Minnesota is the nearest USL 1 team. I think it would be helpful to have another 2 - 3 teams within 6 - 8 hr drive of Minnesota. Some likely cities other then Des Moines, would be Omeha, St. Louis and Millwaukee would be good cities. I think also cities like Winnipeg and Peoria IL could also work.
I would love for that to happen but I will believe it when I see it. I was pretty active in this a couple of years ago and am now again taking another look. With the Seals dropping out as well as the Frogs. There is a volatile market out here with teams dropping in and out. I am not up to date on the NPSL but know at least one new NPSL squad. I just think a regional professional league is needed here on the left coast. Whoever can put that together first might finally be able to see some steady growth in this area.
West Region: North Conference: Modesto Real San Jose S. Oregon Fuego Salinas Valley Samba East Bay Ambassadors South Conference: SD Pumitas SD United Indios El Paso Arizona Sauharos Just wanted to update my previous post (from an NPSL thread), looks like the NPSL is taking bite out of the USL
I don't know how much of a bite they are really taking. I mean from what I've seen the NPSL is just a collection of amateur regional teams. The things that are keeping the USL from expanding are distance and money. Think about it: the dollar isn't as strong as was a few years ago. That makes it that much harder to operate a soccer franchise in places like San Fran, Sacramento and Phoenix. And from the news I've been reading those are the kind of places hit hardest by the rash of home foreclosures and the like. Thus fans are not as likely to spend extra cash which then makes investors back out. I've even seen it here in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa, two places that are better off (so far) economically speaking. From my experience people who invest in sports teams are of two types: 1) they love the sport and will do just about anything to get involved or 2) they want to make money and will play it very safe, almost too safe sometimes.
USL 2 is gonna go out west as we all think.. its good for growth and biz. Teams will come in from canada also.. it will most likely be play div 2 times and alternate (home/away) west every year. keep travel low.. those who can hack it for a while may have a chance to move to USL1 ( look at cleve.. i wish em luck).. Here is what i could find that sums it up: EXPANSION Kitsap Tacoma San Francisco Fresno El Paso Laredo Indianapolis in 2010 Hamilton BOB YOUNG TO SEEK USL SOCCER FRANCHISE FOR HAMILTON Pasted from <http://my.thescore.com/footyblog/archive/2009/02/24/9927.aspx> Winnipeg: Winnipeg groups look at pro soccer for city Pasted from <http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=33189373028&ref=mf> Seattle Wolves FC: Seattle Wolves FC look to go pro in 2010 Pasted from <http://goalseattle2.blogspot.com/2008/11/seattle-wolves-fc-look-to-go-pro-in.html>
Talked to Matt Weibe, Dir. Franchise Development at USL... He said that Hartford is toward the top of the list for a new USL-1 or 2 franchise. You got Rentschler, as well as that dump in New Britain at which CT Wolves played. The latter would only be good for USL-2, though. Only bleachers.
i've talked with Matt too. he said Indy has been in the top of the count for a few years now... Wonder if he says it to all.
Add Victoria Highlanders to that list of teams that want to go pro. The owner was down here in Austin to catch the Aztex - Crew game and said their goal is a USL-2 division. Oh, and El Paso and Laredo would be a bit far for that. I'll bet that they'll try and keep it pretty close to just up and down the coast.
Don't forget Dillon Stadium, if someone fixed it up it would be perfect. A team couldn't be any more visible to the community than by playing there.
Yes, because if you're going to go half way east you'd have to think it would start to make sense for the same bunch of teams to just jump up all the way to USL1, especially if the league offered a geographically unbalanced schedule.
To expand to a new region I think you need a minimum of 5 teams, although 6 would be ideal. With a 20 game schedule you would play each of the other teams 4 times (2 home, 2 away). If I ever win some huge lottery pay day and can fullfill my dream of becoming the AEG of the USL, my ideal for location for a USL 2 team would be in one of the following cities; Virginia Beach, Columbia SC, Savanah GA, Oneata NY, Allenton/Leigh Valley PA or Hartford CT.
I used to go to see the CT Wolves. I didn't think their field was all that bad, and it was just the right size. I haven't seen Dillon. It's hard for me to believe there is no team in any league in all of CT, other than the amateur leagues
Well if you count the PDL and NASL as amateur leagues there isn't a professional team between Charleston, S.C., Tampa and Houston.
I have a hunch. The only credible backup to it is the northwestern teams involved in this "go pro" mantra. The gist of my hunch: Victoria is angling to become the "pro reserve" arm of the Whitecaps, which would situate in USL-2. If the Whitecaps go their own way, Victoria will simply join USL-2. Both Seattle Wolves and Kitsap are angling to be the reserve team of the Flou errrrrrrrrr Sounders. Same principle. I'm not sure the loser shouldn't stay in PDL. Now, who becomes the Timbers USL-2 team? Could it site in Eugene Civic Stadium? Salem in place of Cascade Surge? Or would they angle for Tacoma? Well, Tacoma should stay PDL by my reckoning. Salt Lake gets into the fray, perhaps, by elevating the Ogden team... OR trying to regionalize by way of Boise? The problem with Boise is finding a suitable facility. Earthquakes... one of the far flung Bay suburbs? Somehow, I don't see it working in Sacramento. How about Stockton or Modesto? How about taking over the Sonoma County market? Santa Cruz? Galaxy? Fresno? Or would LA go elsewhere and Fresno come in independently? Chivas USA? Would they bother? Could all be PDL Pro, could be USL-2. It seems like the core of a reserve division out west might play out in this manner, partly because the Northwest MLS clubs are gangbusters for it. Again, just a hunch.
Some pretty good hunches but I have heard that Victoria wanted to become a USL 1 club if Vancouver got into the MLS.
Why would they need to use Victoria as a pro reserve team, when their PDL is already a Pro team. Although if there are more USL 2 teams out west they may promote their PDL team to USL 2. But they really don't need to use someone elses team to create something they already have.
Just so you know, RSL entered into an agreement with the PDL Ogden Outlaws this year. Sharing players, reserve matches and coaching staff exchanges. Maybe its a step towards what your talking about.
i think they should play in small citys and do allot of more promotion, not this play in major cities like baltimore,charlotte,pittburg. If there going to expand they should gradully make there way out west
