How about a real soccer "club" for NYC

[Painkillerz]

here in humble Argentina being member of a sports club or soccer club brings athletic benefits such as access to a slew of athletic offerrings,depending on the grandness of the club,for instance River Plate or Boca just to name a few,even a lowly 2nd division club provides tennis courts,basketball courts,gyms with weight training equipment ,50 meter swimming pools,both indoor and outdoors,so on and so forth,etc... Why not have the MLS do similiar stuff,package season tickets with free membership to a health gym etc...There in spite of all the wealth a sports "CLUB" has; it provides nothing, but an entertainment product,so saying it is a club is unusual and misleading. Because you can´t join it or belong to it!

BTW how is it in other countries?

[QueensNick]

I would love this to pick up in the US - i think this is mostly a South American thing and I think it is wonderful! Makes you feel more of a connection with the club!

[KingsCountyFC]

like NYSC?
:D
http://www.mysportsclubs.com/regions/NYSC.htm

[Painkillerz]

take the photo tour:

http://www.cariverplate.com.ar/paseofotografico/

[Woodside Mets]

take the photo tour:

http://www.cariverplate.com.ar/paseofotografico/

I've seen that before..very cool :cool:

[Painkillerz]

point is if a supposed lowly 3rd world nation like Argentina can make this sort of thing happen why hasn´t any of the mighty professional sports league in the US,offered anything,besides an entertainment product?

[Woodside Mets]

point is if a supposed lowly 3rd world nation like Argentina can make this sort of thing happen why hasn´t any of the mighty professional sports league in the US,offered anything,besides an entertainment product?

Nope , just entertainment . These are franchises, not clubs. Its the same reason they'll never be a relegation system. Owners will never plunk down 40 million to get sent down to the USL

[DavidP]

Nope , just entertainment . These are franchises, not clubs. Its the same reason they'll never be a relegation system. Owners will never plunk down 40 million to get sent down to the USL

Exact-a-mundo.

Too bad nobody will listen to the truth when it disagrees with their fantasies.

Great post; you hit the nail on the head.

[goosegg]

Now if you Build a club , say like a public park and put tennis courts and soccer fields and charge people it could happen, or you can call it Flushing Meadows Park and have it be free, Although the pools would be a draw in the hot New York Summers.
Personally if you built a club like they have in Argentina I would join it, but only if you called it Boca Jrs.

[Painkillerz]

how about a ping pong table in the parking lot.

[GFame7]

We have had this in New York since 1868: The New York Athletic Club.

While other city clubs organized around one's university or political affiliation, the 'AC' did so around sport:

"The club's founding premise was to bring structure to a sporting environment that was lacking in organization and uniformity of measurement. The NYAC organized the first US championships in boxing, wrestling, and outdoor track and field, and brought the sport of fencing to the US."

Also, NYAC members have won over 200 Olympic medals.

As a club, you had to become a member, so there was some exclusivity about it. Not surprisingly, top athletes had a very easy time with this.

Before the emergence of professional leagues, the big inter-city battles were between these athletic clubs. The importance of these clubs dimished with the establishment of professional leagues and its franchises.

Their current soccer team plays in the Eastern Conference of the National Premier Soccer League (Division 4)