Miami CEOs Asked About Their New MLS Franchise
South Florida CEOs were asked about David Beckham’s recently announced MLS soccer franchise and if they think it’ll succeed.
Questions of the organization’s potential succes recently came up with Marlins games drawing dismal crowds, and average attendance at best in the Hard Rock Stadium on Sundays. Is the city ready for another pro sports team? Vance Aloupis, CEO, of The Childrens Movement of Florida. Says “There is a huge excitement for professional soccer in our community, and I believe that the group behind the team will be insistent about making sure there is a quality product on the field”. Soccer is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. as we see the MLS moving spots — now tenth on the FIFA League Rankings — and well known names like Carlos Vela and Zlatan Ibrahimovic recently joining the league.
With recent expansion team LAFC having great success on and off the field in a city filled with pro sports teams the next question is, why cant Miami?
“Miami can undoubtedly sustain another professional sports franchise, especially a soccer team. When you think of the convergence of cultures and passion for sports, Miami and soccer make all the sense in the world. We have enough population density, an affluent upcoming middle class, a strong international heritage and a passion for soccer, all of which make Miami the perfect place to establish an MLS team” said Jose R. Costa, CEO of For Eyes. Soccer has an international draw which other sports in the states lack, a city like Miami is very diverse with many people from the soccer dominated regions of Latin America and Europe, as soccer grows North Americans should also fall into that group.
Not everyone is in favor of the Beckham’s new franchise as Willie Logan, CEO of Opa-Loka Community Development Corp says,”We should focus on how we can strengthen current franchises, learn from their lessons to make sure that future investments into future sport venues have a reasonable payoff for the investors, tax payers and the city. As well as invest public resources in more needed areas, such as quality affordable housing, transportation & wellness initiatives”. Many people are in favor of the new franchise and think it’s a perfect fit for the Miami Culture, but many have concerns over the taxes and the toll it’ll take on the city financially after being robbed by Marlins ownership for their park, as Beckham and his team are already looking for land to build another stadium here in Miami.
