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MIAMI FC Press Release
Thursday, November 3, 2005
Miami, FL -- Traffic Sports USA announced today the acquisition of an expansion professional soccer franchise that will represent Miami and South Florida in the United Soccer Leagues' First Division beginning in the 2006 season.
The team, MIAMI FC, will join 11 other teams that include the Atlanta Silverbacks, Charleston Battery, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, Portland Timbers, Puerto Rico Islanders, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Seattle Sounders, Toronto Lynx, Vancouver Whitecaps and the Virginia Beach Mariners. The 20-year old USL is the largest organization of soccer leagues in the United States and has played a key role in the sports' surging popularity. In 2004 USL boasted an attendance record of over 1 million fans and many more tuned in to watch weekly on television via the Fox Soccer Channel.
Traffic Group is one of the leading sports event management entities in the world. It is headquartered in Brazil and has regional offices in the U.S. and Europe. Traffic Sports USA (formerly Inter/Forever Sports), based in Miami for the last 15 years, commercializes and/or currently owns rights to top sports properties in the North American, Central American and Caribbean region including the majority of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying matches, five of the last six CONCACAF Gold Cups, the Central American (UNCAF) Nations Cup, the Central American (UNCAF) Club Championship and individual team rights. In addition, Traffic Sports USA represents Traffic Group's properties such as Copa America and Copa Sudamericana.
Julio Mariz, President of Traffic Sports USA and Head of Soccer for Traffic Group commented, "We are proud to bring a top notch professional sports team representing the world's most popular sport to South Florida and its passionate soccer fans. We have a long track record organizing soccer events in this community and are grateful for the support and commitment that we have received. We look forward to further developing our relationship with the community and to fielding a winning team that all of us in Miami and South Florida will feel proud of."
Francisco Marcos, Founder and President of United Soccer Leagues commented, "We are thrilled to welcome Traffic Sports and their new USL First Division Franchise, MIAMI FC, into our ever-growing soccer family. Given their global soccer expertise and credibility, we are confident that Traffic will contribute greatly to the further development of USL and that MIAMI FC will be a success story both on and off the field."
MIAMI FC General Manager Luiz Muzzi added, "We want the fans to play an active role in the development of MIAMI FC from the very start. For example, we will soon let them know how to participate in choosing a nickname and mascot for the team. In addition, over the coming weeks and months, we plan to announce the home of MIAMI FC as well as details regarding coaches, players and much more."
MIAMI FC will be play 14 regular season home games and 14 regular season away games in 2006. In addition, MIAMI FC will host pre-season matches beginning in March as well as several friendly matches during the course of the year. MIAMI FC has also been invited to compete in the 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
About Traffic Sports USA:
Traffic Sports USA (formerly Inter/Forever Sports), based in Miami, is the North American, Central American and Caribbean regional headquarters of the Traffic Group. Traffic Sports USA has been the leading soccer event management company in the region for over 15 years organizing and/or commercializing most of the international soccer events including the vast majority of CONCACAF's FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches, five of the last six CONCACAF Gold Cups, the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the Under-17 CONCACAF Regional Championship, the Central American (UNCAF) Nations Cups, the Central American (UNCAF) Club Champions Cup, and hundreds of friendly matches.
About Traffic Group:
The Traffic Group is one of the leading sports event management companies in the world. The Group was founded in Brazil over 20 years ago and continues to be headquartered in Sao Paolo. It has regional offices in Miami (Traffic Sports USA) and Amsterdam (Traffic Sports Europe). During the course of the last two decades, the Traffic Group has organized and/or commercialized most of the international matches in the Americas including: the FIFA Club World Championship 2000, Copa America, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, the Under-17 CONMEBOL Regional Championship, the CONMEBOL Olympic Qualifying Tournaments and hundreds of friendly matches.
As the sports leader in Latin America, the Traffic Group also owns rights to other sports properties such as basketball and golf. Other holdings of the Group include 4 Rede Globo affiliates in Brazil and its own television production facility.
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