Steve Clamp, Director, PDL Operations / USL Registrar: "No new information on Tampa, but some interesting stuff in South Florida. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens."
Rich guy= probably be either Ian Bishop or Eddie Rodgers. I hope that one of those two guys along with Ray Hudson are bringing some kind of pro soccer to South Florida. As for Tampa or Bradenton, Bradenton already has the IMG Academy's PDL team. They are very good. If you are not watching them yet, you should.
He used to be a country singer.....oops thats Roy. Eddie Rodgers is a South Florida Sports Promoter. He is the one that brought all the international friendlies and U-20 matches to Lockhart. He said in the Sun Sentinel a few months back that he is determined to bring a A-League team to Lockhart in 2005.
Well I doubt Orlando will have a A-League anytime soon. I think South Florida has a better chance. They would be fairly close to Puerto Rico and Atlanta would be about 9 hours by bus (read that as:take a plane).
Eddie was also the GM for the Strikers towards the end of their APSL incarnation. I don't believe he was involved witht the Fusion. Does Ken Horowitz still own the lease to Lockhart? If so, does that mean he'd be involved with a Fort Lauderdale A-League entry?
Horowitz no longer has any claim on soccer in South Florida or on Lockhart. He is not involved in any way with Rodgers' project.
Move Edmonton? Alternately, The Blitzz are looking to move up to the A-League, maybe they could do it in Ft. Lauderdale instead of SLC (which strikes me as crazy, and maybe a bluff, but who knows why)? I'd love to see a team in Ft.Pierce before I move to Port St. Lucie, but I don't have the spare change to put one there myself.