Minnesota United FC News

http://soccer.si.com/2013/12/30/mls-expansion-miami-minneapolis/

Minnesota United FC and Minnesota Twins are also in discussions with MLS.

 

http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/239777061.html?page=1&c=y

More United/Twins vs Vikings stuff. Also Nick Rogers said Minnesota United FC should consider playing some games at the Twins field.

 

I wouldn't be so quick to jump on that bandwagon. Look at McGuire's background with UnitedHealth. He was pretty much the poster boy for CEO greed and shadiness. That will come out if they want some public funding for a MLS stadium.

No one cares if he wants to lose money on a minor league soccer team fans don't pay attention to. But if he wants to step up and be a MLS and major sports team owner in Minnesota, it could be a problem. The Wilfs also have dirt under their fingernails, but they look like amateurs compared to McGuire.

 

I want a MLS team first and don't really care who the owner is unless of course he isn't willing to do the necessary things to make a MLS club work in MPLS. ie. Kraft in New England. He should be doing more but that's another thread all together.

 

I've liked the coverage in the Soccer Centric blog on the Star Tribune. Here's a good take on the NASL charging to view games online. I haven't decided yet if I think it's a bad idea or not...I mean how many businesses are successful that give their product away for free? They have costs that go into the production of the games....but they could find other ways to cover those costs - sponsorships, have players sell plasma, trade for lodging and transportation...things like that... Anyways, here's the link.

United Notes: NASL to charge for online broadcasts

 

I am fine with them charging but what about replays? Anybody know?

 

They will archive games, so you will have access to them on demand at least that is what I remember reading, will it work? pay to find out

 

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/241756521.html

Ok Rogers lets go out and find some hidden gems in western europe.

 

http://mnunitedfc.com/2014/01/craig-mallace-named-director-camps-youth-development/

Ok, Rogers and company are dead serious on how to structure a soccer club. Dr. McGuire and Rogers will be legends in the soccer community when it is all said and done.

 

It's getting late in the game. I wonder what he's thinking.

 

The club's Facebook page says they're just now "approaching 400 season ticket deposits."

So my question is this: what is it about the club, the sales staff--whatever--that has us lagging so far behind new expansions? Or is it expansion that propels expansion clubs like Indy and NY to the levels they're at?

 

Expansion propels new clubs. For example, when United gets promoted to MLS we will see season tickets in the 10,000 to 12,000 range.

 

I promise. They might be team number 24 or the Vikings will be the owner of team number 32.

 

Rumor has it United might be looking into bringing a international friendly this summer either at Target Field or TCF Bank Stadium

 

Both have denied that it's on the schedule. The only site anywhere on the net that listed Minneapolis was Man City's.

That's leading many to think that it was a mistake, and that Minneapolis won't be getting a game.

 

I thought I read somewhere we wouldn't find out the final two cities until Feb. 20th.

 

while this is unrelated to United...an exhibition match is coming this summer:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/246197021.html

 

preseason win...across the pond

http://www.socceramerica.com/article/56833/cosmos-and-minnesota-win-overseas.html?edition=11438

 

United announce a 300% season ticket increase! Congrats.

 

According to their Facebook updates, that means they've sold 200 season tickets since Jan 25. I also seem to remember seeing a post that implied they had about 200-250 season ticket holders last year, which would mean the club are somewhere in the 600 - 750 range.

That's nothing to shake a stick at.

In all honestly, though, I think every club in the NASL could take a page out of the Indy Eleven playbook: offer extremely cheap season ticket down payments, followed by quarterly or biannual payments. People will convince themselves that they can come up with the extra cash down the road if you let them in on the ground floor. Sure, not everybody who buys in at $25 or $35 will make the bigger payments, but that's attrition for you -- and at least then you've got your foot in the door.

 

Article up over at NBCSports.

Why NASL’s Minnesota United flew 4,000 miles for 10 days of practice

http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/...orges-park-boosts-ambitious-minnesota-united/

 

Wow. Too bad nobody will actually read the article. It is really cool.