Brotherly Game Daily Links: Garber says MLS expansion stops at 32

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.brotherlygame.com/2019/11/23/20978663/brotherly-game-daily-links-garber-says-mls-expansion-stops-at-32

Brotherly Game Daily Links: Garber says MLS expansion stops at 32

Tanner isn’t messing around, MLS free agency announced, and more in today’s links

Garber says MLS will stick at 32 teams as he headlines Soccerex USA opening day

MLS commissioner Don Garber, speaking at the Soccerex convention in Miami, said that the league’s “30th team will be announced before the end of the year” and that while there will be further expansion, the MLS is in no hurry to make it happen.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/luis-suarez-tempted-transfer-mls-20941467

Luis Suarez tempted by transfer to MLS with David Beckham's Inter Miami team

Luis Suarez is out of contract at Barcelona at the end of next season. Meanwhile, David Beckham's Inter Miami is set to make their debut in the MLS next season

(Follow link for full article.)

https://stockdailydish.com/ethics-complaint-about-beckham-soccer-complex-in-miami-spurs-question-who-owns-team/

Ethics complaint about Beckham soccer complex in Miami spurs question: Who owns team?

(Follow link for full article.)

https://stockdailydish.com/billionaire-burkle-to-join-sacramento-republic-fc-is-a-major-league-soccer-spot-next/

Billionaire Burkle to join Sacramento Republic FC. Is a Major League Soccer spot next?

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/armadas-downtown-stadium-plans-more-than-soccer

Armada's Downtown stadium plans more than soccer

Moving RP Funding offices from Baymeadows is part of the plan for the proposed stadium complex.

There’s more than one goal for the Jacksonville Armada FC’s quest to build a new stadium near the Downtown Sports Complex.

The club’s proposed deal could bring along a corporate building for some of team owner and Florida entrepreneur Robert Palmer’s businesses.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://houston.sportsmap.com/landon-donovan

U.S. SOCCER LEGEND SPEAKS

Landon Donovan: Professional sports in the United States have become "very corporate"

(Follow link for full article.)

https://stockdailydish.com/miami-mayor-enters-second-year-with-streamlined-vision-and-political-bruises/

Miami mayor enters second year with streamlined vision and political bruises

 the commercial/stadium complex for David Beckham’s MLS team, but Suarez faced criticism for backing a deal that would allow the soccer group to build a large retail, hotel and office park on Melreese golf course — even if it is supposed to come with a 58-acre public park. That lease is in the negotiation phase, and

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2019/11/third-qualifying-round-winners-to-advance-to-2020-lamar-hunt-us-open-cup

THIS WEEKEND’S QUALIFYING ROUND WINNERS WILL CLINCH BERTHS TO 2020 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP

OPEN CUP COMMITTEE DECIDES TO FOREGO FOURTH QUALIFYING ROUND IN DECEMBER AFTER PROJECTING TOTAL SLOTS AVAILABLE TO OPEN DIVISION CLUBS

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.statesman.com/sports/20191121/soccer-notebook-claudio-reynas-roots-passion-for-youth-both-assets-for-austin-fc

Soccer notebook: Claudio Reyna’s roots, passion for youth both assets for Austin FC

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.tampabay.com/news/2019/11/23/where-does-st-petes-carter-g-woodson-museum-belong-its-up-for-debate/

Where does St. Pete’s Carter G. Woodson Museum belong? It’s up for debate.

As the city’s African-American museum plans for expansion, fissures grow over where it should go and who should pay for it.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://theathletic.com/1396751/2019/11/21/how-englands-mavericks-and-misfits-of-the-1970s-found-their-place-in-the-nasl/

How England’s mavericks and misfits of the 1970s found their place in the NASL

It’s March 1977 and Ray Hudson touches down on U.S. soil for the first time. 

“What’s the purpose of your visit?” asks the immigration officer at Miami International Airport.

“I’m here to play football,” replies the enthusiastic 22-year-old in a thick Geordie accent.

“What are you?” the incredulous officer replies. “A kicker?”

“Well… yeah, I am,” says a confused Hudson, confirming George Bernard Shaw’s observation that the United States and Great Britain are two countries separated by a common language.

After making his debut for Newcastle United at the age of 18, the Tyneside native struggled to nail down a place in the starting XI over the seasons that followed.

“I was getting into the first team, and then the bigger stars would get fit, and I’d get pushed aside,” Hudson tells The Athletic. 

The midfielder was sent north of the border to Greenock Morton for a month in 1975 in a...

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/minnesota-united-fc/minnesota-united-miguel-ibarra-declines-contract-option-mls-roster-2020/

IN-DEPTH

Miguel Ibarra’s likely exit leaves Minnesota United fans reeling

Miguel Ibarra had been synonymous with Minnesota United for years, and now he’s gone.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/new-york-cosmos-to-join-third-tier-league-nisa/

New York Cosmos to join third-tier league NISA

(Follow link for full article.)

https://ussoccerplayers.com/2019/11/mls-liga-mx-and-the-mls-all-star-game.html

MLS, LIGA MX, AND THE MLS ALL-STAR GAME

(Follow link for full article.)

https://ussoccerplayers.com/2019/11/the-chicago-fire-continues-to-revamp.html

THE CHICAGO FIRE CONTINUES TO REVAMP

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2019/11/22/garber-says-mls-will-stick-32-teams-headlines-soccerex-usa-opening-day/

Garber says MLS will stick at 32 teams as he headlines Soccerex USA opening day

November 22 – MLS commissioner Don Garber, speaking at the Soccerex convention in Miami, said that the league’s “30th team will be announced before the end of the year” and that while there will be further expansion, the MLS is in no hurry to make it happen.

Garber would not confirm that Charlotte, looking like nailed-on favourites, would get the 30th franchise. He did say that “with five new teams and seven new stadia, we need to consolidate.”

Citing the 60-70,000 mile players have to travel a year as a reason to put a brake on expansion, he said that “32 teams will happen at some point but it is not happening any time soon.”

The growth of the MLS into the world’s largest top-tier national league in terms of numbers of clubs, has been driven by market demand. But as the league has grown, so has the cost of entry with the expansion fess now in the region of $300 million for those looking at filling the next two slots.

While the title of Garber’s session paid tribute to the MLS entering its 25th season (Garber is entering his 20th with the organisation), he said both the league and soccer in the US are “still in the early stages of growth. The best days are still ahead.”

MLS owners need to have deep pockets with Garber reckoning that, with stadia, they are making $500-600 million investments. Training facilities costing upwards of $70 million are not uncommon. “That’s what will take this country to another level. Hundreds of professionally developed players cost a lot of money. ESPN, Fox and Univision will have to pay us a lot of money,” he joked.

This is the second year Soccerex has been in Miami. While the opening ceremony was very much a celebration of the city, its ambition for hosting 2026 World Cup games, and an acknowledgment of the huge investment and anticipation of its own MLS franchise in the shape of Inter Miami CF, it was Garber who was the centre of attention. Receiving the Duncan Revie Award, presented annually to a person or institution who have changed football for the better, he paid tribute to the “drive of committed owners and their desire to build a soccer nation in our country.”

Asked what made him most proud of the achievements of the MLS he said that “25 years after founding we have teams that matter in 30 markets. We have created thousands of jobs in professional soccer.”

But it wasn’t always easy. When Garber joined he said “we needed to expand. We needed to build stadiums, infrastructure , audiences and it was not going to happen without some dramatic experiences.” This involved folding teams, recapitalising the league and raising money to support the ambition. With 30 teams and the doors being beaten down by others who want to join, those days seem like a long time ago.

Asked where he thought the league would be in 25 years time, he said: “One of the top leagues in the world because our owners will not accept anything less. That will take time and we cannot accelerate faster than natural evolution. We will not be much bigger than we are (in terms of number of teams) and we will attract the best players in the world, and I believe there will be a cultural change and a global market for American players that raises the profile of our league and national teams.”

When Garber started at the MLS people used to tell him every day that soccer would never make it in America. “Now they tell me what clubs they support,” he said.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/nov/22/bradley-wright-philips-new-york-red-bulls-mls

Did Bradley Wright-Philips' success show MLS's weakness or its strength?

The Englishman routinely tore through defences in North America after a humdrum career in Europe. But his Red Bulls career was far from a joke

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/11/22/report-former-nycfc-coach-dome-torrent-contacted-several-mls-teams

Report: Former NYCFC coach Dome Torrent "contacted by several MLS teams"

(Follow link for full article.)

https://mlsmultiplex.com/2019/11/22/mls-3-reasons-star-game-format-change-fantastic/

MLS: 3 reasons why All-Star Game format change is fantastic

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/11/22/luis-suarez-calls-mls-attractive-league-any-player-would-be-interested

Luis Suarez calls MLS "attractive league" that "any player would be interested in"

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/11/22/inter-miamis-jorge-mas-professes-huge-admiration-mauricio-pochettino

Inter Miami's Jorge Mas professes "huge admiration" for Mauricio Pochettino

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/luis-suarez-tempted-transfer-mls-20941467

Luis Suarez tempted by transfer to MLS with David Beckham's Inter Miami team

Luis Suarez is out of contract at Barcelona at the end of next season. Meanwhile, David Beckham's Inter Miami is set to make their debut in the MLS next season

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.tampabay.com/news/hillsborough/2019/11/22/ybor-citys-boutique-hotel-has-a-name-hotel-haya-to-open-in-spring-2020/

Ybor City’s boutique hotel has a name: Hotel Haya to open in spring 2020

The hotel on one of Ybor’s most historic blocks gets a historic name to match.

A hotel room model for Ybor's coming Hotel Haya. It will open in spring 2020. [Aparium]

TAMPA — Ybor City’s long-awaited $52 million boutique hotel now has a historic name to match its positioning on a historic block: Hotel Haya.

The name pays homage to one of Ybor’s founding fathers,...

(Follow link for full article.)

https://thatssotampa.com/popular-st-pete-cocktail-bar-copper-shaker-opening-in-ybor-city/

Popular St. Pete cocktail bar, Copper Shaker, opening in Ybor City