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MLS Ticker: Sounders pick Ockford joins Cosmos on loan, TFC season tickets are sold out, and more

JimmyOckfordDraft (ISIPhotos.com)

By IVES GALARCEP

The once-icy relationship between the New York Cosmos and Major League Soccer continues to show signs of improving with another deal between the two parties taking place this week.

The Seattle Sounders signed 2014 second-round pick Jimmy Ockford to a contract and promptly loaned him to the Cosmos, sources confirmed to SBI on Tuesday. Ockford first revealed the arrangement via his Twitter account.

The Big East Defender of the Year in 2013, Ockford was the No. 21 overall pick in the MLS Draft, but wasn’t expected to see much playing time with the Sounders this year.

The Ockford loan comes a month after the Cosmos agreed to loan Jamaican midfielder Andre Lewis to the Vancouver Whitecaps after having signed Lewis to a contract before Vancover drafted him with the No. 7 pick in the MLS Draft.

Here are some other MLS stories to round out the day:

TFC ANNOUNCE SEASON TICKETS HAVE SOLD OUT

It has apparently taken Toronto FC just one star-studded offseason to win back the affection of fans who had endured seven disappointing years.

TFC announced on Tuesday that they have sold out season tickets for the 2014 season. Half-season packages and single-game tickets are still available.

TIMBERS SIGN FOCHIVE, LONG

The Portland Timbers have signed two more rookies from their draft class, inking UConn product George Fochive and UC-Riverside product Aaron Long to contracts.

The signings bring the number of draft picks signed by Portland to four. The Timbers have also signed first-round pick Schillo Tshuma and second-round pick Taylor Peay.

TFC PART WAYS WITH WELSHMAN

Toronto FC placed forward Emery Welshman on waivers on Tuesday, parting ways with the No. 16 pick in the 2013 MLS Draft.

Welshman made just two appearances in all competitions for TFC in 2013.

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What do you think of these developments? Surprised to see MLS making deals with the Cosmos, or see the improved relationship as a sign that we could one day see the Cosmos in MLS? Surprised to see TFC sell out of season tickets?

Share your thoughts below.

 

 

Comments

  1. The Cosmos DON’T want to be in MLS. Their project is to go it alone, using the NASL as a base league which they can win any time they want, the USOC to prove that they are as good as MLS teams, CCL to go international, WCC as the Holy Grail……………

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  2. Great to see fervor for Toronto football on the upswing! I still laugh when I think about seeing all those commemorative (Frisbees?) TFC first home game goal projectiles against FC Dallas? 🙂 It’s been a while! lol

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  3. Not sure how taking a MLS player on loan like every other minor league D2 and D3 soccer team somehow constitutes the Cosmos heading to MLS. Whatever Ives. It just means they are the same as the Carolina RailHawks and Rochester Rhinos.

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      • Improved relations between the two organizations will help both to synergize resources. It will increase our leagues clout over the long run. I would love to see the Cosmos in the MLS if they have the fan base to support a top flight team. How big is the Cosmos fan base anyhow? The name is definitely huge.

      • Yeah, that’ll happen once MLS abandons single entity so Sela Sports doesn’t have to hand over ownership of the Cosmos brand to MLS – which was a major sticking point when they initially had discussions, and isn’t changing anytime soon.

      • “Surprised to MLS making deals with the Cosmos , or see the improved relationship as a sign that we could one day see the Cosmos in MLS?”

        Right above “Share you thoughts below”.

      • MLS teams deal with minor league teams all the time. Doesn’t mean they’re going to join the league and we won’t be seeing Hempstead Cosmos in MLS.

      • Football clubs make deals with other football clubs all tthe time. Cosmos signed Lewis and loaned him with option to buy to Vancouver. Seattle loaned a player to Cosmos. Major/minor has nothing to do with it, teams transfer and loan players all the time to other clubs for a host of reasons.

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