Kick In!!!

Team Terry gets many calls (and resumes) from folks wanting to help with efforts to bring World Cup competition to Maryland. In the successful preliminary rounds, the bid process was handled quite ably by the Office of Sports Marketing and stakeholders at M&T Bank Stadium and FedEx Fields.

Now, the organizers of the US Bid have upped the ante for venues aspiring to be part of the bid -- an online petition to FIFA, showing passion for soccer in the United States.

Why is this important? Good question. Do online petitions really influence decision makers? Glad you asked. Here's the reason why we need everyone in Maryland (you folks in Virginia can play, too) to sign the petition.

THEY'RE TRACKING THE ZIP CODES

That's right. In addition to expressing support to bring the World Cup to the US, you also let the US organizers know just how many soccer fans are in specific geographic areas.

This isn't a matter of Baltimore vs. Metropolitan Washington. It's "all in" for Maryland. That's where you can play.

Team Terry is asking everyone who has an interest in bringing marquee sports events to Maryland to go here and wave the flag for US soccer.

http://www.gousabid.com/petition

Remember, your zip code is how they track geographic support.

Hopefully, we will make it to the next round (meet the parents? Governor O'Malley and Senator Mikulski will wow them) and will know more by the end of the year.

In the meantime, help us by circulating the link with a personal message on the importance of showing US passion for international soccer. Again, the link is:

www.gousabid.com/petition