The league. And it has mostly worked--I doubt we'd be talking about any MLS team in 2004 otherwise. Best of luck. My very first soccer game EVER was at Arrowhead, after I discovered the sport and the league in 1998. You guys deserve better.
George was the front man for a group of investors (including former Royals employee Rush Limbaugh) who attempted to buy the Royals from the Kaufmann estate. I'm not sure the Brett brothers have the resources to own the Wizards, nor am I aware of any interest in soccer. However, he's yet another example of the athlete who moved to KC and stayed. He's about as pro-KC as it gets. He might be a great figurehead for an organization.
You mean "into the ground?" Thanks, but no thanks. No single entity means no MLS for the foreseeable future. This situation is "all about Kansas City" and has nothing to do with MLS as a whole.
Yeah, I was only hopeing his relationship with Haddad and Haddad being a season ticket holder of the Wizards would get George involved as an investor. I agree that I don't think he could front the whole bill for it.
Looking at Tony's advice, HeartlandSoccerFoundation.org sounds like a good way to go. Do you have the ability to host that as well Lucid? Maybe we could get the hosting company ji found to host it. We could use someone who knows the ins and outs of registering groups as NPO's and all that. I won't be able to be there on Sunday for the kickaround, but that might be a good day to have a preliminary meeting. I could probably get somewhere that afternoon.
Not to spoil your great ideas to save the KC Wizs, but the Rochester paper is stating that the Rhinos' ownership is interested in buying the Wizards... http://www.rnews.com/Sports/TopSports.cfm?cmd=top&ID=23097&rnews_story_type=24&category=3
Actually your post is precisely what you claim it not to be. If anyone is aware of "interest from Rochester" it's us KC fans.
Andy, I don't know what you meant by that, but it didn't seem that anyone in this thread had posted the fact that the Rhinos are on the record saying their interested. If I am repeating bad news, I apologize. Personally, I don't want the Wizs to leave KC. But I didn't win the lottery this week, so I can't help, sorry.
What I mean is that this is the forum inhabited by Kansas City Wizard fans. We don't give a ********ing rats ass about whether or not Rochester's owner DuRoss is interested. What we are interested in is whether or not someone in Kansas City is interested. The reason you didn't see the news posted here is because we don't ********ing care. If we did care, we'd see that it's posted in the Wizard threads in the MLS Forums, the Rochester? Forum, the Philadelphia? Forum, the Seattle Forum?, the Houston? Forum, the Stadiums and Expansion Forum, and the MLS Rivalries Forum. Sorry if I missed any.
Anyone who wants to help get this thing off the ground, please send your contact info to drgath@gmail.com. (I hope you don't mind taking names Lucid since your email's already out there for the spammers ). We need to be making a small private email list of people for this step of coordination. Once the website is up, there will be a larger list for supporters to receive email from the group.
* - sorry, posted suggesting Bill Laurie as potential buyer, then saw "List of Potential Buyers" thread. my bad.
A few pseudo-positive vibes from the KC Star Article. Gray believes saving the Wizards is possible: "Gray said finding a local owner and building a soccer-specific stadium were “definitely doable.” “We have a couple of options out there tied into the youth soccer organizations,” Gray said. “The National Soccer Coaches Association of America is located here. I'm convinced something could work where there was a facility in Johnson County with opportunities to tie in with the NSCAA and youth play. “A complex like that could be the premier complex in the Midwest. I think there are opportunities to make this work.”"
I understand your very upset about your team possibly leaving. As such I will avoid the usual BS banter and arguement. Good luck KC fans in keeping your team.
My heart's with y'all up there in KC. I've made one trip to the town for the WC Qual last time around, and didn't really get to see anything but the airport, a mediocre hotel near there, and the stadium (and the highways in between), so I don't really have any feel for the place. But I've pretty much stood against moving teams on principle. Good luck with the campaign. It looks like you already have two or three members of a core SSV-type group, and a couple long lists of people to contact. That's impressive since it's not even been 24 hours since the news broke. It's tough to go through all stages of grief and organize a positive push at the same time. Y'all are doing a great job. Here's hoping that this all works out for the best for y'all. And that the nattering nabobs of negativity find someplace else to vent their spleens.
This complex has already been proposed. It contained a stadium, an indoor facility with 2 full-sized pitches, 30 or so youth fields, and a retail development. It just never got built.
Absolutely. Once my hosting company approves the domain (should be in a couple hours) we'll start work on building it. I've already gotten a couple requests for help, so I think we're good in that dept. While BS is a great place for this discussion, a mailing list not so wizards specific would be more appropriate (which will be set up), and BS can supplement that. As far as content goes, SSV basically has a blueprint for us already. Someone just needs to get info on being an NPO and we'll get some plans set for preliminary meetings to discuss options and avenues to take. Funny thing, went in to work today and spoke with my employer, we decided that my current position isn't the right one for me, which I agree with, and off I went. So guess what? I have all the time in the world now! (might need some source of income at some point though)
After I posted that, just got an e-mail that Andy is setting up a mailing list. Looks like we're all on the same page thus far.
Derek, if you can set up a list, why don't you do it. I think having someone in-market would be better.
looking for form a NPO in KS or MO? here is the info for KS NPO. I currently am the president of a NPO in kansas for my whitewater kayaking organization. Pretty easy to set up a NPO in KS. Inexpensive as well. https://www.accesskansas.org/businesscenter/index.html?link=start
Also, at the suggestion of Nate Jarvis, I think initially I'll set up a wiki on my homepage so whoever wants to create the website can. At a later date we'll move everything to the hsf site. Guess I'll spend my day doing that. Shouldn't be too difficult as I've set up similar things. If I run in to any problems I'll let you guys know. Guess I'm going with twiki. Any other better suggestions?
Anyone want to take on either the preliminary wiki or the mailing list? I'm sure I'mm be able to do them, just might take all day since I haven't done either one before.
Yes it is. 501(c) is probably the way to go. If the collective will is to get a non-profit going, I am willing to prepare the documents, gratis. I would like to set up a meeting with several of you to get some direction for this effort. For those interested, send me an email at savethewizards@yahoo.com. I will provide you with my direct contact info. - Greg