Pressure Point: Messi-led Inter Miami joins S. Florida’s other four pro franchises with championship

Another euphoric championship celebration is underway in Broward County as Messi and Inter Miami join South Florida’s other four pro teams with a league championship.

South Florida joins New York as the only markets with titles in the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and MLS.

Inter Miami follows on the heels of the Broward-based Florida Panthers winning back-to-back NHL titles the past two years.

Recall covering David Beckham’s announcement of the franchise in February 2014. There was a lot of curiosity because of Beckham’s involvement, but mixed with considerable skepticism about whether the team would ever make it onto the pitch and where it would even play. There were certainly a lot of obstacles, but Beckham and partners Jorge and Jose Mas managed to get the biggest star in the world in Leo Messi, the MLS championship and will open a new stadium next year in Miami.

But the best part, for me, was seeing them win their first championship at the same location (different stadium) where I watched Rocky Ray Hudson and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers become South Florida’s fun bunch in the late 1970s before ultimately losing their luster. Later, the Fusion, with Hudson as coach, had some tantalizing moments on the same ground before also flaming out.

What a long, strange trip it’s been for soccer here, and Messi, Beckham et al brought a nearly half-century saga full circle and finally sealed the deal in their temporary home where Lockhart Stadium once stood before moving on to Miami.

So hat’s off to them, and there’s little doubt there will be more to come.