Fort Lauderdale Strikers Return to South Florida

One of the most recognizable U.S. soccer institution names worldwide returned from extinction Thursday when Traffic Sports announced that the Fort Lauderdale Strikers are back. The Strikers will kick off their first game April 9th against Edmonton in their NASL home opener at Lockhart Stadium.

The Strikers name was unveiled in front of a few hundred fans and dignitaries along the Fort Lauderdale beachfront. The team, owned by Traffic Sports, changed its name from Miami FC to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, a name that is an institution in the history of soccer in the United States. The name is synonymous with former international legends such as George Best, Gerd Muller, Nene Cubillas, Gordon Banks, Ian Callaghan, Ricky Villa and Ossie Ardiles, as well as U.S. internationals Tony Meola, Thomas Rongen, Arnie Mausser, Dominic Kinnear, Steve Trittschuh and Eric Eichmann.

“I am the first to acknowledge that a name in and of itself is simply that,” said Strikers CEO Aaron Davidson. “But the Strikers were and continue to be an institution. And we are committed to extending and building on that institution.”

The return of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers as a professional club represents another modern soccer team tapping into the retro appeal of adopting a historic U.S. club name. The success of the Seattle Sounders in Major League Soccer coupled with the forthcoming return of the New York Cosmos are just two examples. Three more are the return of Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps to top flight soccer in North America, as well as the Tampa Bay Rowdies who play in the same NASL as the Strikers.

Season tickets to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers are now available. Call 954.606.0400 or e-mail info@miamifc.com.