Wizards to Houston?

[fireman451]

Well, here's your chance Houston. Get someone with some bucks or a investment group to beat off San Antonio, Seattle & Portland. Not sure what the interest is in Portland, but they have a solid soccer base (Univ. of Portland and Timbers).

Seattle was real close to getting an expansion team, not sure where they stand now though. However, San Antonio's mayor seems hell bent on bringing soccer to to his city. I hope you guys throw your hat in the ring and try to get the Wizards. As a native Houstonian living in Chicago for the past 5 years now, I would love for my home town to experience MLS. I really enjoy having MLS up here and back it up being a 4th year season ticket holder.

Come on Houston, get in there and make it happen!

[anderson]

And I thought we'd have at least a few more months before the next MLS-to-Houston speculation season. ;)

[lperez808]

Step up to the plate McNair or Televisa. Here's your chance.

[Bayern1986]

We have to get this done now rather than wait until 06, 07, or 08.

[bford]

We have to get this done now rather than wait until 06, 07, or 08.


What ownership group is ready to step up? Has McNair even ever said anything about it?

bford

[Atom'sDad]

What about Mattress Mack?

[bford]

What about Mattress Mack?

If the entry fee is ten million, he could afford it no problem. It's just wether he would be interested in owning a team. He would be a very progressive thinking owner. He already owns his tennis place though, so his time and hands may be full.

bford

[anderson]

What ownership group is ready to step up? Has McNair even ever said anything about it?

bfordSort of. His group held talks with MLS last year. Also, his agreement with the Sports Authority and the Rodeo gives him rights of first refusal on MLS in Reliant Stadium (or any other "Astrodomain" facility) until the end of 2005. Those agreements were executed in May 2001, so he thought enough of the idea of MLS at that time to at least bargain for those rights. In the meantime, he may have concluded that MLS isn't a good idea. Sensible people could reach such a conclusion.

We also know, of course, that America has had some more recent conversations with MLS.

Hell, we could form our own division of parties that have considered Houston for MLS at some point -- Houston McNairs, Houston Chivas, Houston Aguilas...am I leaving out Tigres or Rayados or the like?

:D

[bford]

Sort of. His group held talks with MLS last year. Also, his agreement with the Sports Authority and the Rodeo gives him rights of first refusal on MLS in Reliant Stadium (or any other "Astrodomain" facility) until the end of 2005. Those agreements were executed in May 2001, so he thought enough of the idea of MLS at that time to at least bargain for those rights. In the meantime, he may have concluded that MLS isn't a good idea. Sensible people could reach such a conclusion.

We also know, of course, that America has had some more recent conversations with MLS.

Hell, we could form our own division of parties that have considered Houston for MLS at some point -- Houston McNairs, Houston Chivas, Houston Aguilas...am I leaving out Tigres or Rayados or the like?

:D


Well I haven't heard anything about Club America and the Wizards at all. Glenn Davis hasn't written anything in the Chronicle either. I'll keep looking and listening for news.

bford

[CeltTexan]

Wiz to Houston! Great all this city needs is a relocated football team in light blue. I like Wolff, Arnaud, Gansler and Co. don't get me wrong but again us Texans are getting a side that has delivered alegria for some other city's supporters. Soccer clubs should be contracted never relocated.

IMHO if MLS relocates a franchise, the new city should be a city that looks at MLS as a huge step up in Major League City status. Like Rochester. The sporting public there would react quit differently than the sporting public in Houston, Seattle or Philly.

[Supersuperman99]

First off F*** america and Telesisa you guys in houston have lots Oil Billionares that can cough up ten mil. No more Mexican investment in mls period. Dont take the wiz from kc get your own team.

[bford]

First off F*** america and Telesisa you guys in houston have lots Oil Billionares that can cough up ten mil. No more Mexican investment in mls period. Dont take the wiz from kc get your own team.

Wow, what a stunning reply. You sound like someone whose team now has to share a stadium with someone....

bford

[TAKK]

First off F*** america and Telesisa you guys in houston have lots Oil Billionares that can cough up ten mil. No more Mexican investment in mls period. Dont take the wiz from kc get your own team.

Why don't you do some cold calling and see if some of these billionaires even care.

If CA cares enough to spend the money good for them.......and MLS.

You may now make another short sighted simplistic ignorant zenophobic hate filled remark.

Have a nice day.

[Drum'r Boy]

First, I don't think that it is as simple as someone putting up the fee - MLS is still a negative cash flow deal for a stadium like Reliant. Unless someone is willing to do a renovation or a completely new SSS, I doubt Houston is going to get a team just yet.

[anderson]

First, I don't think that it is as simple as someone putting up the fee - MLS is still a negative cash flow deal for a stadium like Reliant. Unless someone is willing to do a renovation or a completely new SSS, I doubt Houston is going to get a team just yet.I think that's probably one of the lessons we can draw from the Arrowhead situation. McNair's deal at Reliant is probably a lot closer to Hunt at Arrowhead than Kraft at Gillette. McNair would have to negotiate with the other two parties under the Tri-Party Agreement that governs the use of Reliant Stadium. He'd certainly have some advantages over other parties - e.g., he only has to negotiate with two other parties instead of three; he's already familiar with working the facility. But he still wouldn't have a facility that he schedules for all non-MLS dates and whose revenues he controls for all other activities.

Someone - be it McNair, Televisa, or someone else - could probably work a deal that includes comprehensive scheduling and revenue control at the Astrodome. Once the hotel idea fades, we'll probably be back to trying to figure out what to do with the thing.

But that facility would probably require so much spending for renovations to make it presentable even for MLS purposes, that it may not be worth it. The sightlines are awful, the concessions and fan amenities are poor, the seats themselves are sorta ratty and worn out. Most importantly, you'd have to replace the Astroturf carpet with FieldTurf or replace the ceiling tiles and make grass grow. Either of those field options would also add significantly to the renovation costs - and real grass would add an on-going maintenance expense.

Then again, the AstroDump wouldn't be a disaster if fans could accept a stadium that's air-conditioned but otherwise not very nice. In its favor, the Dome would provide a venue in which an MLS investor could schedule events of all sorts all year long (TSU football, HS football, concerts, goofy ice events, etc.) and control the revenue streams. It's also in a location that's familiar to everyone in town and reasonably convenient by way of I-610 or the MetroRail.

Replacing the Astroturf carpet with FieldTurf could be key. You'd have to install it and occasionally re-paint field markings. But you wouldn't have to replace the ceiling tiles and wouldn't have the on-going expenses of grass maintenance in a heavily used facility. And you could schedule other events, even on back-to-back days, without damaging the field for soccer.

Of course, the "footy" aesthetics nazis would go into convulsions at the idea of soccer in the Dome with a FieldTurf "pitch" as the only major renovation. Yes, the sightlines would still suck, and so would the seats and other fan amenities. It would possibly have the worst fan amenities in MLS, especially if all the new SSS get built. And, no, FieldTurf isn't grass. But if the result is an air-conditioned stadium that an MLS invesor could control from a scheduling and revenue perspective, then most of us who want soccer in Houston could probably live with it. The aesthetics nazis who demand perfection or nothing could just continue to bask in their footy purity with their FSW EPL tape delays or early morning SPL pub glory.

[Goodsport]

Soccer clubs should be contracted never relocated.

Soccer clubs should neither be contracted nor relocated.


-G

[ockk]

there is already a group ready to put what it takes to keep the team in kc

[Drum'r Boy]

there is already a group ready to put what it takes to keep the team in kc

SSS? If not....

I mean, from that standpoint, Hunt is right - the league is not going to take the next step if it is having to pay through the nose for facilities and not get any revenue from them - nevermind the lack of atmosphere.

And that is not a knock on the Mystics or the general KC fans - it just gets lost in a 67,000 seat stadium.

Personally, I want to see as little change as possible. I didn't like the loss of the first two teams, or the change to the Quakes (even though the Clash wasn't a real great name), and I certainly don't like the change of the Burn to FC Dallas - but we manage. I'd rather be in Dallas than SJ or KC right now.

But at the end of the day, MLS is growing out of facilities like Arrowhead.

[Mattbro]

But at the end of the day, MLS is growing out of facilities like Arrowhead.

More like MLS never grew into them.

Clash to Earthquakes was a good move, Burn to FC Dallas was an even better move.

Now we need to find a name that isn't embarrassing for the team in Columbus.

[KCFutbol]

And that is not a knock on the Mystics or the general KC fans - it just gets lost in a 67,000 seat stadium.Not to mention a 78,000+ stadium, which is what Arrowhead is. :)