Two seperate piueces of news that will make soccer fans in Texas happy.
Burn Baby Burn: MLS Club Will Change Its Name To FC Dallas
MLS Burn Changing To
The More Traditional FC Dallas
MLS and Burn sources confirmed that the club’s new name will be FC Dallas, according to Steve Davis of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS, who notes new team colors and a logo will be unveiled tonight at a ceremony in Frisco, Texas.
FC is a reference to traditional “Football Clubs” around the world such as FC Barcelona, ManU FC and FC Bayern Munich.
While the change includes new uniforms, the team will no longer use Atletica as its athletic supplier, so the “remodeled jersey design must wait until later this year.”
Davis notes the makeover is “all about next year’s move into the” 20,000-seat Frisco Sports & Entertainment Center, “pending its own title-sponsor driven name change.” Burn GM Greg Elliott: “We needed to reintroduce our brand to the marketplace. ...
We need a name that when people heard it, there was no doubt they know who we are.” While the announcement comes during the MLS season, Elliott indicated the club is trying to sell sponsorships and season tickets, adding, “We didn’t want to refer to a brand name that no longer exists”
(DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/12).
And FC Dallas will probably have a new in-state rival......Landon Donovan.
Club America (of Mexico City) Looking To Buy MLS Earthquakes, Move To Texas (Houston)
Chivas’ Team Triggers Club
America’s MLS Interest
Club America Looking To Buy MLS Earthquakes, Move To Texas
Chivas’ Team Triggers Club
America’s MLS Interest
Harris County-Houston Sports Authority CEO Oliver Luck indicated that Mexico-based Club America is “trying to purchase the [MLS] Earthquakes and relocate the team to Texas,” according to Dylan Hernandez of the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, who reports Club America rep Ricardo Ampudia met with Houston officials last week.
Houston City Council member Adrian Garcia’s Chief of Staff Giovanni Garibay scheduled meetings for Ampudia with Garcia, Houston Mayor Bill White and Luck.
Garibay said that Ampudia “never specifically mentioned to him that Club America would purchase the Earthquakes,” but that he “strongly suggested that Club America would have [an MLS] team ‘within the next few weeks.’”
Garibay added that “part of Club America’s motivation was” rival Chivas securing an MLS expansion team to begin play next season in L.A.
Garibay: “He said they didn’t want to be outdone.”
“Earthquakes parent AEG COO Scott Blackmun confirmed that “talks with Club America were ongoing,’” but said, “We have not reached an agreement to sell to Club America and have not reached an agreement to move the team.”
(SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 8/11.......register to read).