+1 Seattle is an example of what is right with the league. Expect a similar atmosphere with Portland. It's going to fun watching that rivalry continue to blossom. If San Diego can get a stadium built the Chivas will move there before you can say Ron Burgundy
I think one of the reasons Chivas brought a team to MLS is that they expect MLS to be a big league at some point in the future. So they have the main team in the current best league in CONCACAF. And if/when MLS takes off and surpasses the Mexican league than they will have a team in the new best league in CONCACAF. I think that is one of the draws for teams that look at putting a sister team into MLS. They see that in the future MLS could really take off and that the US is a great market for professional sports. So they want to get in now and then 20, 30, 50 years from now they will have a 2nd team in what will hopefully be a hugely successful league.
Didn't Freddie Ljungberg who just left Seattle for the Windy City state a claim that Chicago was the most beautiful city in America?
Man if Chivas moved down here that would be the only way I wouldn't support the San Diego team. I'd much rather watch Boca or Flash in USL/NASL than root Chivas. blugh.
I do NOT want Chivas down here, but they can stay in LA. I'd love Boca or Flash (San Diego Boca: Talk to the Mouth?). However, both camps are getting blasted and praised for their efforts. I'm not sure who to prefer. San Diego Boca: good NPSL run in their first year. Hopes of a new soccer stadium. They have their own soccer store. But the soccer store can fly without the team. And an SSS for what's currently an NPSL team?! Why?! And an NPSL team suddenly going MLS?! Kind of lofty, I'd think. San Diego Flash: The Flash brings me some good memories. Whenever I was back from school in Vermont, I'd go to a match or two. But apparently they got run into the ground and left a bad taste in the community. Also, I know they have an exhibition schedule this year, against some random opponents. But why? I hate friendlies unless it's between national teams, because that's kind of how NT soccer is. Reality FC San Diego: I think some different ownership group would step up and either buy one of those two names (not sure which) or the Sockers (less likely) name, or start from scratch.
Maybe nother problem is misunderstanding their own Mexican demographic. Some Chivas fans in LA will not turn out because Chivas USA isn't the real thing; that's Chivas down in Mexico and they can see them on TV. In the meantime, how many Cruz Azul/Pachuca/Tigres will fans turn out to watch any team with Chivas in it's name - unless it's to watch Galaxy beat them. Being a Man U fan there's no way I'd support Gunners' USA if I was living in the US, and I really doubt I'd bother turning out for the LA Red Devils unless the latter was a kind of "proving ground" team for kids/squad players that need to be tested at a higher level than than the Championship. If Chivas is to own a team in the US, it has to be THAT city's team and branded and marketed as such with Chivas' contribution coming from the footballing side in coaching, scouting, developing a youth system (to which they can transfer Mexican-American kids who declare for the USMNT over Mexico; that way Chivas keep their principles and the $ from the player ). Even then I have my doubts for an MLS team unless the Chivas connection was actively downplayed.
+1. Chivas USA= horrible horrible idea. Last night I wasn't even sure if Toronto was playing a friendly against Guadalajara Chivas or an MLS match against Chivas USA. I turned on the TV and knew within seconds which one it was . I really hope that club isn't around for the long term.
Would you support it if it was re-branded?? Change the name, change the colors(I like the red, white, and yellow mock up in the San Diego thread.) Use the City flag colors.
I would like to know for which reasons Jorge Vergara finally decided to put his Chivas USA project in LA and not in San Diego. Probably a lot had to do with the HDC Carson had
This is how it should go down. Chivas should play some exhibition or regular season games in San Diego to test out the market for possible relocation. If people come out and it is a success, great, they should move down to SD. If not, they should stay in LA for the time being. They would be, at the least, expanding the brand into the SD market and building their potential market footprint. If a decision is made to move the team, they need to rebrand immediately into something more appealing to the average soccer fan or the hispanic non-Chivas Guadelajara fans. Something like Deportivo San Diego comes to mind. Qualcomm can be used as a temporary stadium until a more permanent solution is found. It wouldn't be any worse than some of the other stadium situations in the league. There you have it. SD wins by getting a team, Chivas wins by getting their own exclusive market, LAG win by being able to solidify their foothold on pro-soccer in LA in an undivided market, MLS wins by expanding into another market and further tapping into growth from the hispanic population in a hispanic hotspot. LAG would also have a bigger chance to become MLS' West coast poster child (much like the NYRB are becoming in the East). Who knows, with MLS growing the way it is, it may be enough to tempt some more top-quality Mexican players north of the border. SD is afterall, first stop for many other migrants to the US. Also, a Tijuana/SD - Meixcan League/MLS rivalry would probably be a big hit.
I never thought of that. Yeah, that makese sense- why would fans of other Mexican teams come out to support the US franchise of a team they hate? Personally, I think marketing gimmicks like that are really shallow. Hispanic fans probably want the same things as any other fans: good onfield product and a fun gameday experience that offers different options for different fans (a loud section for the supporter groups as well as family-friendly sections, for example). Chivas seems to have done okay for itself in LA with minimal effort. I think with a bit more work, they could get draw numbers similar to the Galaxy. But the first change they need to make is to stop selling themselves as a Hispanic-oriented branch office of the Mexican Chivas.
I'm pretty sure the reason they went to LA is because they had a pretty good idea that this city had more Chivas Guadalajara fans in it than San Diego or any other city in the US. Of course having the HDC already built didn't hurt the decision making. If Fargo, North Dakota would of had more Chivas fans than LA they probably would of found a way to put the team there.
So goes the story, the league wanted Vergara to locate in some other market, and SD was one of the main ones mentioned, but he wanted LA and wouldn't be dissuaded. He kept offering Phil Anshutz more and more money to make an exception to his territory rights, until finally he made one so good (supposedly it was in the $10-15 million range, which is as much or more than he actually paid the league for the expansion franchise) that it was too good to refuse. And time bears out that he had a point, I think, when you look at all the things that franchise has gotten wrong and yet they still draw in the middle of the pack.
Exactly. I don't think you'll see them going anywhere. First nowhere has more Chivas fans than LA. Second, San Diego is the smallest of California's cities when it comes to having the demographic their owners have always targeted. And third, Garber loves the two teams in a city idea in NY and LA.
Bad idea, imo. I really wouldn't even cared if they stayed, but for everything holy, please change the Chivas USA name. It severely limits growth.
Well you're a Galaxy fan so of course that's your view of it. Fact is however Chivas in their current situation is doing better than several teams that have their own SSS's and markets. So there really is little reason for Chivas to want to change a thing.
Having them play at the HDC probably works for everyone involved. Chivas gets to play in a good SSS and Anschutz gets to rent out the facility at least 15 more times a year than he would otherwise. Why bother investing in a SSS of their own if the current setup works?
Doesn't matter who it is. I think every team should have their own stadium and I think Chivas should relocate to a city craving a pro soccer team and let the Galaxy focus on being LA's only team.
If having Chivas play at HDC was an issue for the Galaxy, they wouldn't be there. Having Chivas rent the stadium 15+ times a year just means more money in the pocket of the Galaxy's owner. And the Galaxy doesn't get to claim LA as its own market, any more than the Red Bulls get a monopoly in NYC. LA is a huge market and can easily support 2 teams.
