Yeah, but.... Yeah, but... Yeah, but... Yeah, but... ....no, you've hit on some issues. Especially #4. That brand has history, but its history that's truly relevant to an extremely tiny number of people. The facts there's no place to play, no owner, no brand equity that's meaningful....yeah, those are all issues. But those are the issues that, for some reason, are rarely taken into account when people say, "Why don't they bring back (Old Team Name X)?"
That brand is known to every BigSoccer poster in southern New England! What do you mean that's not enough people to support a soccer team?
And the total southern New England BigSoccer posters number what? 5? 6? I only brought up the Marksmen as a more "realistic" path then the idea of setting up shop in Boston. I just can't see the Marksmen ever coming back, I didn't mean to imply that. It was a bit of sarcasm. All kidding aside, I still think Providence is a market worth NASL. Yes, currently they would have competition from the Revs in Foxboro, but where wouldn't they? With Kraft "claiming" New England as his stomping ground as Ubu Roi set claim to Poland. Also, isn't Kraft and cronies working hard for that Boston SSS (more sarcasm, I can't resist)? When the Revs become a Boston team that leaves P-town up for grabs, so to speak. Either way, I personally think a fight for P-town would be a good one for NASL. Yes, I know there are no investors and such right now, this is a theoretical. I do live in reality, unlike others.
Providence is a fairly decent-sized market in and of itself, but, yeah, the Revs thing presents some issues (which may or may not be insurmountable). Ask the Chicago Wolves if they can survive in the shadow of the Blackhawks (way bigger market, I grant you) and then you have a bargain-basement situation where the Denver Cutthroats surely can't survive much longer (though whether that's because of the Avs or because they just are underfunded and can't provide a decent alternative experience, I couldn't tell you).
Another thing to remember is that the Revs are the "red headed step-child" of US Soccer. Outside of Chivas USA, the Revs are the one MLS team that NASL could get into a marketing campaign against and win. The lack of care/awareness that radiates from the Revs' FO is staggering. Kraft has clearly demonstrated that the Revs exist only to fill in dates for his precious Patriot Village extravaganza. Now, touch Kraft's (gridiron) football interests, and that would include P-town, and he'll gut you like a fish.
Hi - couple of points: excellent observation about opening up Providence, I have to concede I did not think through the implications of a Revs move into Boston when I brought up the my opinion about the impact of a move on an in-town NASL.... Second, irrespective of what you think of his style of discourse, Making seems to think he has some "inside" info on a prospective ownership group with a bead on one of the colleges' facility - personally, I'm skeptical but hopeful he's correct (no matter what he'll be serving/pouring at the matches). (I was contending that alcohol license inside and tailgating out would be financially critical and unlikely at a school or municipal venue, but that's opinion NOT insight or experience). Anyway, sincere good luck to him/them... In the meanwhile, I'll continue to support Real Boston.... I was told that Rams will be back in the spring, and will continue the Revs Academy affiliation. I hope to see ALL of you at their matches (as Riders/Rebellion turned up last season) - because I would argue that the lower-division leagues are vital to the growth of the first (and second) tier leagues - if we do not have a sufficiently large supply of quality American players to support the expansion of the higher tiers, i.e. MLS and NASL teams drawing more and more "affordable" journeyman players from Euro and Latin (African? Asian?) tertiary leagues, we will risk endangering fan support for expansion. (Indeed, Garber's comments at halftime MLS Cup seemed to me to indicate awareness of this issue - and Don't get me started about how NCAA works against domestic player development). But I would contend that our pyramid needs a broader base to last - what we have is more of a coke-bottle annually losing chips out of its bottom, not even a stable cylinder, let alone a solid pyramid... As always, just $0.02 - happy holidays to all, and good luck to whatever teams you're supporting! See you pitch-side!
Define "win." I've always said the guerrilla wins as long as he doesn't lose, and that's reasonable. But for all the gnashing of teeth about how little Kraft cares about the Revs, they still spend (I'm guessing) far more than an NASL team would and still draw more than an NASL team would. I think it's naive to think that an NASL team in Providence or some other city in the general metro area would just naturally "beat" the Revs to anything without a huge amount of money and resources being spent. The Revs are not a good organization. But they still have almost 20 years of history and deeper pockets than anybody putting an NASL expansion team anywhere nearby is likely to have. I don't see a Boston NASL team drawing 11k a game or making people forget the Revs. That's a pipe dream.
This, In Garber's most recent interview he masterfully avoids the white elephant in the room. He answers a question with a question and mentions Anschutz instead of kraft. I just wish that Straus would have came out and said Kraft instead of "others" in his response to Garber. Bottom line is that Kraft paid 6 mil to get in and is more than happy with the status quo.
Yeah, he paid $6M to get in. In 1995. And a whole bunch of millions since. And while he hasn't put resources into the Revs that other owners have put into their teams, the crux of that particular tangent is that that makes the Revs vulnerable to attack by an (tee hee) NASL team that doesn't currently exist, whose potential future ownership is unknown and whose actual playing location would have to be determined. You know, if there actually were a team with an investor. Instead of just another in the long line of fantasies formulated in threads titled, "Could (insert league here) work in (insert market here)?"
Hi everybody, hope you had good holidays, and the snow not too deep for you - couple of things: We were talking about tenants for the hypothetical in-town Revs stadium - I note they have extended their affiliation with Rhinos another year, no action there, but today Galaxy announced that they will put a reserve side into USL Pro and will play their games in Stubhub - said they will start play this season, schedule will be out this week so we can see how they fit the venue schedule together.... Also, Revs-Rams affiliation renewed and, if anything, tightened; Rams will be hosting their matches at Quincy Veterans Stadium (apparently about 7 min walk from T) - anybody know anything about that venue? Anybody got new news about the Boston NASL group? Happy pre-season! Go Revs, Go Rams, go Rhinos
Haven't seen where they've announced it yet today, though they were supposed to. As of 8:20 PT, they haven't yet.
Sorry, you are correct - LA Times article is preannouncement announcement/speculation, says official announcement COULD be today, sorry: http://latimes.com/#story/la-sp-sn-galaxy-usl-pro-team-20140128/ Kind of Beckhamish. "Preannouncing" Still don't see anything even as speculative as that for BosNASL though....
Misled you - this was in reference to the NASL guy, who argued that MLS wouldn't let their USL teams use their SSSes (as I'd suggested)....
Was in Boston recently. They are mad for soccer but not mad for the Revs. David Beckham is right. People like to walk to soccer. They'll drive 40+ minutes to Foxboro to tailgate and support the Patriots but for a soccer club to be successful it really has to be in the heart of the city, near public transport, and walking distance for some fans. That's a challenge in Boston for an NASL club because the high price of real estate and getting a stadium. But a community based club that dipped into the Irish heritage (a name like the Boston Rovers etc) could be very successful. Such a club could quite easily get 10k+ support at home games.
Gotta love the xenophobic undertones being added to the urbanite transit-friendly fairy dust (I say this as someone without a car who is a proponent of public transit/biking/walking) as a way to guarantee a team getting attendance that outpaces everyone else in the NASL while directly competing with a far superior product.
The name "Boston Rovers" was used in this country for exactly one year, 47 years ago. It didn't exactly set the world on fire. There is no such thing as "easily" 10k+ at this level. 10k+ is very, very hard. It is simply not true that an ethnically-centered club people can walk to the games of could "easily," much less "quite easily," get 10k+ per game. Not true. You're wrong. You're really, really, really ignorant when it comes to how the business of this game works. This is why absolutely no one in the world except yourself takes you seriously.
Jfalstaf, what the Elders are saying, try not to use absolutes on things you have very little imperial evidence of or personal knowledge. Rarely is anything in life easy, especially creating successful minor league pro soccer.
You're right on all counts. But the draw of the name "Boston Rovers" isn't that it's historic. (It is, but only kinda sorta.) The draw is that the name is incredibly cool and sounds historic. Though again, I'll reiterate, so as to keep from being lumped in with those who still don't get it, the answer to this question is that NASL could work in Boston but that it will not. Not with the Revs still "in town," not with them looking for a new venue (or at least paying lip service), and not without a viable stadium solution (which currently doesn't exist), and not as long as D2 soccer is considered minor league. In short: not in reality. Why won't this thread just die?
I empirically state that jfalstaf has no clue. I absolutely state this, and this is one of those instances in life where where it is easy to say.... .....just kidding?
And that alone is not proof positive that a franchise with that name would "work." Trolls are resistant to reality.
Yeah..you're right. Later on that evening I read the easily 10k sentence and I thought..God, that guys an idiot. Then I looked at the name and it was me who wrote it. Anyways, the point I was trying to make is that an NASL club has to operate differently than an MLS club. MLS is 1st tier and with that comes media exposure and prestige. They could build a stadium outside of the city and get fans to drive to the ground. But an NASL club has to be more community oriented and more grass roots. They have to build from the bottom up, have a stadium that is close to where people already are, close to public transport, close walking distance for some fans. And then they have to slowly build a connection to the community. I think after all that an NASL club in Boston could get a fan base in that range.