San Francisco Expansion Team

San Francisco is a fabulous city to visit. I like San Francisco quite a bit. I wouldn't under any circumstances attempt to live there given my own personal likes and dislikes. But it's a fabulous, internationally-known destination.

 

How many Americans give SF a real thought. Probably for most people on the East Coast, the only West Coast city that really exists is LA.

 

Not true. "SF" is almost as "big" in most east coasters minds whom I've met.

 

Oakland was the nation's fifth "most dangerous city" in 2009 according to this article:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40303628?GT1=43001
St Louis was #1. Camden, N.J. was #2

Yeah, the beautiful city of Oakland is an ideal place to go... Sorry, no matter how nice residents say it is, articles like this effectively kill tourism hopes.
I know StL has some great parts too and lots of fun vacation things to do, but people outside of the midwest probably will avoid it like the plague. Hell, people in Missouri and SW Illinois will probably avoid it now too.

 

Except it's true. You could do with a bit of reality. Really, it's okay.

 

I was talking about the "word," not the concept. But yes, I still have trouble with the concept.

 

Can we please end the which-one-is-worse-Oakland-or-Detroit OT discussion/argument? I have a question about MLS expansion in San Francisco.

Is there an appropriate venue in place in SF? Someone mentioned the 49ers relocating. Would Candlestick Park be an appropriate venue perhaps with some slight modifications?

If not, is there enough build-able land to construct a new SSS??

Thanks.

 

No, there is not currently a venue that would work in SF. Candlestick is a 71,000 seat stadium so it is far too big for MLS, without even considering it's poorly laid out and designed, has a terrible parking situaiton, and is literally falling apart. The only other stadiums of any size is ATT Park which is 42,000 seat and is a baseball park which pretty much rules it out, and Kezar which is too small.

 

Candlestick is not only too big in terms of seating, but too small in terms of pitch size.

 

Land? Who needs land when you got Pier 30 sitting empty.

1/2 mile north of AT&T Park.

Close up. I added a stadium and some battleships : )


The've used it for the Warped Tour, Volleyball and other events:

View's not bad.

It will never happen though. That site is destined for a cruise ship terminal.

 

My relatives have been longtime Quakes sponsors and they had the pleasure (or displeasure depending on who's point of view) of sitting with a pretty big wheel as a player in American soccer. He had told them that he knew of someone with a lot of money who actually wanted to invest in a team and a stadium in California. We don't know the specifics and aren't really sure who it is but if its true its either buying the existing team from Lew Wolff , buying the Chivas and building their own SSS or starting a knew team. This was about a month ago and we haven't heard anything else anymore. I have my doubts it will ever happen. I can honestly say however, I seriously doubt its going to be San Francisco. The Giants took forever to get their own park and the 49ers have been harping on it for years. I doubt they will end up moving to Santa Clara just as I doubt the A's will move to San Jose. In effect, I doubt the Quakes will ever get their own park or for that matter will SF get a team or an SSS. I'll believe it when I see it.

 

Here is a Q & A with Don Garber. He said he has 3-4 people working in MLS communications in San Francisco. I wonder who they are and what they do or in they really work in SF or out of the Quakes office in Santa Clara?


Sitting down with Don Garber


http://sportingtimes.net/articles/sitting-down-with-don-garber/

 

Maybe some computer geeky types working on expanding the footprint of MLS in the digital universe or marketing people telling the computer geeky types what they want done because they don't know how to do it themselves

 

San Francisco will have the America's Cup. A big sailboat race. Some of the events will take place down in that area: team bases, food, drinks, merchandising. Larry Ellison, Oracle fame, is a big sponsor and basically did all the groundwork to bring it to SF. He is the only person I know who has the clout and capital to do something. He is also probably has a decent working relationship with city officials due to the coordination for the cup. The pier actually looks big enough without expanding it if you compare it to AT&T park. Ellison did bid on the Golden State Warriors and didn't get them. Also, you talk about the stadiums having concert stages now and having agreements with AEG. An outdoor concert venue right there would be awesome. Tram, ferry, subway all relatively close. However, in that area of city, parking operators are big business. Although the pier looks "empty", I am sure they make quite a bit of money using that space when no large events are taking place.

 

You guys should get the Quakes to move to SF..

 

They can play the San Diego Galaxy.

 

You should get the Galaxy to move to Phoenix. It's so sad they have to play in Los Angeles.

 

But, they don't play in Los Angeles.

 

It's okay, they have battleships standing by.

 

Ha, you should see their grand schemes for Treasure Island, which is entirely reclaimed land.

 

More proof that people running San Francisco really are taken from the shallow end of the gene pool... As if protecting felons and banning everything except weed wasn't proof enough.

 

Ew... why would you want to dirty San Diego that way.

 

Sf has a whole different identity than San Jose. People from SF are not going to be fans of a team in San Jose.

anyway..would rather see SF go the USL or NASL route first. Then if they could build up a fan base they could think about a SSS and then maybe D1