Florida franchises gone as MLS drops to 10 teams
[Associated Press]
MIAMI -- Major League Soccer, looking to reduce rising financial losses, folded both Florida franchises Tuesday: the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny.
Of the 10 teams remaining in the league, which started in 1996, Anschutz Entertainment Group operates five: Chicago, Colorado, D.C. United, Los Angeles and New York/New Jersey. Lamar Hunt operates two other teams, Columbus and Kansas City.
MLS cited poor support for the Fusion and the lack of an owner for the Mutiny as reasons for dropping the franchises. The Mutiny have been operated by the league since their inception in 1996.
A dispersal draft will be held this month to assign Tampa and Miami players to other teams.
"The decision to leave both cities for the 2002 MLS season was extremely difficult," commissioner Don Garber said. "I can assure all of our fans that we worked tirelessly to find a plan that would have allowed us to remain in both markets. We simply could not find a solution that was economically feasible at this time, and we hope to return to the state of Florida when the league expands in future years."
The announcement, expected for several weeks, followed an unanimous vote Friday by the MLS board of governors. The league has spent more than $250 million and has yet to turn an annual profit.
"Our investors have made a number of strategic decisions that will better position MLS in the short and long term," Garber said.
"I know many out there think this is the end of Major League Soccer, and that couldn't be further from the truth. It's something we feel is a new, strong beginning. We'll be a much stronger, more viable league in the future."
MLS also announced that Anschutz, which took over operations of DC United last February, exercised its option to become investor-operator.
Negotiations continue regarding acquisition of operating rights of the Dallas Burn and San Jose Earthquakes, with the league hoping to conclude both deals before the season. The league would then achieve its goal of having an investor-operator for every team.
The Mutiny's fate apparently was sealed when the Glazer family, which owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, turned down a proposal to take over the team.
"I'm not shocked," Mutiny general manager Bill Manning said. "The one thing I remember from my first interview was that this club needed an investor to succeed. We were hoping talks with the Glazers would come to fruition, and they did not."
The lack of a soccer-only stadium in Tampa also was a problem, Garber said.
The Fusion joined the league as an expansion team in 1998. Last year they had the league's best record and reached the semifinals, but they also had the lowest revenue, including corporate support, Garber said.
Attendance improved nearly 50 percent to 11,177 per game in 2001, but that was still below the league average of 14,961.
"South Florida is a very difficult sports market," Fusion owner Ken Horowitz said. "Even the established teams -- the Marlins, the Heat, the Panthers -- are suffering. The fan base is very diverse. Many people simply don't have local ties to the area and have trouble identifying with the local sports team."
Horowitz, a West Palm Beach cellular phone magnate who paid $20 million for the Fusion, will remain a league investor. MLS announced last month that investors are committed to funding and operating the league through 2006.
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Sad day for the sport in the US, the beginning of the end perhaps?
[Associated Press]
MIAMI -- Major League Soccer, looking to reduce rising financial losses, folded both Florida franchises Tuesday: the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny.
Of the 10 teams remaining in the league, which started in 1996, Anschutz Entertainment Group operates five: Chicago, Colorado, D.C. United, Los Angeles and New York/New Jersey. Lamar Hunt operates two other teams, Columbus and Kansas City.
MLS cited poor support for the Fusion and the lack of an owner for the Mutiny as reasons for dropping the franchises. The Mutiny have been operated by the league since their inception in 1996.
A dispersal draft will be held this month to assign Tampa and Miami players to other teams.
"The decision to leave both cities for the 2002 MLS season was extremely difficult," commissioner Don Garber said. "I can assure all of our fans that we worked tirelessly to find a plan that would have allowed us to remain in both markets. We simply could not find a solution that was economically feasible at this time, and we hope to return to the state of Florida when the league expands in future years."
The announcement, expected for several weeks, followed an unanimous vote Friday by the MLS board of governors. The league has spent more than $250 million and has yet to turn an annual profit.
"Our investors have made a number of strategic decisions that will better position MLS in the short and long term," Garber said.
"I know many out there think this is the end of Major League Soccer, and that couldn't be further from the truth. It's something we feel is a new, strong beginning. We'll be a much stronger, more viable league in the future."
MLS also announced that Anschutz, which took over operations of DC United last February, exercised its option to become investor-operator.
Negotiations continue regarding acquisition of operating rights of the Dallas Burn and San Jose Earthquakes, with the league hoping to conclude both deals before the season. The league would then achieve its goal of having an investor-operator for every team.
The Mutiny's fate apparently was sealed when the Glazer family, which owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, turned down a proposal to take over the team.
"I'm not shocked," Mutiny general manager Bill Manning said. "The one thing I remember from my first interview was that this club needed an investor to succeed. We were hoping talks with the Glazers would come to fruition, and they did not."
The lack of a soccer-only stadium in Tampa also was a problem, Garber said.
The Fusion joined the league as an expansion team in 1998. Last year they had the league's best record and reached the semifinals, but they also had the lowest revenue, including corporate support, Garber said.
Attendance improved nearly 50 percent to 11,177 per game in 2001, but that was still below the league average of 14,961.
"South Florida is a very difficult sports market," Fusion owner Ken Horowitz said. "Even the established teams -- the Marlins, the Heat, the Panthers -- are suffering. The fan base is very diverse. Many people simply don't have local ties to the area and have trouble identifying with the local sports team."
Horowitz, a West Palm Beach cellular phone magnate who paid $20 million for the Fusion, will remain a league investor. MLS announced last month that investors are committed to funding and operating the league through 2006.
-----
Sad day for the sport in the US, the beginning of the end perhaps?