The team will be operated by Warren Smith, co-owner of the Sacramento River Cats minor league baseball club. They will play at Hughes Stadium on the campus of Sacramento City College and begin play in USL Pro in 2014. http://blogs.sacbee.com/city-beat/2012/12/sacramento-lands-minor-league-soccer-franchise.html http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/958157 http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/76572/LIVE_Pro_soccer_team_is_coming_to_Sacramento
damn i used to live five minutes from Hughes. born too soon. i did get to see the Sacramento Surge play tho...
I think that you need to get at least 10 folks to request that the mods add it...or it goes something like that anyways...
And the request needs to be made here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/forums/forum-requests-and-voting.666/
So after looking it up it doesn't seem like Sacramento is steeped in good former sports names so are there any favorites for the name the team vote? Colors you would like, are there many people from Sacramento on Big Soccer?
I really like the name Sacramento Gold - which is currently our NPSL team. Not sure if they could steal the name or use it as well. Colors are nice. The Gold name works on many levels, specifically that if it weren't for gold, Sacramento wouldn't be what it is today. Also because of the Golden State, gold being valuable and "first place." That's my vote.
This is going to be huge for SACTO! I wonder what EPL team Smith was hoping for in the interview with sacpress when asked about international friendlies in 2013? If unrealistic, a huge club from Mexico or South America would be good too because of the large hispanic population.
I love the idea of a Sac team but I can tell you NO EPL or MLS team will ever play a friendly on their plastic pitch, EVER!
I went to Sac State back in the late 90's. Back then, we had the famously bad Geckos. I actually thought the team name was OK, but a bit irrelevant. I never saw too many lizards around the capital city. Sacramento Gold is OK. But I'd prefer either a plural name or a "FC" type name. As far as colors, I do like gold, as long as it's of the Vegas variety. I don't like darker shades. In fact, vegas gold and a silvery gray might be good. What companies are based in and around Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto (the cities in the TV market)? I like seeing mockups with potential sponsors (I have no clue how to do mockups, otherwise I would).
There are 4 MLS trams that play on turf, including Seattle and Portland (just sayin') What would be a good int club to come to Sac, if not from the EPL?
over the last couple years, a few championship and BPL teams with less prestige have played friendlies out west. I know Venture has had a couple friendlies and a partnering with them to coordinate friendlies would be good idea. This works well for the visiting team as they want a couple matches in a a two or three week window. Here in Charleston we have had Sunderland, Bolton, Portsmouth, and were supposed to have Nottingham Forest before they were sold and their new owner pulled the plug on the preseason tour.
Thinking of our immigrant/foreign resident population in the region, a Mexican team would get a draw of course, but would be neat to see a Russian/Eastern European or an Indian club come here. Likewise, a Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese club. I've ran into a number of English and Australian lads around here. There are too many target audiences.. The Earthquakes and Chivas USA played a friendly here a couple of years ago that drew 7,000+. I'd like to think a visiting club and our home team could draw even more.
And those MLS teams all train on real grass at their practice facilities. Seattle (Sigi) has been pushing real grass for their stadia for years now. Will not happen for a meaningless match. Will have to look for teams that are not in big leagues (Denmark, Sweden, etc.) to play on plastic. They will most likely have to play at the baseball stadia to make it work in their favor.
Nonsense. Portland and shittle have plastic pitches now. So does, or did, Toronto (have they changed over to grass yet?). Don't Wankouver play on plastic? There's another team or two who do also. Mind you, I think that the BogusTurf(tm) pitches suck like a Dyson, but some MLS teams play on that crap now. So you have to think that MLS teams are willing to play in what amounts to a giant cat box. EPL teams maybe not. MFL teams, I'm not sure. Haven't at least a couple of them played a friendly or two on the plastic carpets? And it's too bad they put BogusTurf(tm) in a Hughes Stadium. It used to be grass, which is just so much better. <sigh> But I'm willing to bet that Sacramento can attract some MLS sides for friendlies, Portland and San Jose are likely candidates. And good luck to Sacramento! - Mark
The fake turf is really unfortunate, what bad timing. Let's remember that the exhibitions don't necessarily have to be played at Hughes. The ownership will likely have games at Raley Field since they've had soccer there in the past and they are the same ownership as the Rivercats. Playing games at Sac State is also an option. I hope the real goal is to have their own stadium, built downtown. Playing on plastic at a community college is not the best nor a long term solution...
Representatives? Assembly? (I hate singular terms.) Solons is actually cool. What animals or birds are common to Sacramento? Herons? Cougars? Bears is done to death, but not in soccer. How about "Corrupt Politicians!" That's a scary name! <I joke.> Also, it's not really my business what they call themselves, as I'll be rooting for Sacramento from afar (mostly). Oooo! They could call their team the Elks, just to twist Elk Grove! That would be nasty. Maybe something with a magpie? I'm looking forward to this. GO QUAKES!! - Mark
This is D3 we're talking about. Playing a high school could be a long-term solution. I don't see it as a problem to share a stadium with a college soccer program. The big drawback and Hughes is the track. Sac City has a good track program, so they aren't going to get rid of the track. Do they have a separate soccer facility? Even if it's just an open field now, the Sacks (Sac FC) could maybe come up with some cash to put seats around it and make that a proper soccer stadium. Build their own stadium? On a D3 budget? Someone would need very deep pockets and a lot of commitment. Good luck! GO QUAKES!! - Mark
I'm from Sacramento and I am THRILLED to hear this. Finally getting our own soccer team is awesome. Hopefully, sometime, they'll get considered to become and MLS expansion team.