Latest SSV Newsletter (Thursday, April 19): SJSU says no; Plan B on tap

Discussion in 'San Jose Earthquakes' started by Jay Hipps, Apr 19, 2007.

  1. Jay Hipps

    Jay Hipps Member

    Mar 18, 2000
    Northern California
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dear SSV member:

    We've just received an e-mail from Earthquakes Soccer that tells us that San Jose State has come to the conclusion that they do not want to go forward with the proposed stadium.

    David Alioto, executive vice president of Earthquake Soccer, tells us that "This was an amicable parting of ways and we have nothing but respect for Don Kassing and the people at SJSU. While we are disappointed in the outcome, we are still very excited about our options in San Jose. We are very committed in bringing the MLS back to San Jose!"

    We echo those feelings. The Earthquakes and San Jose State have a long history together in Spartan Stadium, and it would have been nice to see that history continue in a new stadium.

    The timing of this decision has taken us somewhat by surprise, as we announced yesterday that we expected negotiations to continue for some time. While the timing was unexpected, Earthquakes Soccer has prepared for this outcome and work has been underway for some time on alternative sites, any one of which would fit the bill for a new stadium where the Earthquakes would be the primary tenant.

    Yours in soccer,
    SSV's board of directors
     
  2. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Let's hear it for Plan B!:D
     
  3. Hawkeye17

    Hawkeye17 DynaChick v QuakeBabe v WildKate v Chewie23

    Aug 25, 1999
    Miami Vice 82
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not too surprised...

    SJSU always wanted their "great share of the pie" in my view--however, while it was thought they could be conciliatory and deal with Lew Wolff et al (compared to the previous regime from 2002 to 2005) and have a cooperative relationship there's something that makes me think that they want to control their "fiefdom" which is Spartan football...

    Oh well, the university is on their own. If I were Mr. Wolff I'd now go along with the site that was going to be for the Athletics but was set aside when they decided to head to Fremont...

    Yep, good thing for Plan B!!!!!!!

    42,100
     
  4. athletics68

    athletics68 Member+

    Dec 12, 2006
    San Diego & San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I sure hope they don't move the Quakes to Fremont. God knows he's got alot of land up there, but it's being set aside to pay for the A's new ballpark, not host MLS. And I don't like the idea of sharing an MLB park with soccer either so that's also a bad idea IMHO. No better to stay in the Valley somewhere, maybe the fairgrounds.
     
  5. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    How about the Alviso Quakes? :D
    Seriously, didn't someone say in another thread the other day there was no room up in Fremont because the MLB A's need the land for a parking lot?
    Maybe Mission College in Santa Clara?
     
  6. Zoidberg

    Zoidberg Member+

    Jun 23, 2006
    Better a fast decision than have this drag out.

    It's done, on to the next option.

    Best of luck.
     
  7. Goodsport

    Goodsport Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 18, 1999
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Best for them to be the San Jose Earthquakes.

    Just because there'll be no deal with SJSU doesn't mean that the team won't be in San Jose.

    GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


    -G
     
  8. athletics68

    athletics68 Member+

    Dec 12, 2006
    San Diego & San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    True, but the easiest and arguably best option just walked out Kassings front door.
     
  9. andythemick

    andythemick New Member

    Aug 22, 2003
    louisville, ky
    If thats the way that SJSU was going to deal with Wolf and the proto-Quakes (balking at a sweet-tooth deal to give their non-existent football program a new stadium on the cheap, and then demanding exorbitant yearly payments), I'm just glad we found out now when there is still plenty of time to pursue other options. Its probably too late for 2008, but I would rather have a great foundation and start in 2009 than push it and have the rug pulled out from underneath again.
     
  10. Goodsport

    Goodsport Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 18, 1999
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    But it wasn't the San Jose Earthquakes' only option, not even within San Jose.

    The joint venture with SJSU would've been the most expedient option for the Quakes, but in a somewhat strange way, today's events may turn out for the best for both the San Jose Earthquakes and maybe for SJSU as well.

    The [Corporate name] Epicenter at San José will now be built without any of the absolutely soccer-unpalatable physical compromises it might've had to go through as a shared complex (i.e. lack of a roof, an improperly-small sized field, etc.), and if SJSU ever gets another chance for a new stadium or even a redone Spartan Stadium, it'll get the new/redone football-only stadium it'll be more comfortable with.

    Stay tuned...

    GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


    -G
     
  11. Goodsport

    Goodsport Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 18, 1999
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It may not be too late for 2008, depending on what happens in the next few weeks.

    But I do agree that it was always going to be a tenuous relationship at best between the San Jose Earthquakes and SJSU, as well as between the fans of both.

    GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


    -G
     
  12. SirStrikesalot

    SirStrikesalot New Member

    Jul 25, 2002
    is anyone else even slightly tired of SSV's apparent over-optimistic thinking? if it doesn't look like it's working out, i'd rather know that than be lied to.
     
  13. soccerfan1986

    soccerfan1986 New Member

    Dec 26, 2005
    The City by the Bay
    I will just laugh my butt off when the new stadium is built outside SJSU when the Quakes will be making money and SJSU put themselves in a situation where they were offered to have a new and beautiful stadium built on top of their land.
    In a way, I'm glad they are not coming back to Spartan, because I believe the Earthquakes would have probably been ripped off again. It will be nice to have a true soccer stadium that is to be used for soccer only.
    As for Fremont, I can't picture the Earthquakes sharing a ballpark with the A's but I can see another stadium next door to the ballpark.
     
  14. Jay Hipps

    Jay Hipps Member

    Mar 18, 2000
    Northern California
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hey, we're as embarrassed as anyone that SJSU cut the negotiations short the day after we told thousands of people that wouldn't happen, but we didn't know that would be the case. We aren't in the business of lying about anything--we just didn't know.
     
  15. dakotajoe

    dakotajoe Member

    Jan 4, 2001
    Medford, OR
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They aren't lying. That is rather harsh...although my response to the announcement that there will be no Quakes soccer at a new Spartan is really disappointing...my reaction is "SH-T!" The folks at SSV are FANS who want the Quakes back in SJ where they belong. Until Lew Wolff says to heck with it, SSV should have the full support of every other fan as well.

    Plan B?? The only alternative plans that Wolff leaked out was Sacramento. Alioto sounds like they want to make it work in SJ...but why no leaks about other groups being approached such as Mission College or the County Fairgrounds people? If you are trying to apply pressure, you use Sacramento? and not someone closer to home. And what is Kassing thinking? Who's going to finance a new stadium for the Spartans...the Smother Brothers??
     
  16. dakotajoe

    dakotajoe Member

    Jan 4, 2001
    Medford, OR
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't see Wolff building a soccer only facility. No money in it. If Wolff was building a new stadium just out of love for the Quakes, they would be playing this weekend...
     
  17. FUAEG

    FUAEG Member+

    Oct 18, 2005
    San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't feel lied to. Thought Wolff and Kassing were both straight up guys and it looks like they parted on good terms. Which is good - we'll want to play at Spartan in '09 and MAYBE '10 while our new Soccer Only Stadium (18-23K capacity, front row at field level and .... NO BLASPHEMOUS FOOTBALL LINES!) is built at the fairgrounds. :D

    I don't see SSV as being overly optimistic either. If anything I find them too guarded in their comments.
     
  18. QuakeAttack

    QuakeAttack Member+

    Apr 10, 2002
    California - Bay Area
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    While I'm sure there is a Plan B, I doubt much progress has been made on Plan B. I had actually let some optimism slip into my thinking. Oh well, there goes the optimism...
     
  19. Goodsport

    Goodsport Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 18, 1999
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Perhaps in '08 as well.

    GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


    -G
     
  20. dakotajoe

    dakotajoe Member

    Jan 4, 2001
    Medford, OR
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    IF...IF...the Quakes were to return in '09 or '10, why would Wolff want to play at old Spartan? I would hope he and Kassing parted on really, really great terms as there are other alternative sites to play IF a new stadium is built at the Fairgrounds/Mission College/Fremont etc.
     
  21. Quakes05

    Quakes05 Member+

    Oct 1, 2005
    birthplace of MLS
    stupid idiots...today is the first day I've ever felt ashamed to be affiliated with SJSU...I could scream. :mad:
     
  22. Goodsport

    Goodsport Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 18, 1999
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    But IF... IF... the Quakes were to return in '08, it'd be okay for Wolff to want to play at Spartan?

    Considering that Wolff's and Kassing's parting reportedly went amicably, there's no reason why the San Jose Earthquakes couldn't rent Spartan Stadium for a season or two until The Ep was ready for use.

    GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! :cool:


    -G
     
  23. dakotajoe

    dakotajoe Member

    Jan 4, 2001
    Medford, OR
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Where has the Wee Man been lately? Does he have any comment on what has transpired?
     
  24. Zoidberg

    Zoidberg Member+

    Jun 23, 2006
    Until Wolff has a staduim deal approved I highly doubt a Quake return.

    Why play and lose $$$ in Spartan without knowing when it will end?

    Not gonna happen. Why would he do exactly what happened before?

    Sorry Goodsie. You are forever the optimist but nothing will happen until the staduim deal is done, and as we know, it's a long tough process. Anywhere.:(
     
  25. dakotajoe

    dakotajoe Member

    Jan 4, 2001
    Medford, OR
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'd love to see the Quakes return next year (although honestly if a Plan B is barely off the ground '09 looks like the earliest relaunching). I'd love to see the Quakes play at Spartan while a new stadium is built. And perhaps there is a silver lining in this. It sounds like Wolff knows what he wants and will do what it takes to get it...but he could run out of options if no one else wants to meet his terms.
     

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