MLS fishing along the Delaware

[Rickster]

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/76-07292005-520748.html

Looks like the model (based on Chicago and Denver) is to go to, shall we say, less-glamorous parts of an area and seek to work with them on a stadium.

I view this as a great new development. :)

[hangthadj]

Time for MLS to sell themselves to the community! Great news, though.

[denver_mugwamp]

Yes, this is very good. It's obvious that there are communities that really want things like this such as Frisco, Commerce City, and Bridgeview. My only question is this--could it be the Metros looking?

[Rahbiefowlah]

Trenton Union!

[UVA-United]

I think it's great that MLS is looking for the land and soliciting participation before going to the city. The MLS love-affair with a club in Philly is a long-standing one. However, new to the exploration efforts there, is the economic and fan support there to compete with the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, 76ers, umpteen college games, etc?

Philly fans would be a great addition to the league considering their support for other local teams.

Thoughts?

[SoccerPrime]

I really hope this is true, that Philly will finally get a MLS team.
Besides this news article, has there been any other related news lately?

Can't believe its the Metros, it sounds like its MLS not AEG doing the scouting.

[SoccerPrime]

FYI
Here is a map of where they were looking.
Notice the Rohm and Haas property near the bottom of map.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Bristol,+PA&ll=40.105255,-74.859295&spn=0.028751,0.056914&hl=en

[Looper121]

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/76-07292005-520748.html

Looks like the model (based on Chicago and Denver) is to go to, shall we say, less-glamorous parts of an area and seek to work with them on a stadium.

I view this as a great new development. :)

Awesome news!!

Mayor sounds like a douchbag though, if traffic is his biggest concern, he has to be.

[okiebear]

There are large areas in Bucks that were left empty by the departure of U.S. Steel. I emailed MLS twice last year suggesting the area be checked out. Access by I-95 would be easy from the soccer-rich Lawrenceville-Hamilton-Trenton area and Northeast Philadelphia. I don't know who has any money out there, and all they do any more at the United German-Hungarian club is drink beer and talk about old times.

One big advantage other than plentiful space: A team there would be "adopted" by the Trenton and Lower Bucks newspapers, which would not constantly put soccer down the way the Philly newspapers would.

[okiebear]

Awesome news!!

Mayor sounds like a douchbag though, if traffic is his biggest concern, he has to be.

That mayor isn't even happy about all the income Philly Park brings in with horses and future gambling. Bensalem is not where MLS wants to be anyway. The land and interest is about 10 miles away.

[wufc]

Seriously, MLS should do this with EVERY county near a major market. If they try it with 100 counties, they might get 1 or 2 to agree to a Bridgeview deal.

[okiebear]

Seriously, MLS should do this with EVERY county near a major market. If they try it with 100 counties, they might get 1 or 2 to agree to a Bridgeview deal.

Hard to compare this with other areas, especially California. Nowhere east of the Mississippi is there an area so devastated by the loss of one massive company. U.S. Steel was all there was in that area of Bucks county. Nothing is there now. New businesses don't want the area. It is wide open for recreational use. You could fit five full soccer complexes in the Fairless Hills and Bristol areas alone.

[okiebear]

One very intriguing thought: The mayor of Bensalem Township apparently said he was worried about traffic. He has the best traffic situation in the area.

That township also has something that MLS ought to follow up on. It has the Philadelphia Park race track and, next year, slots operation. The Philadelphia Park parcel is huge. Greenwood bought 477 acres and uses only a part of it for the track. The English fellows who run the track are quite possibly fond of football and are sitting on a big block of unused land on its eastern side.

The thought that one giant (existing) parking lot could serve the race track, the new slots building and a SOCCER STADIUM is fascinating. Also, Bensalem is awash in immigrants; for example apparently almost the entire stable area at the track. And the stadium would be only a few miles from the United German-Hungarian Club, the Phoenix Club and Erskeberge Club.

MLS really ought to talk to those Brits running Philadelphia Park.

[CyphaPSU]

:eek: :eek:

MLS reps came to Lower Bucks?!? That's my backyard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cool:

Bristol is pretty darn small--at least the borough is. Would they propose a stadium site near the Burlington-Bristol Bridge? There's a factory there that makes the entire area smell really bad down there by the water.

[enalexander]

I think it's great that MLS is looking for the land and soliciting participation before going to the city. The MLS love-affair with a club in Philly is a long-standing one. However, new to the exploration efforts there, is the economic and fan support there to compete with the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, 76ers, umpteen college games, etc?

Philly fans would be a great addition to the league considering their support for other local teams.

Thoughts?

As much as I'd love to see it happen, I just can't see them putting a team in the Philly area. It seems that there's a real anti-soccer attitude around here (in the papers, TV, and especially sports radio). I really don't think that there would be enough people to come out and support a team, and I think that MLS will realize that. I'd love to be wrong about it though...

[CyphaPSU]

You could fit five full soccer complexes in the Fairless Hills and Bristol areas alone.
I had to laugh in agreement with this...haha.

[wufc]

As much as I'd love to see it happen, I just can't see them putting a team in the Philly area. It seems that there's a real anti-soccer attitude around here (in the papers, TV, and especially sports radio). I really don't think that there would be enough people to come out and support a team, and I think that MLS will realize that. I'd love to be wrong about it though...
Maybe there's a few centurians still alive that were Bethlehem Steel FC fans.

[okiebear]

:eek: :eek:

MLS reps came to Lower Bucks?!? That's my backyard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cool:

My backyard too, and a backyard surveyed for stadiums everywhere I drive from Penndel east to the river and north. I see stadiums everywhere.

[CyphaPSU]

As much as I'd love to see it happen, I just can't see them putting a team in the Philly area. It seems that there's a real anti-soccer attitude around here (in the papers, TV, and especially sports radio). I really don't think that there would be enough people to come out and support a team, and I think that MLS will realize that. I'd love to be wrong about it though...
If you're talking about 610, then yeah, those radio personalities (some of which I like) don't care for soccer...why would they?

But I don't find this area "anti-soccer." Youth soccer is very, very big here (especially in Bucks County/Mercer County/Burlington County/etc.). Comcast Sportsnet Philly does show a number of DC United home games live during the course of the season. Comcast Sportsnet also made a big deal of Manchester United coming here two years ago. They also had full-segment coverage of the 2002 WC on Daily News Live for a bunch of days during the tournament.

The Philadelphia Kixx (the indoor league team) has lead the MISL in attendance during three seasons over the course of their young existance since the late 90's.

I truely believe enough people from this sports-crazed area would find an MLS club here to be very appealing.

[okiebear]

I truely believe enough people from this sports-crazed area would find an MLS club here to be very appealing.

The "home" newspapers for such a team would be the Courier and Trenton papers. Let them know you are interested in their coverage of soccer. Don't expect anything from Philly papers. :mad: