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Report: Armada sell Richie Ryan to Miami FC for record fee

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Alessandro Nesta and Miami FC are in need of a shake-up, and the club has reportedly found one in the form of one of the league’s most valued leaders.

Northern Pitch reported Thursday that the Jacksonville Armada have sold midfielder Richie Ryan to Miami FC for a fee of $750k transfer fee. According to Empire of Soccer, the former Armada and Ottawa Fury FC captain will see his salary triple with his new club to roughly 20-25k per month.

When added together, the deal is worth somewhere in the seven figure range, a reported record for the NASL.

The addition of Ryan brings a legitimate midfield leader to Miami FC. The NASL veteran was a key member of Fury FC’s run to the NASL final last season and was brought to the Armada to bring veteran leadership to the second-year side.

For its part, Miami FC is in need of change. The expansion club currently sits dead last in the NASL with just two points through six games.

What do you think of the move? How will Ryan fit with Miami FC?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. NASL’s big move is Richie Adams to Miami. MLS’s big move is Ibra to the Gals. Not sure how anyone could be down on MLS and bullish on NASL with these bits of news seeming pretty common?

    Reply
    • While I wouldn’t refer to myself as “bullish” on the NASL, I’m a huge fan. I think this deal is a very interesting one. Right now, it is monumental just because of it’s financial nature. It’s unprecedented.

      Nothing from against Ryan but I think that Miami just overpaid for a good player but that doesn’t merit that sort of investment. You could have gotten a similiar type guy for a heck of a lot less. Seriously, it’s a head scratcher. It’s going to be hard to ever see this deal being anything other than a serious over reach on Miami’s part.

      If this was April 1st, I’d think that it was an April Fools’ joke. But it’s May and those cats at Northern Pitch are no joke.

      Reply
      • That’s more than reasonable. I hope both leagues thrive, so I am not taking a shot at NASL, just the group of people who bash MLS in favor of NASL. Agreed that this move is interesting due to the figures involved. I had never heard of Richie Ryan. And, to be fair, Ibra to LA is very much a rumor at this point.

      • Be real, $750000 transfer fees and $240000 salary ($990000) is the road to financial ruin for a minor league team that has an average of slightly over 5000 fans at games, paying $3-13 a ticket (assuming everyone got $13 tickets [which is probably a false assumption] x 5000 = $65000 x 13 home games = $845000 total gate, and they have to pay for a roster of other players besides Ryan.

        The real reason most minor league teams do not field a Cosmos lineup is it’s too rich for their blood. They can pretend all they want that the lack of roster rules creates real capitalism with no cap to worry about, but economics and survival impose their own limits, if one cares about not folding next season or next week.

        Ryan might even be a decent player but I’ve never heard of him, so even if he makes them better on the field there’s no way he offsets his financial cost with ticket sales. A team like the Galaxy can run out Gio because when they do 25000 people fill the seats at no less than probably $25, while buying food, drinks, and merch.

      • @The Imperative Voice: Not sure where you are getting $3-$13 a ticket, Miami game day tickets range from $24 to $53.50. I’m sure there is a discount for Season Ticket holders, but i didnt want to spend the time investigating.

        Indy XI ranges anywhere between $11 (behind the goal) to $100 (midfield premier).

        Just because we are Division 2 doesn’t mean our finances equate the same as a High School team. And despite not having the bank roll of the Cosmos, several teams hold their own consistently against them.

      • You do know that some of these “investments” are run at a loss right. You know that losing money in one business venture actually helps your taxes from other business ventures right? This is part of the issue of these investments just being rich boys toys.

      • Not sure who’s right about ticket prices but $24 minimum to watch “Miami FC”? LOL… you can’t be serious.

      • @slowleftarm: I admit I was wrong on Miami ticket prices. I can’t believe I didn’t read the description on the tickets ( the Miami prices I listed above are for season tickets)

        Saying that Indy eleven prices are correct. Oddly the Indy xi NPSL team has season tickets at $20 for 7 games or individually for $5. But Indy xi NASL are the prices I listed above

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