News: One year after meeting with the Miami Ultras. South Florida has answered Don Garber.

They just like to sing in Spanish that is why they have their own section.

They are still under the umbrella of the chi-supporters.

I don't usually give a shit about other teams supporters sections, so I would not know.

I was just talking about our organization here in Chicago.

You don't have to give a shit about the Galaxy's supporter groups to know they have two main ones on either end of the stadium. Pretty much everyone knows that, I thought anyways.

All I'm saying is your example of a couple of dozen people sitting in different part of the stadium than the core of Section 8 isn't what we were talking about. Talking about multiple, major SGs in different sections singing different songs and doing their own thing.

It sucks. Some people seem to think its great, in theory at least (I guess).

Maybe something is brewing down in S. Florida after all? Alot of rumblings at the moment. Spill the beans, I know some of you are aware of things you might not be able to talk about

This would be so great! Especially if Beckham took the Miami team, and orlando gets a team.

yeah it'd be totally awesome to break up the Strikers vs Rowdies rivalry, throw tradition and history in the dumpster, and bring up Orlando instead!

Just thinking about it makes me feel a little ill

They didn't wait for the Whitecaps and Timbers to bring up the Sounders.

Besides, there's no investor who wants to bring up the Rowdies.

My advice would be to contact the head of the Ultras, I'm sure you know him. I'm just a Strikers Liker, not even in the Ultras, and he happily told me everything he knew about, which is much more than I've seen around these boards. And most of it sounds far more credible than that Beckham story. LOL

If it is Becjham, he probably would start a new team in Miami and it would not be the Strikers.

Say the "Miami United of Beckham FC"

I'm not sure he's the one that would necessarily push that, but if he were part of a group, he might go along with it. The problem is that American club soccer has never and will never work in Miami. Period. End of story. It won't take him much time at all to go over the history of it in this area, and also learn about the prevailing misconception of what the soccer loving people in Miami are looking for. They're not wanting to support a local American team playing in MLS. They could care less for the most part. Bring Barca in for a friendly and they'll come in droves. Bring Mexican or South American national teams or clubs and they'll do a good job of filling up Sun Life again. But they're not going to consistently support MLS, a product most of them consider inferior to what they normally follow quite easily from their living room tv's and the internet.

Personally I think Beckham is smart enough not to risk his MLS discount price tag on South Florida. That hurts considering I've loved my Strikers since I was a kid in the 70's, and was overjoyed to become a season ticket holder last year for their return. I honestly believe the Strikers could definitely make it as an MLS franchise today given the proper circumstances and backing. I just think Beckham is an astute enough footballer to know he stands to do much much better for himself with the discount ownership ticket somewhere else. And I know he's got clauses to worry about and such, but does anyone truly believe that in the end he's not going to get to do exactly what he wants to, especially if AEG is in his corner? Not saying it's impossible for him and Claure to team up, even with some of the other interested parties down here. But I see many different possibilities for him that would be far more profitable long term.

I will do that. Because what I'm hearing also isn't anywhere on these boards or anywhere else that I've seen yet and the sources are very credible.

Interesting.

lol from what you are saying, Beckham would be better off bringing MLS to Tampa than to Miami

I agree! hehehe

And how much more awesome is it that those teams HAVE now joined MLS?

Alas, this is correct as far as we know. lame.

Well if you have credible, sourced information that you are able to divulge, post it! Nobody's stopping you.

yeah, no.

When meeting today in Orlando with Orlando City supporters, Garber was asked about other southern markets being taken into consideration for future expansion, Garber specifically mentioned 'South Florida' numerous times. He also mentioned time and time again the importance of regional rivalries...

Wrong. He mentioned MIAMI.

yes miami (like)

Outside of our area, most people think South Florida = Miami. It's just easier for him to say. Meanwhile, when speaking directly to fans in South Florida, Garber said the way, not a way, or one option, the way to get MLS interested in this market again is to support what you have now, namely, the Strikers. Why do you Miami or nothing "snobs" always ignore the facts? The city of Miami has never supported an American pro club team. Check the history of facts. Even teams named Miami who tried to play in Ft. Lauderdale haven't fared well, even though they did a hell of a lot better than actually being in Miami.

Filling up Sun Life for Barca or national teams from hispanic countries means zero in terms of MLS. Garber will be far more interested and impressed with an average of 10,000 at Lockhart for the Strikers playing D2 American pro club soccer in the NASL then he is for 70,000 for Barcelona or 51,000 for Mexico/Colombia. Just stop with the Miami garbage already, it isn't ever happening down there, ever. If you're unwilling to support the Strikers by turning up your nose at anything not called Miami, then you don't really want MLS in this market. It's that simple. Because the only way MLS is going to happen in this market is like this - a large enough fanbase develops for the Strikers that someone decides it's worth it to buy the team from Traffic and bid for MLS. That's not a long shot scenario. It could happen very soon. But because of the stygma this market has (due solely to the name Miami by the way) we need to, unfairly or not, show a US pro team will be supported here first. No one's goign out on a limb otherwise.

I thought Garber already said, Tampa doesn't have a chance to go to MLS? I mean he went to Orlando to go see the Lions, if they get a team, Tampa is out the question, why would you make a team right next to another team 45 minutes away doesn't make sense. Look im all for the strikers dont get me wrong, but I would prefer a team in Miami any day over Ft. Laudy.

Look at the crest, the team only reps ft. lauderdale. Don't get the Miami fans mixed up I know which fans you are talking about, the fickle ones, there are another breed of miami fans out there as well, the ones that rep the city of miami. Miami does not = South Florida, they are part of South Florida, but MIAMI does not = South Florida.

Miami snob? I'm far from that. I wouldn't care if a team was placed in Ft. Lauderdale or Miami, as long as one were to come.

And I have attended Strikers games in the past and enjoyed it.

Wrong again. It means a lot. It means a fan base out here does exist, albeit a fickle one that has to be marketed correctly and needs to share an identity with the team.

With this I agree. I don't ever see Strikers drawing 10K, though.

Again, agreed. You're bunching me into the wrong category.

No, he said they were "gun shy" about Tampa because they had "a failure" there in the past.

Ok, you guys say you're not part of that 305 group that refuses to have anything to do with the Strikers because it's not Miami, then I'll take your words for it. That stuff drives me crazy. I do disagree with you on the big crowds for international games being meaningful though. Sure it says there are soccer fans in Miami. But that's not the point. What it doesn't tell you is if those same fans will support an American club soccer team. History says the answer is no. 90% of those people didn't come just because they like soccer. They came only because of who was playing, ie. Barca, Mexican and Colombian national teams.

Look, I'm happy to support the Strikers forever in D2 if the league remains stable. But I'm also happy to keep renewing my season seats every year for MLS prices as well! Someday a bid for MLS might be the only way the club, and by proxy pro soccer, survives in South Florida. We need everyone from all three counties to show up at Lockhart this year en masse. Orlando is pulling ahead in the "show me" column when it comes to MLS aspirations. We need to come close to matching them, because in the end, we have the real money maker here that they don't - a top 10 tv market.

I understand what you're saying, but big crowds tells Garber that fans will turn up if a team is done correctly (although it would have to be pinpoint perfect).

Orlando is "pulling ahead"? Orlando IS ahead and are looking a good bet to be in MLS one day. All that is really stopping them is an SSS.

The only way SoFla matches them is if some owner steps up and starts making moves, and NOW. Not in 2-3 years, not in a decade, now.

PT, the problem is every time a club team makes its home in Miami, or even identifies as Miami while playing in Fort Lauderdale, they are utterly outclassed.

The Miami Gatos did terrible in the original NASL. The first year they were around, the Strikers tripled their attendance from the previous year.

The Miami Sharks were relatively terrible in the ASL in the late 1980s. Their attendance paled in comparison to Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Bay, and even Orlando.

For example, 1988 home attendance averages:

Orlando Lions 2,736 (1 home date missing; not as bad as I thought)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 5,794 (oddly, 8 home dates, 12 road dates; 4,459 without a 15k showing on May 14)
Tampa Bay Rowdies 5,864 (1 home date missing; 4,316 without an 18k showing on July 4)
Miami Sharks 1,406

And 1989 home attendance averages:

Orlando Lions 2,761
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 3,983 (1 home date missing)
Tampa Bay Rowdies 5,801 (4,311 without a 19k showing on July 4)
Miami Sharks 836 (1 home date missing)

Between the other three teams, there was a single game below 1,000 those two years (Orlando drew 705 hosting Miami on 8/5/88). In 1988, Miami had six below 1,000 and one below 500, but their averaged was buoyed by two Strikers road games that drew over 3k. In 1989, Miami had six below 1,000 (not including the game not in their records), four below 500, and two below 250. By then, not even Strikers fans were bothering to come (their games drew 800 and 400 in 1989).

The Miami Fusion's record speaks for itself. By the time they showed improvement in 2001, it was too late to save their broke owner. That's why they were folded after their best season ever, and the league-owned Mutiny were scapegoated along with them. Their folly was not following the Earthquakes' suit in taking back their NASL name. I think it would've gone over far better in Fort Lauderdale.

We won't even begin with Miami FC. It's probably even worse if rumors I've heard of Traffic not promoting Miami FC on purpose are true.

Then there's the Barcelona bid of 2008, which failed because they couldn't get near enough season ticket deposits to justify MLS's attention.

In other words, attendance figures for international games and foreign clubs mean precisely dick, while Miami's history with their own speaks for itself. The moral of that story: stick to Fort Lauderdale.