FC Barcelona Miami? Catalan giants to bid for Miami MLS team
Posted by Footballer on October 14, 2008
The Miami Herald reports that FC barcelona president Joan Laporta is in the USA to submit a formal bid Wednesday to bring professional soccer back to the Miami, FL area. South Florida is a contender for one of the Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion franchises for the league’s 2011 season.
South Florida’s last MLS, the Miami Fusion (RIP) played in Fort Lauderdale from 1998 to 2001. Miami FC of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) is now the area’s only professional team.
‘FC Barcelona, the world-famous Spanish soccer club, will submit a formal bid Wednesday to bring professional soccer back to Miami. Barcelona wants to expand its brand in the United States and is applying to co-own a Major League Soccer franchise that would begin play in 2011.
Barcelona announced on its website that it would partner with Miami resident Marcelo Claure, a Bolivian cellphone magnate and owner of FC Bolivar, to launch a team in Miami. Claure is the CEO of Brightstar Communications, a multibillion-dollar company that is one of the largest Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States. Joan Laporta, president of Barcelona, and Joan Oliver, the club’s general director, plan to be in Miami Wednesday to present their plans.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.
Wednesday is the MLS deadline for expansion applications. The league will release at 5 p.m. a list of all the ownership groups and cities that placed bids. Two teams are expected to be added for 2011. Seattle is joining MLS in 2009 and Philadelphia in 2010. Other cities that have shown interest are Portland, Toronto, Las Vegas, Ottawa and Vancouver.As for potential team colors for the Miami franchise? It’s too early to know. “At this stage, no announcement has been made regarding the colors the new club will wear. However, the idea is to find something that can be identified with FC Barcelona, Miami, Catalonia and the Americas.”’
