Yes we did, and it is a wonderful stadium that was built with expansion in mind. It is relatively easy to get to, but is about 10 miles North of the city's urban core. It is fun to speculate when it is not your money, and I think it would provide for an overall better (not to say that the current one is bad) game day experience.
community push needed for MLS... http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...-it-will-take-join-mls-ranks-has-be-community
Yeah, I don't think that can happen. Would be nice but won't happen. But I kinda like that Toyota Field is built IN a quarry. To me that's unique.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/22/6344097/republic-fc-takes-aim-at-usl-pro.html That's quite impressive for another team with MLS aspirations. Our first match ever got over 13,000 I believe. Now we are hovering just below 7,000 and couldn't bother to sell out our 2014 home opener. Is it a marketing problem with our team, or is there just not the support for soccer we thought there was?
We have a pretty high average attendance, not sure why you see it as a problem. Having said that, I know we can def get more people out here. I think the main problem is many people don't know about the team, or that we have a nice stadium, or who plays for the team, or that we are a professional team. Also, we were shitty last year, yet we still maintained one of the highest avg attendances in the league.
The problem is that the team keeps turning over. How can you build a fan base when no one stays on the team. The novelty has worn off, and no offence if as a 2nd tier team you are averaging 7k that is great. And with Fiesta going on lets be honest that people had other options on that night that would cause a little lower turn out. The SA Missions average 4300. The SA Rampage average 7k So outside of the Spurs the Scorpions do very well for SA. ANd if they start winning expect it to go up..
Don Garber has basically come out and said in the media that San Antonio will not be getting an MLS team. He even went as far as to imply that Austin would be considered before San Antonio would. I believe the only chance the Scorpions have of playing division one football is if promotion and relegation in instilled. That is not going to happen in my lifetime and I'm in my 30's. MLS has done wonders for the sport in the U.S. but the USSF really needs to insulate the lower divisions from getting their pockets picked of the most profitable and marketable teams. The current franchise system only benefits MLS.
It looks like Hartman found some Mexican investors to put up 90-100 million for the entry fee, but they won't do it if the city is not behind the deal. Bexar County is out as they have signed a non-compete agreement with the Spurs and will not do anything without the permission of the Spurs. With the mayor taking the HUD job and several council members wavering, it will yet be another uphill battle for Gordon Hartman. One thing I'll give Gordon Hartman is that he doesn't give up and will battle forward. So I have faith that if there is anyone that can put the deal together it's going to be him. If it doesn't happen -- it means it wasn't meant to be. I'll still love the team no matter what happens.
You think the Spurs would still block? I know they control most of the sports teams here, but I would have to think that the public success that the Scorpions have had, and hopefully will have going forward.
As far as the reports from the Express News the Spurs only have an agreement with Bexar County and not the city of San Antonio, which is why I believe that Hartman and the potential investors are saying that a deal with the city is their only option and the only way forward. They are saying if the deal falls through with the city, the deal is done -- and if this is so, one can only assume that a deal with the county is out of the question. And why? Because there is a non-compete agreement between Bexar County and Spurs Sports and Entertainment, as reported by the Express News in the year 2010 (I believe). I am not an insider -- I am just connecting dots and making logical assumptions based on relative information. All my information is from reported news.
When Dan McCarney was asked if he has heard anything about the new Toyota Field renderings, this was his response. @MLSinSA Yes, I've seen them. Nice. Hartman still doing some networking w/ city council before releasing. Doesn't want to spring anything.— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneyNBA) July 29, 2014
Reports of USA vs Columbia at the Alamodome in September! A great chance to show that San Antonio is ready for MLS!
Epic renderings, still feel like SA needs to HURRY if they want in this round. Any buzz on city council jumping on sooner rather than later? Stadium expansion doesn't happen unless MLS does.
I think that these new renderings only "prove" what Hartman has been saying about things on the club's and his end to anyone that had doubt. Those renders are VASTLY superior to the others and show that the intent, desire, and interest is quite clearly for an MLS club. Also, you don't redo your expansion plans and put out something like that unless you actually do have seriously interested groups ... .... that's the positives. There have been those within the downtown areas that are in favor of bringing an MLS team here.