point is, charleston is in south carolina, even soccer some soccer fans and former high school players in south carolina wont even remember about the battery when is season time. most south carolinians dont even know there is a soccer team in charleston, and i dont think soccer players around the state are too involved with the team either, not even with mls or american soccer, sad but true. soccer fans and players in south carolina are mostly about epl. if charleston truly wants to go mls, there is a lot of marketing and advertizing to do around the state. a lot...
I'll tell you the truth -- many people in whatever town don't even know there's a USL team. It just isn't that important. Charleston won't get MLS. It is pointless to market outside...of its market. They may get one or two extra tickets sold.
This is already in existence and Charleston competes in this as well as leagues lower than USL and MLS. It's called the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and has been going on (albeit with a different name) since 1914.
what if the PDL team in cola and the battery came togeather as Carolina United? what could work right?
columbia currently doesnt have a PDL team, I think AM was right about the Gamecocks wanting to be the only game in town so to speak which is silly I think. the seasons wouldnt compete and they could even get some use out the the Graveyard over the summer. anyhow, I think Charleston is doing things right. They are slowly building a long term fan base vs. giving out free tickets trying to get butts in seats. they are looking at the long term survivial and that means being prudent with their marketing. They cant afford to market columbia due to the return on the funds. Like was said before, maybe it will bring in a family or two but other than than not much. What they could do is have a annual preseason match in Columbia against the Gamecocks (and maybe one against Coast Carolina near Myrtle Beach as well). Might get a few local fans to go up to the match as well as attract interest from the Columbia and Myrtle Beach areas. I remember a couple years ago there was a survey handed out at one of the games asking if the fans would support a PDL team (as well as if itwould support a womens team) not sure what the result was but obviously there is no PDL or Womens team so it must not have worked out. but the Battery is involved with several youth clubs in the area as far as sponsoring fields and providing seminars and the like.
bingo! that was exactly my point. the battery teaming up with the columbia soccer community and coming up with a battery-columbia pdl team, that would help in terms of advertizing and marketing dont you think? columbia is an urban area bigger than charleston i think, there is a mens league here with about 30 teams, high school soccer is hardcore bc of irmo and chapin, they have columbia united club too. the "Columbia-Battery" PDL team could be like the reserves of the Battery, then you will build a stronger fan base. At least the Battery wont be unexistant in the columbia media...
somebody said there was a pdl team before but failed, or usl 2 or something. i had the idea before but nobody really jumped on it. there should be better ideas out there, people is either scared of sharing or they just dont care, they are happy watching soccer from the other side of the ocean
I don't think that is what he is completely saying. I am starting to understand, he might mean that the Battery could be the flagship for PDL teams around the state. I don't see MLS coming to Charleston, but I do see how the Battery could market themselves better throughout the state. I know doodly squat about horse racing, but I go to the Carolina Cup every year. I know that Charleston is a huge haven for Clemson fans. For you carpetbaggers in Charleston, here's the 411: CHARLESTON IS SOUTH CAROLINA. I understand that you don't understand that, but it is true. Every native born South Carolinian claims Charleston. SO USE THAT! I was born in Rock Hill and my parests moved me to the Pee Dee, I'M A BATTERY FAN . . .? So don't give me this "Market your local area." That "local area" would be the whole state of South Carolina. I don't want MLS to come to Charleston even if we DID have the money, but I would like to see the gunners move to NASL real soon.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/06/06/charleston-batterys-owner-hopes-see-his-team-mls-someday Charleston Battery's owner hopes to see his team in MLS someday June 6, 2016
MLS is NOT going to give up those huge franchise fees, to go to a promotion/relegation league. According to Forbes, the average team value in the MLS is 103 million, only 100 more than ours is probably worth, so I can't see that kind of cash hemorrhage coming from here.