MLS Miami - Marcelo Claure interview, he wants in!

Vamos afusionados !!!!

I've heard interesting things on the grapevine as well, but no names mentioned. I'm just hoping that the threads of this story merge happily for everyone and this isn't something ominous on the horizon.

AGE:

Median Age in Miami, FL
The median age of people living in Miami, FL was 37.7 at the time of the last full census survey. (The United States average at the time was 35.3)

At that time, the number of people under the age of 5 living in Miami was 21,222. There were 283,673 people above the age of 18, which represents 78.3 percent of the entire population (compared to the national average of 74.30% ). 17 percent of the population (61,768) in the community was 65 years and over, compared to 12.40% nationally.

POVERTY:

Per Capita Income in Miami, Florida
Per capita income in Miami in the last full census was 15,128. Per capita income in the U.S. was 21,587.

Families below poverty level
According to the most recent survey,families living below the poverty line in Miami numbered 19,779, or 23.5 percent of the population. The percentage of families in America living below the poverty line was 9.20%.

EDUCATION:

High School Graduate or higher
At the time of the last survey, 133,069 people in the community had a high school degree, or 52.7% of the population (compared to the national average of 80.40%). This survey did not factor in GED's or the fact that the most of the immigrant community was educated abroad and hold degrees from their native countries.

Bachelor's Degree or Higher in Miami, Florida
41,004 people in Miami also had a Bachelor’s degree or higher, which represented 16.2 of the total population (National average was 24.40%).

Note: The Miami City limits is much smaller in area and population than Miami-Dade County and the numbers for Miami-Dade is not reflected here. The average median age in the entire state of Florida is 37.9 with many of this median age group living in Central Florida (Orlando/Tampa/Saint Pete) and Southeast Florida (West Palm Beach/Fort Lauderdale/Miami). The larger population of the elderly communities of the state of Florida are found on the Southwest Coast (Napels/Fort Meyer/Sarasota) and the Florida Northwest Coast (Panama City/Pensacola) and smaller pockets through out the entire state.

If they could just get a good ownership in place, I don't see why Miami can't work.

While Miami is often the butt of jokes in term of Sports fandom, I don't see them being very different from any other city on average.

When their teams well, they show up (Marlins aside), when they don't, they stay away.

I keep hearing rumblings about Miami being one of the top TV markets for MLS. http://miamiherald.typepad.com/total_futbol/2012/09/miamis-watching-mls.html

Provided the team makes a strong outreach to the community and provides a good squad, I see no reason why it couldn't work in SoFla.

Frankly I think the most likely move is the Strikers moving on up ala Impact and Timbers and such. And I believe it's going to be a bit more of a, if they build it they will come type situation. As the only way to ensure large attendance is having a franchise in the highest level.

Let's get the easy stuff out of the way first...Miami is a big, resounding no. We've been over this 100 times. 70,000 people showing up to watch Barcelona does not in any way give you an accurate forecast of how many Dade Countians will show up for American professional club soccer. It just doesn't. History shows us. I know, there's always one of those MLS Miami guys around, who occasionally has the guts to post on a forum where they don't have the ability to just block anyone who doesn't agree with their fantasies about soccer in Miami, and he'll come and say, but look at that one time in the Orange Bowl when we drew a nice crowd! Save it anyone thinking about posting it, one game means exactly squat. For a dozen or more reasons it won't work in Miami.

You are right on with your second thought. The only chance all of South Florida has at MLS is the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers. Actually, we could jump to #21 on the list in an instant. (No one is getting in ahead of NY2.) Past Orlando, past Minnesota, past anyone else. It's easy. Want to know how? Average 7,000 - 10,000 at Lockhart. Everything else would fall into place so fast it would make your head spin. And make no mistake. The Ft. Lauderdale Strikers are the only chance South Florida has of having a large enough consistent, supporting fanbase to make it in MLS. Broward and Palm Beach counties could support this team alone if it came to that. But if a handful of fools in Dade would stop being snobs and actually turn their efforts to supporting the Strikers, it could help make a difference. All three counties with supporters united behind the Strikers would make us a market MLS would come back to in a flash. Just gotta get people to come out. Of course, that's the tricky part isn't it....LOL

While it would be an absolute dream of mine as an MLS / US Soccer supporter to welcome the Fort Lauderdale STRIKERS and their rich history, MLS really wants the name Miami included in this South Florida franchise. No different than when they wanted Los Angeles, New York, Chicago etc. We get it, Big Global Markets.

Would you folks mind if say the Fort Lauderdale STRIKERS not necessarily rebrand but simply change the name Fort Lauderdale to Miami. That is to say, "Miami STRIKERS", with the same traditional Striker colors. Red, Yellow, Charcoal Grey and/or Black.

Built a Beautiful State of the Art Soccer Specific Stadium, 20,000 capacity will do for now. Either in North Miami, Miami Gardens or wherever you folks deem appropiate / necessary.

To make piece and create a friendship with those in Dade I propose a third kit with their traditional colors. Blue, Light Blue, and Orange.

If you are curious about what all this might look like, let me know. I'll be happy to put together something for you all.

[quote="raymondleone, post: 26884280, member: 176692"
Would you folks mind if say the Fort Lauderdale Strikers not necessarily rebrand but simply change the name Fort Lauderdale to Miami. That is to say, "Miami Strikers", with the same traditional Striker colors. Red, Yellow, Charcoal Grey and/or Black.[/quote]

Absolutely, 1000% NOT OKAY.

"Fort Lauderdale" is as big a part of the brand, if not a bigger part, as "Strikers" is.

The newbie soccer fan in me, caught up in the excitement of an MLS bid just as I was getting into the sport, once upon a time proposed just such an idea right here on these forums, with jerseys and a logo idea and everything. But as I've spent more time supporting the game here, learning the history, I've come to the understanding, as most tend to do, that Fort Lauderdale is the place to be and the Strikers are it when it comes to pro soccer in South Florida.

Changing the name to "Miami" would be a massive slap in the face of Broward and to a lesser extent Palm Beach fans, who in large part are the people who've historically come to games. It would be saying "You're not good enough". Just like in 1998 when MLS let Horowitz place his "Miami" Fusion in Fort Lauderdale, 30 miles away in a town with it's own successful soccer tradition. And remember these Strikers are a team that moved away from Miami and rebranded because the support was awful as Miami FC.

They don't need big, global markets. They need markets where the team will be successful LOCALLY. This is something nobody wants to admit, but this is the reality: South Florida is not one market. It's two that happen to be right next to each other. From a TV market and census standpoint it's one, but it's really the two vastly different markets that are the heavily Latin Miami-Dade, and the more northeastern transplant/Caribbean skewed Broward and Palm Beach. If you go Miami you're gonna lose Broward and Palm Beach. Broward and you won't get Miami fans. But historically even in Miami soccer teams don't draw Miami fans.

Dade county has 2.5 million people. Broward+Palm Beach have 3 million people together. Broward alone is 1.75 million, which is on par or bigger than the metro areas of 5 current MLS cities(Columbus, Kansas City, Portland, San Jose and Salt Lake City), 3 of the best MLS markets included. If MLS wants the Strikers, they can stay in Fort Lauderdale, there are more than enough people to support the team. The people in Dade who REALLY do want to support local soccer will make the drive.

If MLS wants to give Miami an 8th try at pro soccer(NOT counting the Fusion) within it's county lines, that's their blunder. They'll end up playing at FIU Stadium or Sun Life, which will be "temporary" homes with no long term solution because Dade County/Miami won't be putting out any money for any stadiums any time soon(Marlins). They can be the Fusion or Inter Miami or whatever if they want, but leave the Strikers alone.

If MLS is too good for the FORT LAUDERDALE Strikers, then who needs 'em. I certainly won't mind a road trip only 45 minutes away. If NPSL side Miami United lasts long enough to play the Strikers someday, it'll be fun.

And for the record I think it would be just as ridiculously stupid to move the Miami Heat or Dolphins to Broward and change their name, I say that as a Heat/Dolphins fan who has never lived in Miami-Dade County.

Just as it was ridiculously stupid and unnecessary for the Marlins rebrand and change their name. I was ready to tack the extra 20-30 minutes onto the drive and go to Little Havana and park in some guys lawn to see games. But they disrespected the history and a large chunk of their fanbase, and I have not set foot in that ballpark, nor will I, until the owner is gone and the proper team colors and name are restored.

I agree with everything you are saying but it will be a tougher sell to bring the Strikers brand into MLS (1st Division) without a major city on it's back. The only way I can see it happening on it's own merit is if you the fans start packing your stadium and it ain't happening at the moment.

It would be awesome to see top flight world class talent putting on the Striker jersey, but without ambition the brand will be stuck in the 2nd division indefinitely.

Sometimes you gotta put personal feelings aside for the betterment of the franchise. It would be a shame for the brand not to grow based on stubbornness. We all have to blend in sometimes. Only with cool heads can one think clearly and evolve in a prosperous manner.


Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Don't compare Top Flight Teams who play in Top Flight Leagues and have a Huge, Huge fanbase worldwide to (with all do respect) a 2nd division soccer club who barely move the needle. This is exactly my point about moving the Strikers up to the 1st Division, they should be Top Flight and become relevant not just to South Florida but to the whole country.

Just like I said in the 1st line of post #107, I would want nothing more than for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers to play in MLS. Whatever it takes, just make it happen.

Thank You in advance

In regards to the Marlins rebrand, I'm not a baseball fan so I can't grief with you there.

DR gave you all the facts my friend. He told it from the perspective of someone immersed in the soccer culture of South Florida. He might not have been around to experience the incredible days of the original Strikers like myself and some others, but him and a lot of his fellow supporters have totally grabbed onto that tradition and are proudly carrying it forward today. Makes an old time Striker Liker such as myself proud to see.

But let's put that aside for a moment. Even if we were to completely disregard the entire history and tradition aspect of this debate - let's look at it more simplisticly. First, your contention that MLS will only accept the name "Miami" on a team in South Florida. Can you provide a source for this? Can you provide any evidence of it at all? I can't say I have direct evidence the opposite is true either, but let's look at the only comparable facts we do have. The league seems perfectly content with Columbus and Salt Lake City as names on their roster. Portland seems fine. San Jose too. One could also say Vancouver and Montreal, while certainly large markets in Canada, aren't really that well known in the US. So, I'd say, your statement about MLS not willing to accept Ft. Lauderdale as a name on its team roster has no direct evidence for or against, certainly seems to have much more circumstantial evidence to support the idea that they couldn't care less.

MLS has made it clear what it cares about today in regards to any further expansion (beyond NY2 of course). If, and I think it this point it's likely but not a foregone conclusion, if they expand beyond 20 teams, the things that matter are a deep-pocketed ownership group, an SSS, or an approved plan already in motion to build one, and evidence of a fanbase that will support the American game. At this moment, Miami has none of the three. Could there possibly be a group that could come together and have sufficient $$$ for the league to accept as an ownership group? Of course. Lots of markets can say that currently, and a number of other markets actually have publicly stated groups already. Miami does not, no matter how many times a couple of people want to re-tweet some story by a British rag paper. An SSS? Nope. Prospects of an SSS with a single penny of tax payer money? Zip, zero, zilch, hell freezing over...you get the idea. And fan support? Never. No incarnation of any pro team in Miami has ever had fan support.

People who don't live here, who don't know are always saying, geez, look at the demographics and ethnicity make-up of Miami, how can pro soccer not work there? But they don't get it. The soccer fan in Dade loves to watch pro soccer from their home country, other "soccer power" nations and regions, but they have repeatedly shown they care very little for America's version of soccer. 70,000 for Barca is great, but it shows nothing about what kind of support an American club team would have. And don't say, well, we'll just sign Messi, Ronaldo, Forlan, and whoever else, and then those people will come. You can't. Those guys wouldn't do it, or even if you could entice them with enough money at the end of their careers, MLS rules don't allow "super" teams. And even if you got around all that, the second the team wasn't winning every game and league titles every year, the fans would disappear anyway.

There's only one way MLS can possibly work here long term, and that's north of the 305, and with the name Ft. Lauderdale Strikers. It's not happening any other way. So anyway that wants MLS, better get out and start supporting what we have, just as Garber said to. It's the only way.

Fort Lauderdale is a major city. It just happens to have another major city right next to it. Baltimore and Washington D.C. are roughly the same distance from each other as Miami and Fort Lauderdale are. I wouldn't expect a lot of support from DC should their team move and become "Baltimore United". Fans would be pissed off and rightly so.

Hell FC Dallas plays 30 miles away from Dallas proper, but since it's a tiny outlying suburb they can get away with calling the team Dallas, since the people that live their surely identify themselves with the big city. By in large people who live in and around Fort Lauderdale do not claim to be from Miami. South Florida is a different animal. MLS has to be very careful with their choices should they ever come back.

Garber likes to say "Miami" when talking expansion, but he's more than likely using it as an inaccurate generalization for the who South Florida metro area.



They can be in Fort Lauderdale, still get the overall TV market, but have much less risk when it comes to fan support. A glitzy name will only get you so far, you need substance as well. Fort Lauderdale has a better history of support that Miami simply does not have. And you'll lose those fans if you go into Dade.

And for the record the Strikers, since being reborn in 2011, are averaging more fans per game at 3,693 then the Seattle Sounders did in their tenure in D2. It's only been two years for the Strikers but that's still impressive. In fact both years the Stikers have averaged more than Seattle did in 2008, when the Sounders had already been awarded an MLS franchise. Pretty respectable numbers.

It needs to be better, yes, but it's been a pretty good start so far.

I don't disagree with either of you. We can have this conversation all day & night with all it's intricacies, but frankly I'd prefer to talk it over dinner at Buca di Beppo. Unfortunately because of logistics, that ain't happening any time soon.

At the end we are left with this predicament. How do we get the Fort Lauderdale Strikers into the 1st Division?

I personally would hate to see an MLS team in South Florida that is not the Strikers brand.

Here's hoping a Billionaire comes along and sweeps us off our feet.

In the meantime, I will dream with a goal in mind, envisioning the Striker Jersey with MLS badge on the right arm, US Flag on the left. Oh Yes! It's got potential. I'm glad patience is a virtue.

A goal is a dream with a deadline. - Napoleon Hill

In a word - No.

Rumors? LOL By a few crackpots in Miami who continue to ignore the fact that American pro soccer has never worked there? And NOTHING has changed to make you think, gee, yeah, now it will! The Herald has a story today on these rumors, one that takes a more realistic approach to them. Anyone giggling with excitement over delusions of Becks to South Beach should go read it. LOL