We're actively working to build a local supporter's group in Milwaukee around getting an outdoor pro team. This could definitely take the form of an NASL or USL team. We've got some good momentum but we always need more people, interest and ideas. Check out our Facebook page for more information and to get involved: https://www.facebook.com/promilwaukeesoccer
Just a reminder, our first meeting is Sunday, Feb. 16 at 3:30 at the Highbury Pub in Bay View. We've gotten more than 250 likes so far on our Facebook page, so the momentum is building. Come down and help us lay the foundation for a club of our own!
The official Milwaukee soccer supporter's sign up page is live! Go to www.milwaukeeprosoccer.com to add your name to the list, tell us what league you'd prefer, and show your support for a team of our own! We're looking to get 2,000 people by the end of the year and we've gotten great momentum already through our Facebook page. Help us take the next step toward actually getting a team!
Ever heard of Detroit City FC? NPSL team that gets decent support. http://www.bavariansoccerclub.com/ Not playing this year. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milwaukee_Bavarians Maybe start by getting behind the Bavarians (if they do comeback) or some other lower level team in Milwaukee, if there is support maybe some interested rich guy may buy the team and help the team move up to the pro level. Creating facebook pages and meeting at bars is the easy part, actually getting people to pay to support a team (at any level) is the hard part. Good luck.
Yeah, your best bet is to guide investors to take Bavarian SC Milwaukee to the next level and not have them do stupid things to the club. The club has many of the things you want in a soccer club: long and rich history heavy ties to the community already existing academy system to help in their pro team (potentially) All they are missing, in very simplistic terms, is money to support a Pro team. If the right rich person(s) can get involved, ones that don't want to rebrand the club as something stupid like the Milwaukee Barbarians, then a pro team can be placed on top of the already existing player development pyramid the club supports. Start with supporting the club as is and have it grow. The Milwaukee area would be so much better served with Bavarian SC Milwaukee then some start up team with a badly 90s clip art rendered logo.
The Bavarians aren't interested in going beyond NPSL. Their focus is on their youth programs. We think there is enough support in the area to support at least a PDL club. We're looking to sign up 2,000 supporters and if we do that we'll be able to get sponsors and an owner interested. If you haven't already, add your name to the list at milwaukeeprosoccer.com.
That is fine, I am sure the owners of Detroit city FC can't really go much above their means, but a NPSL team getting over 1K fans to their games may open the eyes of investors (maybe) to the idea that there may be an unnerved market for soccer in your city and even if it is not the Bavarians then that investor could start a team that plays at a higher level. Or maybe not, as they say support or lack of support at the lower levels not always translates to support in MLS/higher levels.
My questions to that statement would be "Is this because they can't finically sustain a higher league?" I think the trick with a club like Bavarian SC Milwaukee is finding the proper "money people" who share and respect the legacy and tradition of Bavarian SC. I would wager most "money people" want to come in and shake things up and put their stamp on things, including "upgrading" their identity, which Bavarian SC does not need. Probably more then anything, that is why the club states that they are not interested in going beyond NPSL. If the right people can be found, ones that believe in what the club stands for and how they do things, I think Bavarian SC's attitude would turn right around. But that is the trick, isn't? Chances are they won't find someone(s) that would fit in the culture of the club, but lets hope.
I don't have all the details, but I know that getting the money needed was not an issue. But maybe you're right in that they would have to give up some level of control they weren't comfortable with. In any case, I'm confident that, with the efforts already begun, finding the right investor/owner will be much less of an issue if we get enough supporters. The Bavarians do have a nice new stadium that would probably suit a USL Pro or NASL team, though!
PDL is the same level as NPSL. Hopefully the upgrades to the stadium add more seating as the listed capacity is 2000, not enough for NASL who require a capacity of 5000 or more.
The Bavarians have never really focused on growing a large fan base. The new stadium actually has a lot less seating. Why spend money on new bleachers if you don't focus on attendance? But I believe there still is the space to add more if needed. And the PDL is still amateurs like the NPSL, but it is a much more professionally run league with more stability, so I'd consider it a half step above NPSL. And I think it'd be easier to eventually transition to a pro team from there.
We are going to be having an OPEN meeting on June 8 at the Highbury. Check out the link for more information. We are picking up steam quick, approaching 1,000 people. https://www.facebook.com/events/240720766124292/
So a panel that basically said "yes, soccer exists and we are not a part of it." Did nothing to address the issues on why there is no investors, or where to find investors, or how to entice said investors. An ownership group, or one very wealthy owner, is not just going to fall out of the sky at this point. They need to be active in luring someone(s) to take a risk in Milwaukee. Right now, Milwaukee is seen as high risk, low reward. Personally, I don't see it as a huge risk, but anytime large sums of money are involved, anything is a risk. I think the city and community will give support to a team that is professionally run (compared to the BS we see with NE Revolution, FtL Strikers, and a few other shoe-string clubs) and going all out.
just went back and took a real quick look at some prior attendance numbers and it seemed to hover right around 2500-3500 until their last year in 2004 when it dropped to 1600+
Is it NASL related? Maybe? Hundreds March for Professional Soccer in Milwaukee Milwaukee Soccer Development Group draws a large crowd as they attempt to bring an outdoor soccer team to Milwaukee. http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2014/09/22/hundreds-march-for-professional-soccer-in-milwaukee/
Hope they get a team, the more the merrier, but I think right now the NASL needs to get a couple west coast teams to keep their D2 status.
NASL needs quality expansion clubs first, they don't need west coast teams till 2017 and even then they could ask for a waiver to keep D2 status which would likely be given.
HA! This is overflowing with awesomness good luck to ya'll in Milwaukee, all of us in MN would love for ya to join the NASL so we can get the rivalry going again.
I recall that when Peter Wilt started investigating the possibility for professional soccer in Indy that he was also working with a group in Milwaukee. Here's the link to an article on an old favorite site that I wish would come back from it's self imposed hiatus...Peter Wilt Says Indianapolis and Milwaukee Could Be Next ... BQ posted this article back in October, 2012. We all know what has happened with Indy and Peter (if you don't well let's say it's been massive). In this article, Mr. Wilt stated he felt that Milwaukee was more suited to USL Pro. While it's possible for NASL to work in Milwaukee with the right group of investors and stadium - I would tend to believe a guy like Peter who is from Milwaukee and knows a thing or two about starting professional soccer clubs from scratch. Still, I wonder who the attorney was that he was working with to find investors back then? And did they find anyone willing to invest? Did they not find enough interest and stop the potential project? Or is this group a continuance of the effort Peter was involved with? Anyways, this is the last I had heard anything.