, held at Al Lang Field, the picturesque waterfront home of the Rowdies, was a chance for Auld to discuss immediate changes to the game-day experience and lay out the long-term vision he, principal owner Stu Sternberg and Matt Silverman, the Rays’ president of baseball operations, have for the United Soccer League franchise.
“Al Lang Field is the most beautiful sports venue on the face of the planet,” Auld says. “Not a lot of USL teams have the advantages that the Rowdies have here.”
Auld says concession prices will be lower at Rowdies matches this season, and the team will provide space for more local food trucks outside the stadium. The Rowdies will also take a page from the Rays’ playbook and have more bulk giveaways of souvenirs.
“Having two franchises gives us more opportunities to really dig in and create synergies,” Auld says. “The teams’ training staffs are giddy about sharing information.”
Speaking of training and conditioning — and making fans happier — the club successfully lobbied the USL to have its schedule front- and back-loaded with home matches, meaning it will play less often in St. Pete’s sweltering summer weather. There will be just one home match in July.
Under new ownership, the Rowdies will not, however, actively pursue promotion to Major League Soccer, an effort begun under Edwards. “We are making no calls to MLS this season,” Auld says, though he did not rule out a future push.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b47afj/caleb_richards_on_settling_in_at_the_rowdies/
Caleb Richards on settling in at the Rowdies
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.canaries.co.uk/News/2019/march/caleb-richards-tampa-bay-rowdies/
Caleb Richards on settling in at the Rowdies
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b4bg6y/mob_watch_parties_for_stl_match_in_same_locations/
Mob watch parties for St.L match in same locations??
YES
Where can I catch the game tomorrow with fellow Mobsters?
Same as last time, Jimmy's on 35th in St Pete, Wild Rover in North Tampa, & Shamrock's down in Sarasota
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/USLPRO/comments/b2jbmk/usl_attendance_tracker_week_ending_317/
USL Attendance Tracker: Week Ending 3/17
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b4sh8u/j_kings_player_form_project_week_3_stl_v_tbr/
J King's Player Form Project Week 3- STL v TBR
Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kcs5D_0BPsGORIv_Nf1HPXzxzqpphkIKNdybGRtynn4/edit#gid=0
(Forgot to put in the link last week. Whoops.)
Player Impact Notes:
Ekra, Steinberger, and Diakite continue to remain the heart of the squad. The middle of the field is held down by some really competent, solid, and consistent play. Oduro not giving the ball away as much this week was crucial. Fernandes dribbling into defenders and losing the ball has become a consistent issue. St. Louis made it a point to really attack Richards and Morad and they held their own but not without a bevy of negative defensive plays attributed to them. Allen has his second straight forgettable week. Tejada has his first wake up call game as St. Louis didn't let him bother them. The offensive subs Collins has made so far have really yet to make a mark so far.
Stat Update:
Diakite, Richards, Oduro, McCarthy, Fernandes, Morad, and Ekra have played all 270 minutes for the Rowdies through three games.
Players who have yet to see the field are: Felix, Najem, Poku, Johnson, and Siaj.
Tinari and Doherty have 1 minute played. Steinberger has 269 minutes.
Hoppenot, who had 30 starts with Reno last season, has played 39 minutes.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b4sao0/j_kings_corner_stl_v_tbr_week_3_11/
J King's Corner STL v TBR (Week 3) 1-1
Grinding out a point- Today was a huge moral victory. In a match where the Rowdies couldn't buy a goal against a stingy St. Louis defense, St. Louis had one crucial mistake and Guenzatti was true from the penalty spot once again. Much of that penalty had to do with the relentlessness of the second half pressure the Rowdies put on putting St. Louis in a position where they could make a mistake. I was just happy that the ref saw the handball because so often refs in the USL miss handballs no matter how blatant they may seem to be. In the Campbell era facing a tough opponent on the road on turf was usually an unmitigated disaster so actually having a squad that never really felt out of the game is a new feeling.
Best of the East?- This game was fairly reminiscent of the Memphis game to start the season except for St. Louis really being polished on their set pieces and causing some trouble in the box. Diakite continues to own anything that happens in the middle of the field, but St. Louis really found some exploits by going after Morad on set pieces and attacking Richards. It's early but St. Louis is definitely off to a great start so this was a great litmus test to see where the Rowdies stand against a team with momentum.
Barry was sorely missed- After a great home game last week, Richards had big shoes to fill stepping into Barry's role. Richards floundered which all things considered a lot was asked of him as he played a crucial spot on the field. If David Najem is healthy that might've been a good role for him. But missing Barry's composure and ability to create in the attacking half while getting back and defending at a high level really could've turned the tides in this contest.
Forward play is becoming a growing concern- It's not time to hit the panic button yet, but it has now been three games without a non-penalty goal from either centre-forward. Allen has had chances served up on gold platters and just flat out whiffed and Guenzatti is a capable player who I've always remarked lacks lethal finishing instinct. Allen has been the poorest of the three forwards as he and Diakite now have the same amount of shots (1 shot, neither on target). The concern going forward for the Rowdies is where are they going to find their goals? Can they be a team that relies on goals by committee? Unless Allen or Guenzatti can prove otherwise, the Rowdies will have to find goal scorers however they can without relying on getting shots from their forwards.
Morad had some disastrous man marking moments- From an overall standpoint, Morad is a talented player who made a ton of good plays on both sides of the ball against St. Louis. But whenever set pieces and long balls came into the equation, Morad was either getting beaten physically, or flat out losing the man he was covering. Won't be surprised if Collins is chewing him out all week in practice. Set pieces are likely going to be terrifying for the rest of the season. Set piece defense was never really the Rowdies strong suit in the Campbell era either. Opposing teams will likely try and find far or near post options so they can take Diakite out of the play and force defenders like Morad and Richards to make clearances against brute defenders.
Ekra and Steinberger's roles refined- It was interesting to see that Ekra was playing deeper in the midfield while Steinberger was playing further up in a more attacking position for most of the game. Steinberger favors the left side of the field while Ekra favors the right. It's fairly reminiscent to how Cole and Schafer used to play in the midfield with Cole starting the offense from deep and Schafer operating further forward looking to create chances.
Intro to Kone- He was fine. Like Diakite he is very confident on the ball. It's something Collins definitely likes in defenders where not only can they defend but they can dribble well and don't feel pressured when being faced with a pressing attacker.
The Dead Zone: Apparently there's a vortex where anytime the ball goes into the left corner of the field the main broadcast angle can't go see what's going on. It's probably because where the camera is stationed the far left corner is blocked by an obstruction. But overall, the main broadcast camera operator was dreadful, he/she was having an awful hard time of keeping up with the action during several different moments in the game.
Commentary: I forgot to mention I quite enjoy the new color commentator for the Rowdies this season. Unfortunately his name is slipping my mind. This week we were treated to Poppy who I enjoy despite her casual lapses into cliche. The color commentary guy who I think is named Devin was actually really good with his analysis on many parts of the game. One of the few guys who will actually fairly criticize the play of players on both sides and call the game how he sees it. His comment at the end of the game talking about how he could go get his refereeing license had me in tears. I can only imagine he got a call from the USL League Office after the game.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/b4ux1p/highlights_stl_11_tbr_stlouie_s_rowdies_a_tying/
Highlights: STL 1-1 TBR. StLouie ✋'s Rowdies a tying penalty
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnVm4fRioU8
Meet the Team: Jaime Siaj
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Mar 20, 2019
From Spain to Jordan to Tampa Bay, get to know the journey of Rowdies Forward, #32 Jaime Siaj.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH4FhDQENk0
Rowdies Highlights at Saint Louis FC - March 23, 2019
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Published on Mar 23, 2019
🎥 Highlights of this afternoon's 1-1 draw on the road against Saint Louis FC. Sebastian Guenzatti scored the Rowdies goal from the penalty spot.
Category
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/03/19/report-inter-miami-advanced-talks-mexican-defender-hector-moreno
Report: Inter Miami in "advanced talks" with Mexican defender Hector Moreno
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.riverbender.com/articles/details/friday-and-saturday-area-sports-roundup-34483.cfm
Friday and Saturday Area Sports Roundup
UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE USL CHAMPIONSHIP
SAINT LOUIS FC 1, TAMPA BAY ROWDIES FC 1: In a hard-fought match between two of the top clubs in the USL Championship Eastern Conference, Saint Louis FC and Tampa Bay Rowdies FC fought to a 1-1 draw at Toyota Stadium at World Wide Technologies Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo., Saturday afternoon
Edwardsville native Sam Fink put STLFC up in the 26th minute, heading in a free kick from Lewis Hilton, but the Rowdies drew level from the penalty spot after Fink was called for a hand ball in the box. Sebastian Guenzatti’s kick found the upper left hand corner in the 76th minute to level the match at 1-1.
STLFC had a chance deep into second half stoppage time, but Fink’s shot off of a cross was stopped, preserving the draw.
STLFC is now 2-0-1 on the season for seven points, and sit in second place in the conference on goal differential. STLFC plays at home again next Saturday afternoon against the Charlotte Independence. Kickoff time is set for 1 p.m.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.ksdk.com/article/sports/saint-louis-fc-earns-draw-against-rowdies/63-026f067f-c6a7-4737-b5fc-791c3e192607
Saint Louis FC earns draw against Rowdies
Saint Louis FC sits at 2-0-1 on the season with seven points.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/st-petersburg/she-led-the-great-st-pete-parking-garage-revolt-then-she-was-arrested-20190320/
She led the great St. Pete parking garage revolt. Then she was arrested.
After spending two hours trapped in a line of traffic trying to escape the McNulty Parking Garage, Kathryn Socash took matters — and a wooden gate — into her own hands.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/florida/os-ne-tampa-bay-rowdies-gate-buster-arrested-20190321-story.html
Florida woman, 63, breaks parking garage gate to free hundreds of trapped soccer fans, spends weekend in jail
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/news-at-noon-in-trial-john-jonchuck-gave-his-mental-condition-a-name-woman-who-led-the-st-pete-parking-garage-revolt-was-arrested-and-more-20190321/
News at noon: In trial, John Jonchuck gave his mental condition a name; woman who led the St. Pete parking garage revolt was arrested; and more
Here are the top five latest headlines and updates on tampabay.com.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-pete-parking-garage-revolt-update-717-parking-is-sorry-20190322/
St. Pete parking garage revolt update: 717 Parking is sorry.
The garage operator, 717 Parking, will also offer free parking at the garage on March 30 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://rbnn.us/2019/03/20/usl-championship-week-3-preview/
USL Championship Week 3 Preview
Rowdies Hope to Stay Perfect
The Tampa Bay Rowdies imploded in 2018 but have started this year looking dominant. Thus far they are undefeated and have yet to concede a goal. Their opposition in week three is St. Louis FC, a team that is also undefeated but has arguably faced stiffer competition. St. Louis handled Indy in week one and toppled Nashville SC in a tight contest.
Both teams are looking to establish themselves in an Eastern Conference that has seemingly been dominated by Louisville over the past two years. They have upgraded in almost every area on the field and could make a statement with a win in Missouri.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://orangeandblacksoccercast.com/news-1/usl-championship-power-rankings-watch-week-2-2019
USL CHAMPIONSHIP POWER RANKINGS WATCH: WEEK 2
After two crazy weeks of USL Championship action in the books, the power rankings list has changed even more. Teams that were early season favorites on the top of the list in the preseason (Louisville City FC, Phoenix Rising FC, Nashville SC, Indy Eleven) have all dropped points in the early season, and thus have dropped from their initial rankings. Other teams have taken advantage by not dropping points, and have moved to the top of the list (Saint Louis FC, OKC Energy FC, North Carolina FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies).
And then there is Sacramento Republic FC, who seem to be stuck at number 5 regardless of their results. Maybe there is an error with the rankings that has them permanently stuck at 5. Or maybe the league had them placed perfectly in the preseason rankings.
Here are the highlights:
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/international/categories/international/david-beckham-hints-at-audacious-swoop-for-cristiano-ronaldo-or-lionel-messi/651899
Beckham Hints At Audacious Swoop For Messi Or Ronaldo
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6831459/David-Beckham-inspects-Fort-Lauderdale-site-Inter-Miami-play-2020.html
David Beckham's Field of Dreams: Former England captain inspects smashed windows and graffiti-covered stands of the Lockhart stadium in Fort Lauderdale where his new MLS side Inter Miami will play for two seasons from 2020
David Beckham has inspected the Fort Lauderdale site which will become his MLS side's temporary new home
Inter Miami will play at the Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale for two seasons from 2020
The site will be transformed into a £45million training and academy complex featuring 18,000-seat stadium
Beckham intends to eventually move into a stadium at the Miami Freedom Park site in the centre of the city
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.givemesport.com/1462716-david-beckhams-inter-miami-a-step-closer-to-entering-mls-in-2020-with-successful-stadium-bid
David Beckham's Inter Miami a step closer to entering MLS in 2020 with successful stadium bid
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6835639/How-David-Beckhams-Inter-Miami-shaping-ahead-2020-launch.html
From a rundown patch of grass to a $1billion dream: How David Beckham's Inter Miami MLS franchise is shaping up ahead of 2020 launch
David Beckham's long awaited MLS franchise is close to joining the league
Inter Miami will join the MLS as an expansion team for the 2020 season
However, there remain several issues to be resolved before they can play
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.independent.ng/how-david-beckhams-inter-miami-mls-franchise-is-shaping-up/
How David Beckham’s Inter Miami MLS Franchise Is Shaping Up
(Follow link for full article.)
https://the18.com/soccer-entertainment/inter-miami-stadium-david-beckham
The David Beckham-Inter Miami Empire Continues Toward Reality
AFTER YEARS OF NOTHING BUT RUMORS, INTER MIAMI IS A REALITY AND WILL NOW HAVE TWO HOMES.
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
BREAKING: Fort Lauderdale commission unanimously votes to proceed to negotiations on Inter Miami bid for Lockhart renovation
(Follow link for full article.)
http://magiccity.soccer/2019/03/19/breaking-fort-lauderdale-commission-unanimously-favors-inter-miami-bid-for-lockhart-renovation-now-heads-to-vote/
BREAKING: Fort Lauderdale commission unanimously votes to proceed to negotiations on Inter Miami bid for Lockhart renovation
The City of Fort Lauderdale unanimously voted Tuesday to proceed to negotiations with Miami Beckham United on its plan to renovate Lockhart Stadium.
After questioning and deliberation Tuesday afternoon, the City of Fort Lauderdale’s commission rated the Miami Beckham United bid over the FXE football, LLC bid.
Stay with Magic City Soccer as this story develops.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-ne-lauderdale-lockhart-vote-20190319-story.html
Fort Lauderdale embraces David Beckham for Lockhart deal
The city of Fort Lauderdale embraced soccer legend David Beckham’s vision for Lockhart Stadium, taking the first step Tuesday toward a soccer revival for the storied property.
“It’s a great day for Fort Lauderdale,” Commissioner Ben Sorensen said during Tuesday’s discussion, citing the multimillion-dollar private investment.
Commissioners unanimously ranked Beckham’s proposal No. 1, over a rival proposal from FXE Futbol. The ranking will be ratified with a vote Tuesday night.
Commissioner Heather Moraitis said the northern part of the city, her district, desperately needs a signature park, and she said the Beckham proposal offers the best opportunity for that. It also gives young soccer players the chance to watch their athletic heroes play.
Commissioners unanimously ranked Beckham’s proposal No. 1, over a rival proposal from FXE Futbol. The ranking will be ratified with a vote Tuesday night.
Commissioner Heather Moraitis said the northern part of the city, her district, desperately needs a signature park, and she said the Beckham proposal offers the best opportunity for that. It also gives young soccer players the chance to watch their athletic heroes play.
Commissioners unanimously ranked Beckham’s proposal No. 1, over a rival proposal from FXE Futbol. The ranking will be ratified with a vote Tuesday night.
Commissioner Heather Moraitis said the northern part of the city, her district, desperately needs a signature park, and she said the Beckham proposal offers the best opportunity for that. It also gives young soccer players the chance to watch their athletic heroes play.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/lionel-messi-cristiano-ronaldo-david-beckhams-inter-miami-eye-audacious-move
David Beckham's Inter Miami eye audacious move for Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo
David Beckham has hinted that he may try and bring Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to Inter Miami.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://miami.cbslocal.com/2019/03/19/ft-lauderdale-commission-expected-to-discuss-dueling-soccer-proposals-for-lockhart-stadium/
Ft. Lauderdale Commission To Formally Vote On Beckham Group Plan For Lockhart Stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.theweek.co.uk/mls/100277/lionel-messi-or-cristiano-ronaldo-david-beckham-inter-miami-transfer-news-mls
Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo: star duo on David Beckham’s Inter Miami wish list
Former England captain says ‘you never know what can happen in football’
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-ne-lockhart-vote-beckham-fxe-20190319-story.html
What we know about David Beckham's and FXE Futbol’s competing bids for Fort Lauderdale site
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.local10.com/sports/soccer/soccer-franchises-compete-for-stadium-in-fort-lauderdale
Soccer franchises compete for stadium in Fort Lauderdale
Commissioners to discuss new vision for Lockhart Stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://patch.com/florida/miami/fort-lauderdale-endorses-beckham-teams-temporary-home
Fort Lauderdale Endorses Beckham Team's Temporary Home
Fort Lauderdale unanimously gave its support to a plan by soccer legend David Beckham to build a temporary home for Miami's new soccer team.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- Fort Lauderdale Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously gave their support to a plan by soccer legend David Beckham and businessman Jorge Mas to construct a temporary home for Miami's new Major League Soccer team at the site of the former Lockhart Stadium which has fallen into disrepair but once served as the home of the now defunct Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
Club Miami Internacional de Futbol hopes to play its first two seasons on the site and then use it for a future team that will be the equivalent of a minor league club.
Miami voters approved a referendum last November that allows a group led by Mas and Beckham to place their proposed Freedom Park soccer complex on the site of the city-owned Melreese Country Club, not far from Miami International Airport.
The new stadium will most likely not be ready until 2021 though Miami's new Major League Soccer team is set to take the pitch for the first time in 2020.
"I just think we deserve a little better than that -- to being someone's second date to the prom," soccer fan Derek Reese told Fort Lauderdale commissioners prior to the vote.
He said he met his wife at Lockhart Stadium, which is named after a former Fort Lauderdale commissioner. He urged commissioners to give priority to an alternate proposal.
"If it were up to me we'd bring back the Baltimore Orioles for spring training," added Fort Lauderdale resident Steve Webber. The Orioles play their spring training home games at Sarasota's Ed Smith Stadium. But before moving there, the Orioles played in Fort Lauderdale from 1996-2009.
Watch legendary soccer player David Beckham's vision for Lockhart Stadium along with businessman Jorge Mas below:
(Follow link for full article.)
https://stpetersburgfoodies.com/restaurants/restaurant-reviews/bodega-st-pete-in-the-edge-district-is-excellent/
Bodega St. Pete in the Edge District is Excellent!
Ooops, they did it again.
They being George and Debbie Sayegh, owners of that rustic, groovy little cubbyhole at 1120 Central known as Bodega.
You know the Joint. Across the street from Green Bench Brewers. A three-wood over 1st Avenue South bouncing along the parking lot to the Trop from their back yard.
Jammed into a tiny space with little metal tables and plastic chairs, you can sit next to Central or head to the quiet, shady and back kinda Grotto area.
Heck, you can get your order to go and have fresh brewed bev at Green Bench for that matter.
They won Creative Loafing's Best Cuban Shop in Food and Drink again. Second year in a row.
Their Cuban rocks the world, with crunchy, hot pressed Cuban bread, thick roasted pork slabs with ham and sharp Swiss cheese and pickles.
Savory, big enough to split with a friend with a side of Sweet and Spicy Jicama Slaw and a chilled Chelada (Modelo Especial Mexican Beer over ice with a salted rim and fresh lime).
Nice!
That crunchy Jicama Slaw brings some pleasant heat, a nice bite of red onion and a bit of cuke and cilantro. It is special. Great break from the meaty richness of the sandwich.
Funny thing is, neither George nor Debbie are Cuban. They did own a Cuban coffee shop in Brooklyn.
She's of Greek heritage.
George, (Sayegh is Lebanese), was formally trained in French Culinary Arts in New York. He went on to study in France for a year, worked the glitzy New York circuit, then South Beach and now has worked out of this tadpole sized kitchen on Central Ave for 3 1/2 years.
'We're roasting pork all day and night in that kitchen,' said Debbie recently.
'We're Latin inspired American, but don't just come here for the Cuban,' she said. 'Even though people from all over travel to St Pete to try it. We're very into vegetarian and vegan dishes as well. Be adventurous when you come here. We're super healthy.'
Hence, the Tempeh. 'I'm a carnivore, but since I tasted Tempeh, I've added a new, low fat protein to my diet', she said. 'I had one of our Tempeh sandwiches for lunch today.'
Tempeh is the other Tofu. It's fermented with a mold and comes out in flat rectangular pieces about eight inches long. Firm and chewy, George bakes it then spices it and pan sears it until it's crispy and, well, surprisingly good.
'I'd never tried it until this guy, Artie from Gainesville, who makes it and services Rollin' Oats dropped some off for us to sample.'
'We sell a ton of it,' said Debbie.
Bodega has several vegetarian offerings, including a tofu, avacado and jicama sandwich and a veggie platter featuring Mojo grilled Tofu.
The Lechon, a slow roasted Mojo Pork with grilled onions is deep and unctuous, no knife required.
I have to say the Pollo Asado, a Coconut marinated chicken breast with mango mayo and avocados, well, didn't have the juice and flavor bite of the Tempeh or pork. Spice that bite up!
The black beans are a bit uninspired and Debbie told me why. Unlike most recipes for the Cuban staple, they add no pork or fat to their beans. I added some hot sauce and onions and liked the heck out of them.
Bodega, which actually means Spanish groceria or wine house, has an excellent selection of Cuban coffee options, makes smoothies, herb seltzers, fresh squeezed fruit juices, and serves wine and beer. Catering is also an option.
It's a casual walk-up and order through a big wide window, grab a seat and wait for some server to start calling out your name kind of place. Beans, rice, pork, chicken, chopped Romaine Salad, or Tempeh.
Something for everybody.
But if you haven't..........get the Cuban.
One of the best little hole in the wall Latin Street food and Cuban sandwiches in the Tampa Bay area.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://stpetersburgfoodies.com/podcast/interview-with-michael-sponaugle-from-buya-ramen-st-petersburg-foodies-podcast-episode-29/
Interview with Michael Sponaugle from Buya Ramen – St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast Episode 29
Interview with Mike Sponaugle from Buya Ramen
Welcome to the St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast Episode 29. Our featured interview today is with Mike Sponaugle. Mike is the owner of Buya Ramen in downtown St. Petersburg. He has opened several restaurant concepts ranging from New American, to Caribbean and Japanese. Michael studied finance at the University of South Florida and began his career with the restaurant group OSI (currently Bloomin’ Brands, Inc) in 1998. He announces two new locations for Buya on the show. Our featured local music is from Love and Lament. Chantal Lester answers The Fast Five Foodies Questions, and we feature the song 'Someone Like Me'.
The St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast features interviews with chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, bartenders, and more, and covers the burgeoning food scene in St. Petersburg, Florida. Episodes air every Tuesday.
This episode of the St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast is brought to you by Annata Restaurant & Wine Bar, Engine No. 9, and Alto Mare Fish Bar.
Please keep them in mind the next time you are hungry for some fantastic food.
Our announcer is Candice Aviles from Meet the Chef and Channel 10 News. Our theme music is provided by The Chris Walker Band.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2019/03/15/episode-194-coliseum-damn-near-killed-em/4265
Episode 194 – Coliseum? Damn Near Killed ‘Em!
The show is live from the 2019 Season Kickoff Party, live at the St Pete Coliseum!
In this episode:
Memphis 0:1 Rowdies
Pittsburgh Preview
Caleb Richards chat
Sebastian Guenzatti stops by
http://magiccity.soccer/2019/03/19/breaking-fort-lauderdale-commission-unanimously-favors-inter-miami-bid-for-lockhart-renovation-now-heads-to-vote/
BREAKING: Fort Lauderdale commission unanimously votes to proceed to negotiations on Inter Miami bid for Lockhart renovation
The City of Fort Lauderdale unanimously voted Tuesday to proceed to negotiations with Miami Beckham United on its plan to renovate Lockhart Stadium.
After questioning and deliberation Tuesday afternoon, the City of Fort Lauderdale’s commission rated the Miami Beckham United bid over the FXE football, LLC bid.
Stay with Magic City Soccer as this story develops.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-ne-lauderdale-lockhart-vote-20190319-story.html
Fort Lauderdale embraces David Beckham for Lockhart deal
The city of Fort Lauderdale embraced soccer legend David Beckham’s vision for Lockhart Stadium, taking the first step Tuesday toward a soccer revival for the storied property.
“It’s a great day for Fort Lauderdale,” Commissioner Ben Sorensen said during Tuesday’s discussion, citing the multimillion-dollar private investment.
Commissioners unanimously ranked Beckham’s proposal No. 1, over a rival proposal from FXE Futbol. The ranking will be ratified with a vote Tuesday night.
Commissioner Heather Moraitis said the northern part of the city, her district, desperately needs a signature park, and she said the Beckham proposal offers the best opportunity for that. It also gives young soccer players the chance to watch their athletic heroes play.
Commissioners unanimously ranked Beckham’s proposal No. 1, over a rival proposal from FXE Futbol. The ranking will be ratified with a vote Tuesday night.
Commissioner Heather Moraitis said the northern part of the city, her district, desperately needs a signature park, and she said the Beckham proposal offers the best opportunity for that. It also gives young soccer players the chance to watch their athletic heroes play.
Commissioners unanimously ranked Beckham’s proposal No. 1, over a rival proposal from FXE Futbol. The ranking will be ratified with a vote Tuesday night.
Commissioner Heather Moraitis said the northern part of the city, her district, desperately needs a signature park, and she said the Beckham proposal offers the best opportunity for that. It also gives young soccer players the chance to watch their athletic heroes play.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/lionel-messi-cristiano-ronaldo-david-beckhams-inter-miami-eye-audacious-move
David Beckham's Inter Miami eye audacious move for Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo
David Beckham has hinted that he may try and bring Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to Inter Miami.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://miami.cbslocal.com/2019/03/19/ft-lauderdale-commission-expected-to-discuss-dueling-soccer-proposals-for-lockhart-stadium/
Ft. Lauderdale Commission To Formally Vote On Beckham Group Plan For Lockhart Stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.theweek.co.uk/mls/100277/lionel-messi-or-cristiano-ronaldo-david-beckham-inter-miami-transfer-news-mls
Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo: star duo on David Beckham’s Inter Miami wish list
Former England captain says ‘you never know what can happen in football’
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-ne-lockhart-vote-beckham-fxe-20190319-story.html
What we know about David Beckham's and FXE Futbol’s competing bids for Fort Lauderdale site
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.local10.com/sports/soccer/soccer-franchises-compete-for-stadium-in-fort-lauderdale
Soccer franchises compete for stadium in Fort Lauderdale
Commissioners to discuss new vision for Lockhart Stadium
(Follow link for full article.)
https://patch.com/florida/miami/fort-lauderdale-endorses-beckham-teams-temporary-home
Fort Lauderdale Endorses Beckham Team's Temporary Home
Fort Lauderdale unanimously gave its support to a plan by soccer legend David Beckham to build a temporary home for Miami's new soccer team.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- Fort Lauderdale Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously gave their support to a plan by soccer legend David Beckham and businessman Jorge Mas to construct a temporary home for Miami's new Major League Soccer team at the site of the former Lockhart Stadium which has fallen into disrepair but once served as the home of the now defunct Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
Club Miami Internacional de Futbol hopes to play its first two seasons on the site and then use it for a future team that will be the equivalent of a minor league club.
Miami voters approved a referendum last November that allows a group led by Mas and Beckham to place their proposed Freedom Park soccer complex on the site of the city-owned Melreese Country Club, not far from Miami International Airport.
The new stadium will most likely not be ready until 2021 though Miami's new Major League Soccer team is set to take the pitch for the first time in 2020.
"I just think we deserve a little better than that -- to being someone's second date to the prom," soccer fan Derek Reese told Fort Lauderdale commissioners prior to the vote.
He said he met his wife at Lockhart Stadium, which is named after a former Fort Lauderdale commissioner. He urged commissioners to give priority to an alternate proposal.
"If it were up to me we'd bring back the Baltimore Orioles for spring training," added Fort Lauderdale resident Steve Webber. The Orioles play their spring training home games at Sarasota's Ed Smith Stadium. But before moving there, the Orioles played in Fort Lauderdale from 1996-2009.
Watch legendary soccer player David Beckham's vision for Lockhart Stadium along with businessman Jorge Mas below:
(Follow link for full article.)
https://stpetersburgfoodies.com/restaurants/restaurant-reviews/bodega-st-pete-in-the-edge-district-is-excellent/
Bodega St. Pete in the Edge District is Excellent!
Ooops, they did it again.
They being George and Debbie Sayegh, owners of that rustic, groovy little cubbyhole at 1120 Central known as Bodega.
You know the Joint. Across the street from Green Bench Brewers. A three-wood over 1st Avenue South bouncing along the parking lot to the Trop from their back yard.
Jammed into a tiny space with little metal tables and plastic chairs, you can sit next to Central or head to the quiet, shady and back kinda Grotto area.
Heck, you can get your order to go and have fresh brewed bev at Green Bench for that matter.
They won Creative Loafing's Best Cuban Shop in Food and Drink again. Second year in a row.
Their Cuban rocks the world, with crunchy, hot pressed Cuban bread, thick roasted pork slabs with ham and sharp Swiss cheese and pickles.
Savory, big enough to split with a friend with a side of Sweet and Spicy Jicama Slaw and a chilled Chelada (Modelo Especial Mexican Beer over ice with a salted rim and fresh lime).
Nice!
That crunchy Jicama Slaw brings some pleasant heat, a nice bite of red onion and a bit of cuke and cilantro. It is special. Great break from the meaty richness of the sandwich.
Funny thing is, neither George nor Debbie are Cuban. They did own a Cuban coffee shop in Brooklyn.
She's of Greek heritage.
George, (Sayegh is Lebanese), was formally trained in French Culinary Arts in New York. He went on to study in France for a year, worked the glitzy New York circuit, then South Beach and now has worked out of this tadpole sized kitchen on Central Ave for 3 1/2 years.
'We're roasting pork all day and night in that kitchen,' said Debbie recently.
'We're Latin inspired American, but don't just come here for the Cuban,' she said. 'Even though people from all over travel to St Pete to try it. We're very into vegetarian and vegan dishes as well. Be adventurous when you come here. We're super healthy.'
Hence, the Tempeh. 'I'm a carnivore, but since I tasted Tempeh, I've added a new, low fat protein to my diet', she said. 'I had one of our Tempeh sandwiches for lunch today.'
Tempeh is the other Tofu. It's fermented with a mold and comes out in flat rectangular pieces about eight inches long. Firm and chewy, George bakes it then spices it and pan sears it until it's crispy and, well, surprisingly good.
'I'd never tried it until this guy, Artie from Gainesville, who makes it and services Rollin' Oats dropped some off for us to sample.'
'We sell a ton of it,' said Debbie.
Bodega has several vegetarian offerings, including a tofu, avacado and jicama sandwich and a veggie platter featuring Mojo grilled Tofu.
The Lechon, a slow roasted Mojo Pork with grilled onions is deep and unctuous, no knife required.
I have to say the Pollo Asado, a Coconut marinated chicken breast with mango mayo and avocados, well, didn't have the juice and flavor bite of the Tempeh or pork. Spice that bite up!
The black beans are a bit uninspired and Debbie told me why. Unlike most recipes for the Cuban staple, they add no pork or fat to their beans. I added some hot sauce and onions and liked the heck out of them.
Bodega, which actually means Spanish groceria or wine house, has an excellent selection of Cuban coffee options, makes smoothies, herb seltzers, fresh squeezed fruit juices, and serves wine and beer. Catering is also an option.
It's a casual walk-up and order through a big wide window, grab a seat and wait for some server to start calling out your name kind of place. Beans, rice, pork, chicken, chopped Romaine Salad, or Tempeh.
Something for everybody.
But if you haven't..........get the Cuban.
One of the best little hole in the wall Latin Street food and Cuban sandwiches in the Tampa Bay area.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://stpetersburgfoodies.com/podcast/interview-with-michael-sponaugle-from-buya-ramen-st-petersburg-foodies-podcast-episode-29/
Interview with Michael Sponaugle from Buya Ramen – St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast Episode 29
Interview with Mike Sponaugle from Buya Ramen
Welcome to the St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast Episode 29. Our featured interview today is with Mike Sponaugle. Mike is the owner of Buya Ramen in downtown St. Petersburg. He has opened several restaurant concepts ranging from New American, to Caribbean and Japanese. Michael studied finance at the University of South Florida and began his career with the restaurant group OSI (currently Bloomin’ Brands, Inc) in 1998. He announces two new locations for Buya on the show. Our featured local music is from Love and Lament. Chantal Lester answers The Fast Five Foodies Questions, and we feature the song 'Someone Like Me'.
The St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast features interviews with chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, bartenders, and more, and covers the burgeoning food scene in St. Petersburg, Florida. Episodes air every Tuesday.
This episode of the St. Petersburg Foodies Podcast is brought to you by Annata Restaurant & Wine Bar, Engine No. 9, and Alto Mare Fish Bar.
Please keep them in mind the next time you are hungry for some fantastic food.
Our announcer is Candice Aviles from Meet the Chef and Channel 10 News. Our theme music is provided by The Chris Walker Band.
(Follow link for full article.)
http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2019/03/15/episode-194-coliseum-damn-near-killed-em/4265
Episode 194 – Coliseum? Damn Near Killed ‘Em!
The show is live from the 2019 Season Kickoff Party, live at the St Pete Coliseum!
In this episode:
Memphis 0:1 Rowdies
Pittsburgh Preview
Caleb Richards chat
Sebastian Guenzatti stops by
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