State News

Should Florida Financially Support Sports Teams?

WFSU | By Ronald J. Ebben

Published January 31, 2013 at 4:07 PM EST

Two major Soccer teams would be eligible for subsidies given to other pro sports teams in Florida under a bill filed in the Legislature.

A measure filed by Sen. David Simmons, R-Maitland, would add MLS to the list of leagues eligible for a $166,000 monthly stipend from the state.

Currently,the National Basketball Association, National Football League, Major League Baseball and National Hockey League are eligible for the payments.

Major League Soccer has made it clear it wants a franchise in the southeastern United States—particularly Florida. League Commissioner Don Garber said n November that Orlando is among the cities at the top of the list.

Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins are looking to get state help with stadium renovations.

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State News Major League Soccer

Ronald J. Ebben

Ronald J. Ebben has 50 years of experience in broadcast news. Ron’s first assignment was covering the Kennedy-Nixon 1960 election in Peoria, Ill. His first News Director position was in 1963 at a Fort Worth, Texas, radio station. He carried Kennedy speech in downtown Fort Worth before JFK was assassinated later that morning in Dallas. And he was in the newsroom to see those fateful words come over United Press International wire: the “president had been shot.” Ron served as News Director for Tampa Bay stations from 1968 to 1990 and hosted the “Live with the Governor” statewide call-in show with Gov. Bob Martinez. In 1990, he became News Director of a statewide network with 26 affiliates. From 1991 to 2000 Ron was News Director at WTNT and Program Director for WNLS. Since 2000 Ron has served as :Morning Edition: host for WFSU News.

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