Biggest problem is its a University stadium. A lot of red tape and in the end you won't get ownership or even a good chunk of any revenue. Lose-Lose.
Don't take it personal, even eleven. I don't think A68 is singling you out. Its just that (...as I pull out my broad paint brush) Seattle sucks!!! Go Kings! Go Niners!! Go Quakes!!! Eff Seattle!!
i live in California. My avatar says "Salinas, CA" on it. you guys don't seem to be very observant. but, the Kings have been bad forever, the 'Niners got whipped by the Seahawks, and the 'Quakes are stoked about building a minor-league stadium. and Lew Wolff is "the Most Hated Man in Oakland." enjoy!
If we didn't have to give all our water to LA, we'd be fine. I hear Salinas is dried up though. Even Ramiro Corrales had to empty out his pool!
Ramiro Corrales was an original California Jaguar in '95, and a local futbol hero, along with Francisco Gomez and David Estrada. there's lots of soccer talent here in NorCal, definitely enuff for another pro team, since the 'Quakes management seems to be pretty inept. maybe Sac Republic will show them how it's done...
California Jaguars in the pre MLS days playing at the Salinas Sports Complex featuring Jeff Baicher, Ramiro Corrales, Paul Holocher, Tayt Ianni, Mark Semioli, Jerome Watson and Francisco Gomez were a great team. Considering their stadium and the potential fans they would or could get, they could very well probably do a better job in the NASL than SF at Kezar would. Meanwhile, Peterson seems to be thinking and talking big. At least he seems optimistic but seeing is believing. Hope his dreams come true.... Peterson: 'We've moved into the growth phase'
i doubt that Salinas could support an NASL team. if they did it would take an absolutely ideal ownership group that didn't mind losin' money, 'cos they would have the smallest market in the NASL by far. 3rd division is probly more realistic for Salinas. on the brite side tho, Salinas' stadium is bigger than San Jose's will be. i would love to see a return of the San Francisco Seals in NASL at Kezar, but i have my doubts about that as well. the stands are just too far from the field at Kezar...
IMO, the only place a USL PRO or NASL team could set up shop in the Bay area, utilizing an existing field, would be at Berkley's soccer stadium (Edwards Stadium).
Edwards Stadium has the one side that hasn't been utilized since the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Also, the track that divides the field from the stands is kind of far and not the greatest for fans. I went to many games there from 2010-2012 watching the CAL BEARS and its a great pitch for the players and for a college team but I don't think it would be that great for pro soccer....
There's no existing location in the Bay that would be great for pro soccer. IMO, a start-up team in either the USL or NASL will need some deep pockets and follow Sacramento's lead by financing a modular, cost-effective stadium. Even then, as we've discussed ad nauseum, I'm skeptical of the support a lower division team would receive in the Bay.
That is true but I don't think Edwards is the answer either. The parking around campus isn't all that great and I doubt they would draw 1,500 fans. Well they may if they are lucky but I don't see it. The SF Bay Blackhawks use to draw well when they played at San Ramon HS and Newark Memorial HS back in the late 80's and early 90's but there was no other pro soccer around as MLS hadn't started yet. Don't think there is a great location currently.
I think Peterson is backed into a corner here and he has to make something happen. He's being clocked from both sides. Inside three months, he's lost his two biggest exclusive markets to MLS and while the Strikers might be able to limp along in Broward County, the Silverbacks seem to be lining up alongside the new franchise. Meanwhile, BP has to live by the D-2 standards set down by the USSF, while his main rival in reality, USL-Pro, have no standards and are outflanking him at every turn. So this desperate race to SF or to double up/triple up in LA and Chicago, talking up the league and so forth is driven by a need to get into markets that he thinks the USL can't get into. Whether this is a flawed idea or not is moot but he's looking at the same list of markets we are. The biggest MSA on the list of 80 or so USSF-allowed markets without a team is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont. MLS won't go there because of the Quakes but that doesn't stop the Quakes launching a second team in the City or in East Bay. They need to get a team to market first or, if the Quakes launched a team in Hayward, get to the City first.
I'm still all for SF or anyone in the East Bay or up on the Peninsula housing an NASL expansion team but I've yet seen any ownership group come forth with such plans. I'd love to see it but I think Petersen is wishful thinking mostly.
From Facebook NASL to San Francisco - https://www.facebook.com/events/262270047277682/ Live soccer action for FREE on Friday (4/25) at 7:00pm on the University of San Francisco campus. The USF Dons will host the Cal Bears in the 'San Francisco Spring Game' to close out their spring slate of matches. All are welcome to come check out this Bay Area soccer rivalry match. ......Will be interesting to see what kind of attendance this "FREE" college exhibition game at USF Negoesco Stadium. May be an indicator of how much of an interest an NASL SF team could generate down the line.