USL looks to affiliate MISL and pro outdoor soccer teams

Discussion in 'United Soccer Leagues' started by madisonroad, Mar 7, 2012.

  1. madisonroad

    madisonroad Member

    Jun 20, 2009
  2. madisonroad

    madisonroad Member

    Jun 20, 2009
  3. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And why, pray tell, is this thread here? You already have a thread in the USL forum. I see no point to posting it here too outside of trolling.
     
  4. madisonroad

    madisonroad Member

    Jun 20, 2009
    Orlando Rays, this thread is here because I finished it late at night and I was tired and posted it in the wrong forum. Apologies. Maybe a moderator could take it down.
     
  5. ButlerBob

    ButlerBob Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 13, 2001
    Evanston, IL
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: MISL looks to affiliate pro indoor and outdoor soccer teams

    Interesting article mostly about the first the first season. Only a little of interview was about of indoor and outdoor teams partnering together. And they even mentioning partnering with NASL teams. The way the seasons don't overlap players can get year round work. I can see two teams in the same market doing cross promotions. But so far no team has been able to pulling off the indoor and outdoor seasons with the same team.
     
  6. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: MISL looks to affiliate pro indoor and outdoor soccer teams

    I am uncertain about the Orlando market going along, though judging by what they are saying, it will be some time before we will be in range. Next year, we will be having the Magic, Predators and Solar Bears going at the same time at Amway Center. The MISL season runs concurrent with college basketball, so scheduling would also be difficult for UCF Arena. The only way they will have a prayer is if they played at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee. And they haven't hosted organized sports since 2007 (though it's a relatively new venue, opened in 2003).
     
  7. Mikey mouse

    Mikey mouse Member

    Jul 27, 1999
    Charleston, SC
    Club:
    Charleston
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: MISL looks to affiliate pro indoor and outdoor soccer teams

    Charleston has explored the option of an indoor team for a couple years at least. it is typically a question on a survey the front office sends out to season ticket holders, "would you support an indoor team" Of course they also ask if one would support a PDL and women's team as well.

    Venue could be an issue locally though. The N. Charleston Coliseum would be a great venue but I'm not sure the price and it would have to be shared with local ECHL hockey team. Besides that location, I'm not sure their is anywhere that would really work for indoor here.

    I don't see it in the Charleston market soon though ( if I had to guess and with the Battery expanding it Developmental Academy teams, I would guess a PDL team would be the next step for the Battery)
     
  8. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: MISL looks to affiliate pro indoor and outdoor soccer teams

    Threads merged.

    Does seem like MISL is probably the most lucrative and successful thing USL has ever done, including PDL.

    I am sure there a more inputs, like Pro over PDL, but the average attendance is much higher so you have to assume they got more coming in, both at the gate and sponsors.

    And MISL could possibly work in markets with well established MLS teams already.

    Could be interesting.
     
  9. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: MISL looks to affiliate pro indoor and outdoor soccer teams

    Lucrative for whom?

    We don't know what the revenue sharing formula is (if there is one). We don't know what national sponsors there are PDL has far more teams and while they each pay lower league fees, they're also lower-maintenance on the front office. The MISL media guide has virtually no ads for national sponsors (outside of Kendis, Fox Soccer and Pointstreak, none of whom is likely writing big checks to USL). Team sponsors likely keep most if not all of their sponsorship revenue, such as it is. And you don't know the expense side of the equation at all.

    The MISL drew a total of 336,478 this season (announced). USL Pro brought in 323,089 last season, the PDL 249,657 and the W-League 50,153. Without knowing how much total ticket revenue came in and without knowing the split (if there is one), I'm at a loss to figure out simply on the basis of higher average attendance for 84 MISL games how indoor soccer is all of a sudden this huge growth industry.

    What happens in this offseason will be very telling. Stability had to come first, then growth. The constant churn of franchises had to stop. If the seven they have can keep or gain footholds, there's a chance for better times ahead.

    And Bob is right - the indoor/outdoor combination under one umbrella has been very hard to pull off, because you're always in "season" mode and never really in just "selling" mode (the bulk of which happens between seasons). You burn out your staff pretty quickly, too.

    Best-case scenario is a Rochester situation, where the Lancers and Rhinos are separate organizations, but if they have a good working relationship and don't step on each other's toes, do what each does best and just share some players, that would be a better way to go. There's some overlap between audiences, but not as much as you might think.
     
  10. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: MISL looks to affiliate pro indoor and outdoor soccer teams

    True we don't know. Hence why I said it seems lucrative. Especially in its first USL year.
     
  11. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: MISL looks to affiliate pro indoor and outdoor soccer teams

    I would find it hard to believe that indoor soccer has all of a sudden become a money-maker when it has been a money pit for years.

    You know how we know? Because 18 teams have folded over the last 10 years. You don't turn that around in one year.

    That said, I'm certain there's more infrastructure now from a league office perspective than there has been in this sport in a long, long time. Good first step.
     

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