Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: Where Newbies Go to Get Flamed

Re: Odds on relocation?

You know, the one thing that we really have going for us is that in 25 years, if MLS lives long and prospers, a team based in the District named D.C. United will be worth so much more in greenbacks (no matter how much more the dollar is debased) than a team named St. Louis United, Ottawa United, Baltimore United or Sacramento United. We are the nation's capital, after all.

(At least, that is, until President Richard Starkey moves the seat of government to the Minneapolis Metrodome).

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

Truth.

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

Why would he move it to the home town of the Artist (formerly-known-as)-Formerly-Known-As-Prince and not his home town in Merseyside?

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

It's a cultural I.Q. reference that I just threw out for my own amusement.

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

This thread is a bit depressing. I've never been a big fan of DC United, but they have such a rich history of titles, that the MLS would not be the same without them. I truly hope that the team has a long history in the Washington area. Keep up the faith and hope.

Real Salt Lake very nearly was sold several years ago, but thanks partly to a governor who had a wife who loves soccer, we finally got a last minute reprieve in stadium funding and now have a wonderful facility just a 20 minute train ride away from downtown Salt Lake. Hopefully DCU fans will in a few years be able to say the same.

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

if united moves can we still tailgate in lot 8?

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

My hope is that with McWhatever-His-Name no longer in the picture, maybe some deal can get worked out. I think McWhatever-His-Name rubbed some people wrong, especially Fenty.

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

I don't think Fenty's entirely innocent in this matter, either. And having Barry on our side certainly didn't help. He's queered the deal for everyone on the council (and end-around Fenty, too) by getting caught in the park that one night. All the earmarks and made-up jobs keep getting outed. Can't wait to see the skeletons in everyone elses' closets.

Sure we can, just buy a condo there, or more probably, buy silver lot parking passes for the new 125,000 seat Behemoth-on-the-Anacostia.

Thx,

Jay!

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

Chang and Payne should really be putting the screws to the council and the press.

"DC, if we can't come to some sort of fair and equitable deal for all involved to keep DC United IN DC, you stand ZERO chance of hosting any World Cup matches in 2018/2022 (maybe 2014 if Brazil can't get their ish together). As the USSF has stated that only host cities who are home to a first division professional soccer team will be given the chance to host when the next Cup is held in the US. Would you rather all those English, German, Italian, French, and Dutch soccer fans fly into BWI, stay at hotels in and around Baltimore, and spend all their Euros there?"

It's definitely a gambit, but you've gotta get something done.

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

The choice of going out with a bang or with a whimper.

 

Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: ZZZZZZZZZZZ

Interesting choice for bastardizing into the XXIV thread ............

I use "interesting" in an ironic (or is it sarcastic) way

 

Re: Stadium News and Speculation XXIV: ZZZZZZZZZZZ

What are all the ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZs for? Hibernation!?!

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

yes but only cities with an MLS team will be considered to host matches... no DC United, no DC World cup.

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

If there is a lockout/strike can we still tailgate in lot 8?

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

Move the tailgate and leave DC United in place!

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

Uh, what MLS teams are in Atlanta, Indianapolis, Miami, Nashville, Phoenix, San Diego, or Tampa?

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

what he said!

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

True. That said, being perceived to have kicked a good MLS franchise to the curb is going to hurt you in a bid process. One of US Soccer's mandates for winning the World Cup bid is to demonstrate that there will be a lasting legacy, and putting games in the city that proudly said "we don't give a crap about soccer" is not very consistent with that.

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

You could argue that having a viable league with successful teams in successful locations is the lasting legacy, not the existence of a team in any particular location. The IOC won't care that neither Tampa nor Ft. Lauderdale have teams any longer. I think having a team in the nation's capital would be a good selling point, but it might not be decisive.

In the end, the bid won't be awarded because of what a few people have said. It'll be awarded based upon the quality of the facilities, and upon the size of the bribes involved.

I can't prove that last thing

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

Yes, they will anyway. And the city won't care about the World Cup threat and they shouldn't. FIFA and USSF know that matches will be played here, MLS matters not - if anything Baltimore would be in addition to, not in place of, the District.

And talk about a hollow threat to a municipality - Chicago all but opted out of the World Cup, not wanting to play the reindeer games.

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

I dunno what the reindeer games are, but Chicago wasn't too smart IMO. Events like the Super Bowl, World Cup, NCAA Final Four, etc. bring in a huge amount of revenue for the hosting cities. That's why there are lots of cities trying to get the Super Bowl.

But I agree that this threat is not a good idea. While I think it is true that the amount of $$ being a WC venue would bring in would pretty much pay for a modest SSS, there just is not a clear connection between building a SSS and hosting some WC games - we don't even know the WC is going to be played in the US, FFS!

 

Re: Odds on relocation?

And people might not care about DC as a sporting town domestically, but internationally it's well regarded. And it's been a great soccer city for decades.

Quick, name a World Cup without matches in the capital city...? (There is one, actually)

The only valid question for World Cup purposes is what giant stadium will matches be played in - I'm banking on a big, roofed Redskins stadium sitting on the banks of the Anacostia well before 2022.