I hope Tampa gets MLS again!

[Paul. A]

Well I'm moving back to Daytona Beach, after only 10 month living here. Hope Mutiny fans get another team. If you do I will drive over to the games and maybe eventually move back. Hope things change for the better, and there will be still MLS fans left around here! I had a great time going to Mutiny games the good and bad ones - this city deserves more than just the bucs.

[G Enriquez]

I can't agree more with you Paul. I miss having a team to support. Good luck with your move to Daytona.

[Paul. A]

Thanks!

[mutinywxgirl]

Paul,

I think we all agree with you that we miss having a team to support! That's actually one of the reasons I'm moving to NYC in 5 weeks. I can't wait to get back to soccer.

Good luck in your move.

[DigitalTron]

I loved the Mutiny, and miss them! I sure hope Tampa Bay gets a club. Actually, not just "a" club, I want to resurrect the Mutiny. At least keep the shield and colors.

Get George Steinbrenner to build Legends field in Tampa and bring his son in as the Tampa I/O and it's a done deal.

-Tron

[Paul. A]

Sounds good! I hope it happens one day!

[BigJohn]

E-mail I received.

Official: MLS to add 2 teams within year

Posted: Wednesday October 09, 2002 6:51 PM




LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Tim Leiweke, whose Anschutz Entertainment Group owns six Major League Soccer teams, dropped a bombshell Wednesday when he revealed that MLS will expand by two teams within the next year.

Speaking at a soccer symposium, Leiweke said, "Within the next 365 days, the league will announce that it will be adding two more teams. Then, we will add two more down the road."

Leiweke added that AEG will not own any of the new teams.

"Our purpose is not to be the majority owner of Major League Soccer," he said. "Someday we will have 20 teams with 20 different owners. We are committed to Major League Soccer, but we don't want to dominate Major League Soccer.

"In about 20 years, I predict that professional soccer will be the second most popular sport in this country," he said. "It's going to happen."

MLS commissioner Don Garber said earlier this year that he hoped to supervise expansion by 2003.

"We need more teams," said Garber, adding that it was a key goal to get new stadiums in Dallas and New York. "We need to be a 16- to 20-team league."

[TonyFlash]

I might be wrong, but didn't MLS just cut two teams this season? How will the reasons for doing this change in 365 days? Makes sense to me if you consider the source.

Tony Flash

[Stuart]

They said they would *announce* within a year that they would expand. For all we know, when they make the announcement, they will say in "2006"

In any case, Florida has no chance, so don't get your hopes up. In Miami's case, that tw@t Horrorspit still has a stranglehold on our option, which presumably means he'll be looking for a "pay off" before he grants someone else the franchise. I can't see any investor putting up that in addition to all the other costs.

[DigitalTron]

My understanding was that Horowitz's option only included the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale market, not all of Florida. Any confirmation one way or the other?

Also, MLS definitely will return to Florida eventually, the question is when. Until there is a stadium solution I doubt there will be an investor. But, with the central Florida expanding so quickly, it's chances are only going to get better and better.

Just before MLS Cup 2002 Garber did a chat with ESPN and said that there was consideration of possibly doing a Soccer Channel for cable/satellite. I'm sure that this channel would do well in central Florida, and that also might jump-start interest. Again, nothing in the short-term, but many things point to a return at some point.

-Tron

[Stuart]

I don't imagine that Horrorman would have any say except in Miami.

I understand your hope--I have it too!--but why do you think that Florida will ever get a team again? Garbageman says that there will be 20 teams in total, yet most people's lists of 10 other city's almost never includes any Florida teams. I could see us getting an A-League team at some point, though.