Don Garber
Don Garber
Don Garberhas served as the Commissioner of Major League Soccer since 1999. Garber is also the CEO of Soccer United Marketing and a member of the United States Soccer Federation board of directors. He has been nicknamed "The Don" or "The Soccer Don" by his colleagues and the media...
buying explain game interested point reached
I think we've reached a tipping point when we don't have to explain the game to every person who's interested in buying a team.
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We're very far along in our negotiations, but not at the point where numbers are being thrown around.
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In the immediate and long-term future, today's news will prove to be a historical turning point for the sport. These recent developments further solidify soccer's standing and value as a major television property in the United States with even greater future potential.
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It's very important to note that this is a league that's young, that continues to evolve and we make decisions that we think are in the best long-term interest of the league, ... We have added two new owners into this league both who are going to be in great markets and who at one point are going to be playing in soccer specific stadiums.
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I think we've got some interest and I think we've got some momentum but we've got to be sure we do things right. There's no rush to expand this league,
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Pizza Hut Park is clearly becoming a major destination for marquee soccer events in the United States, and we're pleased to host MLS Cup 2006 at one of America's great soccer facilities. The tremendous support by the entire soccer community in North Texas for MLS Cup 2005 makes Pizza Hut Park - one of the premier soccer complexes in the world - the perfect choice.
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We need to carefully manage Freddy's exposure and the expectation that he will take the sport to unrealistic levels, ... We have said all along that no one player will 'save soccer in America.' ... That is not on Freddy's shoulders.
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We sat down and had some long discussions internally and with Eddie, but we didn't make any counter-offers. Eddie is very committed to MLS, and to FC Dallas and its new stadium.
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Toronto would be an excellent addition to Major League Soccer under the leadership of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, one of the preeminent sports and entertainment companies in the world, ... We are enthusiastic about bringing an MLS team to Toronto and are prepared to host the 2008 All-Star Game and an MLS Cup in Toronto by 2012.
close deal exclusive expansion given negotiate window
We are close to finalizing a deal for '07. We've given MLSE an exclusive window through the end of the month, Oct. 31 to negotiate a deal for an expansion team.
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While we recognize that much work needs to be done, this is an encouraging first step in the process toward bringing first-class professional soccer to the area.
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Today's city council vote represents a historic moment for the city of Toronto and Canadian soccer, ... We look forward to continuing to work with MLSE to finalize an agreement for an MLS expansion team.
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We have always believed that combination of the diversity and the passion of the city's sports fans and the size of the market would lead to success for an MLS team. We've also had great success with the international markets, maybe as much as we've had in any city.
excited
We don't know how this is going to work, but I'm excited about it, very much so,