The long-rumored marriage between Spanish power FC Barcelona and the city of Miami is set to move one step closer to becoming reality.
The Miami Herald is reporting that Barcelona will formally apply for an MLS expansion team in Miami. The news comes the day before the MLS deadline for prospective ownership groups to apply for one of the two expansion slots to be filled by 2011.
Count me among the people who like the idea of a team in Miami. I know there is concern about the fact that the Miami Fusion failed, but it is pretty clear that an ownership group including FC Barcelona would have the financial and soccer business acumen to make MLS in Miami a success.
What do you think of the possibility of an MLS team in Miami? Share your thoughts below.
If they play in a soccer specific stadium terrific. If they play in a football stadium, as is rumored that they will share the football stadium at Florida International Univeristy, it sucks and they should be denied! I saw the L.A. v. K.C. game a few weeks ago played at Arrowhead stadium. The football lines were painted on the field. That was so painful to watch I almost turned off the t.v. after 5 minutes.
I know about the Fusion as I lived in Miami at the time and they didn’t play in Miami. They played in Broward County. I liked them and the old Tampa Bay Mutiny. Although I’ve long since moved to southern California I’d like to see MLS return to south Florida. Ownership by FC Barcelona could be a very good thing. But if they play in a football stadium than they must be denied.
“Unless Toronto is trying to add a 2nd team, the Miami Herald better get its facts straight. I guess they meant to say Montreal.”
Hey, to people in Miami, all the cities in Canuckistan are the same. Brrrrrrr.
The Fusion had no fan support and failed. Someone needs to give a convincing explanation as to why the Fusion couldn’t draw fans and how the Barca expansion team would be different. Ives’s handwaving justification – it’s Barca, so therefore it will definitely be a success – doesn’t cut it.
Oh, and also I want a proposed name. Barcelona USA, or Barcelona-Miami, or the Miami Barca’s, ain’t good enough.
I don’t like this, Barca will not have the same long turn interest as local ownership, look at Chivas USA, the mother ship has not invested properly in the team or a stadium. I am afraid that MLS will love the sexiness Barca brings and cave in to a less than complete bid set to play in a poor, even by college football standards stadium.
At the very least, the idea that FC Barca is applying to MLS and not the other way around is pretty incredible…
Like the idea of going back to Miami, on the condition that the stadium location makes sense and addresses the problems the Fusion have.
On another note, I know there are a limited number of slots for expansion teams, but what about moving a team? That would sort of be like adding another expansion slot to the mix.
I know the Crew-to-Las Vegas stuff heated up recently, but the place I would keep my eye on would be Chivas USA. I just don’t think that as things play out the viability of two franchises in LA makes much sense, especially if they’re playing in the same building. Vegara has to be a bit uneasy with the fact that he’s not really able to stamp the Chivas brand on the franchise, either, due to the MLS rule limitations.
Spread the wealth around, I say.
Atlanta submitted application as well
GOtta agree with the ‘they need to have an SSS lined up’ comments as well
I’m not pleased with the idea of this bid because they will be a cotenant in a football stadium. It reeks of being cheap!
Last time I checked, FCB didn’t control the weather (I’ll have to check in with Gore to see if that’s still the case).
As long as MLS and MLB are played during the summer, you can expect stadiums that are 1/3 filled in Miami.
No way, no how, no Miami.
Give the other markets a chance.
Florida is a failing proposition. It has been proven again and again.
Montreal & Portland need to be the 2011 expansion teams and then the league needs to stop its expansion for awhile.
The dilution of the player pool and the archaic salary rules need to be addressed before Miami is even considered.
this is a bad idea all around. What’s fcb’s motivation? Brand growth like Chivas? Player development like Crystal Palace? I’d think they will fail at the first and would be better off with an academy and a USL team for the latter. Miami is a bad sports town, especially in the summer. Heck, even the U has bad attendance when they aren’t dominant. Why not do an academy, even a free residential one with fees for clinics, like friedel? Much better all around. Any superclub will chafe against mls’ rules and almost invariably fail at soccer here, since it is unlike any other league in the world. Seems like a lose-lose to me.
Not without a soccer-specific stadium from day one.
No way they should be allowed in only to play in a college football stadium for two years. That’s complete nonsense. There are legitimate proposals for new clubs with soccer-specific stadium plans already in hand.
I guess it’s not done yet. I should try to quell my excitement shouldn’t I?
id say give one to vancouver or montreal
give the other to miami.
Where are we going to celebrate???
It is a great day for soccer fans in Miami.
Welcome MLS to Miami. The Miami Ultras are ready to celebrate.
Oh…and Barca is now my favorite European team!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
And they’ve picked a great location for the team to play if that pans out. It’s in the thick of the soccer loving Miami-Dade public. It’s a hike from me in Miami Beach and traffic from this part of town out there would be tough but whatever!!! Great news! Great great news!!!!
I’m with randomer
Have Barca invest heavy in their own MLS youth academy. I’d love to see young player exchanges. Get the MLS owners to accept more academy player promotions. I think such an operation would break the “college required” concept USFF academies bring.The Barca operation could quickly become a model for other MLS Clubs for “pros develop pros”.
Even for MLS clubs with no european ownership, club exchange agreements could be signed for youth player swaps..
Awesome road trips!
I believe Montreal has as well.
MLS website just stated that Ottawa has formally submitted an application. Looks like only three cities have done this so far: Miami, Portland and Ottawa. Also, Miami would only play at FIU for two years until they get an SSS built.
what about the heat? is no one concerned about players dropping dead on the field during summer games?
this is great news. I hope we get it for 2011. It can be huge if done right
both the fusion and the mutiny failed miserably and had the worst attendance in the league. horrible idea and i hope the mls big shots don’t take them seriously.
I think that it would be great to get MLS back into Florida. I do have a problem with them playing at FIU Stadium. We don’t need another MLS team playing in a college stadium with field turf.
just dont call it barcelona miami or barca usa or something really dumb.
How do you go from “more than a club” to struggling for the seventh playoff spot in a third tier league….
The article states that Barca with the investor group has all this money….WHY IN THE WORLD DO THEY HAVE TO SHARE A STADIUM WITH FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL U. FOOTBALL?!!!?!!!
“Other cities that have shown interest are Portland, Toronto, Las Vegas, Ottawa and Vancouver.”
Unless Toronto is trying to add a 2nd team, the Miami Herald better get its facts straight. I guess they meant to say Montreal. If FCB *AND* (as the Miami Herald says) Marcelo Claure (the CEO of Brightstar Communications, a multibillion-dollar company that is one of the largest Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States) have made a bid, then I’d say it’s a great idea and a done deal. MLS needs to get a team in the Southeast and the team of FCB/Claure are the type people with enough business acumen to create a successful franchise in that area. I guess MLS will release the list of candidates tomorrow at 5pm, so we’ll find out who the others are at that time. Right now I’d say that Montreal is the best bet for a second franchise.
As both a RBNY (local) and Barca (family connections) supporter I’d be a bit torn but I wouldn’t just outrightly change my allegiance or anything.
What WOULD be interesting was if this club acted as a feeder club to Barca and we’d see some players sent to the MLS club on loan, though that is doubtful because I don’t know why anyone would want to send a young player to MLS for experience.
very nice.
I can’t wait for those BS Telefutura mandated 3pm Sunday afternoon games in the middle of summer. They really helped the Miami Fusion build credibility with the SoFL football mad crowd…lol
Only if they have a plan for an SSS.
Not “looking into for the future”, or “investigating possibilities” – but a plan for getting the land, financing, and building a stadium.
If the Dolphins/Heat/Marlins/Panthers can’t find a fan base, why would a soccer team with only a famous name (sort of – Barca USA, Barca Miami?) going for it do any better?
Ask Chivas USA how well the “Hey, our parent team is LOVED in (insert home country here), we will be loved in the US!” strategy has worked for their marketing and gate receipt successes, or lack thereof.
Brand recognition is only a part of a successful sports business equation. And in today’s connected world, a Barca fan only has to go as far as their TV/computer/local sports bar to find the real deal.
I think the US-based soccer fan has progressed to the point where we expect quality on the pitch first and foremost.
Sweet! I live in FL also and have been waiting for an MLS team to return. You would think that with the multi-cultural community and the influence of Barca it would be able to succeed…then again, we can barely get people to Dolphins and Marlins games…even when they are doing semi-decent.
Even with the $$ that barca brings i’d still rather have proven fan support for the new clubs.
But money makes the world go round
I may be in the minority but I don’t like the idea of the MLS in Miami under the the current calendar. No one goes to Marlins games because of the weather and Florida is a decent baseball state. I just see to many potential problems to risk one of the two 2011 spots on Miami.
I like the idea, but I agree with Derek that Miami needs to have their own SSS. I am getting tired of teams playing on baseball and American football fields.
Since, the deadline is tomorrow to apply for expansion, does anyone know who has formally applied? I just know of Miami and Portland. What about St. Louis, Montreal, Vancouver, New York City?
*Accept*
Portland
Montreal
Miami
*dog fight between*
NYC
St. Louis
Vancouver
The 3 former teams would evenly spread MLS all across this country, thus making it easier to organize road trips(single-table). Out of the last 4, I could really care less. I still think Kansas City should just move to St. Louis. A team in NYC will shut up New Yorkers or a team in Vancouver will shut up Steve Nash.
still think the league would be foolish to pass by Montreal (which is doing well in the champions league) and Vancouver (which just won the USL title). however it is tempting to want to include a team being run by the Barca FO. They obviously know what they are doing… perhaps add another 2 teams. Still not convinced they will have the support they need in florida but i do think Barca as a backer/owner will help significantly. Please no BARCAMIAMI or whatever.
If Barca brings their youth training methods over here, I am all for it. Could really help develop some good youth footballers here in the States.
I like the Miami expansion bid only in this case – that Barcelona is involved. Hopefully, they can pull together a winning recipe in Miami. Plus, its a great place for a roadtrip.
From the article: “While there is no definitive plan as to where the team would play, ‘the most likely solution will be Florida International University, with whom negotiations are already at a late stage as the potential club seeks to use the facility for at least the first two years of its existence,’ read the website.”
I’m not opposed to Miami but this isn’t a great sign in my opinion. These temporary plans have a way of turning into permanent solutions. I’d like to see a SSS instead of being a tenant at a crappy football school.
Love the Barca deal if the bid is accepted. This is a different time and a different animal considering the marketing power of Barca and as mentioned, the soccer business experience. And OH, I’d like to go to MLS games in Miami….that too.
All I can say is, F**K YEAH. Being here in tampa with no MLS team outside of a 9-12 hour drive to DC is depressing. May not be tampa bay mutiny, but just the thought of barca having a team in miami is awesome. I’d have to convert to a barca fan too then probably…
BRING THEM TO NY !
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
ok, maybe : )
As long as the team is used as an arm to further their ‘brand-name’, then I say helk no.
If it has a name all it’s own, fo’ shizzle.
Same deal for the Mets, no Mets FC. But please build a stadium where ol’ shea sits.
Ives or anyone else,
Is there any word out about whether or not Wilpon’s New York City group is going to apply?