MLS expansion club Inter Miami co-Owner Jorge Mas said he and the team's front office "share a vision to make Inter Miami MLS's global team." In Ft. Lauderdale, Khobi Price writes in "many ways, Inter Miami has already become that," as that "comes with the territory" when David Beckham is co-Owner and President of Soccer Operations. Mas, Sporting Dir Paul McDonough and coach Diego Alonso all "understand that on-field success, at a high and consistent level, will be a catalyst in creating the momentum" the club is looking for in its inaugural season (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 1/24).
EARLY ADOPTERS: In Charlotte, Smoot & Andrejev note MLS Charlotte has "received more than 22,000 deposits for season tickets, more than a year before the team will hit the field." MLS Commissioner Don Garber in December said he would be "disappointed" if the Charlotte team does not draw "well over 30,000 fans a game." Deposits for seats in the lower-level of Bank of America Stadium "range from $50 to $100." The MLS Charlotte site says that a team rep will "contact fans who place deposits for seat selection 'in the coming months'" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/24).
LOW ON BOOTY: In Pittsburgh, Dejan Kovacevic notes as things stand with the Pirates, the 26-man payroll "projects to be ... $59,148,500." That would rank 27th among MLB's 30 teams, "miles below their Central market peers" like the Reds and Twins. The Pirates' '20 payroll, if it "stays like this," will be more than $12M lower than the "actual amount spent" in '19 (DKPITTSBURGHSPORTS.com, 1/24).
