https://www.stltoday.com/sports/mls-to-stl-update/article_24f18f9d-4dce-5c8f-bc20-37f8956f704f.html
MLS TO STL UPDATE
Aldermanic President Lewis Reed high fives Carolyn Kindle Betz after a proposed soccer stadium in St. Louis was approved by an aldermanic committee. Betz will be part of the ownership group if Major League Soccer awards a team to St. Louis.
QUESTION: Does St. Louis find out after the MLS meetings in April if they will be franchise No. 28? Also, is commissioner Don Garber coming to STL before those meetings?
BENFRED: That could become the timeline, yes, but there is no guarantee. Unlike the NFL, MLS does not follow a rigid schedule when it comes to expansion. It floats and bends to whatever timeline best fits the league at that time.
Garber is scheduled to make a visit to St. Louis before those meetings, yes. Remember when I wrote about MLS wanting to see more sponsorship support beyond Enterprise and World Wide Technology? That's going to be a big part of his visit.
Follow-up: Any update on when the MLS Stadium plans will be released to the public?
BENFRED: Nothing concrete that I can pass along at this time, but the assumption that the ones released by the previous, unsuccessful ownership group will be mirrored by this one has been pushed back against by the new ownership group. Similarities, for sure. But they will not be carbon copies.
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https://www.sunburynews.com/sports/26684/back-from-brink-crew-tie-in-return
Back from brink: Crew tie in return
MLS Season Preview
Major League Soccer embarked last weekend on its 24th season with, appropriately enough, 24 teams.
FC Cincinnati joins the league this season, with Nashville and Miami teed up to start next year and Austin coming aboard in 2021. MLS has added 11 teams in the past decade.
So it’s no wonder Commissioner Don Garber says MLS is still very much “a growth story.”
One more expansion club, to be announced by the end of this year, will bring the league to 28. Sacramento and St. Louis are the front runners.
The league won’t necessarily stop there, Garber told The Associated Press.
“The future plan is something we’re going to be working with our expansion committee on over the next year or so, and try to determine whether or not Major League Soccer is going to grow past 28,” he said. “There’s been no decision whatsoever in that regard and I’m not sure when exactly that ultimate decision will get made.”
Apart from expansion and everything that goes with it, the league also needs to make sure it is properly developing talent, wisely managing rosters and ensuring the right designated players are coming into the league, Garber said.
Cincinnati opened its first MLS season on Saturday night (March 2) against the Seattle Sounders. Cincinnati did well in the lower-division United Soccer League last season, compiling a 23-8-3 regular-season record. Season ticket sales have so far surpassed 20,000.
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https://www.themaneland.com/2019/3/9/18255619/seatgeek-stadium-shows-how-far-mls-has-come
SeatGeek Stadium Shows How Far MLS Has Come
Major League Soccer has evolved in the construction and the location of its stadiums.
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https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sounders/original-nasl-sounders-gm-jack-daley-dies-at-age-83/
Original NASL Sounders GM Jack Daley dies at age 82
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https://www.frontrowsoccer.com/2019/03/08/backloaded-cosmos-to-play-most-of-its-npsl-home-schedule-in-june-july/
BACKLOADED: Cosmos to play most of their NPSL home schedule in June, July
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https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rowdies/2019/03/08/meet-the-new-rowdies-not-the-same-as-the-old-rowdies/
Meet the new Rowdies, not the same as the old Rowdies
When the Rowdies take the field in Memphis on Saturday to open the USL season, they will have a drastically changed lineup.
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https://www.wtsp.com/article/entertainment/events/firestone-grand-prix-expected-to-bring-economic-boost-to-st-pete/67-9e0213f6-4924-4dc5-aff0-39cf75c32b44
Firestone Grand Prix expected to bring economic boost to St. Pete
Mayor Rick Kriseman says according to estimates from previous years the event brings in more than an estimated $50 million to the Tampa Bay area.
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https://patch.com/florida/stpete/top-events-taking-place-tampa-bay-march-8-10
Top Events Taking Place In Tampa Bay March 8-10
Wondering what to do this weekend? Here are some ideas.
TAMPA BAY, FL -- Wondering what to do this weekend? Here are some ideas:
Firestone Grand Prix
Florida's only Grand Prix race takes place this weekend in St. Petersburg. The 15th Annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg kicks off Friday and continues through Sunday. To get the Grand Prix weekend off to a speedy start, everyone is invited to embrace the race with music, arts and crafts and family activities at the Fast Friday festivities in North Straub Park on Friday, March 8. The party kicks off at 6 p.m. with the seventh annual Modern Business Associates 5K Run on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Track in North Straub Park. Athletes of all ages and abilities can run or walk along a waterfront course that takes place completely on the iconic 1.8-mile, 14-turn racetrack and in the same direction as the race cars for the first time. Advance registration is $40 online. Proceeds will benefit the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg.
In addition to the Friday 5K race, a free Movies on the Lawn event will be held in North Straub Park, screening "Herbie Fully Loaded." Kids can enjoy a free arts activity - a build your own race car crafts station, coordinated by the Junior League of St. Petersburg. Music and the arts activity begin at 5:30 p.m., with the movie starting at dark. Subscribe
As the season-opening event for the ninth consecutive year on the 2019 17-race NTT IndyCar Series schedule, downtown St. Pete transforms into a race course and offers track-side waterfront views for fans of all ages. The IndyCar 110-lap feature will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network with television coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 10. All on-track IndyCar sessions will be streamed live throughout the weekend on the NBC Sports Gold App with the IndyCar Pass. In total, 11 races will take the green flag during the weekend schedule.
For additional activities happening at Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, click here.
Florida Strawberry Festival
The Florida Strawberry Festival at the Strawberry Festival Fairgrounds in Plant City enters its final weekend with headline entertainment, livestock shows, food, midway rides and other attractions.
Admission at the gate is $10 for age 13 up, $5 for ages 6 to 12 and free for age 5 and younger.
Discount gate admission is available at these participating Publix Super Market stores throughout Central Florida
Gates open at 10 a.m. daily and close at 10 p.m.
For all the details, see Your Guide To The 2019 Florida Strawberry Festival.
Gasparilla Music Festival
Music of all genres will fill downtown Tampa this weekend during the 2019 Gasparilla Music Festival March 9-19 in Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and Kiley Gardens Park. The festival features musical acts from a variety of genres as well as cuisine from some of Tampa Bay's top restaurant.
New this year is a music festival just for kids.
Get more details in Guide To The 2019 Gasparilla Music Festival.
Bay Area Renaissance Festival
If you haven't had time to check out the Bay Area Renaissance Festival, there's still time.
Step back 400 years in the past and explore the world of knights, minstrels and damsels in distress at the annual Bay Area Renaissance Festival at the Museum of Science & Industry, 11315 N. 46th St., Tampa.
Running each weekend from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through March 29, the event features themed weekends, a recreated 16th-century marketplace with more than 100 artisans, 12 stages of minstrel, marionette, magic, court jester and dance shows as well as full armor jousting competitions, a live mermaid cove, roaming musicians and traditional and modern-day treats and savory eats.
Tickets at the gate are $21.95 and $13.95. Students and seniors pay $17.95 at the gate.
For more details, see Bay Area Renaissance Festival 2019: What You Need To Know
Tampa Taco Festival
Tampa is hosting a free taco festival on Saturday, March 9 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Al Lopez Park, 4810 N. Himes Ave., Tampa. The event will celebrate taco culture and its origins. There will be more than 30 Tampa restaurants, food trucks and carts along with a bar station serving margaritas, tequila flights, ice cold beer and sodas. Additionally, there will be live bands, DJs and traditional mariachi music. Dogs are welcome.
(For more local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)
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https://theathletic.com/856148/2019/03/08/mls-commissioner-don-garber-addresses-response-to-presence-of-hate-group-members-at-nycfc-matches/
MLS commissioner Don Garber addresses response to presence of hate group members at NYCFC matches
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber clarified remarks he made this weekend about far-right-wing supporters at New York City FC games, reiterating the league’s position on inclusion and diversity and strongly condemning hate groups in an exclusive interview on Thursday with The Athletic.
In a conversation with a group of reporters on Sunday, Garber was asked about a recent Huffington Post story on the extremist presence at NYCFC games—a development previously reported by The Athletic in November. The Huffington Post story outlined the activities of several fans, including Irvin “Irv” Antillon, who has a documented history with multiple hate groups groups and reportedly was present at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va.
Garber’s response—that the story was about behavior taking place outside of MLS stadiums, and that “our job is not to judge and profile any fan,”—drew criticism for being weak on an issue involving hate groups and...
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https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/drink-beer-watch-soccer-and-help-bring-the-mls-to-st-louis/63-079d161c-c0ee-425e-8a5b-abe0646106e9
Drink beer, watch soccer, and help bring the MLS to St. Louis
The Ale d’Or beer will be available in 4-packs of 16-ounce cans across Schlafly’s distribution.
ST. LOUIS — “Think St. Louis is ready for Major League Soccer? It’ll have to prove it can heavily support its current minor league team first,” was what my colleague Josh Helmuth wrote recently. MLS plans on announcing its last expansion spot later in 2019. Many believe the decision is only between two cities: Sacramento and St. Louis.
“Their way to support [MLS], and to make sure we get an MLS team, is to come here to show that attendance does increase and that the fans are responding to the effort,” said Barry.
Saint Louis FC sells out nearly every game already, averaging roughly 5,000 fans at Toyota Stadium in Fenton. They believe they’ll need that continued success, and possibly additional fan support, this season in order to lock in an MLS team for St. Louis.
Another way St. Louis beer drinkers can help the effort is, well, by drinking beer. This week, Schlafly Beer, announced the release of Ale d’Or, a new can offering in partnership with Saint Louis Football Club. As the official craft brewery of the team, the new can comes just in time for the first Saint Louis FC game on March 9, 2019. The Ale d’Or beer will be available in 4-packs of 16-ounce cans across Schlafly’s distribution.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2019/03/08/first-look-19-story-office-tower-to-rise-near-site.html
First look: 19-story office tower to rise near site of MLS stadium in North Austin
Developer ditches plan for apartments
Just a block from The Domain, a new tower is in the works, and it will have unbeatable views of the new Austin FC soccer stadium. We've got the details on the high-rise, including the architect involved and what to expect inside.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article227234394.html
Three weeks before Ultra, Brickell homeowners sue city of Miami over festival contract
The Brickell Homeowners Association has sued Miami’s government claiming the city violated its laws by giving Ultra Music Festival a no-bid contract to stage the three-day event on Virginia Key this year.
Ultra is scheduled to open March 29 on the island at two separate locations linked by a barricaded walking path, the lot outside Miami Marine Stadium and a section of Virginia Key Beach Park. In November, Miami commissioners approved a revocable licensing agreement allowing Ultra to move to city-owned property on the key after the commission rejected a new deal for the festival to stay at its longtime home, Bayfront Park — an ouster underscored by downtown neighbors’ complaints and political infighting among commissioners.
The homeowners association, which represents 35,000 people living between the Miami River and the Rickenbacker Causeway, is raising an argument the downtown dwellers had threatened to use if the commissioners let Ultra stay at Bayfront Park. Instead of complaints about the anticipated noise and traffic that will accompany Ultra’s move to Virginia Key, the association is focusing on the city’s legal definition of its agreement with Ultra.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, alleges that the city is calling its agreement with Ultra a “license” when it is actually a “lease.” The distinction is important because a lease would require the city to open a public bid before awarding a contract. The attorney representing the Brickell homeowners, David Winker, said in a statement that the lawsuit asks the court to “hold the city accountable and force it to follow its own laws regarding competitive bidding and participation of its citizens in the process.”
“The city of Miami circumvented its own laws and disenfranchised its own citizens to force this deal through ... a deal that is a disaster for the environment and our residents,” Winker said.
Winker has been busy suing the city lately. The attorney sued the city twice in the past few months to derail the effort to replace Miami’s only city-owned golf course with a commercial and stadium complex for David Beckham’s upcoming Major League Soccer team.
In 2018, downtown residents raised the same lease versus license issue, using some of the same case law, but never sued. Commissioners eventually rejected a new multi-year contract to keep Ultra on Miami’s downtown waterfront. The city described the Virginia Key deal as a revocable license with no term, meaning the city can decide to cancel the contract with about a year’s notice.
On Thursday morning, Miami City Attorney Victoria Mendez told the Miami Herald her office had not yet received the 10-page complaint, which was first published by blogger Al Crespo.
The lawsuit is the latest legal challenge to stop the electronic dance music festival. When commissioners approved the Virginia Key deal with Ultra, they also displaced another electronic music festival which had been staged on the island the past two years. Rapture Electronic Music Festival had been scheduled to hold its event on the same weekend in Virginia Key Beach Park. Rapture sued Ultra and the city in federal court earlier this year, but a judge threw out the complaint in mid-February.
Read the full complaint below:
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.frontrowsoccer.com/2019/03/06/new-home-sweet-home-cosmos-to-play-at-mitchel-athletic-complex/
NEW HOME, SWEET, HOME: Cosmos to play at Mitchel Athletic Complex
Striker Bledi Bardic and his Cosmos teammates will play at Mitchel Athletic Complex this year. (Photo courtesy of the Cosmos)
NEW YORK – The Cosmos have a new home for 2019.
They will play their home games for the National Premier Soccer League regular season and Founders Cup at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, N.Y.
The schedule for both competitions will be announced at a later date.
The Cosmos split last season at the Hofstra Soccer Stadium in Hempstead, N.Y. and Rocco B. Commisso Stadium at Columbia University.
It is across the street — Hempstead Turnpike — from James M. Shuart at Hofstra, where the team played from 2013-16.
“Mitchel Athletic Complex has served as the club’s training facility since 2013 and we felt it was the right venue for our home games as we prepare for the 2019 NPSL season and Founders Cup,” Cosmos senior vice president Joe Barone said. “We look forward to releasing the schedules for both the NPSL regular season and Founders Cup soon and having Cosmos Country and the New York area as a whole once again supporting us this season.”
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https://www.crainsdetroit.com/sports/detroit-city-fc-unveils-founders-cup-match-schedule
Detroit City FC unveils Founders Cup match schedule
Competition to provide stepping stone to going pro
Will feature teams aiming to create new professional league in 2020
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https://www.newsday.com/sports/soccer/cosmos-mitchel-athletic-complex-1.28214073
Cosmos' new home is Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale
They split last year between Columbia University and the Hofstra Soccer Stadium, and will be in two leagues: The National Premier Soccer League and NPSL Founders Cup.
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https://www.soccerwire.com/news/clubs/youth-boys/tampa-bay-united-hires-anthony-latronica-as-sporting-director/
Tampa Bay United hires Anthony Latronica as sporting director
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https://www.draysbay.com/2019/3/7/18254556/tampa-bay-rays-news-and-links-ji-man-choi-charlie-morton-impress-vidal-brujan-rises-above
Tampa Bay Rays news and links: Ji-Man Choi, Charlie Morton impress; Vidal Brujan rises above
Meanwhile, Kriseman says the clock is ticking
Rays News
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman addresses the Tampa Bay Rays ($) - Kriseman thinks time is running out for the Rays to reach a stadium deal with the city. “I don’t truthfully think we have another year of indecision,” he said. “That’s a significant source of revenue, it’s a significant amount that will help get the stadium built. And if that goes away, it makes it very difficult — not impossible — but certainly very difficult to get a stadium done.”
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https://www.politico.com/newsletters/florida-playbook/2019/03/07/malicious-prosecution-sad-day-alligator-man-404909
Malicious prosecution? — "Sad day" — Alligator man
HI, RICK — “St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman addresses the Tampa Bay Rays, the legislative session, Gov. Ron DeSantis and seeing Steph Curry,” by Tampa Bay Times’ Josh Solomon: “Time is running out for the Rays if they want to build a new stadium in St. Petersburg. At least, that's what Mayor Rick Kriseman thinks. The team is contractually obligated to play its home games in Tropicana Field through 2027, but the city gave the Rays a three-year window to explore its options in Tampa. That window closed at the new year without a deal because of a lack of financing, putting the focus back on the Sunshine City, which has a rosier public financing picture.” Read more
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http://www.tampabay.com/st-petersburg/st-petersburg-mayor-rick-kriseman-addresses-the-tampa-bay-rays-the-legislative-session-gov-ron-desantis-and-seeing-steph-curry-20190306/
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman addresses the Tampa Bay Rays, the legislative session, Gov. Ron DeSantis and seeing Steph Curry
During a sit-down in his City Hall office, the mayor riffs on some issues, including a trip he took to an event with former President Barack Obama and the NBA star.
Tampa Bay Rays
Time is running out for the Rays if they want to build a new stadium in St. Petersburg.
At least, that's what Mayor Rick Kriseman thinks. The team is contractually obligated to play its home games in Tropicana Field through 2027, but the city gave the Rays a three-year window to explore its options in Tampa. That window closed at the new year without a deal because of a lack of financing, putting the focus back on the Sunshine City, which has a rosier public financing picture.
Pinellas County has earmarked a boatload of tourism dollars for a new Rays stadium, but Kriseman fears it won't be there forever.
"I don’t truthfully think we have another year of indecision," he said. “That’s a significant source of revenue, it’s a significant amount that will help get the stadium built. And if that goes away, it makes it very difficult — not impossible — but certainly very difficult to get a stadium done.”
He said he impressed that urgency upon Rays leadership at a recent meeting, his first since the Tampa window closed.
Kriseman said he is confident that if the team does approach the city about a new stadium, they could work out a deal.
"I expressed to them at that time and I will continue to do so that if they want to have a partnership in St. Pete, we’re ready," he said. "I’m confident that if they come to the table and are prepared to work on a true partnership, that we could get it done.”
He said he and the team will have a follow-up meeting in the coming weeks.
As for that wacky proposal to split the team between St. Petersburg and Montreal, Kriseman reiterated he would never let that happen while the Rays are under contract in St. Pete.
"(That's) not something we would ever agree to.”
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https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2019/03/07/Facilities/Rays.aspx
St. Petersburg Mayor Says Rays Running Out Of Time For New Home
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman believes time is "running out for the Rays if they want to build" a new ballpark in his city, according to Josh Solomon of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. St. Petersburg gave the team a three-year window to "explore its options in Tampa," but that "window closed at the new...
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https://autoweek.com/article/indycar/sebastien-bourdais-seeks-another-home-win-ntt-indycar-opener-st-petersburg
SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS SEEKS ANOTHER HOME WIN IN NTT INDYCAR OPENER AT ST. PETERSBURG
Bourdais, a St. Petersburg resident, has won last two races on his home track
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https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/major-league-soccer-far-right-proud-boys/
Major League Soccer has a far-right problem
A report from Huffington Post last week exposed the long-simmering presence of white nationalist, fascist, and skinhead factions within the fandom of the New York City Football Club (NYCFC).
According to the report, some fans are connected to skinhead, fascist, and violent groups like the Proud Boys and Batallon 49, a New York-based skinhead group.
The report specifically called out Irvin Antillon, a member of Batallon 49 and a presence at NYCFC matches who was arrested for his part in a brawl between the Proud Boys and protesters in New York City in October. Antillon was banned from matches after his arrest.
While the report doesn’t include incidents of violence within the confines of Yankee Stadium, where the NYCFC plays its matches, there are indications on social media that the Empire State Ultras, a now-dissolved group for NYCFC fans, engaged with fascist symbolism and ideology. A tweet from 2017 shows members of the Ultras displaying the Totenkopf, a skull and crossbones motif that was the symbol of parts of the Nazi SS.
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https://www.oregonlive.com/timbers/2019/03/as-mls-becomes-active-participant-in-global-market-portland-timbers-need-to-be-willing-to-sell-talent.html
As MLS becomes active participant in global market, Portland Timbers need to ‘be willing to sell’ talent
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https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/lakeland-considers-building-soccer-stadium-in-hopes-of-luring-pro-team/67-aeece0e7-abc8-4c70-b2ca-92a9d9265bd0
Lakeland considers building soccer stadium in hopes of luring pro team
The stadium would have the potential to expand to 5,000 seats.
LAKELAND, Fla. — The city of Lakeland is considering building a 3,500-seat stadium to lure a professional soccer team to come there.
The soccer stadium – which would cost millions of dollars to build – is included in the city’s “Envisioning a Better Downtown” plan. It outlines what the city could look like in the next 10 years.
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https://www.bisnow.com/south-florida/news/economic-development/david-beckham-lockhart-stadium-97801
David Beckham Faces Rival For Stadium Land
David Beckham and partners want to build a soccer stadium in Miami and a training academy in Fort Lauderdale. But nothing about their six-year-long-and-counting quest has been easy, and the Fort Lauderdale piece is no exception.
A rival bidder wants to build a mixed-use facility on the land Beckham's group is eyeing, the Sun-Sentinel reports. Both groups want to take over the city's long-defunct, 64-acre Lockhart Stadium. Beckham's group — Miami Beckham United — wants to build offices and a youth development facility for its Major League Soccer team, Inter Miami, which is slated to begin playing in Miami in 2020.
Beckham's group proposes that a United Soccer League One team would play at the Fort Lauderdale site.
“It’s not a refurbishment of Lockhart. It will be a new stadium for a (second-tier) USL team and a soccer-centric academy," Beckham's partner, Jorge Mas, told the Miami Herald. "We’ll be able to host tournaments and other games there."
The group's rival, FXE Futbol, had been involved with recently scrapped plans to develop the site as a water park and recreation center. It is proposing fields for a United Soccer League Championship team (one level higher than a USL One team), plus a a Topgolf attraction, restaurants and more.
“Right now, the [Fort Lauderdale] city commission has been star-struck by the name Beckham," FXE Managing Partner John P. Reynal said, according to MagicCity.soccer. "And I don’t blame them! He’s a very good looking guy, used to be a great player, and he really revitalized the MLS. He deserves the recognition.
"But they’re offering to come in, take 30 acres of city land, pay $1 a year rent to build a private, enclosed facility with zero community involvement. We’re offering a project that’s open to the public, that will generate jobs for the city.”
Friday was a deadline for proposals for the site, and the City Commission will consider both proposals soon.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.sounderatheart.com/2019/3/6/18252813/ifab-is-making-rule-changes
Major Link Soccer: IFAB is making rule changes
Changes to free kick walls and handballs are coming, a Turkish player attacked players with a razor mid-game, and the USWNT beat Brazil!
MLS
Fort Lauderdale’s Lockhart decision: Beckham’s MLS plans vs plucky upstart FXE Futbol – The Florida Squeeze
Editors Note: We're honored at The Florida Squeeze to have this contribution from one of the deans of soccer journalism in the United States. Jeff Rusnak has covered men's and women's soccer at all levels from the 1980's onward and was for years my window to the world's game through a south Florida lens when…
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https://thefloridasqueeze.com/2019/03/05/fort-lauderdales-lockhart-decision-beckhams-mls-plans-vs-plucky-upstart-fxe-futbol/
FORT LAUDERDALE’S LOCKHART DECISION: BECKHAM’S MLS PLANS VS PLUCKY UPSTART FXE FUTBOL
Editors Note: We’re honored at The Florida Squeeze to have this contribution from one of the deans of soccer journalism in the United States. Jeff Rusnak has covered men’s and women’s soccer at all levels from the 1980’s onward and was for years my window to the world’s game through a south Florida lens when he was writing for the Fort Lauderdale-based South Florida Sun Sentinel. Meanwhile I have written a piece for The Yanks are Coming on the cultural and pride aspect of Miami teams playing in Fort Lauderdale.
by Jeff Rusnak
Founded in 1915, Broward County has a relatively brief history. A meaningful part of that history can be traced to the 64-acre parcel of recreational land in Fort Lauderdale that houses Lockhart Stadium built in 1959, and the adjoining Fort Lauderdale Stadium (1962).
At varying times, the Lockhart site has hosted New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles spring training baseball, a lineage of professional soccer teams dating back to the original Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977-83), and high-school football games featuring scores of players who became stars in the NFL and at major universities.
In their present state, neither stadium hosts anything.
The baseball stadium has been dormant since 2009, when the Baltimore Orioles last played spring training in Fort Lauderdale. (save one soccer match played by Miami FC at the stadium in 2010). Lockhart Stadium’s once immaculate playing field now resembles a wildlife preserve, with native shrubs rising untamed where soccer legends such as Pele, George Best and our own Teofilo “Nene” Cubillas introduced Broward to the world game.
From abandoned property comes opportunity for revival and so it is for the Lockhart site. At present, two entities – Inter Miami SC, the David Beckham-backed Major League Soccer (MLS) team set to debut in 2020, and the newly incorporated FXE Futbol – are appealing to the Fort Lauderdale City Commission to remake the land. Each has submitted a formal proposal with the required $25,000 application fee, along with slick computer-generated video renderings (embedded below) that show what they’d do if they win the bid.
In its proposal, Inter Miami intends to build a year-round training site for its MLS team and youth academy, with administrative offices, 10 practice fields, and a new 18,000-seat stadium that would replace the existing Lockhart structure. The team would play its 34-game MLS season in Miami at the yet-to-be-approved 25,000-seat stadium planned as part of Freedom Park, a 131-acre mixed-use development being bankrolled in part by majority owner, Jorge Mas. Mas is committing $75 million to re-landscape the Lockhart site.
FXE Futbol’s proposal creates a mixed-use venue in which a team from the second-tier United Soccer Leagues (USL) would play in a refurbished Lockhart Stadium. The property would have 11 soccer fields, a Topgolf entertainment facility, and commercial space for shops and restaurants. At this time, FXE is not contracted with USL or Topgolf, though its CEO, JP Reynal, says such deals are contingent on the City of Fort Lauderdale choosing FXE’s site plan. He estimates the cost at $100 million.
Both proposals show open-access park space at the entrance to the property, a politically necessary concession in seeking public land for private gain. And, both proposals would be supplemented with up to $25 million in City funds should a $200-million bond referendum for park space be approved by voters on March 12.
Lockhart in 2008 prior Miami FC move to the stadium By Bobak Ha’Eri – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3963325
It’s a crucible moment for the Lockhart site and a fairly stark choice for the Commission. Inter Miami brings Mas’s wealth and Beckham’s soccer cache to a fully-scaled, year-round training facility that could rival any in the hemisphere, with enough fields and a new stadium to also host visiting teams from the U.S., Europe and the Americas. FXE plays the role of the spoiler, a mostly unknown soccer entity that envisions a team in a second-division league, plus Topgolf, retail, and a community park.
Lockhart is in its current abandoned condition, more a refuge for birds and woodland creatures than people, because every business model for soccer up to now has failed, and because baseball spring training moved elsewhere. The choice for City Commissioners is which plan provides an economic model that can sustain the remade property for the next 10, 20 or even 50 years, or until rising tides chase us all to higher ground.
This is where the headwinds favor Inter Miami. Mas, the majority owner, is CEO of the global company MasTec, which reported a record $6.6 billion in revenues in 2017. His ownership group includes Beckham, Jose Mas (Jorge’s brother), English music mogul Simon Fuller, Marcelo Claure (telecom entrepreneur), and Masayoshi Son (founder/Chairman, Softbank). Their combined net worth is in the billions.
They will compete in a first-division league with 24 teams currently in the U.S. and Canada, increasing to 26 in 2020 with the addition of Inter Miami and Nashville SC. Average MLS attendance in 2018 was 21,875 per game.
Inter Miami plans on fielding a secondary team in USL League 1 at Lockhart, effectively a reserve team for the MLS side. The reserves are a player development cost, as is the free-to-play youth academy, not a source of revenue. However, Broward County has a history as a fair-weather training destination for national and club sides, and a host for matches featuring teams from the Americas. Inter Miami’s business model views Lockhart similarly as a year-round training attraction, with soccer friendlies and tournaments, and American football (high school and university) to be played in the new stadium, as well.
Activity generated by Inter Miami at the Lockhart site would more likely benefit the tourism, restaurant, and entertainment industries financially from hotel stays by visiting teams, and soccer events held at the stadium. The other impact is the media coverage that Inter Miami and visiting teams would originate almost daily from Fort Lauderdale, replicating the attention the New York Yankees brought to Broward by holding its spring training base there from 1962-95.
FXE has a less convincing business model for soccer, as shared by Reynal at a recent town hall for local fans in Fort Lauderdale. Reynal said the USL club would partner with major South American clubs to develop and sell players in Europe. He added further that FXE expected to absorb operating losses for the first three seasons before seeing a profit. Inter Miami is also likely to absorb losses in its start-up.
Reynal went on to outline how such iconic Argentine clubs as Boca Juniors and River Plate would send their “best talent” to play for his USL team in a partnership to develop players’ career prospects in Fort Lauderdale. It’s well known in soccer circles that Boca Juniors and River Plate have produced many of the world’s best players. It remains to be seen why either team, or any other major South American side, would break with a proven development model to send their “best talent” to play for a second-tier team in the U.S., then share the proceeds from multi-million dollar transfer fees paid by European clubs.
Reynal also indicated he wanted to have “10-15,000 people at [Lockhart] for USL” games. At its peak in 1980, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers averaged 14,000 fans per game. There is no record of a second-division team, especially one that would compete with a Beckham-backed team one county away, ever averaging more than 4,500 fans a game at Lockhart. It’s a leap of the imagination to expect a second-tier team in any sport to pull those numbers in Broward. It suggests that FXE’s USL team could suffer the same fate as the five previous soccer franchises that tried and failed at Lockhart.
We know this much: The 64-acre recreational wasteland the City of Lauderdale has today at Lockhart will be bulldozed and remade in due time, with soccer at the epicenter. The Fort Lauderdale Commission may hear the arguments and make its choice as early as its March 19 meeting.
From Fort Lauderdale Strikers website (2016)
The brief histories of soccer teams at Lockhart Stadium:
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 1977-83 Moved to Minnesota
Fort Lauderdale Sun 1984-85 Disbanded mid-season 1985
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 1988-94 Disbanded
Miami Fusion 1998-2001 Disbanded
Miami FC 2009-2010 re-branded as Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2011
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2011-16 Disbanded
Jeff Rusnak wrote about soccer in South Florida from 1985-2011, including more than 700 columns for the Sun-Sentinel.
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https://www.moodiedavittreport.com/first-north-american-airport-soccer-themed-restaurant-and-bar-opens-at-orlando-international/
First North American airport soccer-themed restaurant and bar opens at Orlando International
USA. The first ever soccer-themed restaurant and bar in a North American airport, City Pub, has opened at Orlando International.
Orlando City SC, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and concessionaire HMSHost staged a ceremony to unveil the venue in the airport’s pre-security Main Terminal area last week.
City Pub is a full-service restaurant and bar featuring “game day-inspired” cuisine and a backdrop celebrating Orlando’s soccer teams – Orlando City in Major League Soccer (MLS) and Orlando Pride of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
The venue includes a main dining room, full-service bar and adjacent lounge area. The bar’s décor features official soccer balls, team jerseys, soccer scarves, cleats, soccer field-shaped pendant lighting and artificial grass.
(Follow link for full article.)
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/03/06/crew-co-owner-dr-pete-edward-talks-tailgating-savethecrew-club-future
Crew co-owner Dr. Pete Edward talks tailgating, #SaveTheCrew, club future
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/azbpac/highlights_memphis_901_01_tampa_bay_rowdies/
Highlights: Memphis 901 0-1 Tampa Bay Rowdies
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnngVDZdkFc&feature=youtu.be
Rowdies Highlights vs Memphis 901 FC - March 9, 2019
Tampa Bay Rowdies
🎥 Highlights of tonight's season-opening win over Memphis 901 FC. Sebastian Guenzatti had the only goal of the match.
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/ayqh3f/tampa_bay_rowdies_unveil_new_jerseys_including_a/
Tampa Bay Rowdies unveil new jerseys — including a neon green option — and two new sponsors (Video)
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https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2019/03/08/tampa-bay-rowdies-share-first-look-at-new-jersmeys.html
Tampa Bay Rowdies unveil new jerseys — including a neon green option — and two new sponsors (Video)
One of the kits is a bold neon green the Rowdies are calling "volt."
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https://www.reddit.com/r/TampaBayRowdies/comments/aydl9v/unused_substitutes_ep_193_matts_a_great_guy_oc/
Unused Substitutes Ep 193 – Matt’s a Great Guy (OC)
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http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2019/03/06/episode-193-matts-a-great-guy/4262
Episode 193 – Matt’s a Great Guy
The guys break down the end of preseason, preview Memphis 901 FC, Jake talks with Neill Collins & a special announcement about next week’s show!
In this episode:
Samantha checks in from the SheBelieves Cup
USF 1:2 Rowdies
Memphis 901 FC Previews
STH Unboxing
Neill Collins interview
Live Show Announcement!
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http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2019/02/28/episode-192-the-rowdies-went-down-to-georgia/4247
Episode 192 – The Rowdies Went Down To Georgia
Dan and Matt discuss the Rowdies Road Trip, the latest (and last) player signing, upcoming events, this year’s Bonus Patron & Jake chats with Zach Steinberger!
In this episode:
Tormenta 3:2 Rowdies
GSU 0:4 Rowdies
Dom Oduro and Juan Tejada discuss the trip
Final preseason game: 3/2 at USF
Rowdies sign Konopka
Kickoff Party announced
Zach Steinberger Interview
The 2019 Bonus Patron is…
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