History of MLS Expansion

[Kubah]

I have been working on a NYC FC blog for the last week after thinking about it for a while. I was planning on going "live" next week, but I found something today that I think is really interesting today, so I wrote something up here (http://www.newyorkcityfc.net/2007/12/chronological-look-at-mls-expansion-and.html). It's a history of MLS expansion plans and how they concern NYC. Check it out... it answers and gives insight into many of the posts in this forum. If anyone has more info I would be happy to add it to the dateline.

Feel free to give me some feedback on the blog if you like. It's just a baby, but I would like it to be full of quality articles/features that NYC FC supporters would like to see. I'll post something here when I am ready to officially unveil it.

[southpaw817]

I have been working on a NYC FC blog for the last week after thinking about it for a while. I was planning on going "live" next week, but I found something today that I think is really interesting today, so I wrote something up here (http://www.newyorkcityfc.net/2007/12/chronological-look-at-mls-expansion-and.html). It's a history of MLS expansion plans and how they concern NYC. Check it out... it answers and gives insight into many of the posts in this forum. If anyone has more info I would be happy to add it to the dateline.

Feel free to give me some feedback on the blog if you like. It's just a baby, but I would like it to be full of quality articles/features that NYC FC supporters would like to see. I'll post something here when I am ready to officially unveil it.

Awesome job man,the more exposure we get the better. I didnt know that there were talks of using Shea for that many years,very interesting. The fact that he mentioned it this year is a good sign. Like you said we have alot of heavy lifting ahead of us. Our grass roots efforts will only help.

[KingsCountyFC]

you should also make sure, or do an article on how and why
to join the Borough Boys. We need all the attention we can get!:)

[Kubah]

Southpaw: Yeah, the fact that the MLS has felt that Shea would be an option as a home field is encouraging. I know a lot of people have been wondering about that. Let's see what the city and Wilpon decide.

KingcountyFC: In the works, but I wanted to see what happens with the next meeting first. Whenever that is, I'll be there. I want to see if there is a way to hook up with the BB website when it is up... we'll see. Like I said this is still in the infant stages (like everything else :rolleyes:). I do mention QueensNick and the Borough Boys in another post if you want to check it out.... just go to the homepage (www.newyorkcityfc.net) and scroll down.

[napolisoccer]

Thank you Kubah. In your site there a photo with Shea Stadium and Citifield. The new soccer stadium should be built to the left of the Shea or to the south of the Citifield ? If I have realized it should be built to the left of SHEA.
Thank you for reply.

[KingsCountyFC]

Citi is being built to the right, or to the West of Shea.
Slightly more to the north.

[Kubah]

Not exactly sure what you are asking Napoli, but here is the non-PhotoShopped version of the Citi Field rendition. Not in the picture is parking lot south of Shea (across the street by the LIRR).

This other link (http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/future/citisiteplan.jpg) shows the current Shea Stadium layout with the southern parking lot, the amusement park, and an outline of the construction site. It does list the stadium being in "Bronx, NY"... oops! :eek:

http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/future/mets701.jpg

[napolisoccer]

Kubah , thank you for your magnificent blog . I have read your question to Ives and now I am very more optimistic about the possibility to put our team in MLS 2010.
How much Ives can help us ?

[Kubah]

How much Ives can help us ?
Thanks!

I don't know if Ives can "help" outside of just writing about the MLS in the NY/NJ area. He is a credible sports writer for a New Jersey newspaper, so I doubt he would pull things out of his rear. If he writes something it is because he believes them to be true as a journalist.

I am submitting a question next time though. :D

[NYC_COSMOS]

Thanks!

I don't know if Ives can "help" outside of just writing about the MLS in the NY/NJ area. He is a credible sports writer for a New Jersey newspaper, so I doubt he would pull things out of his rear. If he writes something it is because he believes them to be true as a journalist.

I am submitting a question next time though. :D

I think that if we are going to make ANY head way with the media we need to concentrate on NYC media. While Ives does a great job in NJ, where the Red Bulls are located, I think that we need to find a comparable sports writer/blogger/ in NYC. That will probably prove to be a harder mission at least at first.

[Kubah]

There are two sites that have a NYC connection that I know of:

Goal: NY Times's Soccer Blog (http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/)
Big Apple Soccer (http://bigapplesoccer.com/)

Neither writes about an NYC FC, but they do touch on soccer in the NY area. The only NY newspapers that have Soccer sections on their webpage are New York Times and New York Sun. There are also a couple of Red Bull sites that should be NY/NJ. Ives is probably the only professional sports writer/blogger that even mentions a NYC FC on an even semi-regular basis.

I am starting up my blog (http://newyorkcityfc.net) that is solely focused on a NYC FC. Check it out and leave some feedback, if you have any. I think that if anything is going to happen right now it will have to be on a grassroot basis because no one is going to pay a professional to exclusively write about a fictional team.

[NYC_COSMOS]

How about non english media? El diario and hoy come immediately to mind in terms of the spanish language media. Of course we could look into Italian, russian and others.

[Kubah]

Hoy (www.hoyinternet.com)
El Diario (www.eldiariony.com)

From my experience, Spanish newspapers are more likely to report on Latin American sports/personalities than US events. With that said El Diario did have this story (http://www.prensaescrita.com/diarios.php?codigo=USA&pagina=http://www.eldiariony.com) that talks a little about NY soccer. I would think most non-English papers would also focus mainly on events and individuals from their ethnic background.

I think if you want to get the attention of the NYC media you have to write letters to editors, call in on sports radio during off-peak times (calling during a Yankee segment is going to get you nowhere), or offering yourself up for interviews as a representative of a group that wants to bring soccer to NY. Sadly, soccer is not a big deal in this media market and won't be until things change.

Now if Wilpon officially announced the MLS was coming to NYC, I think coverage would have to increase.

[napolisoccer]

Can be a good idea to distribute thousands of leaflets of the new soccer team in the subway ?

[NYC_COSMOS]

Hoy (http://www.hoyinternet.com)
El Diario (http://www.eldiariony.com)

From my experience, Spanish newspapers are more likely to report on Latin American sports/personalities than US events. With that said El Diario did have this story (http://www.prensaescrita.com/diarios.php?codigo=USA&pagina=http://www.eldiariony.com) that talks a little about NY soccer. I would think most non-English papers would also focus mainly on events and individuals from their ethnic background.

I think if you want to get the attention of the NYC media you have to write letters to editors, call in on sports radio during off-peak times (calling during a Yankee segment is going to get you nowhere), or offering yourself up for interviews as a representative of a group that wants to bring soccer to NY. Sadly, soccer is not a big deal in this media market and won't be until things change.

Now if Wilpon officially announced the MLS was coming to NYC, I think coverage would have to increase.


Personally I feel that if you go for the english media first you are going to fight an uphill battle. First you are going to have to convert them and then you will have their ear. Not that its not possible, just that its not their cup of tea, YET! I think that you will have more success with non english media initially. You can then translate this into success in the english media. Small victories upon small victories will translate into a massive global victory.
In the english media, I think that we need to start converting the writers of the smaller community papers. Once we start getting continual coverage there, catapult to the larger media. I think that's going to cause the greatest and most secure impact.

[Kubah]

I agree about starting with small publications and moving up, but I have found out that you don't know what people really feel until you ask. Lots of "big time" sports writers have covered soccer or enjoy the game.... Washington Post/ESPN/PTI's Michael Wilbon, for example. Besides, if the NY Times already has a soccer blog it would be silly not to try to take advantage of it. I am really disappointed that so many NY papers have no reference to soccer on their webpage at all. I guess that tells you the type of job RBNY has done in promoting the game in the City.

One thing about ethnic newspaper, while they might like soccer (or "futbol") more than their English-writing counterparts they are likely to be more elitist about the game. But again, you don't know until you ask.

[NYC_COSMOS]

One thing about ethnic newspaper, while they might like soccer (or "futbol") more than their English-writing counterparts they are likely to be more elitist about the game. But again, you don't know until you ask.

Elitist? Why would you say that? The reason why I ask is because I'm curious about your reasoning behind it. Personally I dont see that but then again I might be considered a FUTBOL elitist and I dont realize it. I'm curious thats all. If you dont want to post it, I would be more than glad to field a response via PM.

[napolisoccer]

Kubah , I have seen that on the your great blog there is a poll about the name of new team. I think that New York City Football Club is fantastic name and that it already is becoming known; then I think that our only objective must be to entry in MLS in 2010.
I have noted your great passion about this new possible team and so on I wish to ask you a precise question :" In this moment how many possibilities ( from 1 to 100 ) there are that the next November the New York City Football Club will be choise for to partecipate to the MLS in 2010 ? "
Thank you for the reply and for your blog

[Kubah]

Cosomos, by elitist I mean that they feel that their soccer leagues are superior to the MLS. It's probably due to being a childhood supporter of a certain club, national pride, feeling that MLS talent is inferior, or even preferring a particular style of soccer.

If a newspaper or its readers feels this way than trying to get them to cover a NYC FC can be just as hard as penetrating the American/English media. I cannot be 100% positive that this is happening, but you can definitely see a a certain bias in the Latin press. This is not necessarily a bad thing... after all, they are trying to appeal to their readers who want to be informed about other Latinos.

Napoli, I hate percentages ;) If I were to guess I would say that its a little over 50%. If Philly gets a team, I think our chances increase. If Wilpon announces he wants a team, I think our chances increase. If this can get done under Bloomberg, I think our chances increase. If redevelopment starts in Willets Point, I think our chances increase. If supporters can organize to make sure that any stadium opposition is squashed, I think our chances increase.

The bad thing about New York's diversity is that no matter how great an idea is there is always at least one moron that wants to stop it even if it does not affect them. If you read my blog you probably saw the post (http://www.newyorkcityfc.net/2007/12/will-protests-stop-nyc-fc.html) on people protesting redeveloping Willets Point even with all the amazing benefits. That's why the triad of Wilpon-Bloomberg-supporters is important. If one party is not behind a NYC FC, we're in trouble.

The only definite is that the MLS wants it.

[napolisoccer]

Excuse me Kubah, why in your poll there are the New York City name and New York FC/FC New York name and there isn't the NEW YORK CITY FC name ?