Late on this but it must be the USL. With the NASL in the dire straits it is in a USL team would be a nice platform to showcase the soccer culture in NEO.
Im still curious about where a USL size soccer stadium could be built. Anyone with solid knowledge of Cleveland geography have any ideas? I think it would be cool to have something across from downtown, along the river, by the Ohio City and Tremont neighborhoods and walkable to the business districts in those areas.
http://realestate.cleveland.com/realestate-news/2016/12/forest_city_sells_flats_proper.html Someone in the comments section has suggested that Scheer was part of the Wolstein led group which tried to bring a MLS stadium to Macedonia. My memory is not that good, but wouldn't be surprised if he was involved. Regardless, I've thought for several years if a new stadium was ever going to happen in Cleveland proper, the flats might be the only real option. Not this site in particular (not enough space), but maybe across the river on Scranton Peninsula or elsewhere. They've certainly poured a bunch of money into the East Bank over the past couple of years, those investment eyes are certain to drift west, and this city can only build so many more new restaurants. Infrastructure would need a lot of work, as would overcoming the area's reputation to bring in the family crowd. But if you want to draw from downtown, Ohio City, Shoreway, Tremont, etc., this is your spot.
https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/20...-soccer-league-2019?xid=socialflow_twitter_si heard from "Someone in the know" that Cleveland is definitely a part of this.
According to USLD3s requirements, teams have to be in media markets of 150,000 to 1,000,000. Not precisely sure whats being exactly measured by that requirement......television households? If so there's about 1.5 million in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton market but maybe I'm confused or off base. If I'm right though, that would mean Clevelands not small enough for D3 and would have to join the main USL (D2). Interested in hearing more news about this.
There are two D3 leagues on the way. I've heard Cleveland will be part of the Club 9 one not the USL one.
I don't think USL D3 will reject a team because its media market is "too big." I think those "requirements" are target markets where there isn't already a D2 (or D1) team in larger markets. I'm sure if Cleveland had things together to go D3, they'd get in.
With the right ownership and investment and marketing....Cleveland should be able to handle D2 just fine i suspect. If they want to save some money, they could be the Crews affiliate and let the Crew handle the on-field soccer operations.
Assuming willing ownership in place, the only legitimate hurdle is doing the stadium site selection and execution of that whole potentially difficult process. A stadium in The Flats would be so perfect. I just hope some person with the necessary funds has the same beautiful vision as us haha.
I would definitely love a stadium in the actual Flats neighborhood or anywhere further along the river adjacent to Ohio City or Tremont. Land is probably extremely hard to come by in those hot areas i suspect. Somebody who knows Cleveland can totally tell me if it this is stupid or unrealistic....but this area off Quigley and Clark, between Tremont and the Steelyards, that appears to be a vehicle impound lot and Tremont Park, along Clark.....looks plenty big and easily clearable. It would be walking distance for city dwelling fans to walk to and from Tremont restaurants and bars, and in close proximity to the big, sprawly Steelyards development for anybody coming in from the burbs if they want simple options for the family, near the stadium before they hit the highway. It reminds me of the Butchertown neighorhood near downtown Louisville where LCFC is building their new stadium on land that was a junkyard, adjacent to an up and coming hip/trendy neighborhood. Its not as flashy as being right on the riverfront, lakefront, or in the heart of downtown, but it keeps you in the middle of the city, still near desirable pre and post game food/drink/entertainment options, and decent highway access. I may be way off base and clueless as to the reality of that area but looks like an option. I think my first choice at this point would be to partner with CSU and use the entire block that Krenzler Field is on for a professional, modern, D2 sized stadium that a USL team and CSU soccer can share. Youre still immediately adjacent to everything downtown. Have good transit options and highway access. And maybe possibly CSU would contribute financially if theyre going to benefit from it. Whatever happens, it feels like theres some pretty cool options if the right people with the right money and connections are interested.
I like your creativity, but that site would be problematic for a couple of reasons. The impound lot is actually the city's main vehicle detention center. I think you would be hard pressed to convince the city to give up that land and park space. You would also be building right next to the ironically named Air Products factory, which produce a less than quality air product out of its churning smokestacks. I've played games at Clark Field right there and had to swab my nostrils afterwards. Also, suburbanites avoid Steelyard like the plague. Go inside that Walmart for a minute, I dare you. East side/CSU has some merit. Development slowly moving over there. Although I am not sure CSU has a plan. Last I read they were contemplating bulldozing Krenzler and putting more residential in that spot.
http://realestate.cleveland.com/realestate-news/2017/06/forest_city_to_sell_scranton_peninsula.html This is where you build it. Never going to happen, it's too perfect, but still...
Absolutely agree, that spot is begging to be a soccer stadium. That's the spot I've always thought it should be but like you said, it almost feels too perfect. I picture the nearby trusses on the bridges like at Columbus Rd being lit up the teams colors with people walking from bars in Ohio City and Tremont toward the stadium. You could create a super cool experience down there.
It'd be a great location but you'd need someone with serious cash willing to fund everything. Along Columbus Rd will be difficult - the metroparks own most of the land. Working with CSU would make sense, but I doubt it happens. University isn't the most well run. Either way, for a team to be successful, some will have to pony up a lot of cash. Lots of soccer fans here, but seemingly few interested in supporting a local team.
I think if there was a legit product to support the interest would be more evident. Has to be done right. City Stars really f'd up.
Yeah big investment is kind of crucial. I can understand soccer fans for whom MLS is the lowest quality they're willing to watch, if that even.....not bothering with a team like AFC Cleveland...where the players are mostly college dudes not getting paid. It's hard to invest yourself emotionally in a team where the players won't be around tomorrow and theirs little hype in the city about the club. Hell, AFC won the league last year. With Crew and potentially Cincy and maybe even Detroit eventually finding their way to MLS....a Cleveland team probably won't be gunning for a top tier spot, which means they'll never gain the hype of a team like FC Cincinnati or Sacramento Republic but that's okay. I think emulating the success of a team like Louisville City would be a good goal for a Cleveland expansion team.
Would that maybe be AFC Cleveland making the jump? I know Wilt was talking to some NPSL clubs for that.
Not sure if it's the NPSL club but Detroit City, Chattanooga FC, Dayton Dynamo are a few of the NPSL clubs rumored. It's not clear if the Buffalo club (Twitter: BuffaloNISA) is FC Buffalo. Omaha and St Louis are two rumors markets that aren't NPSL clubs.
Maybe it's just me but I think a team intending to be the main soccer team in Cleveland should be shooting for division 2. Cleveland City Stars obviously weren't an attendance juggernaut but they didn't have the fortune of beginning at the peak of soccer hype here in the present day. Perhaps they'll start out in USLD3 or NISA, then bump themselves up if things go really well. I think with the right investment and marketing a team should be able to thrive at D2 status in Cleveland....its a pretty big city that supports it's teams.
Here's a good article with Peter Wilt about the new league: http://midfieldpress.com/2017/06/06...onal-soccer-league-expects-to-launch-in-2018/
To put it mildly. They were doing fine in D3. They had built a bit of a following, had success, had a downtown place to play, things were going pretty well. Then they either got overly ambitious or were pressured to move up (depending on who tells the story) and they were not prepared for that at all. They'd gone from 1,417 a game in 2007 to 1,635 a game in 2008, which was something to build on in DIII at that time. But while they regressed only slightly to an announced average of 1,491 after moving up to DII in 2009, the high school football field they played on in the suburbs did not help and they took a bath and were gone. I have no idea what AFC Cleveland is drawing, they have never responded to inquiries (several teams have). But it is a big jump from DIII to DII. And it is an even bigger jump from the amateur ranks to DIII. Very few clubs have attempted it, fewer have succeeded with it. If the NISA is going to stake its plan on NPSL clubs moving up, it's going to be a real challenge. Because there are only a handful of NPSL clubs that might potentially be viable in DIII, and as they are not all grouped particularly close together, the travel costs on top of the player costs and payroll taxes and workman's comp and increased office staff requirements will make it really difficult for them to not just be profitable, but to be within an area code or two of acceptable losses.
I agree. AFC Cleveland hasn't shown enough to expect them to be a successful club at a higher level. Cleveland, however, is a perfect DII level marker (considering the current Ohio pro soccer landscape) but the proper planning infrastructure has to be there at all levels to get the most out of the area's fan base.