The Road to MLS

As I said I could see things being very quiet in Ottawa for the first part of the season as they wait for their stadium to get done and playing out of a small college football field.

Now up to mid July when the CFL season is ready, the stadium is finished, and the World cup affect...
For the first time Ottawa will be playing a pro sport outside of the NHL against Big Name US cities and areas.
NY, MINN, INDY, Atlanta.
They see them in Toronto in MLB and MLS and in Montreal in MLS
That will be a pretty big deal for Ottawa sports fans. Besides the NHL they have never had anything like this during the summer months

 

can't see the Cosmos joining MLS until single entity is gone. They want full control of their brand and don't want to be part of an over-regulated league like the MLS.

 

I can see them doing so if they are completely shut out from being a part of a NASL that will get equal and fair treatment from USSF. Or if NASL itself fails on its own accord to raise themselves to a league relatively on par with MLS in the next several years.

Because really at that point, its you buy into MLS or fold operations.

 

I don't think NASL is going to fold. But if they did then, yeah, the Cosmos only option would be MLS. But NASL has positive growth and there is demand for soccer clubs. Avg attendance is around 5k which could be better. But when you're a 2nd tier league in a pyramid with no promotion to the 1st tier, it's more difficult to get soccer fans to come support you.

 

I'm not so sure the Cosmos would be allowed in the MLS. They already have their second team in the tristate area, having a third would be tough, even if the Cosmos agreed to pay the fee and give up control of their brand.

 

Or it could be that the stands look more full in Houston because 19,500 people in a 20,000 seat stadium looks more full than 19,500 people in a 25,000 seat stadium.

 

The Cosmosm as we know are bit different then the other NASL teams competing in new york metro which will soon be a 3 team Metro,
NYRB MSG network
NYCFC YES network
Cosmos SNY network

Keeping in line withbeing on one of the major sprts Networks will be important to how they are perceived.
A new SSSS in Belmont New yorkers will pick there fav team, even those who know nothing of MLS and NASL as long as they have acess to their games in the NYC Metro and on the Bigger sports network makes them relevent in the New York Metro.

NYC Metro sports teams have had expasnion teams before as well as teams in different leagues AFL, ABA, etc.
Even though the NASL is different then that situation the Cosmos being seen as apro franchise will be supported as one

 

Are we allowed to start worring about out drawing RB and NYCFC now, since outdrew San Antonio last fall? mmmkay?

 

Oh, God.

Typical Cosmofan. Typically entitled New Yorker. Spin anything to its best effect for you.

After the opener, you didn't outdraw San Antonio for shit. And you barely did it even WITH the opener.

San Antonio - 6,763.
Cosmos - 6,859.

Wow. 96 more people per game. In New York. With The World's Greatest Soccer BrandTM

One game that you could never repeat. You lost half your audience in a month.

No, you can't worry about outdrawing RBNY. Because you can't. Because you're pretending to be something you're not. You're pretending to be something that died in 1985, and either tapping into the nostalgia of some or the faux nostalgia of hipsters who want to pretend that the brand has resonance with them.

 

Actually, I am quite interested in seeing how NYC does opening day.

They got Pele to come up, but not Shakira, and the early interested/curious saw what was on offer last year.

If NYC can't sell out this first match, or get a way above average crowd for it, then it's time to worry.

Unless the "hail mary" for the stadium comes through. That can change things a bit.

 

Also worth noting that that's the fall attendance only. If you look at all of 2013, including the spring season (when San Antonio had their own season opener), San Antonio outdrew the Cosmos, with a total 2013 attendance of 6,937.

 

Well, kind of can only compare apples to apples here.

 

Hope that wasn't directed at me. Saw the edit. If that was written that was Apple spell check for me writing real quick and not looking back to see what came out.

 

6859 > 6763

So the answer is YES, we outdrew San Antonio, which was a precondition you imposed for discussion of the below.

So. We cant eventually compete with the other MLS teams for relevance and attendance (of which we are only about 8-10K behind) simply because the fans are all faux hipsters. Amazing analysis Kenn.

 

That's my point. Comparing all of one team's 14-game season to the second (and lower-attended) half of another team's 26-game season isn't apples to apples, either. We can't compare apples to apples, because the Cosmos didn't play in the spring last year.

So it seems to make more sense to let them actually play a full season in the league first, and get an actual apples-to-apples basis for comparison?

 

NASL didn't have a 26 game season in 2013. They had two seasons, separate seasons. Fall 2013 both teams played in a 14 game season, the attendance numbers for that 14 game season is comparable. What happened in the Spring is irrelevant. The numbers I posted are apples to apples.

This year we can compare Spring season to Spring season. Then Fall season to Fall Season. We can do a calendar year to calendar year (aggregate of both seasons)...as long as we have equal data to compare its apples to apples.

 

You may have an argument or even a good point, but once again your stereotyping bites you in the a**. You know nothing about New Yorkers.
To the mods: you need to take the next step with this guy, he has made this kind of blanket statements about New Yorkers before, enough already he has an agenda and obvious bad centiment towards NY, never mind Cosmos Fans.

 

One....Use of the term hater pretty much guarantees I'm talking to a teenager.

Two....I am always cynical, cautious of new teams, stadium, etc.

Have been like that since MLS started and I have the experience to know better.

Three...It is amusing to bust the chops of any delusionists on any part ofthese boards. Any.
Don't assume you are special. There has been plenty of reason to laugh hysterically at several NYC supporters.

Four....As always "I hope I am wrong, spectacularly". That would be an incredible feat for the game here.
Just because I am pragmatic, amd understand the actual realities of what it takes toaccomplish what many want here, it doesn't make me a hater son....that's all in your head, but that's expected from what u usually get on the net so no biggie either way.

Soccer in this country has always been hard. Lower league soccer even harder. Only very recently has there actually been really broad success.

Save your quotes son if that makes you feel better. Meaningless in the real world.

If NYC can accomplish what they say they want to, and what many of you proclaim they will, that would actually be wonderfull and an incredible achievement...for soccer in this country period.

Just got to do it in the real world first..........son.

 

My reading comprehension skills apparently aren't up to par...could someone point out the stupid, insecure, and narrow-minded parts for me that were referred to? Much obliged.

As for item #3

 

Never mention the Cosmos to Kenn. I did on his blog once and...it wasn't pretty.

I consider the whole SA/Cosmos attendance thing a push, and kinda irrelevant anyway. Yes, it's good for D2, but obviously not where the Cosmos want to be. The only thing worse than playing in a small stadium is not selling it out.

It'll be interesting to see how this Cosmos story plays out. Let's say Emirates pours a ton of money into the team and they start winning trophies, perhaps a USOC, or even a CCL. They get their games on a real channel and start to get exposure. Elmont Park gets approved, and they move in circa 2018, drawing big crowds. Life is good.

But then what? They're not in MLS, and they're not gonna get in unless the league radically changes its salary cap rules. And the fans of the other NASL teams are gonna get pretty tired of losing to New York every year. Can the Cosmos survive this way, long term?