Wheres the props for the Blitzz

[ilvfutbol]

Why has there been not mention of the Utah Blitzz and what they have done to pave the road for the MLS team??? I am suprised that the Blitzz have not even been mentioned for getting the soccer bug started. The only thing I here about reasonings for a MLS team is because of soccer players per capita in the state, families, some one put up the $$$, and the olympics. Dont you think that if a MLB team came to town they would involve the sthingers, angels, and raptors???? Whats going on here? im a soccer fan and I have been following the Blitzz for some time and it amazes me how everyone has jumped on the MLS band wagon and wondering why the Blitzz have not even been mentioned at all by anyone, not even the media.

The same would go for Seattle, Rochester and many other teams that are around and that the MLS has watched and seen that these areas may be good for the league.

Will the teams work together? It seems there is animosity between the USL and the MLS? When did this happen and why? Soccer needs to work with soccer.

[dasoccerplayafosho]

There's been props for blitzz! they really do deserve them, too. Even though I'm a BYU fan, I love the blitzz.
Austen

[GoReal]

It's amazing what the Blitzz management has done over the years to keep soccer in Utah. They do deserve their props because one of their goals has been met and that is the MLS in SLC. Of course I think they were hoping that they would have been the ownership group that brought MLS to Utah.
Hopefully the Blitzz and SLC SC can work together and they would both be wise to in order to help soccer grow in Utah.

Go BLiTZZ!!!!!! Win the PSL title this year!!!!!!! :D

[dysko]

Why has there been not mention of the Utah Blitzz and what they have done to pave the road for the MLS team??? I am suprised that the Blitzz have not even been mentioned for getting the soccer bug started. The only thing I here about reasonings for a MLS team is because of soccer players per capita in the state, families, some one put up the $$$, and the olympics. Dont you think that if a MLB team came to town they would involve the sthingers, angels, and raptors???? Whats going on here? im a soccer fan and I have been following the Blitzz for some time and it amazes me how everyone has jumped on the MLS band wagon and wondering why the Blitzz have not even been mentioned at all by anyone, not even the media.


Part one, I spoke with Bob Wagman at SoccerTimes and he said someone in the Blitzz management/ ownership rubbed the Comish (aka Garber) the wrong way. This probably has a lot to do with no mention of the Blitzz in paving the way for MLS.

Part two, the media in SLC are not soccer people at all (with the exception of Greg Wrubel, which rubs off some, not much, but some on Bill Riley). If the MLS people aren't saying anything about the Blitzz being a part, the media has no clue. :(

[mckid]

I also love the Blitzz. I have attended nearly every game since I've lived in Utah. I haven't heard any final word about their future, but if they stay in the area next year I will most likely continue attending their games and supporting the team.

With that said, I don't think the Blitzz had very much to do with MLS coming to Salt Lake. MLS wants money and Mr. Checketts has it. Sure the other factors are supporting details. But, the league couldn't say no when Dave flashed his millions.

That's my opinion anyway.

[Wade Bills]

You can't say enough for what the Blitzz have done for soccer in Utah. Del the first 2 years, and Chris and Stacey for all 5 years have put their heart and soul into keeping the team around. Their ambitious long term goals have included building a soccer specific stadium, and eventually getting into the MLS.

Perhaps the resources just haven't quite been there. Bringing in the Ken Garff group as co-owners may have been an attempt to get closer to some of their long time goals, but now they are sort of on the sidelines watching as the Dave Checketts group has achieved one goal (an MLS team) and is seemingly on the way to accomplish the other goal (SSS).

I hope the Blitzz won't be completely left out in the cold. They've done so much for soccer in this area and certainly having one of the highest attendance averages in their division each year (despite having to olften scramble for a field to play and playing home games on SEVEN different fields) helped Utah appear desirable to the MLS as an expansion possiblity. Whatever the future holds for the Blitzz, I wish Chris, Stacey, (former owner) Del, all the players, and everyone else in the organization well, and hope the coming years will be happy and rewarding for them.

[the cup]

Whats going on here? im a soccer fan and I have been following the Blitzz for some time and it amazes me how everyone has jumped on the MLS band wagon and wondering why the Blitzz have not even been mentioned at all by anyone, not even the media.

Plain and simple, the only reason MLS is comming is Dave Checketts and his money, no other reason. The Blitzz have done well but MLS is not going to put a team in a city just because of a minor minor league team has done well. If that were the case MLS would go with Seattle, Portland, Rochester, and Charleston way before SLC.

And as for the media not mentioning the Blitzz, no surprise there, the local media doesn't mention soccer at all, let alone the Blitzz. And they haven't even mentioned MLS since the first day or two the team was announced. And I can almost guarantee you even with MLS here, the local media will start to ignore them after the newness has worn off. They will only start to give them the credit they deserve and some air time if two or three years down the road people still go to the games. But the Jazz, BYU football and U of U football will always overshadow MLS no matter how well we do.

And finally, we better hope to God that people jump on the MLS bandwagon. We need thousands of people to go to the games, not just the opening game but every damn game or Checketts will lose his shorts. And I'm sorry to say it, the Blitzz may die out because of MLS but hey, give them props for what they've done but understand, Darwin makes sense.

[mckid]

And they haven't even mentioned MLS since the first day or two the team was announced.

Yep. Not even mentioned. Not even on the front page of the sports section today (a week after the announcement).
Let's help the MLS adjust to Utah life (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595078667,00.html)

Or even another front page sports story printed on monday (7/19).

Soccer has it's various leagues (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595078217,00.html)

Telling it like it is is one thing. Having a perpetual raincload over you is another.

[the cup]

Yep. Not even mentioned. Not even on the front page of the sports section today (a week after the announcement).

Telling it like it is is one thing. Having a perpetual raincload over you is another.


The Deseret News? Communist rag. I was more referring to (and I apologize, I should have been more specific) TV. I will give the article on the different soccer leagues credit though, that was a good breakdown for someone who isn't familiar with the leagues here in the US.

However, I do have a good reason for having a perpetual raincloud over my head, call it experience. The straw that broke the camel's back was when Channel 4 decided to run an infomercial at 5 am instead of showing the World Cup Final live. By the way, I'm still boycotting Channel 4 for that.

I would like to have a cheary outlook like you do but I'm alittle more grim. I hope to Hell you are right though and our local media gives me a reason to smile. I wouldn't bet your Hyrum farm on it though.

[kopiteinkc]

The Deseret News? Communist rag. I was more referring to (and I apologize, I should have been more specific) TV. I will give the article on the different soccer leagues credit though, that was a good breakdown for someone who isn't familiar with the leagues here in the US.

However, I do have a good reason for having a perpetual raincloud over my head, call it experience. The straw that broke the camel's back was when Channel 4 decided to run an infomercial at 5 am instead of showing the World Cup Final live. By the way, I'm still boycotting Channel 4 for that.

I would like to have a cheary outlook like you do but I'm alittle more grim. I hope to Hell you are right though and our local media gives me a reason to smile. I wouldn't bet your Hyrum farm on it though.

Keep bugging your TV media by all means.

In my experience in KC our TV media still ignores the Wizards after what 8 or 9 years. Whereas the KC Star newspaper does at least run an article or two each week.

During the week there is no tv coverage. Sometimes after a match day they will show a goal or two on the evening news. But often you just get a caption with a score.

It always comes AFTER the other sports too, NFL, College Sports, Baseball, whatever.

Unless viewers complain, the Tv media don't get it.

I would suggest the leaders of your new supporters group arrange a meeting with the various sports anchors in town and share your passion with them, invite them to your supporters section and email them information on events, upcoming matches.

Kinda like your own pr department feeding them news releases and press kits.

Don't wait for the club or MLS to do it.

An active supporters web site can accomplish some of this too.

[the cup]

Thanks for all of the suggestions Kopiteinkc.

Sorry to hear about the media in KC. The Wizards are alway competitive too.

I'm already planning on sending some emails to a radio station here in SLC called X96 Radio From Hell. They are an alternative music station and funny as hell, the only radio in Utah that isn't annoying. They really don't give a damn about sports and alot of times make fun of the Jazz. Bill will say to Gina after he gives the news, "sports?" and Gina will usually say something like, "uh, no." or "oh, the Jazz lost again."

I hope they may actually embrace MLS seeing as it may be looked at as an alternative to the overkill of Jazz, BYU and U of U.

[Snarf]

Keep bugging your TV media by all means.

In my experience in KC our TV media still ignores the Wizards after what 8 or 9 years. Whereas the KC Star newspaper does at least run an article or two each week.

During the week there is no tv coverage. Sometimes after a match day they will show a goal or two on the evening news. But often you just get a caption with a score.

It always comes AFTER the other sports too, NFL, College Sports, Baseball, whatever.

Unless viewers complain, the Tv media don't get it.

I would suggest the leaders of your new supporters group arrange a meeting with the various sports anchors in town and share your passion with them, invite them to your supporters section and email them information on events, upcoming matches.

Kinda like your own pr department feeding them news releases and press kits.

Don't wait for the club or MLS to do it.

An active supporters web site can accomplish some of this too.

This is all true. The TV media ignores people it doesn't think are watching. In Sacramento, News10 bought the rights to show the Kings games, and then set out to be the station to go to for Kings related news, hoping to gain the viewing of as many kings fans as possible. If we can communicate the fact that the local media could try and do the same with this new soccer thing, they could gain atleast 10,000 viewers (assuming we have a crowd of 10,000 per game, which isn't too much to ask I don't think).

Every news station in town has a website, and they all beg for us to keep them informed of news if we know about it. So email their sports guys every time something about the team is happening. I've already suggested to Wade and Blitzzfan that we have the news informed about the meeting to form the supporters club. They believe the club should be organized first, then invite the media out. Which will work, but I really want to keep the news media informed about whatever happens. The supporters club could be news in itself. It's not like there's a lot of local sports news going on from day to day around here anyway.

[mckid]

I like that idea, Snarf.

[Czar Pazzo]

I'm already planning on sending some emails to a radio station here in SLC called X96 Radio From Hell. They are an alternative music station and funny as hell, the only radio in Utah that isn't annoying. They really don't give a damn about sports and alot of times make fun of the Jazz. Bill will say to Gina after he gives the news, "sports?" and Gina will usually say something like, "uh, no." or "oh, the Jazz lost again."

I hope they may actually embrace MLS seeing as it may be looked at as an alternative to the overkill of Jazz, BYU and U of U.

That may be a good idea. Radio From Hell is really funny, and they are good types too. I wonder if any AM stations are going to try to tap the soccer audience. 1280 doesn't seem to be interested, but you never know. KFAN?

[blitzzfan]

One of the coolest things ever was when X96 was a sponsor of Balletwest. On X96 nights you could go out to the curb at intermission and get milk and cookies from the cowvan thingy.

As for the media: there hasn't been much to report since the announcement. When things happen such as name and color announcements, GM, HC, expansion draft, superdraft, etc. then we can/should get our knickers in a twist.

I hope that there could be a soccer show on one of the radio stations. Like the Jazz GM each Tues. Or at least be able to talk about SLSC/Boom/1847...

As for the Blitzz: They plowed a lot of ground for MLS. One of the best things they have done is completely convert my wife. I can never thank them enough.

The analogy of MLB working w/ the Raptors, Angels, Stingers is faulty. Stingers would go away. Angels are affiliated with the Angels. Raptors with the Brewers? Rare is the case where farm teams are next door let alone co-tenants.

[szazzy]

Pardon me if this sounds naive, but is there anyway that the Blitzz could formally rebrand and become the unnamed teams reserve squad? There would definitely be money issues to work out, but if they worked the Blitzz ownership in as some sort of stockholder in the whole franchise, it would give Checketts some more capital and employee resources to start with. This would be helpful you'd think in light of the ultra condensed time table they're working on. There are reports of a reserve league beginning as soon as next year, and that will just be one extra hurdle for Checketts to clear.

[Lowecifer]

Shouldn't we be giving propzz to the Blitzz?

[nyrmetros]

Pardon me if this sounds naive, but is there anyway that the Blitzz could formally rebrand and become the unnamed teams reserve squad? There would definitely be money issues to work out, but if they worked the Blitzz ownership in as some sort of stockholder in the whole franchise, it would give Checketts some more capital and employee resources to start with. This would be helpful you'd think in light of the ultra condensed time table they're working on. There are reports of a reserve league beginning as soon as next year, and that will just be one extra hurdle for Checketts to clear.
Fantastic idea. Fully agree.

[SoccerPrime]

[QUOTE=the cup]The Deseret News? Communist rag. I was more referring to (and I apologize, I should have been more specific) TV. I will give the article on the different soccer leagues credit though, that was a good breakdown for someone who isn't familiar with the leagues here in the US.
[QUOTE]

When I was emailing all the media (papers/tv/radio) the biggest reply I ever got was from Edwards at DS. Almost everyone else didn't even know there were rumors of a MLS team or replied.
I don't know how DS normally reports on soccer, but they gained a lot of points by just emailing me back and being excited.

[mckid]

Edwards is one of the best soccer writers I have read. They do a pretty decent job of reporting on soccer as a whole.