Rays Buying Rowdies

The Tampa Bay Rays struck a deal to buy the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer club they say was made only to get into the soccer business and has no connection to the effort to find new home for their baseball team.  The deal includes at least short-term control of downtown waterfront Al Lang Stadium.  Read more here.

Mobile Pitching Mound Makes Soccer Possible at Cheney Stadium

Cheney Stadium, home of the Tacoma Rainiers (Triple-A, Pacific Coast League), will host the Seattle Sounders FC 2 (United Soccer League) for 17 games this season, starting Friday, March 16.  A mobile pitching mound makes hosting soccer possible.  Read more and watch video here.

Soccer at Frame Park Too?

During the public presentation, both Big Top and Waukesha (WI) city officials referenced the possibility of soccer matches at the Frame Park ballfield.  Renderings provided by Big Top even showed the outline of a soccer field superimposed onto the ball diamond.  Read more here.

Big Top Looks to Expand Baseball Portfolio to Soccer

Big Top Events (aka Big Top Baseball), the operators of Madison’s Breese Stevens Field, are interested in bringing a minor league soccer team to Madison (WI) and hope to make changes to the stadium that will allow that to happen, continuing a trend of reviving the previously underutilized landmark.  Read more here.

Ballpark Commons Lands Soccer Tenant

The Ballpark Commons project in Franklin (WI) has landed SC Waukesha soccer club as a tenant.  The organization will relocate to a 40,000-square-foot mixed-use indoor sports facility planned at the development after merging with Prospect Training Academy.  Read more here.

Boise State Baseball, Soccer Won’t Share Hawks New Ballpark

Boise State University announced that it will have no involvement in a proposed Downtown Boise stadium, deciding instead to build its own stadium on or near campus.  Read more here.  Read more thoughts here.

MKE Announces Soccer Franchise Coming to Kokomo Municipal Stadium Next Summer

PRESS RELEASE – MKE Sports & Entertainment, owners and operators of the Kokomo Jackrabbits Baseball team, are excited to announced the Premier Development League (PDL) has awarded Kokomo, Indiana an expansion franchise and will compete at Kokomo Municipal Stadium in 2016.

Eugene’s Civic Stadium Saved

The Eugene Civic Alliance on Monday completed the purchase of Eugene’s historic Civic Stadium, giving supporters an opportunity to renovate the ballpark for soccer and providing a site for a Kidsports fieldhouse.  The acquisition starts a new chapter in the story of the 78-year-old stadium, which served as the home of the Eugene Emeralds (Single-A, Northwest League) from 1969-2009.  Read more here.

New York City FC Debut at Yankee Stadium, Baseball Players Raise Concerns About Turf

New York City FC won their first-ever game at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, as they defeated the New England Revolution 2-0 in front of a crowd of 45,307.  Read more here.  Not everyone is happy about the situation, including Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira.  Read more here.

Turning Desert Sun Stadium into a Pro Soccer Facility

OneGoal LLC is working on transitioning Desert Sun Stadium from a baseball venue into a soccer facility.  The organization has been working to bring professional soccer to the Yuma area since the summer of 2014, when they began exploring the idea of bringing a men’s Premier Development League (PDL) team to the area.  Read more here.

Rowdies Closing in On Control of Al Lang Stadium

In a deal brokered by St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, local businessman Bill Edwards appears set to take over control of Al Lang Stadium, the waterfront baseball stadium where his Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer franchise play, possibly ending its almost four-decade history as a baseball venue.  Read more here.

Baseball Supporters Oppose Pro Soccer at New Westminster (BC) Ballpark

Baseball supporters in New Westminster (BC) are fighting to stop the Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Major League Soccer) from placing a minor soccer franchise at a retrofitted Queens Park Stadium.  Read more and watch news report here.  As you might recall, the summer collegiate West Coast League had explored putting a new baseball franchise at the ballpark a couple of years ago.  Read more here.

Guinness International Champions Cup at Dodger Stadium Saturday

Construction and grounds crews are preparing the field at Dodger Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Dodgers, for Round 2 of the Guinness International Champions Cup soccer tournament on Saturday.  Read more here.

Loudoun County Approves Ballpark Plan

PRESS RELEASE – Following this evening’s vote by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, professional baseball and soccer will come to Loudoun County, Virginia, in 2014. The Board voted unanimously to approve the request to build the privately financed facility in Ashburn within the One Loudoun development at the interchange of Route 7 and Loudoun County

Loudoun Ballpark Supporters, Opponents Sound Off

It was a packed house Tuesday night during a meeting before the Loudoun County (VA) Planning Commission, as supporters and opponents of the proposed new ballpark at One Loudoun for the indy pro Loudoun Hounds (Atlantic League) and a pro soccer team had their say.  Read more here.

New Soccer Fields Replace Old Moana Stadium

Demolition of the old Moana Stadium in Reno (NV) began in July, as part of a plan to revitalize the property with soccer fields.  Now 200,000 square feet of freshly laid sod covers the site of the old ballpark and field.  In the spring, 7,500 players in the Great Basin Youth Soccer League will begin play on the new turf.  Read more and view news clip here.

Futbol Fans Pack Yankee Stadium

It was a sold-out show Wednesday, as socccer fans invaded the Bronx to watch Spain’s Real Madrid take down Italy’s A.C. Milan 5-1 in an exhibition match at Yankee Stadium.  Read more here.  Watch video here.

Soccer Fields to Replace Moana Stadium?

Two Reno (NV) city councilwomen are spearheading a plan to replace shuttered and soon-to-be-demolished Moana Stadium (aka, “The Biggest Little Ballpark in the World”) with a soccer complex.  The project is called “Miracle on Turf.”  The facility used to be the home to several different affiliated and indy pro clubs.  Read more and view photo here.  Thanks to John Cerone for the link.