By Paul Kennedy
David Beckham‘s appearance at Game 5 of Heat-Pacers NBA playoff series alongside Bolivian billionaire Marcelo Claure may have caught all the headlines on the MLS expansion front post-NYCFC, but there was other expansion news out of Florida on Thursday.
Orange County MayorTeresa Jacobs, who has publicly been lukewarm at best to the downtown Orlando soccer stadium project, said in a letter to Orlando City SC president
“We are very sensitive to the [Major League Soccer] ownership position, and the newsense of urgency attached to your negotiations,” Jacobs wrote. “Rest assured that I have directed Orange County’s staff to complete their due diligence as quickly as possible.”
TheOrlando soccer stadium project — and all Florida sports stadium projects for that matter — suffered a setback when the Florida legislature did not vote on a state sales tax measure that would havefunded $30 million of the estimated $110 million the soccer stadium is expected to cost.
Another big chunk the Orlando MLS group has sought is $25 million in hotel taxes from Jacobs’Orange County Commission.
Jacobs isn’t set to sign off on authorizing use of the hotel taxes for the soccer stadium. She first wants Visit Orlando, the local tourism board, to analyze theimpact the stadium would have on local tourism.
The Orlando MLS group and city of Orlando (through its purchase of land) would pay for the rest of the costs of building the stadium.
CENTENNTIAL PARTY AT NIKE GEORGETOWN. U.S. Soccer is holding a U.S. national team event Friday night at Nike Georgetown to kick off U.S. Soccer’s weekendcentennial celebrations. The USA hosts Germany Sunday at RFK Stadium.
BAYERN MUNICH-BORUSSIA DORTMUND RATINGS. FOX’s coverage of the 2013 UEFAChampions League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund drew a 1.0 overnight rating. Despite the all-German final being one of the most exciting matches in recent years, the rating is thelowest in the four years of FOX coverage.
FOX Champions League Final Overnight Ratings:
RATING YEAR:MATCH
1.0 2013: Bayern Munich-Borussia Dortmund
1.3 2012: Chelsea-Bayern Munich
1.1 2010: Inter Milan/Bayern Munich
— In Germany, 21.61 millionviewers watched the game on ZDF — a German television record for a club match — for a 62 percent share.
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A new home for CHIVAS USA!!!?:)
The UCL Final was a good match, but I suspect few Americans (especially FoxSoccer subscribers) really supported either team strongly enough to tune in.