The Miami Hurricanes are set to enter year seven without a bona fide place to truly call home.
Sure there is Sun Life Stadium—the Canes’ current digs, house of the Miami Dolphins, host of a few Super Bowls and considered, by most, a decent place to play football. Still, folks who spent many a rowdy Saturday in the raucous Orange Bowl between the early 1980s and the early 2000s certainly know better.
“The U” is under contract to remain in Miami Gardens for the better part of the next two decades, but the venue will forever feel akin to sleeping in somebody else’s bed—right down to the missing Canes’ helmet in the end zone, lack of a logo midfield, hovering Dolphins presence and yards of dead space between the sideline and the stands.
While all of that brings frustration and despair, there’s a sliver of hope for the University of Miami, courtesy of a pretty-boy, former soccer legend on a mission.
David Beckham has taken a liking to the Magic City and wants to bring soccer to South Florida. Of course to better his chances of doing so, he needs more than financial backing—Beckham must form a local alliance, and who better than the vagabond Hurricanes, in search of proper place to play, much closer to home?
UM represents an ideal, marquee long-term tenant—one with a solid brand, tremendous history and a strong following—currently backed up by years of losing and frustration regarding venue ever since that rickety steel structure in Little Havana was torn down in early 2008.
For Miami, jumping on the Beckham bandwagon is the lone, tangible option if a “home” stadium is an ultimate goal. The global superstar has the name, face, brand and connections to get folks excited and focus on funding, while UM president Donna Shalala has the savvy, politically background and a full Rolodex of her own, when it’s time to shake the trees.
The tag team duo of Beckham and Shalala could be unstoppable, if both parties have a similar vision and can unite on the cause.
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