Expansion Cities Poll

[paladius]

In your opinion, which are the best expansion options right now? Suggested limit of 5 cities.

[Iancam03]

San Diego should be on this list.

[Fires Of Fulham]

In your opinion, which are the best expansion options right now? Suggested limit of 5 cities.

Come on you Detroiters. The Fire need a real derby! None of this Dallas or Columbus stuff!

If the team were in Detroit though it would really need to try to draw on the Greek community with Greek players like the Fire did with Polish players. Otherwise it will flounder.

Having lived near Detroit, it's not really that soccer crazy a town.

[tfoz]

St Louis should also be on the list, after all they have been mentioned by Garber. As should at least one SE team like Miami or Orlando, or New York (seeing as the Metrostars really should be just NJ).

Mos Eisley doesn't have the population or the 'legitimate' money to finance unless the Hutt's get in, and Gungan city is a bit hard to find for a visitor :D

[lilepp6]

you def. need a Miami or some team from the SE on there...not to mention San Diego....I'm not to much for most of those cities on that list but I will say Seattle, Rochester, and Houston are the best bets so far....I like their chances on getting a team.

[drew_VT_6]

There aren't 5 teams I'd vote for on that list. And several of the cities that Garber mentioned aren't there.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Has a Rochester Rhinos website started a campaign on this? :) I screwed up and should have included Houston probably at the expense of Detroit FWIW.

[Bleacherbutt]

I posted a link to the poll from the Rhino's board.

If you click on the number of votes it reveals the people who voted. I only see one handle other than mine that is a Rhino board fixture. I think a wide swath of North American soccer fans understand, appreciate and know what Rochester has to offer MLS. Hopefully, MLS will wise up and work something out with Rochester.

Frankly, MLS shennanigans with San Antonio and Toronto have been been embarrassing and bush league.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

This poll is exceedingly unlikely to change anything in the big scheme of things. I actually voted for Rochester. Being able to take the fast ferry across the lake for derby games would be great.

[Brownswan]

Frankly, San Antonio's and Toronto's shennanigans with MLS have been been embarrassing and bush league.

Fixed your post. Shennanigan cities should be dropped from consideration. Hooligan cities are next.

[Rocket]

St Louis should also be on the list
Ditto

[ThrashBoy]

Atlanta is a much more viable option than at least a third of the cities listed, if not more.

[Fires Of Fulham]

Atlanta is a much more viable option than at least a third of the cities listed, if not more.

I've looked at your attendance figures down there. How viable could you possible be when you can't even get gates of 2,000 most of the time.

Now I know it's a little unfair to compare USL attendance to possible MLS attendance. But Atlanta lags behind even the attendance figures of other potential candidates who currently have USL teams.

[Iplayedforchelsea]

Atlanta is a much more viable option than at least a third of the cities listed, if not more.

Dude, I wanted to be the first one to say Atlanta!!!!

Just to sit back and watch the (hysterical) reactions.

[Fuegofan]

I voted for Mos Eisley, with the assumption that it's Saint Louis in the native tongue of Tatooine. And as for a real derby with Chicago, ergo Detroit? Sure, Chicago hates Detroit, but it also hates New York. The Cubs hate the Cardinals. But for a derby, Milwaukee is it if we can't get a crosstown rivalry. I hope that down the line the Sting rises from the ashes and builds a downtown stadium--or at least one that's both in the city and on an L line.

[Fires Of Fulham]

I voted for Mos Eisley, with the assumption that it's Saint Louis in the native tongue of Tatooine. And as for a real derby with Chicago, ergo Detroit? Sure, Chicago hates Detroit, but it also hates New York. The Cubs hate the Cardinals. But for a derby, Milwaukee is it if we can't get a crosstown rivalry. I hope that down the line the Sting rises from the ashes and builds a downtown stadium--or at least one that's both in the city and on an L line.

Milwaukee would be beautiful. It would be the second real derby in the United States at the top level because if you want a real derby you have to draw away fans in numbers. I can just picture Section 8 invading wherever the northern neighbors choose to play. It might be the first fixture in America to require an away section. :)

If Detroit were added, perhaps MLS could draw in some hockey fans from both Detroit and Chicago. After all, you'd think they'd be the most receptive to both the rivalry and the game itself outside those of us already there. But, I think St. Louis fans would be more willing to drive the distance for some really excited fan v. fan action (purely chants of course, not actual violence).

[Jim Bob Rhino]

What about St Louis?

[DavidP]

Dude, I wanted to be the first one to say Atlanta!!!!

Just to sit back and watch the (hysterical) reactions.

I have to say that if Atlanta were ever awarded an MLS franchise, half this board would slit their wrists, and a good third of the remainder would either hang themselves, or OD on something. The new Silverbacks Park stadium should help cure some of the 'Backs' attendance woes, and if they market the team right once they get in there, that'll go a long way too. Why isn't anybody taking Prozac over Seattle? Their attendance sucks as well, but they're getting the big feel-up for MLS.

Atlanta is out of the running for MLS unless a) we get an owner/investor, AND b) somebody wants to foot the bill for a stadium. Contrary to popular belief, we have soccer history (charter members of NASL (Chiefs), AISA/NPSL/MISL2 (Attack), USISL/A-League/USL (Magic/Ruckus/Silverbacks (who, BTW are in their 11th season!)), and there would be support for MLS (the Beat got good support, and it was womens' soccer). But it won't happen until the aforementioned conditions are met, if then.

I do wish that people would quit using Atlanta for a flame-fest everytime somebody so much as mentions the word. It's getting way old.. And don't even mention the Braves and their last-minute, rush-hour playoff games (how can you get to the game when you're stuck in traffic?); that's comparing apples to dump trucks.