Thursday, December 15, 2005

How The Evil Grinch Stole The Quakes and then Move them To lame Houston TX!

NBC11.com - News - MLS Approves Earthquakes Move To Houston

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The San Jose Earthquakes will relocate immediately to Houston, Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber said Thursday.

Garber said the team's owners, Anschutz Entertainment Group, were attracted by the chance to play in their own stadium and for an ethnically diverse population willing to support a professional soccer team.

"We've always believed that the city has great potential to be a soccer market," Garber said. "We're excited about what our opportunities are there."

San Jose will keep the Earthquakes team name, logo and colors, and the city has already signed a letter of intent with the hopes of attracting a MLS expansion team, perhaps as early as 2007.

"It is our intent to return to San Jose as early as possible," Garber said.

MLS officials said AEG has entered "positive discussions" about finding a soccer stadium in Houston.

"It is with great regret that we were unable to find a solution to our facility issues in San Jose," AEG President and CEO Timothy J. Leiweke said in a statement. "It was not for lack of effort."

Garber said all the coaches and contracted Earthquakes players will transfer to Houston.

"We've worked long and hard for several months to try to bring MLS soccer here," Frank Michel, a spokesman for Houston Mayor Bill White, said Thursday. "Houston is a great sports town and the fan base for soccer is a great one."

San Jose officials had worked hard to keep the team from leaving, even considering subsidizing a new stadium. The Earthquakes have played at Spartan Stadium on the campus of San Jose State University.

Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment, the San Jose Sharks' parent company, had expressed interest in buying the Earthquakes, but only with the city's help building a stadium. A deal could not be reached.

The Quakes were MLS champions in 2001 and 2003.

No comments: