Major League Soccer defunct clubs

In 2001, head coach Ray Hudson led the Fusion to their best ever season, winning the Supporters' Shield with a record of 16–5–5.

In the next round, the Fusion were eliminated by the San Jose Earthquakes after Troy Dayak scored in overtime in the series tiebreaker.

Owner Ken Horowitz supported the imposition of measures to keep spending down for MLS clubs, as it was reported that the Fusion's ownership had lost $15 million in operating costs since joining the league.

[10] On January 8, 2002, MLS commissioner Don Garber announced that the Fusion and the Tampa Bay Mutiny would be expelled from the league and subsequently disbanded.

[1] Although the Fusion had their own lease on a 20,000-seat stadium, Garber cited low revenue and lack of corporate sponsorship as the reason for the decision.

[7] Horowitz also stated that Miami was not a feasible location for the Fusion because many residents did not identify with local sports teams.

[14] ESPN reported on September 29, 2014, that the club would suspend operations at the end of the MLS regular season, according to multiple sources.

The decision to expel Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny was designed to cut costs, by reducing the league from 12 teams to 10.

[7] Once the Florida teams went defunct in 2002, it was taken as a sign that Major League Soccer was struggling, especially because of its inability to find ownership for its clubs.

We simply could not find a solution that was economically feasible at this time, and we hope to return to the state of Florida when the league expands in future years.