3/11/05: Everytime I'm in the kitchen, you're in the kitchen

[GPK]

Soccer expo aims to educate-Daily Herald (http://www.dailyherald.com/search/main_story.asp?intid=384217)

Fire's Capano out 4-6 months after ACL surgery-Daily Southtown (http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dssports/pro/113sd3.htm)

European trip proves to be a challenge-Deseret News (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600117324,00.html?)

Much Adu about MLS-Slam Sports CA (http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/Canada/2005/03/11/957468.html)

Major League Soccer a tough sell in big-time T.O.-Toronto Metro (http://www.metronews.ca/column_reality_check.asp?id=6870&cid=4978)

Caribbean club champions suffer 2-1 away defeat to DC United-Caribbean Net News (http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2005/03/11/club.shtml)

DC United edge Harbour View-Jamaican Observer (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/html/20050310T210000-0500_76650_OBS_DC_UNITED_EDGE_HARBOUR_VIEW.asp)

U.S. soccer goes south-Mercury News (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/11108580.htm)

Two from Treasure Coast make U-15 select team-Sebastian Sun (http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/youth_sports/article/0,2547,TCP_18196_3612524,00.html)

[uclacarlos]

Major League Soccer a tough sell in big-time T.O.-Toronto Metro (http://www.metronews.ca/column_reality_check.asp?id=6870&cid=4978)

Even after years of hard work and marketing, the Lynx, Toronto's current top-level team in the first division of the United Soccer League, draw roughly 2,000 a game at Etobicoke's Centennial Stadium.

Would an MLS team - which MLSE would like to see play at the new stadium to be built at York University - have that many more fans?

:eek:

Yeah, a 750% increase is just so bush-league. :cool:

Idiot!

[Stupid_American]

Today's title has gotta be from Friday.

"Eatin' up all the food"

[chayes]

Much Adu about MLS-Slam Sports CA (http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/Canada/2005/03/11/957468.html)



Seriously, can we get someone to send a memo to every sports and/or human interest beat writer and editor in North America and tell them that the "Much Adu..." headline has been used before and they aren't been "cool" or "original."

[spidergoose]

Seriously, can we get someone to send a memo to every sports and/or human interest beat writer and editor in North America and tell them that the "Much Adu..." headline has been used before and they aren't been "cool" or "original."
What I find funny/irritating about it this time is that the article has absolutely nothing to do with Freddy, nor does it mention him at any point.

[Stan Collins]

:eek:

Yeah, a 750% increase is just so bush-league. :cool: Bad A-League attendances never proved squat. Most of them are due to franchise issues in the first place. It's a league where the quality of ownership is really uneven, and the economic model means owners don't look after each other very much.

And the A-League/USL-Div I is semipro, there's no two ways about it. And selling semipro soccer is fundamentally different from selling pro soccer.

I'd bet if I did the research, most of the relatively successful MLS franchises have had crappy-drawing lower division teams at one point or another.

[Brrca Fan redded]

Last night's USA game with Columbia was it on TV any where?. :)

[nath7998]

Bad A-League attendances never proved squat. Most of them are due to franchise issues in the first place. It's a league where the quality of ownership is really uneven, and the economic model means owners don't look after each other very much.

And the A-League/USL-Div I is semipro, there's no two ways about it. And selling semipro soccer is fundamentally different from selling pro soccer.

I'd bet if I did the research, most of the relatively successful MLS franchises have had crappy-drawing lower division teams at one point or another.

Yea, I don't think you can say MLS won't succeed in a market where an A-League team hasn't drawn well. Apples and oranges. But the converse must be true, too, A-League success won't equate to MLS success.

Don't forget, for an MLS franchise to show up in any town, the league requires a minimum number of season tickets to be sold.

[sprintjeløy1926]

"In spite of its name, which immediately conjures comparisons to MLB - the world's premier league for baseball - North America's top soccer league is not even close to the best."

MLS not the best league in the world!!!!???? Alert the media! I like a columnist who's willing to go out on a limb, take chances and state the painfully obvious.

"Whether it's the NHL, NBA or Major League Baseball, we want the best."

cut to

"...Toronto's fans are willing to settle for second best."

Touché

[denver_mugwamp]

Last night's USA game with Columbia was it on TV any where?. :)

No.

[Colin Grabow]

U.S. soccer to meet England -- S.I. (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/grant_wahl/03/11/us.england/index.html)

[Revolt]

Don't forget, for an MLS franchise to show up in any town, the league requires a minimum number of season tickets to be sold.

No true. How many season tix did Chivas pre-sell? Or ReAL?

[Stan Collins]

Yea, I don't think you can say MLS won't succeed in a market where an A-League team hasn't drawn well. Apples and oranges. But the converse must be true, too, A-League success won't equate to MLS success. No, but it comes closer, depending on where you draw the line for 'success.'

To use the obvious example, I doubt Rochester will ever bring MLS's average attendance up. But I think there's room to believe they'd not really bring it down, and with a low-cost stadium arrangement, they could well be a net positive for the league.

Attendance of 5-6k doesn't prove too much, other than that it's not an absolutely crappy MLS market. Montreal averaged 9k this past season, which might be interesting, but that's also a huge jump over previous years, so one would wait a couple more years and see if it holds.

Don't forget, for an MLS franchise to show up in any town, the league requires a minimum number of season tickets to be sold. I hear they fudge this requirement in practice, though.

[Stan Collins]

No true. How many season tix did Chivas pre-sell? Or ReAL? No, there is such a 'rule.' I've heard it many times. It's just they don't really enforce it, and never did, probably because they've never been in a position where the demand for markets has exceeded the supply. If they ever do get in such a position, however. . .

[rocketeer22]

What I find funny/irritating about it this time is that the article has absolutely nothing to do with Freddy, nor does it mention him at any point.

Well, technically it does:

"If you said 15-year-old phenom Freddy Adu, give yourself a pat on the head, but you've got to admit it isn't exactly Serie A."

[nath7998]

No true. How many season tix did Chivas pre-sell? Or ReAL?

http://bronze.ucok.edu/territory/2003.04/latestmls.html

"The hope is to get at least 7,500 people to make deposits on season tickets for a MLS franchise team based in Edmond."

"Now, however, MLS will be looking for a more solid fan commitment as they watch the advance season-ticket sales.

Nine years ago, soccer fans in Columbus, Ohio, convinced MLS to locate a franchise team there after a season-ticket drive sold 10,000 seats."

http://www.soccertimes.com/mls/2004/may16.htm

"What is likely not at issue is the fan base. The Rhinos are one of the best supported A-League teams and selling 7,500 season tickets, MLS's benchmark, is within reason."

[nath7998]

No, there is such a 'rule.' I've heard it many times. It's just they don't really enforce it, and never did, probably because they've never been in a position where the demand for markets has exceeded the supply. If they ever do get in such a position, however. . .

Not as easy of a question to answer as I thought:

http://www.soccertimes.com/mls/2004/may12.htm

"The league set up three criteria for a new franchise. First, there had to be what the league calls a "viable" ownership group, one willing to pay an expansion fee said currently to be $10 million. Secondly, the prospective new owner, or the state or city where the team is to be located, has to build a soccer-specific stadium in a reasonable time frame -- in the neighborhood of four years -- if one does not already exist. In the meantime, their needs to be an acceptable interim venue. Finally, there needs to be proof that the proposed market has a sufficient fan base and there needs to be the sale of 7,500 season tickets."

[sprintjeløy1926]

Well, technically it does:

"If you said 15-year-old phenom Freddy Adu, give yourself a pat on the head, but you've got to admit it isn't exactly Serie A."

you're looking at the wrong story

Much Adu about MLS-Slam Sports CA does not mention Adu inside

[Stan Collins]

nath,

I'd say that language is pretty clear, and that it proves you right. However, I doubt MLS actually made this a real requirment in the expansion process this time around.

[nath7998]

nath,

I'd say that language is pretty clear, and that it proves you right. However, I doubt MLS actually made this a real requirment in the expansion process this time around.

But what do you base this doubt upon?