Any one have any info on the Illusion? The name kind of made me chuckle. Out of all the names you can come up with for an indoor soccer team... It looks like Jamie Swanner will own the team or run it. The arena or rec center looks to hold about 500 - 800 people I'd say? They will be located far away from the bulk of the metropolitan area. I have seen owners talk about operating cost for this league will run each team about 1-1.3 million a year. Thats a lot of cash. If they get 500 people at 20 bucks a pop per game y our looking at $10,000 grand in revanue per game from ticket sales. But $20 bucks is a lot of doe for this league. But who knows. So at $10,000 grand a game with what 8-9 home games your looking at bringing in 80-90 grand in revenue a year. With 50 grand a year salery cap for players your down to 40 grand. Travel expense will be high, but not that bad. Maybe the Swanners own the place where they will be playing? Any how wish them well. Any more info on the team yet?
they do own the facility ("The Game" ) and there's no way in blue blazes that they will get more than 25 people to pay $20 for a seat in the bleachers to see a rec team they could see for free any night of the weak...maybe the team nickname of "illusion" is because there really isn't a team....yeah, maybe this is a pretend team and the league will just make up scores and pretend that teams actually went on road trips to the place...
...and how do you know that this will be a rec team playing? Do you have their roster. Have you seen them play on Tuesday Night Mens B or what have you? Well...
Would it have been better if they called themselves the Illinois Illusion? Or is it the the whole illusion thing that is the hang-up?
I hate to keep being Debbie Downer, I really do....but, how in the h-e-double hockey sticks is the franchise now known as the St. Louis Illusion going to be considered PRO, when they play in a rec building? I just can't see a happy ending here. I can just see the look on indoor icon/legend, Brian Farber, as he has to use a men's bathroom to get ready for his game against the Illusion. How are the players going to see this as a viable league, when they'll be playing in a rec building in front of 100 people, in Glen Carbon, Illinois? And, how is Swanner going to pay his players & the expenses of the road games. It's not like he'll have revenue from home games to use. Oh well. It's his money....or, it was his money.
I know, plus you know we'll have a team at Scott Trade center after Highway 40/64 is finished. Save your cash for that team. Unless Dave does not want any partners. I guess he would not need any though... Owns Scott trade, Blues, and is hella rich.
After 4 years you still think this is going to happen? Did you know the Harrisburg Heat are on hiatus?
i am obviously being sarcastic...but then again, i really don't see how the team could be much more than a rec team....i'm pretty sure the Swanner's aren't Hale-rich and they certainly won't have the seating or attendance to pay for top quality players.....so you do the math
so are you saying we'll never have a real pro team in downtown St. Louis ever again? hmmmm...but aren't you the same person who wants people to be "positive" and "believe" in the PASL-Pro ??? oh i see..believe in only the PASL-pro or have no dreams at all..... whatever.....i really do hope that we get a NISL here in St. Louis because it will be infintely better than watching a glorified rec league team (the Illusion) be cannon fodder for teams like the Cougars.... i can't wait for the PASL-Pro season to start so we can witness the imbalance firsthand..."parity" ? bah...
But PASL-Pro HAS a team in St. Louis. Dave Checketts has not (and will not) buy an indoor team. Time has shown this to be true. The guy's had Steve Ryan and Brian calling him everyday for 3-4 years. He already owns the arena. He already owns a soccer team (in MLS). If he was going to get involved I think he would have by now. That's all I'm saying.
I'd guess that at least 80% of St Louis area residents couldn't tell you where Glen Carbon is located other than it's in Illinois.
I'm not denying that. I'm just saying we're not TALKING about putting a team there (like people keep saying about Checketts), we actually do have one (whatever anyone's preconceptions might be about them).
Not really. I think he bought everything (arena, and the Blues) the first year Hetelson owned the team. They played two years there until 2006 I think. ;After Hetelson backed out, I mentioned on this board that their is now way any one will start up a new indoor soccer team until Highway 64/40 is compleat. No way. They would be stupid. But who knows. I really do see us getting a team next season I hope. But probably the season after that. With the new basketball arena he will loose dates at Scott Trade, so I think he will want to fill those dates. Indoor soccer can and has done well here.
We'll see, but if filling dates was that lucrative for arenas they would all own 3-4 teams. Most arenas don't want anything to do with owning teams and some arenas even lose money on having teams as tenants.
this is completely off topic but just out of curiosity does anyone know if Michael [deleted] Hetelson ever reimbursed those fans who bought season tickets before he folded the Steamers? If that guy was anything like the other owners in the MISL v.2 then it's no wonder things have deteriorated so badly....
I just got back from The Game rec center. I was able to score 2 season tickets! You guys better hurry. Tickets are going fast. I got my seats...well, more like space, I guess, since they have bleachers. Anyway, as long as I don't gain any additional weight, the wife & I should fit comfortably in our little piece of soccer heaven. Our space is on the third row of the bleacher, right in front of the Mrs. Pac Man game. It set us back about $20, but seeing Brian Farber play is worth that alone. I'm not sure which game, but one of them is "Jamie Swanner curly mulllet bobblehead night." Bring on The Illusion.
Come on, Mac. They don't even have a website or logo yet. I hope they don't adopt the slogan "Now you see us, now you don't." I actually think they'll put a good team on the field and it's neat that a legend of the game is owning the team. Imagine someone making a living their whole life off indoor soccer. That's something to aspire to.
