Re: Who's next? Coinsidering Traffic's MO is developing and selling players, I'm sure they'd be interested in teams in other leagues. But I don't really see them trying to bring in any other teams they are a majority owner of into the NASL. Considering the recent affiliation between the NASL and NPSL, maybe they'd be more interested in putting a team or two there. Could make them Strikers reserve team(s). I've gone as far as to consider things from this perspective. Look at what Traffic is doing to compeltely turn around their "main" team with the rebrand, all the marketing and publicity, and obviously money. What if their long term goal is to try and push the Strikers up to MLS? Maybe they'd like to hang onto either the Railhawks or the Silverbacks so they still haev a presence in D2 as well. Just some bigger picture thinking, but who knows. What they're doing fits that kind of a plan at any rate.
Re: Who's next? Did I miss something - when did NPSL & NASL announce an affiliation? Or are you just referring to individual NASL & NPSL teams affiliating with each other?
Re: Who's next? I think the two leagues have spoken, kinda of a bulwark against the USL Pro and PDL system, but nothing is official. And I wasn't implying the Traffic would get involved in any more teams (lord no). I was simply suggesting that these markets have minor, amateur soccer clubs that get 2,000 or 4,000 PER MATCH. That is awesome and someone interested in minor league pro soccer has to think there might be something there worth investing in.
Re: New NASL logo Haha, right. As if NASL could ever push their brand in Mexico. Although the badge would be more "unique" if they just left Mexico off, with the US floating on top of nothing. In addition to being hilarious, I'm sure it would help the league find funding for that expansion team in Arizona we've heard rumblings about.
Re: New NASL logo if this new group running NASL is smart (and that remains to be seen) they will push hard to get a team back in Austin. Austin is a perfect D2 soccer city. it is not big enough to ever be in MLS but it is a liberal and hipster bastion in the middle of ruby red texas and if seattle and portland and vancouver prove anything is that a decent group of soccer fans plus a big group of well educated, liberal young hipsters to attract new fans from is a recipe for success. Austin was already headed in that direction when they were unceremoniously moved to Orlando. plus San Antonio will need a local(ish) rival. i'd definitely forgo any cities that look like probable MLS targets like San Diego, why bother putting another team in NASL that is just destined to make the jump. i'd focus on those cities that are not feasible MLS cities but still have large(ish) populations or good soccer demographics. and the Cosmos have no interest in diluting their new brand revival by associating it with sub-par D2 soccer. they want to renew the Cosmos brand as the "top soccer brand in America" ... playing in D2 won't help them do that as a matter of fact it would hurt them in doing that.
Re: Who's next? I'd expect some type of expansion up in Oklahoma as well. Oklahoma City and Tulsa along with Austin and San Antonio would make for decent travel partners. The Tulsa Drillers old stadium could be converted in a soccer stadium. The stadium seats about 10,000. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou....139725,-95.923299&spn=0.001893,0.004254&z=18
Re: Who's next? i'd also think that an option, aside from OK is somewhere in NM like Albequerque or even Phoenix AZ. NASL should definitely go hard after the SW. it is practically bereft of pro-soccer and i'd think with the proper marketing and team construction (ie being sure to keep in mind, but not pander to, the hispanic community) you could have any number of places that could support D2 teams that average 5K in attendance after a few years building a fan base. i am also not entirely sure that a place like Birmingham AL wouldn't be a great place for a D2 team too. it is a bit like Austin in that it has a decent amount of young and educated hipsters (for Alabama at least). not as good a prospect as some in the SW but still worth looking into.
Re: Who's next? Yea I would say the South West and the Mid West have the strongest Potential. South West- Ft. Worth, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Oklahoma City, Austin, Tulsa, Tucson, Brownsville, Waco, El Paso. Mid West- Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Louisville, Lexington, Dayton, Flint, Wichita, Green Bay, Des Moines, Toledo, Springfield (MO), Omaha, Paducah, Champaign, Madison, Cedar Rapids (IA), South Bend, Davenport. Others- San Francisco, Oakland, Orlando, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Baltimore, San Diego, Nashville, Hartford, Greenville(sc/nc), West Palm Beach, Birmingham, Harrisburg, Norfolk, Greensboro, Jacksonville, Memphis, Buffalo, Providence, New Orleans, Scranto, Fresno, Little Rock, Albany, Richmond, Knoxville, Mobile, Ft. Myers,Charleston (wv), Roanoke, Honolulu, Spokane, Portland (ME), Columbia (SC), Rochester, Syracuse, Huntsville, Shreveport, Chattanooga, Jackson (MS), Colorado Springs, Tri-Cities (TN-NC-VA), Burlington, Baton Rouge, Savannah, Charleston (SC), Ft. Smith. This is out of the top 100 TV Markets in the USA. http://www.stationindex.com/tv/tv-markets This is minus the MLS markets not counting Fort Worth who is close to Dallas and San Fran/ Oakland Who is close to San Jose.
Re: Who's next? I see that "other" is currently winning. Which everyone obviously checked since "Chattanooga" wasn't an option.
Re: Who's next? Or "maple leaf uber alles". [Canadian friends, I'm specify this just to be sure nobody gets mad... I'm just joking!]
Re: Who's next? You bring a Soccer team to Tucson, Arizona and you will get a good 5-10k attendance. Their is also a centrally located baseball field (Hi-corbet) that was just used for some MLS preseason games. There is nothing in Tucson to do. You have a HUGE Hispanic population. I can see Tucson have a thriving soccer team. The baseball didn't do well but that more because of the location of the stadium after being moved from Hi-corbet. If I had money and still lived in Tucson i would bring soccer to Tuscon if I could. I can see the profits being really high there.
Re: Who's next? Not sure about Swastika, Ontario, but Ottawa should definitely be on the NASL radar. I like Hamilton too.
Re: Who's next? I think they'd be excellent NASL additions...if it weren't for that darned 75% US rule...... The league is going to need some defectors from USL Pro, PDL, or some jumpers from NPSL to add these teams in the next couple of years. If they have to wait for brand new US franchises to start up from scratch in order to join the league, it could take awhile.
Latin fans don't really help in D-2 Soccer. And Im latin myself. Most Latin people are too picky and won't support a club that isn't at the top.
I would think it would be ideal to have an existing team and organization make the move to NASL. Does anyone know much about the NPSL teams - primarily, do any of the owners meet the USSF standards for wealth? I also looked at the stadium situation for a few clubs and I just don't see too many NPSL teams that could make the jump. The few that might have a chance (based upon nothing but opinion - no inside info here)... FC Buffalo plays in an old but recently renovated stadium that holds 5,000 fans. The stadium meets the USSF standards but I just don't know about the owners... Also, this team is an hour away from Rochester. I'd personally rather see Rochester back in the NASL camp before Buffalo would join. Could make for a nice regional rival though with both teams in the NASL. Hollywood United just moved from the USL to NPSL and used to be backed by actor Anthony LaPaglia, don't know if this is still the case. Their stadium I could not find much about. Don't know what their ambitions are really. The main problem with this team joining NASL would be the travel distance for all the teams. It would cost a bundle for Hollywood to be in a national league. Chattanooga FC has the stadium, it's about to hold over 20,000 fans. Again, I don't know about the ownership and their ambitions. Of all the NPSL teams this seems to be a very professionally run outfit. San Diego Flash has the backing of some "soccer people" like head coach Warren Barton. I don't know their financial situation either but they have made noise in the past about wanting to bring professional soccer back to SD. They are currently playing in a high school stadium. Much like Hollywood I just see travel costs being too much for this to happen. NASL would definitely need more West Coast or Southwest teams to make this be financially viable. So, of all these teams I'd say Chattanooga would fit well with the geographic location of all the NASL teams best. I enjoy the speculation of who is next in the NASL and what I'd really like to see is the NASL leadership, Commissioner Downs in particular, start talking about expansion sooner rather than later to help fuel this speculation even more. After all, this year is a provisionally sanctioned year. New ownership in Carolina, Minnesota, and Atlanta must be found. San Antonio needs a stadium announcement soon if we are to believe the ownership is committed to the league and to be the replacement for Montreal. Lots to be done in a short time by the NASL. I sincerely hope some good things happen soon.
I think we should try to poach LA, with the USL international division looking the way it does, if they draw decent numbers. I think if all other criteria are truly met, the USSF would take the 75% rule out.