4/25/07: Lowered Expectations

[BuffloSoldier]

Well, Guillermo Barros Schelotto may not have been overwhelmed with several things last night in Columbus as the Crew fell to LA 1-0 (http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/sports/stories/2007/04/25/crew0425.ART_ART_04-25-07_C1_CU6G26N.html) in US Cup play, but as mentioned several places on these boards...I doubt he was expecting the Chocolate Box North going into this little MLS adventure.

I really want Schelotto to work out--MLS' best chance to improve its foreign quotient, both on a financial and playing basis, is going to come from the Americas. In addition, I want Columbus to succeed a bit, beyond the friends I have in the area who support the Crew. It's a good market, but you can tell the tipping point may be approaching whether the club can really entrench itself and grow in the area beyond an average attendance of 10-15k. Beyond my hopes of the league succeeding as a whole, MLS needs greater success in a market like Columbus.

A lot of people have already dismissed the idea of WUSA Part Two: (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/25/sports/soccer/25soccer.html?_r=1&ref=soccer&oref=slogin) I'm really hoping that it stays afloat. It doesn't need to change the culture--a WNBA level of success would be fine and dandy here.

Another thing that I'm parroting this morning is the love for Mark Ziegler, the San Diego Union-Tribune's regular soccer writer. He put forth A Whale Vagina's hopes for an expansion team in MLS (http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/soccer/20070425-9999-1s25socpage.html), saying the main blockade ahead is a facility. Stop if you've heard this reason before...it even mirrors the San Jose State scenario, Ziegler points out.

New names, new owner, new...Wizards? (http://www.kansascity.com/159/story/82746.html) MLS may have a lot of bastard sons, but it's hard to argue against Kansas City's tough road throughout the short history of MLS. Title aside, the Wizards have been almost ignored to varying degrees over the past three seasons--let's hope that neglect hasn't poisoned the well permanently.

Spare a thought for Alan Ball (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6590715.stm), who passed away. The 1966 World Cup winner was 61.

[Soccer von Fußball]

A lot of people have already dismissed the idea of WUSA Part Two: (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/25/sports/soccer/25soccer.html?_r=1&ref=soccer&oref=slogin) I'm really hoping that it stays afloat. It doesn't need to change the culture--a WNBA level of success would be fine and dandy here.
.WNBA level of success would mean going out of business within a couple of years, because WUSA2 will not have the NBA power/money/influence to bail them out.

[BuffloSoldier]

WNBA level of success would mean going out of business within a couple of years, because WUSA2 will not have the NBA power/money/influence to bail them out.

If MLS (read: Uncle Phil) is an off or on the books partner, it's got money behind it.

[Voice of Thunder]

What's wrong with the current W-League set up. If that had some promotion it could be a suitable league.

[Detective40oz]

I was wondering if Arena Football in Columbus has had any negative impact on the Crew. I saw a few minutes of a game on ESPN the other night from COlumbus and the place was packed. The Crew never really had any competition for sports dollars in the summer and now it does. I see the Columbus Arena Football team started play in Columbus in 2003, is that when Crew attendance was starting its decline?

[crewfighter]

I was wondering if Arena Football in Columbus has had any negative impact on the Crew. I saw a few minutes of a game on ESPN the other night from COlumbus and the place was packed. The Crew never really had any competition for sports dollars in the summer and now it does. I see the Columbus Arena Football team started play in Columbus in 2003, is that when Crew attendance was starting its decline?

Columbus has an Arena football team? That's news to me.
I don't think the soccer and arena football markets are competing for the same people. Most people interested in soccer have no interest in Arena Football.

[MasterShake29]

What's wrong with the current W-League set up. If that had some promotion it could be a suitable league.

The W-League is an amateur league designed to maintain (bow down) NCAA-eligibility.

It's the female equivalent of the PDL.

[okcomputer]

If MLS (read: Uncle Phil) is an off or on the books partner, it's got money behind it.


This whole thing is silly. The other league just folded a couple of years ago and they are going to start it again. The only way it has any chance is to make it so low budget that it will be hard to honestly call it a pro league. Men just arent interested in watching womens teams sports and women just arent that interested in sports. MLS has enough problems of their own that the last thing they need is take on this whole other beast.

[Dr. Wankler]

The Crew never really had any competition for sports dollars in the summer and now it does.

The Columbus Clippers, the Yankee's AAA affiliate, get 7 to 8 thousand people about 70 nights a year. They've been there a bit longer than the Crew.

[Bill Archer]

A lot of people have already dismissed the idea of WUSA Part Two: (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/25/sports/soccer/25soccer.html?_r=1&ref=soccer&oref=slogin) I'm really hoping that it stays afloat. It doesn't need to change the culture--a WNBA level of success would be fine and dandy here.

Another "unique product that's been missing from the market" is chocolate covered dog turds, but not I'm not sure I'd bet they'd fly off the shelves at the local QuickieMart.

[Bill Archer]

If MLS (read: Uncle Phil) is an off or on the books partner, it's got money behind it.

Many people don't realize that the NBA was started by a group of Arena owners around the East coast who wanted something to fill some of the dark dates in between hockey. It was mostly a money loser for a long time but te arena owners kept it propped up so they could at least sell some hot dogs and beer and break even on the games.

Even a team as storied as the Boston Celtics were close to bankruptcy several times. The great Walter Brown kept it alive by literally spending his last personal money before it finally started to become anything near profitable. In the rafters at Boston Gardens, in between all the retired jersey numbers of famous players is one banner that just has a greeen "1" on a white field. That's there for Brown.

The question is, who is there who is passionate enough, who feels strongly enough about women's pro soccer, to gamble everything on it? I doubt even Judy Foudy would put up her house as collateral to keep a team running. That doesn't keep her from thinking that other people should though.

[Offsides]

I presently live in Columbus, and it is clearly a college football town. Buckeye Football is what the passion is around here.....and when the scarlet and grey are not playing, fans do go downtown to watch the Destroyers play due to football withdrawl. Thousands and thousands of young kids play soccer here. So why are they not going to watch the Crew you ask? My opinion is the late starts to games deter families from attending. If the Crew were to move their starting time to an earlier period, that would help attendance some. I coach in the area at the travel and recreation level. I always encourage my families to go watch the Crew. I am a teacher as well....am always promote the Crew and soccer. Families just don't want to go through the hassle of packing up all of their kids, battling the traffic, and getting home late. However, when it comes to Buckeye football, these nuisances vanish!

[billf]

What's wrong with the current W-League set up. If that had some promotion it could be a suitable league.

The USL at all levels is pretty much hit or miss. I don't think there's anyway they could create the required amount of interest for what's basically an amateur league.

[billf]

The W-League is an amateur league designed to maintain (bow down) NCAA-eligibility.

It's the female equivalent of the PDL.

There's no U-18 or 19 Super-Y or Super-20 for females either so the players interested in going a step further in the USL have either the W-League or the WPSL as a higher level league. I don't think the pros on W-League teams are technically paid to play soccer either. They may receive something akin to coaching stipends.