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.