Virginia Beach in trouble??

[Sigma]

"Although Mike Sidebottom announced in December that he had bought the Virginia Beach Mariners, he said Thursday that he’s never owned the team.

Sidebottom said the previous owner, Jerry McDonnell, "never followed through" on all legal details of transferring the team’s ownership."

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=121549&ran=249525

The Mariners are supposed to begin the season on April 13th and apparently the USL is scrambling to find ownership.

[Sigma]

The Mariners franchise has been terminated by the league.

"VIRGINIA BEACH -- The Virginia Beach Mariners pro soccer team was terminated by its league this morning, a casualty of an ownership squabble that surfaced only two weeks ago.

Russell Hutchison, a former Mariners player and promotions director who has been handling the franchise's day-to-day operations, delivered the news to the staff and players in the Mariners' Sportsplex locker room at 9:30 a.m."

Link (http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=121970&ran=1035)

[Sigma]

http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/174820.html

USL-1 Schedule Changes

Day Date Time (ET) Fixtures Special Notes
Fri. 13-Apr 8:00 Rochester @ Puerto Rico VBM makeup
Sun. 15-Apr 7:00 Rochester @ Miami VBM makeup
Sat. 28-Apr 7:30 Atlanta @ Carolina VBM makeup
Sat. 5-May 7:55 Carolina @ Atlanta VBM makeup
Sat. 26-May 8:35 Puerto Rico @ Minnesota (@ NSC) Match moved from 6/16
Sat. 9-Jun 10:00 Minnesota @ California Match moved from 7/7
Sun. 10-Jun 10:00 Minnesota @ Vancouver VBM makeup
Sat. 16-Jun 8:35 Miami @ Minnesota (@ NSC) Match moved from 7/18
Sat. 23-Jun 7:30 Charleston @ Carolina VBM makeup (date moved from 6/22)
Sat. 7-Jul 10:00 Portland @ California VBM makeup (original game moved to 6/9)
Fri. 13-Jul 10:30 Vancouver @ Seattle VBM makeup
Sun. 15-Jul 9:00 California @ Portland VBM makeup
Wed. 18-Jul 8:05 Montreal @ Minnesota VBM makeup (original game moved to 6/16)
Sat. 21-Jul 7:35 Seattle @ Rochester VBM makeup
Wed. 1-Aug 7:30 Carolina @ Montreal VBM makeup
Fri. 10-Aug 7:30 Miami @ Montreal VBM makeup
Fri. 7-Sep 8:00 Puerto Rico @ Charleston VBM makeup

[Rudi]

The sooner Montreal and Vancouver can get out of this Mickey Mouse league, the better.

[Richard]

Until TFC came on the scene this 'Mickey Mouse league' was the best Canada had and we only have TFC because of the CSA's efforts to get BMO Field built.

[Calgary Boomer]

Bingo. But Toronto FC isn't in the MLS to win games or a championship, it's there to develop Canadian players.

[Rudi]

quote:Originally posted by Richard

Until TFC came on the scene this 'Mickey Mouse league' was the best Canada had and we only have TFC because of the CSA's efforts to get BMO Field built.

Yes, it was the best thing we had, but that did not make it any less Mickey Mouse.

TFC has nothing to do with my original statement, so I'm not sure why you and Calgary Boomer even brought it up.

[Rudi]

quote:Originally posted by Calgary Boomer

Bingo. But Toronto FC isn't in the MLS to win games or a championship, it's there to develop Canadian players.

When did I ever say that? [8)]

[Elias]

TFC's job is to win championships.

Developing Canadian players is a secondary benefit that happens because kids are given something to aspire to, TFC is a step between the youth leagues and Europe, and it allows players to train full time.

[Calgary Boomer]

You must have missed the "Whitecaps Signings" thread. Too many people on this board feel the Whitecaps organization has some sorf of obligation to sign and develop Canadians, over building a successful franchise, despite the fact they recieved no government "grants" for a stadium, and have no minimum Canadian quotient to fulfill.