Clock ticking

Florida's MLS teams await decision on contraction

Despite turning the Fusion around, Ray Hudson could be out of a job in 2002. Jeff Gross/Allsport

ATLANTA (CNNSI.com) -- Happy holidays, Florida soccer fans.

The death watch continues for Major League Soccer's Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion, with commissioner Don Garber for the first time commenting on the contraction prospects for a specific team.

Meanwhile, elected officials, media, fans and others -- including New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner -- continued to offer support for the two Florida teams.

Reports surfaced more than a week ago that MLS would fold the Mutiny and Fusion. Garber denied that the league had "finalized" any contraction decisions, but said at the time that it would "announce any changes prior to the end of the year." That changed on Friday.

"In follow-up to the previously issued statement of Dec. 14, MLS is continuing the process of evaluating all team markets," Garber said. "At the present time no decisions have been finalized and discussions are ongoing. MLS does not anticipate any further announcements prior to the New Year."

The Mutiny is currently owned and operated by the league, while Fusion investor-operator Kenneth Horowitz is reportedly ready to end his investment in the team.

"Our goal is to find an owner [for Tampa Bay] in the next week," Garber was quoted as saying Friday in the Tampa Tribune. "That's what needs to happen for that market.

"The situation can't be solved with offers of minimal support and [fan] petitions. We need a group to own and operate the team," Garber said.

Meanwhile, scores of Fusion fans turned out for a rally on Saturday to support the team, and some 1400 have signed an online petition.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle, Tampa Mayor Dick Greco and new Miami Mayor Manny Díaz have all publicly said they would work to save the two teams. They were joined by Miami commissioner Joe Sanchez and Hillsborough County commissioner Jim Norman.

"I'm imploring the league to put a date and their demands out there, so our community can step up to the plate and find ownership," Norman told the Tribune. "The Mutiny are too important. They've made tremendous investments in the youth community and we've committed to them with a training home at Ed Radice [Sports Complex]."

Greco told the St. Petersburg Times: "While I would like to see soccer stay in the community, I'm not encouraged by what I'm seeing."

Ownership negotiations with the Glazer family, which owns the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have so far failed for the Mutiny.

Other Tampa-area sports investors have voiced support for the Mutiny.

"Key people in town need to make a deal with the Sports Authority and the Bucs to get the Mutiny some concessions and parking money," Steinbrenner told the paper. "It can be done and I'd be happy to help get it done.

"The Mutiny need that revenue for MLS to want to stay or for an owner to want to come in. As a sports investor, the Mutiny deal is not attractive right now."

Steinbrenner told the Tribune said his son Hank is "a soccer nut" who might consider investing in the Mutiny if the club had a better lease agreement Raymond James Stadium.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays managing general partner Vince Naimoli also back the soccer club.

"We support the Mutiny," Naimoli told the Tribune. "And we are willing to explore ways in which we could help."

On Sunday, Jeff Rusnak wrote in his South Florida Sun-Sentinel column: "South Florida has everything MLS is looking for -- a soccer-perfect 20,000-seat stadium, an entertaining team, a coach in Ray Hudson who can upstage even Pat Riley, and a multicultural fan base that, given a first-class product, will support the game.

"The question MLS Commissioner Don Garber should be asking is if the league does pull out, will it ever be trusted or taken seriously here again?"

Díaz told the Miami Herald that has not been contacted by MLS officials since he initially called the league about possibly moving the Fusion moving to Miami's Orange Bowl.

The Colorado Rapids, who were previously rumored as a possible contraction target, this week were reportedly close to signing a lease agreement for next year at Ivesco Field at Mile High.

Related information
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