Man City and Yankees join forces
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New York Yankees president Randy Levine, MLS chief Don Garber and Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano revealed the new franchise plans.
Former Manchester City star Patrick Vieira threw a ceremonial pitch at a recent New York Yankees game against Toronto.
Former French international star Thierry Henry is the star player at the only current MLS franchise in the Big Apple, the New York Red Bulls.
David Beckham played for six seasons with Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS and helped popularize football in the United States. He helped them to the last two MLS titles.
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(CNN) — Two of the richest organizations in sport announced Tuesday that they have partnered to buy a Major League Soccer franchise in New York.
English Premier League side Manchester City will be the majority owner with MLB giants New York Yankees also claiming a stake in the team — which will be named New York City FC (NYCFC).
The MLS currently has 19 clubs — including the New York Bulls — with NYCFC looking to join the league for the 2015 season.
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“This is a transformational development that will elevate the league to new heights in this country,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber.
“The New York area is home to more than 19 million people — and we look forward to an intense crosstown rivalry between New York City Football Club and the New York Red Bulls that will captivate this great city,” he added.
Abu-Dhabi owned Manchester City will take the lead on recruiting the management team, staff and players for the new franchise, which will be on the hunt for a permanent home in the Big Apple — with the Flushing Meadows area of Queens identified as a possible location.
“New York is a legendary sports town, as well as a thriving global city with a rapidly expanding soccer fan-base,” Ferran Soriano, the Chief Executive Officer of Manchester City said.
Read: LA Galaxy claim second straight title as Beckham departs
City, who saw their own cross city rivals Manchester United wrest the EPL title from them this season, have already expanded their activities in the United States by setting up community programs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington D.C.
They have an existing marketing deal with 27-time World Series champion Yankees and the Manchester City squad will be in New York to play a friendly against fellow EPL giants Chelsea at the Yankee Stadium Saturday.
“We are pleased to be associated with this major move by MLS to increase its presence in the New York market,” said Hal Steinbrenner, managing general partner of the Yankees.
Steinbrenner said they wanted to work with City to “create something very special for the soccer fans of New York.”
The Red Bulls, who are owned by the soft drinks company bearing that name, have recruited the likes of former Arsenal, Barcelona and French international star Thierry Henry and have a growing fan base.
Watch video: Henry enjoys life at the Bulls
They have a purpose built stadium in New Jersey, while the New York Cosmos have also reformed and will join the second-tier of the MLS later this year.
In the 1970s the Cosmos boasted a legendary line-up which included Brazil’s Pele and former German international captain Franz Beckenbauer.
They even played for two seasons at the Yankee Stadium but they folded in 1984 — the same year the then North American Soccer League (NASL) collapsed.
Since the formation of the MLS in 1996, football has enjoyed steady growth in the United States — boosted by the arrival of David Beckham to Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007.
Beckham, who helped Galaxy to the MLS championship for the past two seasons, retired after a brief spell with Paris Saint-Germain and is reported to want to set up his own franchise in the league.
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It’s raced on a dirt track, in May, and features the best horses from across the U.S. No, it’s not the Kentucky Derby, it’s the Preakness Stakes — the second race in America’s prestigious Triple Crown. 
Much like roses at the Kentucky Derby, Black-Eyed Susans are the iconic symbol of the Preakness Stakes. The Black-Eyed Susan cocktail is the drink of choice at Pimlico and includes vodka, lemongrass, blackberry syrup and lemon juice.
The race’s solid silver Woodlawn Vase is the most expensive trophy in American sports, valued at a whopping $1 million. 
Cowboy actor Roy Rodgers’ trusty sidekick, Trigger, was immortalized in his iconic rearing pose. Bought by a U.S. cable company for $266,500 in 2010, Trigger is one of many taxidermy horses on display across the world. 
Head to Australia’s Victoria Museum and you’ll find an entire room dedicated to champion race horse Phar Lap — including his skeleton and body. 
The Australian horse, who died from suspected poisoning by U.S. mobsters in 1932, also has his enormous 6.2-kilogram heart on display. “It was fortunate to posterity that he did die in America, as he was worked on by the top taxidermy firm in the world at that time — the Jonas Brothers of New York,” said Michael Reason, curator of the Phar Lap exhibition.
Taxidermy — the art of stuffing animal skins for display — actually involves very little of the creature’s original parts. Pictured here is the wood and wire frame and real skull used to exhibit famous U.S. cavalry horse Comanche.
The gelding gained legendary status as the sole survivor of the the U.S. Cavalry in the 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn, fought between General Custer’s troops and native American Indians. 
Long after his fellow combatants have turned to dust, Comanche’s taxidermy body stands to attention at Kansas University’s Natural History Museum. The complex process of taxidermy involved wrapping the frame in jute to recreate his shape. 
The frame was then covered in a water-based clay in preparation for the final fitting of skin. “Often, the only real parts were the skin. Which speaks volumes about our concept of representation of the individual — at what point does the proportion of fake parts cross the credibility threshold?” said Leonard Krishtalka, director of the Biodiversity Institute at Kansas University. 
The skin was then sewed on to the frame. “Even preserved skin gets old. So if you go to these 19th century exhibitions, you see all these cracked creatures who have broken ears and the stitching coming undone. I find quite a sadness to them,” said author Rachel Poliquin.
Tens of thousands of people visited Comanche when he was first exhibited at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893. “In one sense you could say it’s ghoulish, but in another you could say it’s part of the human cultural machine — preserving the past gives people some sort of gratification of a connection through time,” said Krishtalka. 
More than 100 years after his death, Comanche was beginning to look a little worse for wear. In 2005 the historic horse was given a makeover — including new eyelashes. 
Dating back to the Victorian era, taxidermy was used by European explorers as a way of preserving exotic species from across the world. 
“In keeping the memory alive, people go into the museum and read the story and become fascinated with it, and perhaps find a respect for a creature they wouldn’t otherwise know about. On the other hand, you’ve made this heroic character into an object for display and there is an element of disrespect in that,” said Poliquin. 
Despite English comedian Arthur Askey’s take on horse racing punters, betting is no laughing matter in Britain with more than £12 billion ($18 billion) wagered annually. But what are the legendary gambling stories of the track? 
Enter Irish billionaire businessman JP McManus (left). The property mogul and horse owner and breeder from Limerick is a renowned big better. “A lot of his prize money goes back into the industry — he keeps so many stables in employment across Ireland and Britain,” says Betfair spokesman Barry Orr.
McManus is a big player at Britain’s Cheltenham Festival. More than $820 million is bet during the four-day meet, second only to the Grand National race. “It’s known as the Olympics of jumps racing, with the very best horses from across Europe competing,” Orr says.
Irish punters make up around 20% of Cheltenham race goers, helping to create a unique atmosphere of green-clad Guinness-drinking revelry. “They’re fearless punters,” Ladbrokes bookmaker David Williams says. “Cheltenham without the Irish would be like Sunday roast without Yorkshire pudding.”
The luck of the Irish was certainly on stable boy Conor Murphy’s side when he won $1.5 million at last year’s Cheltenham Festival. The 29-year-old from Cork placed $75 on famous trainer Nicky Henderson’s (right) five horses, winning in an accumulator bet. 
Australian media mogul Kerry Packer, pictured here chatting to former Prime Minister John Howard, was a towering figure — both in statue and business. The billionaire was an infamous gambler who as a young man reportedly lost $10,000 to illegal operators and had to be bailed out by his influential father, Frank Packer.
No one could quite believe it when three-year-old colt Donerail won the 1913 Kentucky in a record time of two minutes and four seconds. Least of all the bookmakers who had given him 91-1 odds. It remains the highest odds of any winner in the 137-year history of the race.
Jockey Frankie Dettori made history after winning all seven races at Ascot in 1996. “We’ve been racing thoroughbreds for 300 years and I’m the first one to get there, and good luck to the guy who follows me,” he told CNN.
The first professional black American athletes were jockeys, who dominated the sport until the early 20th Century. Jimmy Winkfield (pictured) was the last black rider to win the Kentucky Derby in 1901 and 1902.
Winkfield rides to victory in the 1902 Derby. “He was the LeBron James of his time. Not only was he fabulously talented, he transcended the sports pages to the celebrity pages,” author Joe Drape said.
Just a handful of black jockeys compete today, including Deshawn Parker, ranked 54th in the all-time jockey standings. “It’s not a white man’s sport anymore — the minority Latinos really own it as jockeys,” he said.
Mexico’s Mario Gutierrez celebrates after winning the 2012 Kentucky Derby. Nine of the top-10 highest earning jockeys today are from Latin American countries. 
Urban, pictured on the far left, began his career in 1978 when he joined East German club Motor Weimar at the age of seven. He moved to Rot-Weiss Erfurt in 1984, where he won a youth championship.
The midfielder’s reputation was growing and he was called up to the East German youth team in 1986. He made over 100 appearances for Rot-Weiss’ first team, but Urban felt burdened by his sexuality. “Constantly hearing gay used as a curse word like s**t, made me think, ‘Of course, I’m s**t,” Urban told CNN.
Former United States international Robbie Rogers attracted headlines by announcing himself as gay after retiring for football, aged just 25, earlier this year. Rogers was recently invited to train with Major League Soccer champions Los Angeles Galaxy.
Jason Collins, currently a free agent, made NBA history last month by becoming the first male athlete in a major North American sport to come out as gay.
The former United States and Leeds United striker Robbie Rogers used his website to announce he was gay earlier in 2013 — but then promptly retired from football at the tender age of 25.
Talented England striker Justin Fashanu was the first footballer to come out during his playing career, but he could not live with the scars of his revelation. He committed suicide in 1998.
Former NBA player John Amaechi, who was raised in Britain, broke barriers as the first professional basketball player to announce he was gay in 2007. He made the revelations in his autobiography after retiring from the game.
Jason Collins of the Washington Wizards became the first active NBA player to announce that he is gay on April 29, 2013.
Sport’s biggest lesbian star is 18-time grand slam tennis champion Martina Navratilova who announced she was gay shortly after gaining U.S. citizenship in 1981. Her revelation came at the beginning of her career and she went on to win many more titles.
American four-time Olympic gold medallist Greg Louganis came out as gay when he was diagnosed with HIV in 1988. He told CNN’s Piers Morgan in 2012 he believes in “equal rights for everybody.”
Former Wales rugby union captain Gareth Thomas described the conflict between his sport and his sexuality when he came out in 2009, telling the Daily Mail newspaper: “It is barbaric. I could never have come out without first establishing myself and earning respect as a player.”
“I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation,” NBA player Jason Collins said in a Sports Illustrated article. Take a look at other openly gay athletes.
Sheryl Swoopes, a retired WNBA star and coach of the Loyola University Chicago’s women’s basketball team, came out in 2005.
Brittney Griner, selected No. 1 in the 2013 WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury, is openly gay. 
In an exclusive interview with CNN, former San Francisco 49ers player Kwame Harris came out as gay after rumors circulated in the media. 
U.S. international soccer player Robbie Rogers, formerly of the Columbus Crew, announced that he was gay and retired in February. 
Gareth Thomas of Wales spoke about being gay to a British news channel in 2009. 
Justin Fashanu became the first openly gay soccer player in Europe when he came out in 1990. Eight years later, he took his own life. 
Tennis great Martina Navratilova came out in 1981.
After his retirement in 2007, basketball player John Amaechi announced he was gay.
After retiring from professional football in 1972, David Kopay acknowledged to the Washington Star that he was gay.
Villanova University’s Will Sheridan came out to his teammates in 2003.
In 2012, U.S. women’s soccer player Megan Rapinoe confirmed in Out magazine that she was a lesbian.
Champion figure skater Johnny Weir confirmed in his 2011 memoir, “Welcome to My World,” that he was gay.
Australia’s Matthew Mitcham came out in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald in 2008.
In 2012, Orlando Cruz became the first active professional fighter to publicly announce that he was gay. Editor’s note: A previously published photo in this space erroneously identified a different person as Orlando Cruz. CNN apologizes for the error. 
Openly gay British dressage rider Carl Hester helped his team win gold at the 2012 Olympics.
Cricketer Steven Davies, of Surrey in England, announced he was gay in 2011.
Billy Bean, a former Major League Baseball player, discussed being gay in a 1999 New York Times article. Editor’s note: A previously published photo in this space erroneously identified a different person as Billy Bean. CNN apologizes for the error. 
Tennis legend Billie Jean King was outed by a former female partner in 1981.
In 2002, professional football player Esera Tuaolo came out on HBO’s “Real Sports.”
French tennis player Amelie Mauresmo came out in 1999.
Greg Louganis, who won four Olympic golds for the U.S. over his diving career, has been openly gay since 1995.
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Chris Smith, left, and Chris Kelly of the rap duo Kris Kross circa 1992. Kelly died May 1 at the age of 34. Atlanta-area authorities are investigating his death as a possible drug overdose, Fulton County Police Cpl. Kay Lester said.
Kris Kross’ Chris Kelly and Chris Smith reunited in February for a 20th anniversary concert for So So Def Records.
Kris Kross in New York in 1992.
Kris Kross in November 1992 in Chicago.
A look back at those we have lost in 2013.
Chris Kelly, one-half of the 1990s rap duo Kris Kross, died on May 1 at an Atlanta hospital after being found unresponsive at his home, the Fulton County medical examiner’s office told CNN.
George Jones, the country music legend whose graceful, evocative voice gave depth to some of the greatest songs in country music — including “She Thinks I Still Care,” “The Grand Tour” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today” — died on April 26 at age 81, according to his public relations firm.
Actor Allan Arbus poses for a portrait with his daughter photographer Amy Arbus in 2007. Allan Arbus, who played psychiatrist Maj. Sidney Freedman in the M*A*S*H television series, died at age 95, his daughter’s representative said April 23.
Folk singer Richie Havens, the opening act at the 1969 Woodstock music festival, died on April 22 of a heart attack, his publicist said. He was 72.
Australian rocker Chrissy Amphlett, the Divinyls lead singer whose group scored an international hit with the sexually charged “I Touch Myself” in the early 1990s, died on April 21 from breast cancer and multiple sclerosis, her husband said. She was 53.
Pat Summerall, the NFL football player turned legendary play-by-play announcer, was best known as a broadcaster who teamed up with former NFL coach John Madden. Summerall died April 16 at the age of 82.
Comedian Jonathan Winters died on April 11 at age 87. Known for his comic irreverence, he had a major influence on a generation of comedians. Here he appears on “The Jonathan Winters Show” in 1956. 
Sir Robert Edwards, a “co-pioneer” of the in vitro fertilization technique and Nobel Prize winner, died April 10 in his sleep after a long illness, the University of Cambridge said. He was 87. He is pictured on July 25, 1978, holding the world’s first “test-tube baby,” Louise Joy Brown, alongside the midwife and Dr. Patrick Steptoe, who helped develop the fertility treatment.
Annette Funicello, one of the best-known members of the original 1950s “Mickey Mouse Club” and a star of 1960s “beach party” movies, died at age 70 on April 8. Pictured, Funicello performs with Jimmie Dodd on “The Mickey Mouse Club” in1957.
Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a towering figure in postwar British and world politics and the only woman to become British prime minister, died at the age of 87 on Monday, April 8.
Designer Lilly Pulitzer, right, died on April 7 at age 81, according to her company’s Facebook page. The Palm Beach socialite was known for making sleeveless dresses from bright floral prints that became known as the “Lilly” design. 
Film critic Roger Ebert died on April 4, according to his employer, the Chicago Sun-Times. He was 70. Ebert had taken a leave of absence on April 2 after a hip fracture was revealed to be cancer.
Jane Nebel Henson, wife of the late Muppets creator Jim Henson and instrumental in the development of the world-famous puppets, died April 2 after a long battle with cancer. She was 78.
Shain Gandee, one of the stars of the MTV reality show “Buckwild,” was found dead with two other people in Kanawha County, West Virginia, on April 1. He was 21.
Music producer and innovator Phil Ramone, right, with Paul Shaffer, left, and Billy Joel at the Song Writers Hall of Fame Awards in New York in 2001. Ramone died March 30 at the age of 72.
Writer/producer Don Payne, one of the creative minds behind “The Simpsons,” died March 26 at his home in Los Angeles after losing a battle with bone cancer, reports say. He was 48.
Gordon Stoker, left, who as part of the vocal group the Jordanaires sang backup on hits by Elvis Presley, died March 27 at 88.
Deke Richards, center, died March 24 at age 68. Richards was a producer and songwriter who was part of the team responsible for Motown hits such as “I Want You Back” and “Maybe Tomorrow.” He had been battling esophageal cancer.
Legendary publisher, promoter and weightlifter Joe Weider, who created the Mr. Olympia contest and brought California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to the United States, died at age 93 on March 23.
Playboy magazine’s 1962 “Playmate of the Year,” Christa Speck Krofft, died March 22 of natural causes at the age of 70.
Rena Golden, who held top positions at CNN, died at age 51 after battling lymphoma for two years on March 21. 
Harry Reems, the porn star best known for playing Dr. Young in the 1972 adult film classic “Deep Throat,” died March 19, according to a spokeswoman at a Salt Lake City hospital. Reems, whose real name is Herbert Streicher, was 65.
Bobbie Smith, who as a member of the Spinners sang lead on such hits as “I’ll Be Around” and “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” died on March 16 at age 76. Pictured clockwise from left, Spinners band member Pervis Jackson, Billy Henderson, Jonathan Edwards, Bobbie Smith and Henry Fambrough, 1977.
Sweden’s Princess Lilian, the Welsh-born model who lived with her lover Prince Bertil for 30 years before they were married, has died at the age of 97, the Swedish Royal Court said in a statement.
Alvin Lee, the speed-fingered British guitarist who lit up Woodstock with a monumental 11-minute version of his song “I’m Going Home,” died on March 6, according to his website. He was 68.
Hugo Chavez, the polarizing president of Venezuela who cast himself as a “21st century socialist” and foe of the United States, died March 5, said Vice President Nicolas Maduro.
Bobby Rogers, one of the original members of Motown staple The Miracles, died on Sunday, March 3, at 73. From left: Bobby Rogers, Ronald White, Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore circa 1965.
Actress Bonnie Franklin, star of the TV show “One Day at a Time,” died at the age of 69 on March 1 of complications from pancreatic cancer.
Actor Dale Robertson, who was popular for his western TV shows and movies, died at age 89 on Thursday, February 28. 
Van Cliburn, the legendary pianist honored with a New York ticker-tape parade for winning a major Moscow competition in 1958, died on February 27 after a battle with bone cancer, his publicist said. He was 78.
Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop died on February 25. He was 96. Koop served as surgeon general from 1982 to 1989, under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
Damon Harris, former member of the Motown group the Temptations, died at age 62 on February 18. Harris, center on the stool, poses for a portrait with fellow members of The Temptations circa 1974. 
Lou Myers, a stage, film and TV actor who memorably portrayed Mr. Gaines on the comedy “A Different World,” died on February 19 at the age of 75.
Los Angeles Laker owner Jerry Buss died February 18 at age 80. Buss, who had owned the Lakers since 1979, was credited with procuring the likes of Earvin “Magic” Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. The Lakers won 10 NBA championships and 16 Western Conference titles under Buss’ ownership.
Country singer Mindy McCready was found dead on February 17 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. She was 37. During her career, McCready landed 14 songs and six albums on the Billboard country charts.
Ed Koch, the brash former New York mayor, died February 1 of congestive heart failure at 88, his spokesman said.
Patty Andrews, center, the last surviving member of the Andrews Sisters, died at her Northridge, California, home on January 30, her publicist Alan Eichler said. She was 94. Patty is seen in this 1948 photograph with her sisters Maxene, left, and Laverne.
Baseball Hall of Famer and St. Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial died on January 19, according to his former team. He was 92.
Baseball Hall of Fame manager Earl Sidney Weaver, who led the Baltimore Orioles to four pennants and a World Series title with a pugnacity toward umpires, died January 19 of an apparent heart attack at age 82, Major League Baseball said.
Pauline Phillips, better known to millions of newspaper readers as the original Dear Abby advice columnist, has died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She died January 16 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at age 94.
Aaron Swartz, the Internet activist who co-wrote the initial specification for RSS, committed suicide, a relative told CNN on January 12. He was 26. Swartz also co-founded Demand Progress, a political action group that campaigns against Internet censorship.
Claude Nobs, the founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival, died aged 76 following a skiing accident.
Richard Ben Cramer, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer whose 1992 book “What It Takes” remains one of the most detailed and passionate of all presidential campaign chronicles, died January 7, according to his longtime agent. He was 62.
Director and stuntman David R. Ellis died on January 7. He directed “Snakes on a Plane.”
Tony Lip, who played mob figures in the hit cable show “The Sopranos” and several critically acclaimed movies, died January 4, a funeral home official said. Lip, whose real name was Frank Vallelonga, was 82.
Character actor Ned Wertimer, known to fans of “The Jeffersons” as the doorman Ralph Hart, died on January 2. He was 89.
Pop-country singer Patti Page died on January 1 in Encinitas, California. She was 85. Born Clara Ann Fowler, Page was the best-selling female artist of the 1950s and had 19 gold and 14 platinum singles. 
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A coastal country with deserts and mountains between its borders, Colombia draws the adventurous tourist with its varied terrain. Bocagrande beach in Cartagena is popular with kitesurfers during the warm season, which lasts from December till April. Kitesurfer Ken Ruiz practices at Bocagrande beach in December 2012. 
Thousands of people in Cali, Colombia earn their living from the salsa industry — whether working at dance schools, ballrooms and party rooms or as tailors or other related jobs. Here, members of Argentina’s “Bien chevere” dance school perform during the 7th World Salsa Festival held in Cali in September 2012. 
The Caribbean port city of Cartagena hosted the Sixth Summit of the Americas in April 2012, during which leaders in the Americas discussed how to better connect the different countries.
A visitor walks past a statue of the Virgen del Perpetuo Socorro (Our Lady of Perpetual Help) in the Nemocon salt mine in September 2012. The mine is one of Colombia’s most popular tourist attractions. 
Colombian bullfighter Sebastian Vargas performs a pass during a bullfight at La Santamaria bullring in Bogota in January 2012.
The municipality of Medellin presented an artistic project called Heroes Without Borders, an exhibition of 23 photographs placed in different facades and roofs, to prevent the recruitment of children by illegal groups in January 2012. 
A horse is pictured during a traditional folk festival in San Martin in the province of Meta in November 2012. The annual event has at least 272 years of history and commemorates the native people’s struggle for freedom against Spanish colonization.
The 500-meter-long escalator in Commune 13 in Medellin, divided into several sections, was set up to facilitate the travel of residents living in the mountainside favelas. The notorious slums of Medellin have gone through urban and educational projects to improve the quality of life for residents.
Tourists walk past a sculpture by Fernando Botero in Cartagena’s old city in April 2012.
Austrian paraglider pilot Othmar Dickbauer flies above the mountains in Roldanillo, Valle del Cauca department, Colombia, during the Paragliding World Cup Superfinal, January 2013. 
Colombian policemen patrol on horseback near Cartagena’s historic walls in April 2012. 
A woman visits the aquarium of Explora Park in Medellin, Colombia, in March 2013. In 2012, Medellin competed with cities including New York and Tel Aviv, to win the title of “Innovative City of the Year” from the Urban Land Institute in partnership with The Wall Street Journal and Citigroup. The city’s modern transportation system, including gondolas that shuttle residents from steep mountainside neighborhoods to the city below, was cited as a key factor.
A mural enlivens a wall in the midst of Medellin’s hillside slums, near the celebrated architecture star Biblioteca Espana in January 2013.
A costumed performer takes part in a traditional folk festival in San Martin in the province of Meta in November 2012. 
People sit outside restaurants and bars situated on the corner of a small square inside the city walls in January 2012 in Cartagena.
A general view shows Medellin from above in March 2013.
