Kriseman Expands on Tropicana Field Speculation

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http://www.theunsubs.com/wp/2017/08/18/kriseman-expands-on-tropicana-field-speculation/3202

Kriseman Expands on Tropicana Field Speculation

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman ruffled some feathers two weeks ago in Tampa Bay and even with the Tampa Bay Rowdies when he, unprompted, mentioned in a radio interview with WDAE 620-AM that Major League Soccer was “intrigued” by the idea of a new stadium for the Rowdies where Tropicana Field currently sits.

The suggestion understandably miffed Rowdies Owner Bill Edwards, who quickly released a statement reaffirming his commitment to expanding Al Lang Stadium up to MLS standards using private money. Edwards has spent many months and a lot of money selling the local community and MLS on the idea of Al Lang as the home of a potential Rowdies MLS franchise. He doesn’t just want to be one of the four expansion groups to make it into MLS, he wants to be one of the two groups announced at the end of this year. To do that, Edwards’ group has been focused on demonstrating confidence in a single plan and location.

Kriseman’s comments also drew the attention of local media, spawning Tampa Bay Times columns from Tom Jones and John Romano. Both columns threw cold water on the idea of the Rowdies moving to the Tropicana site and, without much compelling evidence, cast doubt on the viability of the Rowdies’ MLS bid.

Below is a portion of Unused Substitute’s interview with Kriseman this week in which he expands on the Tropicana Field speculation. He explained how the Tropicana Field site came up in his talks with MLS, gave some insight on the league’s feelings toward the Al Lang expansion plan, and offered up why he believes the idea of two potential sites for the Rowdies wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for MLS.

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http://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/commissioner-pushes-for-memorial-stadium-renovation-after-city-turns-down-deed/594614550

Commissioner pushes for Memorial Stadium renovation after city turns down deed

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Mecklenburg County Commissioner Jim Puckett wants to revisit renovating Memorial Stadium after Charlotte City Council turned down the deed.

The economic committee declined the deed, which was gifted by the county because it included a contingency that the Memorial Stadium must be used for Major League Soccer.

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https://sherbrooktimes.com/mls-an-additional-substitution-will-be-permitted/28180

MLS : an additional substitution will be permitted

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http://www.wbt.com/articles/erik-spanberg-mls-soccer-clt-maybe

Erik Spanberg: MLS Soccer in CLT? Maybe

Erik Spanberg, Senior Staff Writer, Charlotte Business Journal talks with Bo. If a Major League Soccer team comes to Charlotte, it won’t be playing at Memorial Stadium— or in a new stadium built on the county-owned land where Memorial Stadium is located.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/08/18/here-s-how-much-fc-cincinnati-s-potential-mls.html

Here’s how much FC Cincinnati’s potential MLS franchise could be worth

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https://www.sounderatheart.com/2017/8/18/16167748/mls-adds-fourth-extra-time-substitution-playoffs

Major Link Soccer: MLS adds fourth extra-time substitution

We’ll see how strategies change in the playoffs. DeAndre Yedlin returns to the training field. David Beckham makes risotto.

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/824348

USL Top Five – #FearTheBeard

Which of the league’s bearded players commands the greatest respect?

The 10 most iconic kits in American club soccer history

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https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/10-most-iconic-kits-jerseys-american-club-soccer-history-nasl-mls

The 10 most iconic kits in American club soccer history

From NASL kitsch to MLS' Adidas era, these are the kits that have stood the test of time.

2. Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975-1984)

If a Cosmos kit is the kind of thing you find hanging on the walls of an Italian restaurant in New Jersey, an old Rowdies kit is the sort of decor you’re more likely to find at a TGI Friday’s. Tampa's kits changed sparingly throughout its nine-year stint in the old NASL, and that’s a good thing: Rodney Marsh, Wes McLeod & Co. looked fearsome yet oddly playful in the club’s trademark white or green kits with green-and-yellow-hooped sleeves and socks. The look stuck with the club: only in the nineties, during short-lived jaunts in the ASL and APSL, did the hoops disappear.

The Rowdies' hooped sleeves turned out to be just as iconic as the name itself. When a group brought pro soccer back to the Tampa area in 2010, a legal dispute over the Rowdies brand forced them to play their first few seasons under the moniker FC Tampa Bay. But it had those sleeves and those distinctive colors, and the club grew from there. If Tampa makes the leap to MLS, hopefully it brings along the hoops.

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http://saintpetersblog.com/tampa-bay-rowdies-transfer-damion-lowe-norwegian-side-ik-start/

Tampa Bay Rowdies transfer Damion Lowe to Norwegian Side IK Start

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/824055

Rowdies Transfer Lowe to Norway’s IK Start

JAMAICAN INTERNATIONAL MADE 18 APPEARANCES FOR TAMPA BAY

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http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/MLS-commissions-Sam-Kirk-mural/60099.html

MLS commissions Sam Kirk mural

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http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2017/08/17/answer-vanderbilt-shared-stadium-major-league-soccer-expected-weeks/577077001/

Answer from Vanderbilt on shared stadium with Major League Soccer expected in weeks

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https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/08/17/mls-in-charlotte-hits-dead-end-on-stadium-site.html

MLS in Charlotte hits dead end on stadium site

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http://nysportsjournalism.squarespace.com/value-of-mls-clubs-new-record/

Keep The Ball Rolling: Target, adidas, Fans Drive Value Of MLS Clubs To Record $4.5B

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https://www.indomitablecitysoccer.com/2017/8/17/16160606/if-the-republic-is-granted-entry-into-mls-its-because-a-city-and-region-refused-to-lose

If the Republic is granted entry into MLS, it’s because a city and region refused to lose

Sacramento and Alexander Hamilton have more in common than you might think.

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http://wfae.org/post/city-committee-declines-countys-offer-memorial-stadium-mls

City Committee Declines County's Offer Of Memorial Stadium For MLS

A Charlotte City Council committee voted Thursday to decline Mecklenburg County's offer to transfer ownership of Memorial Stadium to the city for a Major League Soccer stadium.

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/08/17/kick-impact-win-third-straight-forbes-releases-mls-club-valuations

Kick Off: Impact win third straight | Forbes releases MLS club valuations

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http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/lyft-picks-up-atlanta-falcons-and-atlanta-united-deals

Lyft picks up Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United deals

Atlanta’s NFL and MLS teams name official rideshare partner.

AMB Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE), the company which owns the National Football League’s (NFL) Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United of Major League Soccer (MLS), has announced that transportation network Lyft will be the official rideshare partner of both franchises.

The announcement comes ahead of the opening of the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where both teams are scheduled to start playing their home games from 26th August.

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http://www.oregonlive.com/timbers/index.ssf/2017/08/mls_to_allow_fourth_substituti.html

MLS to allow fourth substitution during postseason

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https://www.rslsoapbox.com/2017/8/17/16162104/mls-introduces-fourth-sub-rule-for-playoffs

MLS introduces fourth sub rule for playoffs

It’s not astronomic, but this rule could change playoffs in MLS significantly.

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https://www.dirtysouthsoccer.com/2017/8/17/16161960/mls-announces-4th-sub-for-playoff-games-clarifies-var-procedure

MLS announces 4th sub for playoff games, clarifies VAR procedure

An innovation to the game could change playoff tactics

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https://www.loyalty360.org/content-gallery/daily-news/major-league-soccer,-nhl-franchises-dominate-j-d

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER, NHL FRANCHISES DOMINATE J.D. POWER’S FAN EXPERIENCE RANKINGS

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https://www.chicago-fire.com/post/2017/08/17/mls-incorporate-fourth-substitution-during-postseason

MLS to incorporate Fourth Substitution during Postseason

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/08/17/mls-allow-fourth-substitution-extra-time-2017-postseason-matches

MLS to allow fourth substitution in extra time of 2017 postseason matches

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/08/17/mls-changes-disciplinary-committee-parameters-account-video-review

MLS changes Disciplinary Committee parameters to account for Video Review

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https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/305893/soccer-hockey-have-highest-fan-satisfaction.html

Soccer, Hockey Have Highest Fan Satisfaction

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http://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/08/17/copa90-teams-up-with-continental-tire-mls-video-series-tap-soccer-fan-fever

Copa90 teams up with Continental Tire for MLS video series to tap into soccer 'fan fever'

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http://www.hourdetroit.com/Hour-Detroit/August-2017/The-Way-It-Was/

The Way It Was

1982 Die hard Detroit sports fans can easily rattle off the years when the city’s teams won World Series, Stanley Cups, and other championship titles. Mention 1982, though, and many would be stumped — unless they happen to be soccer buffs. That was the year when the Detroit Express, the city’s pro soccer team, nabbed the American Soccer League (ASL) title. Some team members can be seen here at the Pontiac Silverdome cherishing their victory over the Oklahoma City Slickers in a best-of-three championship series. With 19 wins, four ties, and five losses, the Express also had the best record in the league. And with 22 goals, forward Brian Tinnion led the ’82 ASL in scoring. The Detroit Express began in 1978, as part of the North American Soccer League, and folded in 1983. Short-lived as the team was, it lasted longer than two other Detroit pro soccer clubs: the Detroit Mustangs, in the early ’70s, and the Detroit Cougars, from the late ’60s. Today, the city has a semi-pro soccer team in the Detroit City Football Club, which plays its home games at Hamtramck’s Keyworth Stadium. But a fully professional soccer team could be in the city’s future. Still up in the air at press time is businessman Dan Gilbert’s proposal to build a soccer stadium on the uncompleted Wayne County Jail site on Gratiot Avenue, which would be home to a Major League soccer franchise.

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https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/6ud03n/cincinnati_is_changing_antisoccer_sports_fans/

Cincinnati is changing anti-soccer sports fans. (espn1530.iheart.com)

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http://espn1530.iheart.com/featured/mo-egger/content/2017-08-16-who-am-i/

Who Am I?

If ten years ago, you would've told me that one day I'd be emotionally invested in a soccer game, so much so that I'd be unleashing college basketball level-howls of indignation at missed calls , I would have laughed at you. Then mocked you.  And depending on my mood, I might have tried to fight you.

J.D. Power Finds MLS and NHL Teams Outscore NFL Teams in Fan Experience

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http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jd-power-finds-mls-and-nhl-teams-outscore-nfl-teams-in-fan-experience-300505060.html

J.D. Power Finds MLS and NHL Teams Outscore NFL Teams in Fan Experience

Of 11 Markets Studied, NFL Teams Finish Last in Each One

COSTA MESA, Calif., Aug. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/-- Major League Soccer or National Hockey League teams perform highest in 10 of the 11 markets included in the J.D. Power 2017 Fan Experience Study,SM released today, while an NFL team scores lowest in every market.

The study measures fan satisfaction with their overall experience at major pro sporting events. In last year's inaugural study, only teams in the nation's four largest markets—New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston—were evaluated. This year, Boston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, South Florida, Philadelphia, Bay Area and Washington, D.C. have been added, while Los Angeles has been expanded to include all of Southern California.

Fan satisfaction is evaluated across seven factors (in order of importance): seating area and game experience; security and ushers; leaving the game; arriving at the game; food and beverage; ticket purchase; and souvenirs and merchandise. Satisfaction is measured on a 1,000-point scale. Additional factors that are measured but not included in the official ranking are loyalty and future intentions; team performance (on-field); and team image.

The Houston Dynamo, Los Angeles Galaxy, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls and Philadelphia Union score highest in their respective markets, while the Chicago Fire, FC Dallas and San Jose Earthquakes score second highest. The only MLS teams that buck the trend of rabid fan satisfaction are the Colorado Rapids and New York City Football Club (third) and DC United (fourth).

Study findings show that an NFL team performs at the bottom in every market. Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins score lowest in fan satisfaction in each market.

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http://www.wcpo.com/sports/fc-cincinnati/citizen-group-calls-upon-mls-to-accept-nippert-stadium-instead-of-forcing-new-taxpayer-funded-venue

Citizen group calls upon MLS to accept Nippert Stadium instead of forcing new taxpayer-funded venue

CINCINNATI -- A local citizens' group is pressing Major League Soccer officials to accept Nippert Stadium as FC Cincinnati's home should they join MLS, saying there's no need to construct a dedicated soccer stadium at taxpayer expense.

"No More Stadium Taxes" opposes any additional stadium taxes, arena taxes or sports subsidies and said "large numbers of FC Cincinnati fans have already concluded that Nippert Stadium is a high-quality venue for an MLS team."

“MLS should welcome successful venues like Nippert that attract far more fans than their own soccer-specific stadiums,” said Matt Wahlert, No More Stadium Taxes board member and North College Hill councilman. “While MLS has full control over their admission standards, they have no control over Hamilton County tax dollars. Hamilton County has much bigger needs than subsidizing a new soccer stadium for billionaires, especially when we already have at least one fantastic soccer stadium.”

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinasettimi/2017/08/16/major-league-soccers-best-fans-two-rivals-have-to-learn-to-share/

Major League Soccer's Best Fans: Two Rivals Have To Learn To Share

The biggest rivals in Major League Soccer have one less thing to argue about: whose fans are better. That's because in our inaugural ranking of the league's best, the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders tied at No.1.

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http://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2017/08/16/how-vanderbilt-downsized-off-campus-stadium-would-stack-up-sec/571921001/

How a Vanderbilt downsized, off-campus stadium would stack up in SEC

Vanderbilt athletics director David Williams said a new off-campus stadium shared with a potential Major League Soccer expansion team would have a seating capacity between 33,000 and 35,000 for Commodores’ home football games.

That would be a sizable reduction from the current on-campus Vanderbilt Stadium, which has a capacity of 40,350. Vanderbilt also would have a stadium about half the size of the next-smallest in the SEC.

If Vanderbilt does not enter a partnership with the Nashville MLS ownership group to share a new stadium proposed for the Metro-owned Fairgrounds site, the seating capacity would be 30,000 if used only for soccer, concerts and other events besides Vanderbilt football.

Both possibilities were presented at a special Metro Council committee meeting Monday night, when Williams sat alongside John Ingram, the billionaire businessman leading Nashville’s MLS bid and also serving on the Vanderbilt Board of Trust.

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/823832

FCC Departs Open Cup, Heads Held High

Performance, atmosphere draws admiration from Red Bulls

CINCINNATI – There were moments after Cincinnati native Austin Berry’s header had given FC Cincinnati a two-goal lead with less than half-an-hour to go against the New York Red Bulls in the Semifinals of the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday night when the remarkable seemed ready to become reality.

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https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/08/16/la-galaxy-ranked-major-league-soccers-most-valuable-team-according-forbes-insider

LA Galaxy ranked as Major League Soccer's Most Valuable Team according to Forbes | INSIDER

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https://sgbonline.com/report-nfl-teams-lag-mls-and-nhl-in-fan-experience/

Report: NFL Teams Lag MLS and NHL In Fan Experience

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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-city-lions/on-the-pitch/os-sp-orlando-city-soccer-insider-0817-story.html

Orlando City remains 5th on Forbes’ list of most valuable MLS teams

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https://sherbrooktimes.com/ranking-of-forbes-the-galaxy-in-the-lead-the-impact-to-the-15th-rank/27843

Ranking of “Forbes”: the Galaxy in the lead, the Impact to the 15th rank

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http://www.wcpo.com/news/insider/fc-cincinnatis-magic-runs-out-in-us-open-cup-semifinals

FC Cincinnati's magic runs out in U.S. Open Cup semifinals

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https://www.massivereport.com/2017/8/16/16155106/andy-loughnane-talks-attendance-issues-playoff-complications-and-a-new-stadium-columbus-crew-sc

Andy Loughnane talks attendance issues, playoff complications and a new stadium

The Crew SC president of business operations gave some insight on the state of the franchise.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/08/16/fc-cincinnatis-u-s-cup-tourney-hopes-end-in-loss.html

FC Cincinnati's U.S. Cup tourney hopes end in loss to NY Red Bulls: PHOTOS

FC Cincinnati ended its Cinderella run Tuesday night in a 3-2 loss to the New York Red Bulls in the semifinal round of the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium.

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/824055

Rowdies Transfer Lowe to Norway’s IK Start

Jamaican international made 18 appearances for Tampa Bay

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http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/soccer/fc-cincinnati/2017/08/16/2-goals-3-minutes-shatter-fc-cincys-semifinal/571614001/

2 goals in 3 minutes shatter FC Cincy's semifinal

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http://appsforpcdaily.com/2017/08/so-close-fc-cincinnati-open-cup-streak-ends/

So Close! FC Cincinnati Open Cup Streak Ends

New York Red Bulls dash FC Cincinnati's fairytale US Open Cup run with late rally

Wright-Phillips double helps NY Red Bulls beat FC Cincinnati

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https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/08/16/after-usoc-win-red-bulls-full-praise-mls-hopefuls-fc-cincinnati

After USOC win, Red Bulls full of praise for MLS hopefuls FC Cincinnati

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https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/minnesota-united-allianz-field-elevated-stage-soccer-photos

Minnesota United is about to move from one of the worst MLS venues to one of the best.

One of the steepest stadium sections in world soccer is coming to … Minnesota?

That’s one of a handful of design features which will make Minnesota United FC’s forthcoming stadium, Allianz Field, pop.

Before Loons supporters ever step foot inside the St. Paul-based venue, they’ll get treated to a colorful spectacle on the exterior of the new 19,400-seat venue.

Using color-changing LED lights, across the entirety of the plastic-based laminated exterior skin with fiberglass mesh, Minnesota United can light up the exterior of its new soccer-specific stadium, changing colors as desired to create a striking nighttime experience. During the day, the mesh offers a translucent feel, showing off the structure through the skin.

“At night, it should be really dramatic,” says Bruce Miller, Populous architect and designer of the venue. “It will be pretty stunning architecturally. The whole skin has an undulating pattern, a complex computer-generated geometry that evokes water and the concept of flow that is reflective of all the lakes and rivers in Minnesota.”

Ready in time for the 2019 season, Allianz Field features a 360-degree canopy to protect roughly 85 percent of the seats from Minnesota weather while helping trap crowd noise inside the venue. The canopy’s geometry doesn’t mimic the seating bowl, allowing all the seats on the west side to get covered and offering a bit more of an open feel on the east and south end, where the supporters sit. Also, expect radiant heating in locations to help provide shelter from the weather.

The supporters will fill a safe standing section, similar to Miller’s Orlando design but slightly smaller at a capacity of about 2,800. And steeper. The 24-inch riser (nearly 35 degrees) makes it one of the steepest supporter rakes in all of soccer, and by making the section aluminum, Miller “designed it to be like a megaphone.”

The balance of the concrete seating bowl remains steep, too, with nearly the same pitch on the east side of the venue as the supporters enjoy and an overall average of over 33 degrees. The closest seat sits 17 feet from the field and farthest 125 feet from a 120-yard-by-75-yard grass surface with underground heating.

In a first for American soccer, Miller elevated the pitch to create a platform for the players. That’s a welcome upgrade from the current aesthetics of the shared field with the University of Minnesota football team.

“As the players come out of the tunnel at midfield, they will have this experience of rising up onto the stage,” Miller says. “It also gives a unique perspective to the first-row seats.” The home team will leave its ellipse-shaped locker room — the space includes a nutrition bar, hydrotherapy and more — and make its way through a field-level club before rising to the field.

Elsewhere in the venue, Populous designed in a mix of seating types, an upstairs club level, cabana-style suites with a glass opening at the back, traditional suites and super suites. In all, expect 22 suites and four club sections.

The north concourse includes one more surprise for Minnesota United fans with a brew hall full of communal tables, a 60-foot-long bar and 82-foot-long glass doors separating the space from the walkway. “We hope it becomes the heart of soccer in the Twin Cities,” Miller says. “We envision them being open most days during the week and especially Saturday mornings. It is open to everyone, so we think it will be a nice amenity given the weather.”

The new Allianz Field includes firsts for soccer stadiums in the MLS. More importantly, it will give Minnesota a proper stage for soccer.

50 years ago-The First Professional Soccer League Season in Houston Ends

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https://txsoccerjournal.com/2017/07/28/50-years-ago-the-first-professional-soccer-league-season-in-houston-ends/

July 28, 2017

50 years ago-The First Professional Soccer League Season in Houston Ends

Fifty years ago this month, the first and only season (tournament) of the United Soccer Association (USA) came to an end.  The USA was the first professional soccer league in North America that included Texas teams: Dallas Tornado and Houston Stars.

The league was one of two professional soccer leagues formed in the United States in 1967 on the heels of a positive reception to televised games from the 1966 FIFA World Cup held the previous summer in England.  Because the USA was forced to start up earlier than intended because of the rival NPSL, the owners imported foreign teams to represent their cities, in our case Dundee United from Scotland for Dallas and Bangu from Brazil for Houston.

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https://www.wsj.com/articles/jim-harbaughs-advice-to-football-recruits-play-soccer-1502729321

Jim Harbaugh’s Advice to Football Recruits: Play Soccer

Why the counterintuitive Michigan coach wants quarterbacks who played fútbol and football

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http://www.nfhs.org/articles/high-school-sports-participation-increases-for-28th-straight-year-nears-8-million-mark/

High School Sports Participation Increases for 28th Straight Year, Nears 8 Million Mark

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https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2017/06/16/us-national-soccer-hall-fame-mls-ballot-voting-beckham-moreno

U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame has a curious disregard for MLS, club contributions

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http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/19/blog/post/3179978/sacramento-is-ready-for-mls-but-will-it-be-passed-over-again-in-expansion

Sacramento is ready for MLS, but will it be passed over again for expansion?

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http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-soccer/story/3180339/nashville-group-unveils-plan-for-30,000-seat-mls-stadium

Nashville group unveils plan for 30,000-seat MLS stadium

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http://wate.com/2017/08/15/renderings-show-what-mls-stadium-could-look-like-in-nashville/

Renderings show what MLS stadium could look like in Nashville

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http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2017/08/14/nashville-major-league-soccer-group-unveils-first-look-stadium-proposed-fairgrounds/564469001/

Nashville Major League Soccer group unveils first look at stadium proposed for fairgrounds

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http://www.tennessean.com/picture-gallery/news/2017/08/15/first-look-at-proposed-mls-stadium-in-nashville/104611614/

First look at proposed MLS stadium in Nashville

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http://www.nashvillescene.com/news/columns/article/20972555/for-mls-in-nashville-the-future-is-now

For MLS in Nashville, the Future Is Now

METROPOLITIK: Nashville has a good chance of getting a soccer franchise, but the window is very small

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http://www.nashvillepost.com/sports/sports-business/blog/20972554/ingram-presents-soccer-stadium-plan-to-metro-council-committee

Ingram presents soccer stadium plan to Metro Council committee

Facility at The Fairgrounds Nashville would seat 30,000, cover 500,000 square feet

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https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2017/08/15/heres-what-nashvilles-mls-stadium-would-look-like.html

Here's what Nashville's MLS stadium would look like (slideshow)

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http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/story/3180339/nashville-group-unveils-plan-for-30,000-seat-mls-stadium

Nashville group unveils plan for 30,000-seat MLS stadium

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http://www.standardrepublic.com/2017/08/the-future-view-of-football-mls-releases-revolutionary-ref-cam-footage-rt-sport/24389.htm

The future view of football? MLS releases revolutionary ref cam footage — RT Sport

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https://www.bisnow.com/nashville/news/construction-development/john-ingram-unveils-plans-for-nashville-mls-stadium-77787

John Ingram Unveils Plans For Nashville MLS Stadium

Inside the mind of a Tampa Tribe fan: Between Innings

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http://waitingfornextyear.com/2017/08/tampa-bay-rays-cleveland-indians-fan-talk/

Inside the mind of a Tampa Tribe fan: Between Innings

How horrendous is the location of Tropicana Field? What makes it the wrong spot for a ballpark? Or, do you think the reports have been overblown?

The number one complaint among folks in these parts is that attending the game requires venturing to St. Petersburg. It’s not so much a problem of St. Pete itself, which is working to appeal to a younger demographic with microbreweries, new restaurants, and a growing music scene. There’s also the Dali Museum and Al Lang Stadium nearby (home of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, a potential MLS addition in the near future). In a vacuum, Tropicana Field is in a perfectly reasonable location for a stadium. The greater issue is getting to St. Petersburg, which requires venturing across the bay. Options for doing so are limited (pick a miles-long bridge and pray) and congested (especially during the week) plus Floridians have a notorious inability to operate automobiles in a safe or sane manner. A nightmarish hellscape that perhaps only Dante could adequately describe. Coming from the North is somewhat less awful, but not by a large margin. You think the greater Cleveland area has traffic issues? US-19 would like a word. The popular alternative is, of course, to put a new stadium in Tampa. But exactly no part of that process is easy, whether it’s finding a location, deciding who will pay, or contract issues with the city of St. Pete. A new stadium solution would surprise me far more than a decision to relocate the team entirely out of Florida.

The ballpark itself, well…

It’s not a destination spot. A dome is absolutely necessary in this state (someone needs to tell the Bucs), but this is one of those early 90s, generic, dull, utilitarian structures. If you’re looking for character, this is not the place for you. The kindest thing I can say of the Trop (besides praising its air-conditioned interior) is that they finally have legitimate field turf in there, as opposed to relying on what appeared to be either discarded pieces from local driving range mats cobbled together or that green rug material that my aunt and uncle used to cover the deck where they parked their RV when I was 12. Didn’t exactly scream “professional facility.” If you ever for a second question how good we have it as Tribe fans at the Jake, come on down and see this mausoleum for yourself.

[ . . . ]

- One of the biggest things that sucks about the Trop is the sea of parking around it separating it from anything cool and useful. We hit up Fergs pre-game Sunday (oh my God, never again), but there are at least 4 decent microbreweries and a bunch of restaurants in walking distance once you're outside the parking lots. St Pete seems to really be trying, but the stadium is so cut off from everything, and who wants to walk to the beers in 100 degree heat.

- As an aside, for those that are interested, Cycle Brewing lives up to it's rep for quality. 3 Daughters was the most enjoyable environment and beer setup. And Pinellas Ale Works was unknown (at least to us going down) and a total hidden gem.

[ . . . ]

-Too late now, but Ferg's post-game is definitely a bit more navigable than pre-game, I think due to the exact parking situation you described. The city is really hyping up the microbrew scene, and those spots are doing it right for the most part. Ale Works is news to me and is now on the list. Should you ever venture north of St. Pete, Dunedin and Palm Harbor are both bringing a strong micro game as well (partial to de Bine myself).

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http://saintpetersblog.com/tampa-bay-rowdies-lose-saint-louis-4-3-heartbreaker/

Tampa Bay Rowdies lose to Saint Louis in 4-3 heartbreaker

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/823058

Saint Louis Wins Seven-Goal Thriller

Fast start, dramatic end sees Saint Louis down Tampa Bay 4-3

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http://www.tampabay.com/sports/soccer/rowdies-lose-in-st-louis-snapping-five-game-unbeaten-streak/2333655

Rowdies lose in St. Louis, snapping five-game unbeaten streak

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https://www.ktrs.com/saint-louis-fc-wins-in-wild-4-3-finish/

Saint Louis FC Wins in Wild 4-3 Finish

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http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/sports/article.html/content/news/articles/bhsn/2017/8/13/rowdies_lose_heartbr.html

Rowdies lose heartbreaker 4-3 in St. Louis

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https://www.reddit.com/r/MLS/comments/6torjx/kartik_krishnaiyer_mls_tv_numbers_are_up_thus_far/

[Kartik Krishnaiyer] MLS TV numbers are up thus far in 2017 versus 2016 (twitter.com)

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https://twitter.com/kkfla737/status/897175712528039936

Kartik Krishnaiyer‏

@kkfla737

#MLS TV numbers are up thus far in 2017 versus 2016.

12:18 PM - 14 Aug 2017 from Florida, USA

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https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/08/14/nashville-mls-expansion-bid-stadium-plan-renderings

Nashville's MLS Expansion Bid Releases Plan, First Renderings for 30,000-Seat Stadium

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http://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/08/14/chmel-blsany-europes-smallest-club-that-once-aimed-for-greatness/

Chmel Blšany: Europe’s smallest club that once aimed for greatness

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http://jacksonville.com/metro/business/2017-08-12/new-jacksonville-armada-owner-sees-team-extension-his-financial-services

New Jacksonville Armada owner sees team as extension of his financial services empire

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http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/food/dining/holy-guacamole-taco-bus-announces-four-new-tampa-bay-locations/2333197

Holy guacamole: Taco Bus announces four new Tampa Bay locations

Opposition group holds rally against Beckham’s MLS stadium

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http://wsvn.com/news/local/opposition-group-holds-rally-against-beckhams-mls-stadium/

Opposition group holds rally against Beckham’s MLS stadium

MIAMI (WSVN) - David Beckham’s quest to bring soccer to South Florida is facing a new hurdle.

Residents and clergy in Overtown and Spring Garden held a rally, Wednesday, against Beckham’s proposed soccer stadium.

The meeting was organized by the Overtown Spring Garden Community Coalition.

The group argues the deal is light on community benefits and heavy on consequences.

“Well, what we hope to accomplish is to reverse this train that has so much momentum, which is the Major League Soccer stadium,” said St. John’s Baptist Church Bishop James Adams. “We feel that the site is inappropriate for the size that it is.”

County commissioners voted in June to sell the three acre property along Northwest Seventh Avenue to Beckham’s group for an estimated $9 million.

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http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article166072327.html

Beckham stadium draws organized neighborhood opposition

In the first sign of organized opposition to David Beckham’s dreams of bringing professional soccer to Miami, a new community group has formed to push city, county and Major League Soccer leaders to shoot down a 25,000-seat stadium near the Miami River.

On Wednesday, property owners, residents and clergy in Spring Garden and Overtown — the two neighborhoods bordering Beckham’s proposed stadium site — will gather at St. John Institutional Missionary Baptist Church to rally against what they say is a stadium deal light on community benefits and heavy on consequences.

The meeting is organized by the Overtown Spring Garden Community Collective, a not-for-profit incorporated last week.

“The goal is to stop the stadium,” said James Adams, senior pastor at St. John Church. “We’re a much stronger voice when all of us are on the same page. And we’re trying to do the same thing as opposed to having just splintered groups.”

The organization’s board of directors includes Adams and Bruce Matheson, a wealthy Spring Garden landowner who filed a lawsuit last month seeking to overturn the county’s no-bid agreement to sell a water and sewer facility to Beckham. (Matheson told the Miami Herald that his lawsuit and the organization are not coordinated efforts.)

Attempts to rally against the stadium — for which Beckham and his team of investors are still seeking approvals — are emerging late in the game.

County commissioners voted in June to sell a three-acre property along Northwest Seventh Avenue for $9 million to Miami Beckham United, the last piece of property needed by the soccer star and his investors to compile a 9-acre stadium site. And Major League Soccer owners agreed last week to have league commissioner Don Garber negotiate a final deal to authorize the creation of Beckham’s franchise.

But Adams and other group leaders note that Beckham has yet to make a $450,000 down payment on the purchase of county land, due in September. And even should the sale and MLS approval go through, they say, Beckham’s team of investors still has to obtain special approvals by the Miami City Commission in order to build its stadium — a lengthy process that has yet to begin.

Adams said the group is concerned that a special events venue designed with paltry parking facilities would damage the neighborhood. He also said they’ve been urged to unite in part by public statements about the lack of significant opposition to the stadium by the County Commission and, more recently, in The New York Times.

“We need to correct that fact. That’s not true,” said Amanda Hand, a Spring Garden resident and former lawyer for the Miami city attorney’s office who serves as the group’s registered agent. “Our motto is it’s not a done deal. We’ve heard that way too often.”

The group organized informally weeks ago and sent a letter to city and county leaders in July criticizing the county’s community benefits package and what they said were essentially public subsidies for Beckham in the form of publicly funded infrastructure upgrades. This week, as the Miami New Times first reported, the group began distributing fliers to promote its Wednesday rally.

County spokesman Michael Hernández declined to comment on the group. But he defended the stadium agreement — conducted under the same state law that paved the way for the American Dream Mall in northwest Dade — as a good deal for the county and the surrounding neighborhoods.

“The construction of the stadium alone will create hundreds of jobs,” he said. “Major League Soccer will be a good neighbor and partner to the Overtown and Spring Garden communities and to all of Miami-Dade County.”

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http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article166826092.html

County asks judge to toss lawsuit against David Beckham’s Miami soccer stadium

Miami-Dade defended its $9 million no-bid land deal with David Beckham in court filings Friday, saying the stadium the retired soccer star wants to build would bring an economic boost that “far exceeds” the sales price on the county land.

County lawyers argued the June deal to sell about three acres of land to Beckham and partners was justified under Florida’s economic-development statute, and asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to block the pending sale. Beckham’s group has until mid-September to make a $450,000 down payment on the Overtown parcel, which sits next to six acres he and his partners purchased for $19 million from a private owner last year.

Bruce Matheson, a wealthy activist with property near the proposed stadium, sued Miami-Dade on July 21, asking a judge to force the county to undo the sale and put the parcel up for competitive bidding. The litigation came two weeks before Major League Soccer owners met to consider granting Beckham an expansion franchise in Miami for a deeply discounted price, and the board opted instead to have a committee negotiate terms with the Beckham group this month.

The delay could give the league time to have the suit neutralized, with Miami-Dade requesting a dismissal. This week, the Beckham group asked to be added as a defendant in the case. Matheson is known for his deep pockets when it comes to legal bills, and success in foiling the Miami Open tennis tournament’s efforts to expand on county parkland on Key Biscayne that his family once owned.

At issue is whether Miami-Dade acted legally in signing a sales deal with Miami Beckham United without offering the land — currently a truck depot for the county’s sewer department — to other bidders. The county based the sales price on two appraisals from 2015, but Matheson’s suit claims Miami-Dade is ignoring more recent high-value sales in the area north of the Miami River. With Miami-Dade agreeing to reduce the price to cover the expense of cleaning up the property, the Beckham group would be obligated to pay about $8.4 million for the land.

In their first response to the suit, filed Friday in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, county lawyers argued Matheson ignored well-established state precedent of letting governments bypass the bidding process when a land sale is justified as economic development. In exchange for the no-bid process, the Beckham group agreed to create 50 permanent full-time jobs at the 25,000-seat stadium and pursue various training and vendor programs for the local area.

“As the statute fully authorizes the County to convey land [for the stadium] under terms and conditions whose economic development value far exceeds any price that could be obtained from the mere sale of the land through competitive bidding, no challenge to the sale of the property can succeed,” the county wrote.

Residents in Overtown and neighboring Spring Garden, where Matheson owns land, are fighting the stadium proposal, which still requires zoning approval from Miami. Matheson declined to comment Friday.

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http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Group-Says-Planned-Soccer-Stadium-Wont-Be-Good-For-Overtown-439563893.html

Group Says Planned Soccer Stadium Won't Be Good For Overtown

The group believes other areas in South Florida are better suited for the soccer stadium

“It's not a done deal.”

That is the message some Overtown and Spring Gardens residents want to send to Miami Beckham United as it pursues plans to build a soccer stadium in the community. Residents in the two communities attended a meeting Wednesday to discuss why they oppose the stadium plans.

"What's the benefit to this historic neighborhood?" asked Bishop James Adams, who joined the newly-created Overtown Spring Gardens Community Collective.

The group believes other areas in South Florida are better suited for the soccer stadium. The Beckham group is eyeing land on Northwest 8th Street and 7th Avenue for the 25,000-seat stadium. Opponents said it’s a bad idea.

"Noise, traffic. The fact that we have 25,000 people swarming the area at once and then we have nobody there for the other 320 plus days per year,” said Amanda Hand.

One major hurdle for the Beckham group is a lawsuit filed by Spring Garden land owner Bruce Matheson. He alleges the county broke the law by selling Beckham land in a no-bid deal.

"They're supposed to get an open bid for disposing of county land. The values of the property have escalated since the appraisal was done," argued Matheson.

A spokesperson for the Miami-Dade County Mayor's office called the lawsuit frivolous and said in part:

"The County is on solid legal ground and we expect the Beckham group to finalize the purchase of public land for $9.1 million, finance the construction of their stadium with private dollars, and once completed, pay property taxes on the stadium."

The Overtown Spring Gardens Community Collective says it plans to continue meeting and speaking out against the stadium deal.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2017/08/11/from-the-editor-will-nashville-help-billionaires.html

From the editor: Will Nashville help billionaires pay for a soccer stadium?

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http://www.amny.com/sports/brooklyn-italians-own-lengthy-soccer-history-in-the-big-apple-1.13972205

Brooklyn Italians own lengthy soccer history in the Big Apple

Major League Soccer made a permanent home in the Big Apple just a few years ago. But on the lower levels of the sport, soccer has been a staple in Brooklyn for nearly seven decades.

The Brooklyn Italians, currently of the lower-tier National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), were established shortly after World War II by a group of Italian immigrants.

“It was kind of like a way to socialize with other Italian immigrants and from there they decided to get into the sports that they love and form a team,” said Fred DeMarco, the coach of the Italians’ U13 squad. “We evolved with the times. We weren’t only an Italian club. We had players and members of the club that were of different descents.”

Following their formation in 1949, the Italians became more competitive as time went on, winning leagues and tournaments. The most notable accomplishments are a pair of U.S. Open Cup trophies earned in 1979 (under the name Brooklyn Dodgers) and 1991.

Their clubhouse, located on the corner of 18th Avenue and 58th Street in Mapleton, carries the club’s rich history on its wooden walls.

“Every trophy that has ever been won, whether at the youth level or the adult side, is in that clubhouse,” DeMarco said. “Not many clubs in the city or the country have a clubhouse that they could truly call their own. It’s been with us since the beginning.”

The Italians believe in youth development that opens a path to their senior team.

“Most teams in New York are focused on [either the youth or senior team],” DeMarco said. “We have a good combination of it all.”

Unlike MLS’ New York City FC, the Brooklyn Italians are the historic, local club that focuses on being a part of their immediate community. The senior team plays at LIU Brooklyn’s Athletic Complex, while the youth teams play and train at Calvert Vaux Park and John Dewey High School.

“[Community] is very important,” DeMarco said. “We want to keep our fields local, easy for players and parents to get to. We want to keep them in the community.”

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https://www.themaneland.com/2017/8/13/16139136/our-city-how-generation-x-saved-american-soccer-nasl-mls-baby-boom-millennial

Our City: How Generation X Saved American Soccer

Between the Baby Boom embrace of the beautiful game and the Millennial wave of popularity soccer is riding now, Generation X was still kicking the ball around and hoping.

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http://reason.com/blog/2017/08/13/if-mls-is-a-ponzi-scheme-taxpayers-will#comment

If MLS Is a Ponzi Scheme, Taxpayers Will Get Left Holding The Bag

The league's finances and its competitive structure suggest only suckers would buy-in right now. Unfortunately, many taxpayers may not have a choice.

Cincinnati, Ohio, has a modestly successful minor league soccer team, FC Cincinnati, which shares a stadium with the University of Cincinnati football team.

Within the next two years, though, the club hopes to join Major League Soccer, the top tier professional league in the United States. To get there, FC Cincinnati will have to beat out 11 other cities that have applied for the MLS expansion in 2020.

Winning the bidding process will likely require taxpayers to agree to fund a new soccer-only stadium for FC Cincinnati. The price tag: about $200 million, at least half of it coming from public sources, the Cincinnati Business Courier reports.

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http://www.startribune.com/phones-a-bell-and-ol-xe9-ol-xe9-there-s-another-kind-of-soccer-training-at-the-blaine-sports-center/440225403/

Phones, a bell and Olé, Olé: There's another kind of soccer training at the Blaine sports center

Aspiring execs learn to sell soccer at Blaine complex.

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http://www.twcnews.com/tx/austin/news/2017/08/9/united-soccer-league-returning-to-austin-in-2019.html

United Soccer League returning to Austin in 2019

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http://www.mystatesman.com/sports/soccer/austin-pro-soccer-franchise-will-roll-2019-000-seat-cota-venue/yYB4EAQ56lWkGc4L9i9izI/

Austin pro soccer franchise will roll in 2019 in 5,000-seat COTA venue

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http://www.phillysoccerpage.net/2017/08/09/a-machiavellian-response-to-usls-complaining-owners/comment-page-1/

A Machiavellian response to USL’s complaining owners

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http://yellowhammernews.com/sports/the-magic-city-gets-professional-soccer-team-csimmons/

The Magic City Gets Professional Soccer Team

The United Soccer League announced yesterday that Birmingham will  be the home of a new professional soccer team.

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http://www.citybeat.com/news/sports/article/20972025/can-fc-cincinnati-maintain-without-mls

Can FC Cincinnati maintain without MLS?

It’s clear FCC has tapped a hunger here for pro soccer, one that goes beyond the action on the field. But how long can that last in the USL?

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http://kuow.org/post/pro-soccer-team-moving-cota-2019

Pro Soccer Returns To Austin With New Stadium At COTA

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https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2017-08-11/public-notice-soccer-at-last/

Public Notice: Soccer at Last

Pro team, stadium planned at COTA

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https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2017/08/10/sporting-kc-us-open-cup-final.html

Sporting KC earns a shot at new silverware

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http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/columnists/geoff-calkins/2017/08/10/memphis-verge-getting-professional-soccer-franchise/554728001/

Is Memphis on the verge of getting a professional soccer franchise?

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https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/08/09/usl-announces-return-austin-2019

USL Announces Return to Austin in 2019

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https://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2017/08/10/why-the-usl-is-coming-to-birmingham.html

Why the USL is coming to Birmingham

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http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/36111199/rumor-pegs-autozone-park-as-future-home-of-professional-soccer

Rumor pegs AutoZone Park as future home of professional soccer

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) -

Memphis could be the next home to a professional soccer team.

SocTakes, a popular soccer blog, reports a deal to put a professional team in AutoZone Park is almost complete. The team would be part of the United Soccer League (USL), a division two league under Major League Soccer.

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http://www.carscoops.com/2017/08/cotas-bringing-another-sport-from.html

COTA'S Bringing Another Sport From Overseas To The Texas Capital

As unlikely as it may have seemed when it opened in 2012, the Circuit of the Americas has brought some major international sporting events over from Europe to Texas. Formula One, MotoGP, and the FIA World Endurance Championship all race there. And now there'll be one more – but it's not a form of motorsport.

The United Soccer League has announced that Austin is getting a new team, franchised to COTA chairman Bobby Epstein. They'll be playing at new 5,000-seat stadium being built on the circuit's grounds and set to open in 2019.

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http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2017/08/11/usl-adds-new-teams-birmingham-austin-2019/

USL adds new teams in Birmingham and Austin for 2019

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http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/08/usl_birminghams_chance_to_prov.html

USL: Birmingham's chance to prove it can support a pro team

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http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2017/08/11/15/31/20170811-news-wc2026-us-soccer-president-sunil-gulati-on-wc-bid

U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati Q&A on the United Bid to Host the 2026 FIFA World Cup

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https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/08/11/las-vegas-joins-usl-2018-season

Las Vegas joins the USL in 2018 season

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https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/las-vegas-usl-club-narrows-team-name-search-to-6-poll/

Las Vegas’ USL club narrows team name search to 6 — POLL

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http://vegasseven.com/2017/08/11/five-things-know-pro-soccer-las-vegas/

Five Things to Know About Pro Soccer in Las Vegas

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http://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-gets-another-pro-sports-franchise-soccers-coming

Las Vegas gets another pro-sports franchise; Soccer's coming

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https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/soccer-marks-third-professional-sports-team-to-call-las-vegas-home

Soccer marks third professional sports team to call Las Vegas home

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http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/fans-leaders-welcome-usl-to-las-vegas/787559871

Fans, leaders welcome USL to Las Vegas

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http://www.wcpo.com/news/insider/fc-cincinnati-is-light-years-ahead-of-where-it-expected-at-two-year-anniversary

FC Cincinnati is light years ahead of where it expected at two-year anniversary

Fan support, success on pitch stunning

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http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20170812/news/636126/detroit-city-fc-may-turn-pro-by-this-fall-co-owner-says

Detroit City FC may turn pro by this fall, co-owner says

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http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/08/where_should_birminghams_new_s.html

Where should Birmingham's new pro soccer team play? Take our poll

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/822680

Excitement Surrounds Las Vegas’ USL Arrival

Lashbrook eager to kick off rivalry with Reno when 2018 season kicks off

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http://www.vegasnews.com/164658/las-vegas-joins-the-united-soccer-league-in-2018-season.html

Las Vegas Joins the United Soccer League in 2018 Season

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http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/36120624/professional-soccer-officially-coming-to-las-vegas

Professional soccer officially coming to Las Vegas

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http://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2017/08/09/john-ingram-recuses-self-vanderbilt-mls-shared-stadium-effort/548113001/

John Ingram recuses self from Vanderbilt, MLS shared stadium effort

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http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/philadelphia-union-tattoo-jay-cunliffe-major-league-soccer-sons-of-ben-20170809.html

Philadelphia Union name official team tattooist, a first for Major League Soccer

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http://www.delcotimes.com/general-news/20170809/aston-tattoo-shop-becomes-pro-sports-1st-chief-tattoo-officer-for-mls-union

Aston tattoo shop becomes pro sports 1st Chief Tattoo Officer for MLS’ Union

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http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/news/disney-espn-streaming-service-mlb-nhl-mls-bam-tech/1uburqogddvgz1mhskdnnb9nh5

Disney/ESPN bid for MLB streaming is a power move, not power play

Disney is banking on the ESPN stream attracting cord-cutters who have turned away from cable. Live sports that aren't being shown on ESPN's cable properties will be the most attractive lure (NHL, Major League Soccer and college games will also be available, part of the approximately 10,000 events total that will be offered, Disney says).

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http://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2017/08/09/fc-cincinnati-sell-us-open-cup-semifinal-help-mls-bid

Does the FC Cincinnati Sell Out of US Open Cup Semifinal Help MLS Bid?

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https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2017/08/09/wilfs-join-group-trying-to-bring-mls-to-nashville.html

Wilfs join group trying to bring MLS to Nashville

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https://www.soccernation.com/united-soccer-league-welcomes-austin-back/

United Soccer League Welcomes Austin Back

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https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/08/08/Disney-to-pull-content-from-Netflix-start-streaming-service-in-2019/7121502236604/

Disney to pull content from Netflix, start streaming service in 2019

"The ESPN-branded multi-sport service will offer a robust array of sports programming, featuring approximately 10,000 live regional, national, and international games and events a year, including Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, Grand Slam tennis, and college sports," Disney said. "Individual sport packages will also be available for purchase, including MLB.TV, NHL.TV and MLS Live."

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http://thecomeback.com/soccer/can-mls-continue-selling-sport-future.html

How long can MLS continue selling itself as the sport of the future?

What formula MLS uses to improve its product is anything but clear.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2017/08/09/new-york-times-visits-nashville-to-track-major.html

New York Times visits Nashville to track Major League Soccer's boom

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http://variety.com/2017/digital/news/facebook-premium-shows-launch-1202521520/

Facebook Unveils Shows From 30-Plus Partners Including Univision, MLB, NBA, Hearst, Time Inc.

— MLS and Univision Deportes’ “MLS en Univision” features live MLS games on Facebook.

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https://www.portada-online.com/2017/08/09/why-more-brands-are-investing-in-mls-jersey-sponsorships/

Why More Brands are Investing in MLS Jersey Sponsorships

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http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/blogs/daugherty-blog/2017/08/09/morning-line-89/104429226/

Doc: Only MLS can slow FC Cincinnati's momentum now

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https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/football-season-is-here-no-the-other-football/

Football Season Is Here! No, The Other Football

Hot Takedown talks that Neymar transfer, the start of the English Premier League season, and Major League Soccer’s expansion.

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http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/facebook-introduces-video-platform-watch-30-shortform-shows-1028289

Facebook Introduces Video Platform and 30-Plus Shows

MLS' ExtraTime Live lets you choose your own soccer adventure. Andrew Wiebe, David Gass and a slew of guests bring you all the interactive action, analysis, and crazy moments from the weekend in Major League Soccer.

MLS and Univision Deportes' MLS en Univision is the home for live MLS games on Facebook.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2017/08/09/fc-cincinnatis-u-s-open-cup-semifinal-match-at.html

FC Cincinnati's U.S. Open Cup semifinal match at Nippert is a sellout

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http://kxan.com/2017/08/09/professional-soccer-to-return-to-austin-in-2019/

Professional soccer returns to Austin in 2019

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http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sns-bc-soc--mls-nashville-wilfs-20170808-story.html

Vikings owners join group trying to bring MLS to Nashville

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http://www.faribaultcountyregister.com/page/content.detail/id/2337475/Vikings-owners-join-group-trying-to-bring-MLS-to-Nashville.html?isap=1&nav=5056

Vikings owners join group trying to bring MLS to Nashville

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https://www.techhive.com/article/3214642/streaming-services/the-7-big-unknowns-with-disney-s-streaming-service-plans.html

The 8 big unknowns with Disney’s streaming service plans

Standalone ESPN and Disney streaming services are a “strategic shift," but the details and implications are murky.

Any chance these services get bundled back up?

Earlier this year, CBS started offering a $2-per-month discount to subscribers of both its CBS All Access and Showtime streaming services. It’s not hard to imagine Disney doing something similar with its two streaming services, and with a Marvel or Star Wars service if those ever come to fruition. And if ESPN is going to sell add-on subscriptions to MLB.TV, NHL.TV, and MLS Live—all of which are available already as standalone options—wouldn’t discounts on those make sense?

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http://www.wcpo.com/news/insider/the-broo-view-for-august-19-2017

The Broo View: FC Cincinnati deserves better than to have to beg Major League Soccer

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https://thevideoink.com/facebook-tests-out-watch-its-new-platform-for-original-content-389bb57ea680

Facebook Tests Out ‘Watch’ its New Platform For Original Content

With the announcement of 25+ shows, the social media giant gears up for its next step in the digital world.

MLS’ “ExtraTime Live” Andrew Wiebe, David Gass and a slew of guests bring you all the interactive action, analysis, and crazy moments from the weekend in Major League Soccer.

MLS and Univision Deportes’ “MLS en Univision” is the home for live MLS games.

(Follow link for full article.)

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2017/08/10/ingram-recuses-himself-from-vanderbilt-s-stadium.html

Ingram recuses himself from Vanderbilt’s stadium planning

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https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2017/08/10/governors-mls-solution-in-nc-why-not-both.html

Governor's MLS solution in North Carolina: 'Why not both?'

Charlotte and Raleigh are two of the 12 cities vying for two Major League Soccer expansion teams to be awarded in December. Gov. Roy Cooper, during a visit to the PGA Championship in Charlotte on Thursday, showed me that a day at the golf course wouldn’t be enough to lull him into a beginner’s blunder.

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http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/digital-and-mobile/7897858/facebook-introduces-video-platform-and-30-plus-shows

Facebook Introduces Video Platform and 30-Plus Shows

MLS' ExtraTime Live lets you choose your own soccer adventure. Andrew Wiebe, David Gass and a slew of guests bring you all the interactive action, analysis, and crazy moments from the weekend in Major League Soccer.

MLS and Univision Deportes' MLS en Univision is the home for live MLS games on Facebook.

(Follow link for full article.)

http://www.twincities.com/2017/08/10/united-stadium-construction-chugging-along-but-loose-ends-remain/

United stadium construction ‘chugging along,’ but loose ends remain

Minnesota United and Mortenson Construction will ramp up work on the Major League Soccer club’s new Allianz Field this fall, while business leases on the site’s northern side remain in place in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood.

A central crane stretches high above the corner of Interstate 94 and Snelling Avenue as most of the existing soil remediation work has concluded and sub-surface has been started on the stadium’s southern end, Loons majority owner Bill McGuire said Thursday. Steel for the 19,400-seat soccer-specific venue is projected to arrive in September and October.

“They are chugging along pretty fast,” McGuire said.

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http://nesn.com/2017/08/philadelphia-union-announce-mls-first-official-chief-tattoo-officer/

Philadelphia Union Announce MLS’ First Official ‘Chief Tattoo Officer’

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/08/10/mlss-boldest-roster-shake-up-could-happen-only-after-d-c-united-stadium-became-reality/

MLS’s boldest roster shake-up could happen only after D.C. United stadium became reality

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http://www.twincities.com/2017/08/11/united-owner-bill-mcguire-fans-want-more-wins-new-stadium-me-too/

United owner Bill McGuire: Fans want ‘more wins, new stadium. Me, too.’

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http://marketrealist.com/2017/08/disney-prepared-cut-cord/

Why Disney Is Prepared to Cut the Cord

After announcing its fiscal 3Q17 results on August 8, Walt Disney (DIS) announced that it would no longer stream its movies on Netflix (NFLX) starting in 2019. The world’s largest entertainment company wants to start a direct-to-consumer streaming service in 2019 that would show its movies exclusively.

The media giant also plans to start a streaming service for ESPN in 2018. The ESPN streaming service would include MLB, NHL, and MLS (Major League Soccer) programming.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/08/11/no-time-like-now-for-san-antonio-to-beef-up-its.html

No time like now for San Antonio to beef up its pitch for franchise

A formal professional sports commission could give the Alamo City more ammunition in talks with leagues and teams

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http://worldsoccertalk.com/2017/08/11/watched-soccer-games-us-tv-august-1-6-2017/

Most-watched soccer games on US TV for August 1-6, 2017

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https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2017/08/12/stubhub-center-added-ea-sports-fifa-18-playable-stadiums

StubHub Center added to EA SPORTS™ FIFA 18 playable stadiums

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http://awfulannouncing.com/ratings/ratings-first-post-star-major-league-soccer-sunday-doubleheader-fs1-doubles-viewership-recent-years.html

Ratings: First Post-All-Star Major League Soccer Sunday Doubleheader on FS1 More Than Doubles Viewership from Recent Years

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https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/soccer/soccer/2017/08/12/peticolas-brews-unique-support-fc-dallas

Peticolas brews up unique support for FC Dallas

Soccer and craft beer is a match made in Heaven for many. Peticolas Brewing Company has been at the forefront of this intermingling of emerging cultures with their popular 2014 American IPA, Thrilla in Brazilla, celebrating the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The brewery, based in Dallas' Design District, have teamed up with Columbus' Land-Grant Brewing Co. to produce the first collaboration celebrating two MLS markets. In particular, one that once carried a rivalry for the Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup while both teams fell under the ownership of the Hunt Sports Group.

"We knew that we weren't the only brewery out there with a passion for soccer," says Land-Grant Co-Founder and President, Adam Benner, "and thought it could be fun to bring rival sides together over well crafted beer."

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https://mlsmultiplex.com/2017/08/13/detroit-city-fc-going-pro/

Detroit City FC Going Pro?

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https://mlsmultiplex.com/2017/08/13/will-major-league-soccer-coming-las-vegas-soon/

Will Major League Soccer be coming to Las Vegas soon?

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http://www.uslsoccer.com/news_article/show/823058

Goals fly in as Saint Louis Wins Seven Goal Thriller

Four goals in 15 minutes eventually ends in Saint Louis win in front of 4,001 fans.

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http://www.lex18.com/story/36126666/united-soccer-league-is-looking-to-possibly-add-lexington-team
   
United Soccer League is Looking to Possibly Add Lexington Team in New Division

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http://www.espnfc.com/real-madrid/story/3176467/david-beckham-to-become-real-madrid-ambassador-florentino-perez

David Beckham to become Real Madrid ambassador - Florentino Perez

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https://www.facebook.com/Beckham/posts/10154627274136571

David Beckham shared Major League Soccer (MLS)'s post.

August 10 at 11:59am ·

Exciting times for MLS!

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https://patch.com/florida/stpete/tampa-bay-rowdies-host-toy-drive

Tampa Bay Rowdies To Host Toy Drive

The USL team is partnering up with 9-year-old Addison Kapustiak and her nonprofit organization, Sending Smiles.

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http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/retail/bill-edwards-hires-outside-firm-to-manage-sundial-st-pete/2333485

Bill Edwards hires outside firm to manage Sundial St. Pete

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http://www.tbreporter.com/business/st-pete-voters-decide-vinoy-parking-garage/

St. Pete Voters to Decide on Vinoy Parking Garage

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http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-st-petersburg-cant-ignore-midtowns-decline/2333456

Editorial: St. Petersburg can't ignore Midtown's decline

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http://www.nashvillepost.com/sports/sports-business/blog/20972060/ingram-wont-influence-vanderbilts-decision-on-possible-stadium-partnership

Ingram won't influence Vanderbilt's decision on possible stadium partnership

Lead owner of MLS bid recuses himself from discussions regarding joint occupancy in off-campus facility

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http://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp-chargers-stubhub-20170810-story.html

How cozy StubHub Center is racing to transform itself into an NFL-worthy home for the Chargers

The European-style roof atop StubHub Center, made of a fabric designed to contain and reverberate crowd noise, was not in the original design plans for the $150-million stadium in Carson.

It was added at the last minute, at a cost of $8 million, by stadium developer and operator AEG on Jurgen Klinsmann’s insistence after the former German soccer star and U.S. national-team coach toured the facility before it opened in 2003.

Who knew that 14 years later the tensioned membrane structure, manufactured by Birdair, Inc., would be one of the keys to transforming the 27,000-seat soccer stadium into an NFL-worthy home for the Chargers, who will host the Seattle Seahawks in their first StubHub exhibition game Sunday night?

“Home-field advantage is so important in the NFL, so we’re very excited to see whether that structural element can add any benefit to the crowd noise,” said A.G. Spanos, president of business operations for the team. “Obviously, it’s a small stadium. It seats 27,000. Our goal is to make it sound like 90,000.”

If the Chargers rebound from a 5-11 season and challenge for a playoff spot, and if their offense is high-powered and entertaining, their temporary home for three seasons could, at times, sound something like an NFL stadium. It will never look or feel like one, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

StubHub’s football seating capacity will be less than half of every other NFL stadium. Not not since 1965, when the Oakland Raiders played their final season in 22,000-seat Frank Youell Field, has an NFL or AFL team played in a facility this small.

“I think it presents a great opportunity for us to give our fans a very unique experience,” Spanos said. “Every seat is going be close to the action by virtue of the size of the venue.”

The elevation of the seats in the last row of StubHub Center is lower than the first row of luxury-suite seats in most NFL stadiums. The Chargers will add three rows of field-level bleachers in at least two corners of the end zone, bringing hundreds of fans who can afford the high-priced seats even closer to the action.

The proximity of virtually every section to the field will provide a level of intimacy few NFL stadiums can match. Most fans will be able to hear quarterback snap counts and audibles. Coaches screaming on the sidelines and bone-crushing collisions on the field will be within earshot.

“Everybody is so close to the field that every visual sense will be heightened,” said Michael Roth, vice president of communications for AEG. “You’ll smell some of the sweat, you’ll touch the players when they come over the sides, you’ll hear them … it’s football for the senses.”

Several players raved about their new home after last Saturday’s joint practice with the Rams, which attracted about 8,000 fans to StubHub. They could only imagine how the place will feel and sound when it’s packed.

“The atmosphere was amazing,” defensive end Melvin Ingram said. “It feels like everybody is so close. … The fans are even more stoked than we are. When you come out here and see them so hyped, I have no choice but to lay it on the line for them.”

The Chargers, in conjunction with stadium and league officials, have worked furiously for months to upgrade and adjust the facility to accommodate the larger crowds expected for football, from adding seats, parking, concession stands and restrooms to a massive expansion of the press box.

The bleachers in the second deck on the east side of the stadium were replaced by tip-up seats and moved to the berm on the north side, adding 1,000 seats. A new section of upper-level bleachers, which will seat 330, was erected in the southeast corner of the stadium.

The 43 luxury suites have been renovated with new seats, furniture, community tables, and engineered hardwood floors instead of dated carpet.

Fans will have use of the restrooms and concession stands at the 8,000-seat tennis stadium next door. A new concession area with food trucks, beer trucks and high-end portable restrooms will be added behind the berm on the north side.

“These are not construction-site portable restrooms,” Roth said. “They’re movie-studio-set ones.”

Katie Pandolfo, the facility’s general manager for 13 years, said most NFL stadiums have a ratio of 120 fans to one concession-stand point of sale.

“We tried to get even lower than that,” Pandolfo said. “We’re at 112 to one.”

Parking lots will open for tailgating four hours before the game, but tailgating will not be allowed on the lots located on Cal State Dominguez Hills property.

Fans wishing to use public transportation can take free Chargers Express shuttles from the Harbor Gateway Transit Center on the Silver Line and the Del Amo station on the Blue Line. Drop-off will be in front of the stadium.

An official pregame tailgate will begin three hours before games on the plaza concourse on the south side of the stadium, which can accommodate up to 8,000 people.

There will be at least 16 food trucks, featuring a variety of Los Angeles-area vendors, several large-screen televisions for the viewing of early games, an outdoor bar, shade areas and stages for pregame radio and television shows.

The Chargers will have full use of the American Express Stadium club, which seats about 250 on the south side, the 14 cabanas, which seat four to six people, outside the club and the Jim Beam Champions Lounge, from where fans can see players coming in and out of the locker rooms.

The press box is undergoing a major facelift. A third row was added to the main box, boosting capacity from about 35 to 53. Floors were constructed on the roof of the luxury suites so an auxiliary press box could be built on both sides of the main box.

In all, the new configuration will accommodate more than 200 media members. Though the auxiliary box will be outdoors, the working area will be protected by the stadium roof.

Two new radio booths were built outside the south side of the press box, and a large new booth on the north side will serve as a security command post for police and NFL officials.

Two booths were added on each side of the press box for the NFL-mandated 20-yard-line television cameras, and a stairway allowing access to the roof of the main box was built to accommodate the 50-yard-line camera.

Two of the eight booths on the first floor of the press box were reconfigured with riser systems to accommodate coaching staffs. The other six booths will house the national television crew, radio crews for both teams, instant-replay officials, game-clock managers and medical spotters.

“We had the network and NFL officials fly in, we brought in a lot of experts to look at all the infrastructure that needed to be put in place so the replay system can work, so the coach-to-quarterback communication can work,” Spanos said. “All those behind-the-scene things needed to be done.”

To accommodate 53-man NFL rosters, four small locker rooms were converted to two larger ones with 60 cubicles in each. Both teams will have access to training rooms and a weight room. There will be small postgame news conference rooms for each team and rooms for game officials and the chain gang.

The Chargers will have the use of the new 52 X 20-foot video board on the south side of the stadium. A ribbon board was added to display detailed game information, out-of-town scores and fantasy league stats.

The Chargers are paying for the bulk of the renovations and upgrades, which Spanos estimated to be in the “tens-of-millions-of-dollars” range.

Eric Smith, former stadium voice of the Dodgers, has been hired as StubHub’s public-address announcer, and Mark Tamar, who spent the past decade with the Seattle Seahawks, has been hired as vice president of fan experience.

Tamar, a UCLA graduate who previously worked for the Lakers and Dodgers, was instrumental in creating the “12th-Man” experience in CenturyLink Field. In addition to spearheading game-day entertainment, he will look to “raise the roof” in StubHub Center.

“Seattle has a similar canopy above its stadium, and it’s as loud as any stadium I’ve been in,” Spanos said. “We hired Mark Tamar with two objectives: to create a great fan experience and to create a great home-field advantage.

“Seahawk fans take a lot of pride in knowing they can impact the outcome of the game. I think the fans underestimate the role they can play. We need to make StubHub a fierce place to play.”

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http://www.tampabay.com/sports/soccer/rowdies-lose-in-st-louis-snapping-five-game-unbeaten-streak/2333655

Rowdies lose in St. Louis, snapping five-game unbeaten streak