According to this Goal.com article: http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/major-league-soccer/2011/09/08/2534291/a-comprehensive-breakdown-of-available-cities-for-the-20th Discuss!
I have to greet with suspicion any article that indicates the Citrus Bowl underwent "recent innovations." I think what happened in the last year is that it became clear that a strong fanbase is not an impediment to MLS in Orlando. But there still remains perhaps the two larger issues: 1. ownership $$ and 2. stadium. No?
The only thing he can call "recent innovations" are the extra bathrooms (we still have some piss troughs, BTW) and the AstroTurf (which, while more modern and natural-looking, is still AstroTurf). This has as much merit as the idiot noted on the team Facebook page that didn't even bother to mention Orlando.
Yeah I saw this on the team Facebook page and pasted here for discussion.I think one thread with this type of discussion vs. The multiple game threads that end up discussing this is better for us. Anyway, I think the point needs to be made here that if we continue to be a D2 or D3, I ll still be a supporting fan. MLS would be nice, but for the longest time, most of us have wanted to have ANY successful team here.....any who carry on. I really liked the idea of the retractable roof over the lower bowl, that would look great and concentrate the noise level. Anyone have sample pics of what that would look like?
Sigh. Horrible journalism. People can repeat this all they want. But Miami Fusion FC and the Tampa Bay Mutiny didn't fail because they were in Florida. Miami failed because the league made a mistake in letting an undercapitalized investor into the league during a period of large annual cash calls to cover the operations of the three league-owned teams. Tampa Bay is gone because it was one of the three league-owned teams at the main turning point in league history when the remaining investors cleaned up the league's finances in order to draw in more investment. The other two league-owned teams survived more due to happenstance/potential (Dallas is where Lamar Hunt lived, San Jose was seen as a market with more potential - especially on the stadium side). There was nothing about the Miami/Fort Lauderdale market or the Tampa/St Pete market that failed. And MLS HQ is well aware of that. Seriously. Can we please kill the "Miami and Tampa" failed crap? It's like people saying Kansas City failed the NHL in 74/75 and isn't a viable NHL market because of it. What happened with that franchise isn't relevant to Kansas City today. What happened with the Mutiny and Fusion isn't relevant to those markets today. EDIT: Just read the article. Hoo-boy that's a laugher. The Cosmos have "no negatives" now that Kelmsley's in charge. I guess hiring the guy who is suing the league (Chinaglia) isn't a negative. Nor is having Nike (aka Umbro) turn Cosmos into a lifestyle clothing brand, and isn't likely to "step aside" for adidas, isn't a negative. This article is pure fan-boy, message board grade. No real journalism involved.
I think they will definitely be selected as a MLS expansion within the next couple of seasons. If not, Rawlins has shown he will pick up and move overnight in search of greener pastures without a second thought. Florida is a great, and untapped, market right now for the MLS and Orlando is a growing city...but then again so are Tampa and Miami and even Jacksonville for that matter.
But, there's no competition here in Orlando from other pro sports. (Hey! even Howard said no one shows up at Magic games until the finals. And, Dan Newlin supports the arena football team so - does it really count as a sport?)
I think I stopped reading when they said Crystal Palace Baltimore will relaunch in the NASL in 2012. Um, no they won't. That franchise is dead with the lawsuits. Also, the RailHawks are in Cary, NC. Almost three hours away from Charlotte. So why on earth would you list them as having anything to do with Charlotte? I mean they list no current franchise for Miami despite the Ft. Lauderdale, Strikers being only a half hour away.
Actually the Tampa and Jacksonville media markets are shrinking, and Miami right now doesn't have great support for its current summer sports. The previous MLS failures, right or wrong, will always be an albatross for Miami and Tampa, and MLS won't take Jacksonville seriously as long as ESPN is bashing the Jaguars. The way to change minds is to build the fan bases in the minors. And Orlando showed its ahead of them, and light-years ahead of any other aspiring market for that matter, with its performance this past season.
and Orlando is the "perfect" market right. you only got 3,000 more fans than FCTB inaugural home opener, so the light-years term is way off base.
And we also drew more than your first regular-season game twice. Something you haven't come close to since early 2010. I won't hold my breath waiting for you to approach us again.
I guess you haven't followed soccer long, look at the circumstances. Rowdies lost their name, they had a losing season and a change of venue, plus our season isn't over yet. I would rather have a sell-out of 7k in a 7k venue than 11k in 20k venue with football lines. look at what happened to Miami with all the MLS talk....they don't have a team. At least FCTB are the smart ones and our quiet about it. Read,Listen and Learn.
Or is it sit down, shut up, settle for what you have? Is that why you ran crying to an abandoned baseball field on the wrong side of the bay? Or are you just waiting for the Rays to move away so you can have an even bigger abandoned baseball field? BTW: I also won't hold my breath waiting for you to sell out said abandoned baseball field. Since the best you've been able to do thus far is 4k announced.
According to the article Tampa has a better sports market than Orlando and has higher tv sports ratings than Orlando. and this was you announced attendance: 5,265
Stick to subject or moderating will commence. I think Orlando would be a great MLS city. If SLC can do it, so can Orlando. Just need one more big time investor and a stadium, and your gold. CB is not a long term solution.
Even if it means your field is 20 yards short and has a pitcher's mound in the middle? You play on a kiddie field. We have real football dimensions. For everything wrong with the Citrus Bowl, the most important things are right. And last I saw, that "announced attendance" (which doesn't include playoff numbers of 7600, 8300 and 11200) was double what you're announcing. It's proven to be exactly as I said at the beginning of the year: WE BLEW YOU OUT OF THE WATER. AND NO AMOUNT OF SHIT-TALKING WILL TAKE THAT AWAY FROM US. WE. OWNED. YOU. Now if you're not going to talk constructively, Whitestar, I recommend you get out of our subforum.
YOU OWNED NOTHING. Your team never played us, and your supporters can't sing or chant. Now constructive debate; how much does OC pay for rent of Citrus bowl?
Little if anything. I am know they aren't getting it for free, but I am sure the City is giving them a great deal on it. Except for 10k in a 70k seater and astroturf, its a win-win.