Ajax Orlando

[DLite]

Does Ajax Orlando aspire to have a team in MLS in the near future? I know they intend to have a team in the USL First Division (A-League) at some point in time.

[houston_fc]

No, the club has stated that they do not have intentions to have a MLS club because they do not like the policy in MLS where the league holds players' contracts, not the club.

[ripmstr]

...nor do they have the resources to fund such a project. They spoke of getting an A-League team but even that venture is way out of their reach.

[SoccerPrime]

And the USL First Div/A-League plans are on hold until they figure out their venue.
But there is no plans for MLS, none what so ever.

[furie]

MLS won't be returning to the florida market

[swedcrip34]

MLS won't be returning to the florida market

Yep, never. MLS wrote it into their contracts between investors. If they ever again put a team in Florida again, the league automatically folds. Even 200 years from now. Never, never, again.

Or when contracting the teams MLS/Garber stated that it hoped to return someday (I know they said that about Tampa).

Will MLS be returning soon, probably not. Are any Florida markets current expansion/relcation candidates, no. But all it takes is an owner with a stadium plan. And to call Florida one market is ignorant of the way sports works. Miami has a market for a team. So does Tampa. Other pro sports have put teams in Orlando and Jacksonville. Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miami have almost no overlap.

[SoccerPrime]

MLS won't be returning to the florida market
Great ANOTHER soccer genius. Glad we are so blessed with talent on these boards.

Actually, you are wrong, MLS will be returning next month.
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/12/08/news_pf/Sports/Festival_to_honor_lat.shtml

[furie]

oh don't be so damn touchy.
it's amazing how quickly the Fusion and Mutiny fans have become like the Cosmos fans.
Listen, I lived in Tampa and the first MLS game I ever went to was a Mutiny.
Did I say never? no you did. But I believe that MLS will explore many other markets before returning to florida.
Now, if wealthy investor comes along, offers to build a SSS in a florida market, then sure. but that's not likely to happen.

MLS won't be returning to the florida market

[swedcrip34]

MLS won't be returning to the florida market

that implies never

don't be so definitive if you don't mean it

you can't have it both ways

[furie]

don't be so literal

[SoccerPrime]

Well I guess BS only gets furie's simpler version (love that instant email notification).
Lets just say Florida is at least likely to get a MLS team as Salt Lake City.
Follow the old motto of "if you BUY it, they will come"

[Eliezar]

Yep, never. MLS wrote it into their contracts between investors. If they ever again put a team in Florida again, the league automatically folds. Even 200 years from now. Never, never, again.

Or when contracting the teams MLS/Garber stated that it hoped to return someday (I know they said that about Tampa).

Will MLS be returning soon, probably not. Are any Florida markets current expansion/relcation candidates, no. But all it takes is an owner with a stadium plan. And to call Florida one market is ignorant of the way sports works. Miami has a market for a team. So does Tampa. Other pro sports have put teams in Orlando and Jacksonville. Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miami have almost no overlap.


Actually there is some talk about putting a team in florida...a retirement team for MLS 10th anniversary retirement league. Just might fit the market!

[mls2atl]

i dont know how to post pics but i have a picture of the proposed stadium for ajax orlando, the thing that gets me is on the side there is a bunch of boards and one of them has the mls logo on it.

[SoccerPrime]

That pic was from last year. I talk to Ajax Orlando quite a bit and even spoke to the engineering company that made the design for that stadium. The MLS sign was just "positive thinking" and nothing more.
Ajax Orlando really wants to build a Charleston Battery style stadium in Orlando, but without the local government helping out (land/$$$) its not happening any time soon.
:(

[Saeyddthe]

AjaxOrlando's stated intention from inception was to field an A-League team by '06... That's all.

As far as a future MLS team in Florida goes, the I-4 corridor seems to be the likely point of interest.

[DLite]

No, the club has stated that they do not have intentions to have a MLS club because they do not like the policy in MLS where the league holds players' contracts, not the club.


Is this really a major sticking point with the brass at the club or are there other reasons that would make it seem that they want no part of Major League Soccer?

If I had my choice I would love to have the Ajax name associated with MLS. With all due respect to CD Guadalajara, Ajax is by far a more recognizable brand in the world of soccer and would be nothing but plus to the league to have an affiliate team in its ranks. I think that MLS would be very accomodating in trying to get Ajax into the fold. Just look at everything that the league did to get Chivas to join, from letting them choose the city that they play in to increasing the amount of TI's to allow them to get a large Mexican contingent in ther team to try to stay close to the parent club's tradition.

[SoccerPrime]

Ajax wants nothing to do with MLS because MLS is single-entity. Basically MLS team owners invest in the the league not really in the individual team. Ajax doesn't like that. Probably a even bigger sticking point for Ajax is the way that MLS handles player contracts, since Ajax is so big on their development academy and signing "their" players.

[denver_mugwamp]

With all due respect to CD Guadalajara, Ajax is by far a more recognizable brand in the world of soccer and would be nothing but plus to the league to have an affiliate team in its ranks.

Yeah, there's like, uh, hundreds of Dutch citizens in the US who can't wait to have a MLS team of their own to support.

[SoccerPrime]

Well I've known of Ajax for years, even before the Internet or FSW.
I only heard of Chivas because of them buying into MLS.
Although I am sure there are many that would disagree, I think overall more Soccer fans have heard of Ajax over anybody but ManU, Roma or Liverpool.
Oh and I am not Dutch... :)

[GIO17]

The only way Florida is going to get an MLS club is a wealthy owner and stadium plans. If the Mutiny were to return in Tampa Bay, there is enough room after Raymond James Stadium on Dale Marby Drive as well as next to the Yankees complex.

Either the Steinbrenners (I didn't say George), or if the Glazers would just stop messing around with the Man United situation and concentrate here in the states, but I know, I shouldn't tell Malcolm how to speend his money, but if he is interested in running his own pro soccer business, get out of England and help bring back the T.B. Mutiny.

Orlando? Outside of Ajax Orlando who wants to be in A-League it's either Universal, Disney ( And they do have room to build a soccer specific stadium at the Wild World of Sports Complex) or the DeVos family that owns the Magic & the Orlando Sentinal & other Florida major newspapers.

Miami? Wayne Heizenga who owns the Dolphins (Does he still own the NHL Florida Panthers?). Loria who owns the Marlins & possibly re-furbish Lockhart Stadium or leave it as is.

Well those are what I believe are potential areas, now lets see what happenes. If something does happen, I will be happy for Florida, if not then I guess it won't happen.