MLS confirms Barcelona Miami would start playing in 2010

MLS Commissioner Don Garber confirmed that Miami will begin playing in 2010 according to Greg Lalas of Goal.com.

Garber states: "Barcelona and Miami, in partnership with Marcelo Claure, are focused on 2010," he said Wednesday at a press event in Columbus, Ohio. "If Miami gets a franchise, they’ll be starting in the 2010 season."

Now MLS claims they will make an announcement on the two winning bids next month, around the time the 2009 MLS season kicks off on March 19.

The favorite is clearly Miami with Vancouver and Portland fighting over the remaining slot. St Louis and Ottawa have an outside chance as Garber continued with the following:

"St. Louis is making good progress," he said. "I have some meetings with their ownership group later today and a potential partner they’ve brought in on the corporate side. They continue to be very active, and as I’ve said before, we’d love to have a team in St. Louis."

"We can’t go to Ottawa or any other city unless we have the appropriate venue," Garber said. "The venue Eugene Melnyk is proposing, they’ve got a really good shot for a team. But without a stadium, they’d never have a shot at all.

I don't know about the rest of you Miami fans but I'm getting ready to break my piggy bank for my season tickets! All Miami fans should go to the Miami FCB site and reserve your season tickets!

Make up your mind MLS! Vancouver, Miami, Ottawa, Portland and St. Louis wait for your answer...

I think I speak for all Soccer fans in MLS expansion cities when I express my anger concerning Major League Soccer's continued delays to finally give us the names of the final 2 cities that will enter the league in 2011.

According to The Weekly Sport League and Franchise Report: 'The announcement for the next two MLS expansion teams might not be made until late March or April!' What are they waiting for...? April Fools day? The report goes on to say that 'Vancouver and Miami appear to be the frontrunner's with Ottawa, Portland and St. Louis having issues with financing or stadium deals.' I wonder where they get their info from?

I'm sure the bigwigs of MLS have already made their decision, they just want the rest of us to suffer and keep reading the Beckham drama, because if you really think about it, even though Beckham is dissing MLS and the Galaxy for A.C.Milan, it still gets them in the news. It's all over, even CNN is reporting it folks!

If you think about it;MLS is strong with or without Beckham, having secured another 3 year deal with Panasonic and having what was once 7 cities fight over 2 expansion slots. It says something when investment groups are willing to pay $40M to get into a League many foreigners call second rate. Yeah, MLS is strong and here to stay!

I say we all write to Commissioner Garber at don.garber@mlsnet.com and ask him to stop all the shenanigans and give us an answer! Who will the teams be? Don't make us wait until April!

Miami Fans: don't forget to join and meet the Miami Ultras on Wednesday Feb 11 at Moriano Restaurant and watch the USA vs. Mexico match! Moriano is located just north of downtown Miami at 3221 NE 2nd Avenue.

Go USA! Go Barcelona Miami!

Atlanta Out! St Louis weak? Philly behind schedule = Barcelona Miami 2010

The list of potential MLS teams has been reduced today. Atlanta's bid according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution was withdrawn by Arthur Blank Atlanta Falcons owner and the lead investor who pulled out of the running for an MLS team in 2011 due to the harsh economic times. Blank however, has not ruled out the possibility of biding for a space for 2013.

This withdrawl is the second after Montreal pulled out recently. Montreal was widely considered one of the favorites.
If we add the recent reports of St Louis falling short of expectations, then thing would get interesting. But, if having the Draft in St Louis is any indication then we can't really count them out just yet as reported on the St Louis Dispatch.

Unfortunetly for Florida the recent news of an Orlando MLS team this week turned out to be a bust. Orlando will have a team, but in the USL (U.S. 2nd Division).

So whats the picture now? 5 teams remain St Louis, Miami, Portland, Ottawa and Vancouver.

It's difficult to predict which teams will finally be picked. If we go by which cities deserve to be in I'd say St Louis and Portland. But if we look at the best investors It would be Vancouver and Miami. I think Ottawa has future potential and their bid was thought to have been the best presentation by MLS officials. But, in the big picture they have a remote chance of making it.

My heart is with Miami, as a disgruntled Miami Fusion fan who saw MLS give up on us due to a weak investor. But aside from my being biased, I think Miami is in because they have the most to give then all the other candidates and because they are ready to start in 2010. With the possibility of Philadelphia not being ready on time, this is another plus for Miami. Philly could wait another year and the problem is solved.

Who else would go? Portland and St Louis need the stadium if not they would be in and though Vancouver is in the same situation they have the money and a potential cross border rivalry with Seattle that would make this move work.

MLS in my opinion should announce Miami and Vancouver as 2011 candidates and St Louis and Portland for 2013.