04:41 PM CST on Thursday, December 15, 2005

From 11 News Staff Reports

AEG announced Thursday that Houston will become the new home of the San Jose Earthquakes. The move is effective immediately and all players and coaching staff currently under contract will transfer to Houston as part of the new organization.

The City of San Jose and Major League Soccer have signed a Letter of Intent which provides a wide variety of support elements, including a stadium financing plan, to attract a local investor for an MLS expansion team in San Jose as early as 2007.

The details of the Letter of Intent will be voted on at a future San Jose City Council meeting. The Earthquakes name, colors and competition records have been retained by MLS for this future expansion team.

"Houston is a proven soccer market with a passionate, knowledgeable and diverse fan base," Commissioner Garber added. "With positive discussions for a new, soccer-specific stadium along with talks with potential investors, the market provides the team, and its owner AEG, the opportunity for success both on and off the field."

"We thank the fans of the Earthquakes for their support throughout the past 10 years," said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. "It is our intention to bring Major League Soccer back to the Bay Area with a new expansion team as early as 2007. MLS is committed to working with local business leaders and city officials to continue these efforts. With the support of the City of San Jose, a local ownership group and a soccer-specific stadium, professional soccer can be very successful in northern California."

Soccer-specific stadiums are a critical component of MLS' strategy to grow professional soccer in the United States. The Columbus Crew, Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and FC Dallas presently play in soccer-specific stadiums, while the Chicago Fire (2006), Colorado Rapids (2007), MetroStars (2007) and Real Salt Lake (2008) will all play in new soccer venues in the near future. The majority of these stadiums have been financed through public/private partnerships.

The fourth largest city in the United States and one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the country, Houston was ranked the fourth best sports city in the United States by the Sporting News in 2004.