Home » Sports » Major League Soccer » MLS Considers folding some Teams

MLS Considers folding some Teams

© Jamie Trecker SportsTicker Contributing Editor

I could not have covered all of this material without tapping into what Jamie Trecker has already written. I felt it only fair to paste the story in its entirety. Lets just hope MLS doesn't toss out the baby with the bath water.

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Major League Soccer will apparently fold two teams, according to published reports in South Florida, although the league will make no decision on possible contraction until the end of the month.

The two teams reportedly in danger of being eliminated are the league-run Tampa Bay Mutiny and the privately operated Miami Fusion.

However, MLS Commissioner Don Garber issued the following statement on the reports:

"Contrary to published media reports, Major League Soccer has not finalized any decisions regarding how many teams will compete in the league during the 2002 season. At the present time, there are no announcements planned. MLS is continuing the ongoing process of evaluating all team markets, and as previously stated, will announce any changes prior to the end of the year."

In a statement to SportsTicker, MLS Vice President of Communications Dan Courtemanche added, "Our investors continue to evaluate all aspects of the league's business, including all 12 of its markets, as the commissioner stated. MLS' investors have not made any final decision."

Fusion spokesman Leo Sarmiento added that no meetings have been scheduled to inform the staff of possible layoffs. However, a visit to the Fusion offices Friday morning caught staffers in the midst of cleaning out their desks.

Fusion operator Ken Horowitz issued the following statement on Friday:

"In response to published media reports on the ceasing of the Fusion's operations today, I would like to reiterate Commissioner Garber's comments and state that the league's investors continue to evaluate all of the league's 12 markets and any decisions will be made by the end of the month."

MLS, as a single-entity operation, owns all 12 of its teams. It sells operating rights to its investors.

The shuttering of teams will not come as a surprise to American soccer fans. Sources in the area cited huge financial losses, in excess of $300 million, and poor revenue at the gates for the franchises closing.

Similar problems have bedeviled professional soccer efforts in the United States for decades.

The closing of the troubled Tampa Bay franchise is probably certain. A last-ditch effort to get the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers owners, the Glazer Family, interested in running the team stalled last week. The team has an onerous lease, has been poor on the field and woeful at the gate. As one of the original 10 teams, it has remained unsold for six years.

The copyright of the article MLS Considers folding some Teams in Major League Soccer is owned by Corey Arnold. Permission to republish MLS Considers folding some Teams in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.