Help Save the Wizards

Good start....now take it a step further.

Here is what you need to do once the initial shock is gone.

Get a group of good solid people together to form a group. This group obviously needs to be enthusiastic, dedicated, and willing to spend a lot of personal time on something they truly "believe" in. Make sure it's a diverse group of people with different backgrounds. This will allow you to tap different skills, personalities, and backgrounds. For example...in our group we have 2 lawyers, 2 business owners, a marketing/communications person, a sales professional, and myself. Being that you are a CPA I would say that you would be a huge asset to any group that is formed. Make sure you develop a corporate type structure early on in the process.

Have a meeting as soon as possible. Outline what your objectives are, and develop a plan to help you obtain those objectives while always keep in eye on how to creat attention in the media, with investors, and within the league. Show your passion like never before.

Be realistic in your approach. You won't....let me repeat....YOU WON'T get anything done in a week, a month, etc.... It all takes time. You need an owner....when you meet, start listing potential investors. Think about creating an investment group. That way a single investor doesn't have to carry the entire load. With the stadium.....research each and every city in your area to determine who may have the ability to use redevelopment funds, or any other type of funds, without voter approval. Research current, past, and present stadium projects of all sports to see how they were funded. Get VERY creative. It can be done. I have contact information within HOK, and I know they would be very helpful in this regard.

There is obviously a lot more to everything...but just make sure you stay focused. Every time a door is closed, or you hear more bad news just make sure you use that energy in a positive way. Don't EVER GIVE UP. Allow the bad news to push you harder. In the end, the fans, the league, the players, and the kids will all be greatful for your efforts.

Contact me at tony@soccersiliconvalley.com.

Once you start getting a group together I'll do what I can to fly out one weekend to meet with you all if you would like.

And please....use us as much as you can. We've been through, are going through it, and can provide you with a wealth of information and advice.

 

Remember....SSV was told days before our rally that the team was virtually gone. You can create time if you play your cards right.

 

'Ol Crosby isn't too interested in sports to my knowledge. My mom has worked with the Kemper family for years (when Mariner, the youngest, was still a little kid.) Maybe one of the soccer enthusiasts who works at UMB could hassle the guy...

 

What about that Pryor guy, made money in real estate I believe?

 

it is backward. it stems from having no other competition for business. compare it to a cable provider, for example. if comcast, my provider, was the only cable provider in the kc area and they knew there was no chance of any other cable service for hundreds of miles, they would be able to leave it up to the 'supporters' to get things done. soccer is kinda different though because the owners know that their hardcore fans become emotionally attached.

 

http://www.olatheks.org/Egov/egov_council.cfm

Phone numbers, email and photos of the Olathe City Council. Big problem with Olathe is that they have the current proposed minor league arena in the works. Maybe we could convince them soccer is a better investment.

 

http://www.opkansas.org/Documents_&_Forms/council_contacts.pdf


pdf file for Overland Park city council contact info.

 

Good Idea, Why not build a stadium instead of the Arenas in JOCO? The Wizards already have a fanbase and are competitors.


what a way to show how an organised city works, here's kansas city building an arena for NO team, and letting the current teams suffer the outcome, Id trade the damn arena tax in a second. Pass the Arena, and then ask for more to work over the stadiums? PLEASE !

Im sure one of those cities would be interested in having their name associated with a big league team...........Overland Park Wizards

Matthias
CAULDRON 4EVER

 

I know that family that owns that Applebee's franchise. I'm going to be getting a hold of the girl i used to go to school with and beg her to get her to see if she can talk to her father and see what they can do. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep the Wizards here!

 

This freaking sucks.

I want to be able to do whatever I can to help keep this team here. Being a college student, all I have is free-time. I think it's possible that somewhere out their in the business world of Kansas City, there is someone who might be interested. Maybe even more than one. That's who we have to find.

This thread will hold my attention for the weeks/months/whatever it takes to get this taken care of.

 

I am an attorney in a large law firm in downtown KC. I pledge all the pro bono hours I can manage to this cause. If we want to get a meeting together, I can arrange a conference room. Send me a private message, or an email to savethewizards@yahoo.com. I can get it done early next week.

PS After all the time, travel and emotional capital we've put into this team... all the bullsh it about being "Crusaders" for kindly old Lamar and his evil son... I can't remember the last time I have felt so betrayed. Thinking about the $700 I just spent to fly me and my father to LA for the MLS Cup is making me physically ill.

It is ON.

 

I'm in the same boat. Realistically, I know I'm a couple hours away at Mizzou and have no money like any college student, so there's probably not too much I can do. But if there is ANYTHING someone in my position can do I will gladly do it. If there are weekend events/rallies and people are needed I will gladly make the drive - I do it often enough for the games and this is far more important than any of those. I will also be glued to this thread until the situation is resolved, and if there's anything I could do please just let me know.

 

you took the words right out of my mouth

 

pretty much the same situation here, outside of the college part. i would love to be part of a protest/rally of some kind. fight the power! don't let the man keep you down!

 

Hey all us college students got is free time. I too can pledge time, and very little money do to outside circumstances, but whatever I can do to help, I will.

 

I support you guys 100% ... but unfortunately, I think it's over. If Lamar couldn't succeed in KC, who can.

 

Thanks for the positive vibes Tony. Not sure if we'll be able to put anything together or if we do whether it will make a difference but the support we've been getting from you and various posters from other teams has, for me at least, helped a little with the anger and dissapointment.

 

As long as we're posting our professions and abilites to help the cause I'll chime in.

I'm a film/video tech professionally and an experianced cinematographer/videographer and editor. I have a few connections with media in the Mid-Mo area only. I don't know how that could possilby help, but anything along those lines that could help us, I'd be willing to help. Currnently I'm workin 6 days a week/10-12hr days and don't have reliable transportation, so I'm not sure I could make any rallies without carpooling/good timing. I can't afford to commit to season tickets, as I'm still paying for the LA trip...

 

I have no skills except for two clumsy hands, a loud voice, and a thin wallet. What I have to offer, I will dedicate to the cause.

We need a leader to step forward to tell eager but inept stooges like myself what to do. I'll write the letters proposed in the beginning of this thread and will await further instructions.

 

i was listening to 810 tonight and they were talking about how the chiefs season ticket holders are becoming very irritated with lamar and his organization. i don't think that lamar has quite the rosy hue he might've had 10-20 years ago in this town, at least in the eyes of the people.

if i'm not mistaken, a wizards stadium was basically on the first bistate plan that failed. at the objection of the royals, the wizards were left off the plan for bistate II. bistate II failed because the owners were too greedy in what they wanted the taxpayers to pay for. THIS is why there is no sss in kc right now, because the owner is not willing to put up enough money for the facility that will, in theory, make him richer. the earlier poster that said that if lamar couldn't get a sss built here then who can is off the mark, in my opinion. i'm not behind the scenes or anything, but i don't think lamar was willing to put up much, if any, of his own money for a stadium here. he wanted it to be funded by the taxpayers. i think the days of publicly funded-privately owned facilities are numbered, if not already expired. if an investor came into the fold who was willing to put up much more of his own money, i don't think he'd have a problem getting one built here.

 

FWIW, the following was posted on this thread: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=3741716

 

Let's say no one buys our team and we play in KC in 2005. What if a stadium opprotunity arrises? Would HSG keep the team and build us a SSS here?