The front office of Manchester United said, after the 2010 World Cup the United States wasn't a niche sport anymore. Funny they are probably correct. We likely will not see many major problems with expansion but only time will tell. I personally look forward to seeing tMLS expand and grow the beautiful game.
Given that about half of NFL stadiums today are in fact played on real grass: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_National_Football_League_stadiums I find it strange that the FieldTurf or other artificial surfaces installed in the other stadiums would be deliberately engineered to be so different from real grass (as opposed to being different simply due to cost or lack of technology). Even Levi's Stadium is being built with sod.
I don't understand why people think soccer fans in US = MLS fans. I agree with you. Atlanta is SEC territory. Just because a group of 10 people/fans wanted a team doesn't mean the general public are going to show up.
Are you saying the talent pool before Toronto FC joined MLS was greater than it is today? If you are than that's just crazy. MLS added 5 clubs in 6 years and the talent in the league is better than it's ever been.
No, just the time in between expansion teams. We're having a lot of new teams in quick succession, going to show if we've come far enough in producing better domestic players. And it's been stated by those in the league that the international market will fill the void if USSF/MLS fail to produce quality American players to maintain the level of play. I don't want guys like Tony Tchani to keep getting starting jobs because more teams are added. Steve Nicol even stated the quality has dropped since he's been out of the league. Take that how you will.
Why do you need Steve Nicol to tell you what you can see with your own eyes? Do you not watch the games live or on TV yourself? If I find a former/current coach to say on camera that the talent has improved since 2007 does that make Steve Nicol wrong? Because I could probably find 20 of them. I am willing to except different points of view on expansion decisions IF after all is said and done the people who spout 'What's MLS doing going to an NFL stadium in Seattle?!!!' put their hand up and say they were wrong - but I'm not willing to entertain the notion that what I'm seeing on the field as a STH for Toronto, Seattle and Vancouver (and two road trips a year to Columbus since 1996) is less talent than before 2007. The quality on the field at every level (NCAA draftees, academy players, veterans, and hell even the DP's) is miles better.
I'm not saying agree with a former coach just announcing his opinion. 2007, the league is better than 2007 that's true. I'm saying there's going to be a period of drop in quality, depth stretched. Expansion draft needs to go. Despite Seattle's great success a lot of people would rather not share NFL stadiums with turf. Garber has loosened his policy because of the market size and money. Orlando will be fine. Miami I'm not sure because things looks shaky right now. NYCFC will be ok if they get a stadium but they scream fake to me.
It is and will always be a football state. I'm a fan myself. However, the sports fans in the South are different from Ohio. Columbus to Miami or to Atlanta isn't comparable to me. SEC territory down there, I'm very skeptical of Miami and Atlanta.
You know, if you're just wanting to tell us that you don't really know either way, you can just say that. You don't have to spit out so many words filled with handwaving and stereotypes based largely on places that are not Atlanta.
That's not what I'm saying I wish some of you would drop the damn defend the league's decisions at all costs facade. There are journalists like Jeff Carlisle and Steven Goff. Even they, not me the ignorant moron attacking poor MLS on a message board, are questioning some of the decisions with MLS 3.0. They are skeptical too. ********, Every time I post a damn thing in this MLS forum I'm attacked. I'm not a cooky batshit pro relegation kill SUM poster either. So what is with you? Every damn poster who has been here forever is ********ing insecure when it comes to people questiong league decisions. Every single league decision is right. You're the one who brought up Columbus comparison. Should I go back to MLSsoccer.com and get my post downvoted by some Seattle fan? Where can a person talk about the damn expansion plans without being attacked. Debate is fine, question my opinions. But the smartass I don't understand.
Good, I hope they get 10k. I'm staying in Crew forum and USMNT forum like I should. Cannot stand the insecurity of longtime fans of the league. I'm only in my 20's but I grew up with it too.
Oh, you think that I'm defending the league's decisions at all costs? Well, that's nice, but I'd suggest that you actually attempt to read my posts before commenting on my point of view. Try sounding out the words if you need to. (Here, I'll save you the time: I have no idea if Atlanta will be a hit or a bomb. But given their recent track record with expansion teams, the league has earned the benefit of the doubt from me on this front.) To be quite honest, the vast majority of soccer writers in this country are pretty goddamned provincial and uninformed when it comes to anything not in their backyard. I'm teeing off on you because you're backing up your goofy opinions with lazy handwaving and stereotypes. I did so because of your goofy "Atlanta is SEC country" reasoning behind your "Ew, not Atlanta!" opinion. Hell, Atlanta isn't even home to a single SEC institution. Meanwhile, one of the most traditional programs in college football plays a few miles away from Crew Stadium. If having SEC football 100 miles to the southwest and 100 miles to the east is a disqualifier for Atlanta, why isn't Big 10 football a few miles away from Crew Stadium not a disqualifier for Columbus? Before you answer, let me warn you about two things: 1. As a degreeholder from an SEC institution (Hint: See the avatar) and as someone with plenty of family in Atlanta and the rest of Georgia, I might know something about "SEC country." 2. My mocking of you will become more severe if you try to paint Georgia Tech, which is actually in Atlanta, as "big-time football." (BTW, one reason why I don't take some of the criticism of Atlanta more seriously is because not one -- NOT ONE -- person has suggested Bobby Dodd Stadium as a place where an expansion team should play. Sure, it's narrow, but hey, it's grass, it's actually hosted professional soccer, and it's got a bitchin' view of downtown: ) Consider it a hazard of posting uninformed crap and trying to present it as intelligent debate.
Seems to me that on several occasions an Atlanta soccer team folded in the past 50 years. That doesn't necessarily indicate a strong heritage in the sport. The one time a major Vancouver soccer team folded, it was because its entire league (NASL) folded. Atlanta is no Vancouver.
Great stadium, but too difficult of a place to encircle in hanging sheets to create an intimate lower bowl for MLS.
I was always hoping we would start play in 2016 and play at Bobby Dodd but Tech has probably told Blank to piss off with that proposal...
for some of us, its not that we defend every move MLS makes, its that we agree with the ones we show support for. i personally see atlanta and miami as important markets for MLS to be in, and have wanted to see MLS there for years.
I have a good friend who argues that the league isn't as good as it was...in 1998. As far as i can tell his argument is that we no longer have Carlos Valderrama.... One thing I find missing from the talent pool conversation (at least I haven't seen it mentioned) is that the "talent pool" is not a static, set quantity. The pool is bigger with more money available. We can already see, for example, good American players playing in MLS rather than smaller European leagues. If spreading the league into the southwest (along with other recent changes) leads to more television money, that leads to higher salaries and that leads to a deeper available talent pool. Will it work? Will the money increase quickly enough? And, most important in my view, where are the tipping points for soccer in the US and for soccer fans becoming MLS fans? The first is I think closer than some imagine. I think the second is ten or so years away.
He is wrong, but he is far from an idiot. You however strike me as a little tone deaf, failing to understand a little bit of exaggeration for effect. Unlike you, apparently, I don't find enough evidence in a single post to pass comment on your intelligence.
Your over reaction in itself is quiet ironic considering the point you were trying to make. And for looking for intelligence in internet posts, considering you can't glean emotion, mood, situation, etc...and even know the person you are dealing with, age, experience etc, is always one of the most hilarious things I have ever seen on the net. I make zero attempt to assume anything about anyone on here because of what this is. An unknown, to have fun with. Nothing more or less. Folks who feel they understand people from this simplistic form of blind communication usually react like you do, and you are my favorite type of poster. Clueless and emotionally limited without even understanding they are. Of course...you are the one who mocked your good friend. His basis of analysis was that the league was better off in 98 because they had Carlos V. That is stupid. All I did was say what you did...just more directly, and with a bit of fun, which you couldn't handle. Awesome stuff. I basically say my friend is dumb/simplstic, then someone else says it more directly and boy am I mad about it! I'm gonna show him! Oh boy am I hurt or insulted! It's an internet forum of people I have absolutely no clue about...but I am gonna act like I do! I repeat...he is an idiot. I'm just being more direct than you, but you pretty much said the same thing. Thank you. Reply as you will...just giving me more amusement. Means zip, but the best part? You will, you can't believe that for your own sake, and you will respond.... ....and thank you.