by Brad Parsons
Staff Writer
The commissioner for the Major Indoor Soccer League visited Jacksonville recently, meeting with City officials, including the mayor, about possibly bringing a franchise to play in the new Veterans Memorial Arena.
Steve Ryan said the league could help draw fans downtown and would increase Jacksonville’s exposure on a national stage.
“A progressive city like Jacksonville with a population at nearly a million residents and a new world class facility belongs in the prospective lineup for the Major Indoor Soccer League,” said Ryan. “Our product is family entertainment and will hold significant appeal for Jacksonville families and their preteen and teenage children.”
Ryan met with Mayor John Peyton; the mayor’s chief of policy and government affairs, Steve Diebenow; and State Rep. Dick Kravitz. The meeting was likely a preliminary conversation, said Michael Sullivan, director of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission’s Sports and Entertainment Division.
Sullivan did not meet with Ryan. In fact, he was unaware the MISL was in town. If the City decides to seriously consider the MISL, Sullivan said the JEDC would have to play a major role.
“There’s a lot of things that would have to match up,” said Sullivan. “We’d need to hear what kind of dates they would need the arena and see how that compares to other events we already have scheduled, like hockey and concerts.”
Additionally, Sullivan said the JEDC would investigate the financials of the existing teams and the league. He said they would want to see successful track records.
Finally, the JEDC would likely play a role in identifying ownership groups and potential corporate sponsors.
“We’d have to see whether or not the league would want local ownership,” said Sullivan. “I’m pretty sure they would. Then we’d have to talk to people in the City to see whether they would be interested or not in owning a franchise.”
The league would be a good fit for Jacksonville, said Office Environment and Services president and soccer booster Zimmerman Boulos. Ryan met with Boulos at Peyton’s suggestion. Boulos is an accomplished FIFA official who has refereed international Olympic and World Cup qualifying matches.
He refereed games in the City’s previous indoor league, the North American Soccer League, and said he would welcome a second go round.
“Indoor soccer is a great game with lots of goals and lots of action,” said Boulos. “Kids love it. When the North America Soccer League was here, it was wonderful; people had a really good time. I think it [the MISL] would do really well here.”
Boulos said the success of a local franchise would depend on “a credible owner who could hang in there for a couple years until it got going.”
In his letter to Peyton, Ryan emphasized what he called the league’s “growing momentum and appeal.” In the past two years the MISL added four teams, bringing the league total to nine.
The league has an international flavor as well, adding a Monterey, Mexico team (the Fury) to a roster of cities including St. Louis, Dallas, San Diego and Philadelphia.
According to Ryan, FOX television will increase its coverage from 10 to 19 games for the upcoming season. He said companies such as Reebok, Midwest Express, Kohl’s and Applebee’s would sponsor the league.