Cleveland - Indoor Out; Outdoor Now In?

[ClevelandMark]

This week, the MISL's Cleveland Force is officially on hiatus for the next season. The team is completely in the red and a new ownership group willing to assume the debt cannot be found. The MISL had a dispersal draft I cannot imagine the team will re-join the year after being dormant for an entire season without any revenue stream.

Now that Cleveland is soccer-less, I think the arguement for outdoor soccer is as strong as before Bart Wolstein's death.

By the way, the Kansas City MISL team also went dormant. I cannot imagine that market can suport two soccer teams. I doubt that team will re-emerge in a year or so either.

[Old Man!]

Now that Cleveland is soccer-less, I think the arguement for outdoor soccer is as strong as before Bart Wolstein's death.

By the way, the Kansas City MISL team also went dormant. I cannot imagine that market can suport two soccer teams. I doubt that team will re-emerge in a year or so either.



I'm deeply disappointed in the temporary demise of the Cleveland Force and fully hope that they return to Cleveland in the near future. I've got too many good childhood memories of that team. That being said, I have to question your above statement. How can you say that with the MISL Force out of the way in Cleveland, the chances of luring MLS to that city are strong? Wouldn't that indicate a lack of soccer fandom in the community? The Comets closing up shop and the KC MLS franchise for sale or relocation is an instance of another location that soccer may or may not be good for. I would doubt MLS would jump into another KC-like situation in Cleveland when there seem to be more deserving markets with better scenarios.

[Joe Stoker]

The more I hear, even second-hand, about all this, the uglier it all seems. Rather than pass along second-hand information, even from an impeccable source, suffice it to say: IMO these are not the brand of characters you want running an MLS operation here. Based on what they apparently did with the Force franchise (and if any of you ever bump into Hector or Zoran, ask either of them about it), Cleveland MLS would last about 2 seasons, sell out to Las Vegas interests, and you'd be stuck with high school pointy-ball and B-grade rock concerts at your lovely "SSS".

How to ruin a franchise 101. They probably read the book on the 1899 Cleveland Spiders. Or hired Ted Stepien or Modell as a consultant. Classic Cleveland.

Not that it changes the price of gas or home heating oil, but, based on how they treated their players and fans, I wouldn't trust Force mgmt with a popcorn concession. Off the soapbox.

PS: Check out the Cleveland Force - the truth thread in the MISL & Indoor section of BS. Interesting.

[falvo]

First Wolstein and the MLS expansion dream , then the Force so who is next? George & Louie Nanchoff's Internationals? Or are they also dead?

[Paul Schmidt]

The more I hear, even second-hand, about all this, the uglier it all seems. Rather than pass along second-hand information, even from an impeccable source, suffice it to say: IMO these are not the brand of characters you want running an MLS operation here. Based on what they apparently did with the Force franchise (and if any of you ever bump into Hector or Zoran, ask either of them about it), Cleveland MLS would last about 2 seasons, sell out to Las Vegas interests, and you'd be stuck with high school pointy-ball and B-grade rock concerts at your lovely "SSS".

How to ruin a franchise 101. They probably read the book on the 1899 Cleveland Spiders. Or hired Ted Stepien or Modell as a consultant. Classic Cleveland.

Not that it changes the price of gas or home heating oil, but, based on how they treated their players and fans, I wouldn't trust Force mgmt with a popcorn concession. Off the soapbox.

PS: Check out the Cleveland Force - the truth thread in the MISL & Indoor section of BS. Interesting.

Just a hunch about the thread you referenced... if an organization trying to buy into a nationally based league with "some" big-city facilities considers a one million dollar offer too high, then they probably don't have enough cash to properly run the team anyway.

Sorry... I couldn't keep reading that first post on that thread and hold it in.

[jairadballerina]

Just a hunch about the thread you referenced... if an organization trying to buy into a nationally based league with "some" big-city facilities considers a one million dollar offer too high, then they probably don't have enough cash to properly run the team anyway.

Sorry... I couldn't keep reading that first post on that thread and hold it in.

To be fair he didn't say they didn't have that much money but more like it was higher than what they valued the team to be at.

[Joe Stoker]

Just a hunch about the thread you referenced... if an organization trying to buy into a nationally based league with "some" big-city facilities considers a one million dollar offer too high, then they probably don't have enough cash to properly run the team anyway.

Sorry... I couldn't keep reading that first post on that thread and hold it in.

We just never know around here, do we, Paul. The fellow was good enough to communicate with me privately (e-mail) and go into some detail. Came across as sincere. Of course, it could be Garafolo himself just jerking us around for laughs (or revenge), for all we know (and if that's the case, I'd better apply for Witness Protection, having dropped my guard a bit in my reply). Gotta love these boards. Can't miss a day.