I'm with you. I guess the thought is that option $2.5M TAM money the teams can spend and the arbitrary nature of the other GAM and TAM acquisition and expenditure methods don't always directly benefit current union members, it's used on outside guys. They want higher max and min salaries, and more money for their members. I believe charter flights is their other big ask this time around.
I may be way off here, but I wonder if it has less to do with TAM/GAM (which, if you're a player, just converts to $$$), and more to do with the league regs associated with those funds that affect how teams acquire players, and that purposefully are designed to eliminate competition between MLS clubs for players. OR, since we're talking about a league-wide association, it could be that the mass of players, who don't see a penny of GAM/TAM, see this as encouraging a two tier, haves/have nots system of compensation in MLS. I mean, GAM and TAM isn't play money. It's real cash divvied out by the league, which means it comes from league-generated revenue. Yet (generalizing here) it's not designed to be used for your average MLS player but, rather, to acquire pricier talent, or to buy-down said talent's salary budget hit. The league is basically saying that it would rather have each team roster made up of a handful of well to extremely well paid players, and then a bunch of supporting cast schmucks getting paid whatever's left over. For the mass of (voting) players in MLS, this might not be seen as the best way those funds could be distributed. Regardless, I hope they make headway on the charter flight issue. It would be particularly helpful for players in markets like ours.
BREAKING: MLS plans to announce St. Louis as an expansion team winner next week. Plans being made for Tuesday. News up at @stltoday: https://t.co/VL6pXpfrQN #MLS #MLS4THELOU— Ben Frederickson (@Ben_Fred) August 14, 2019
Wow watching ATLANTA United is like watching a real soccer team. I’m jealous except for the fake grass
Twice, actually, the wife and I love it. We're excited to go back now that the renovation is complete. (I'd upload a photo but something tells me that's poor form)
I have been to the Arch but only up once. My sister-in-law used to work a summer season at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis for a few years. So we would visit when we had enough time and money to make the trip. ^ The sort of obscure photo from the Arch visit that this place would find acceptable.
I thought Sac was lacking an owner with deep enough pockets. Perhaps someone in the know can add more info.
If my memory serves - which is less and less reliable these days - they found a sugar daddy and are expected to be the other half of the next expansion round (with StL). Unless, that is, one of the two competing Vegas groups greases enough Expansion Committee palms to jump the line.
Regarding the potential news for St Louis joining MLS... MLSinSTL supports it. Just to clarify, I joined BigSoccer in March of 2009 to follow news about potential expansion. I was disappointed that Seattle got the nod. Just shows you what I know.
Sorry I can’t speak for St Lous. Let me explain... I’m from Ohio - born, raised and returned as an adult. Currently living in Findlay. I played a lot of soccer in St Louis as a kid, almost played at Washington University (in St Louis). I had several teammates in college from there. So I spent a fair amount of time in the city over the years. In short, I liked it. I’m also a history buff and love the history of soccer in St Louis. So of course that led me to pick my username because I wanted them to get a team. And that’s that.
I went to college in St. Louis. Traditional must stops: Amighetti's for lunch on the Hill. Rigazzi's for dinner on the Hill. Imo's for St. Louis-style pizza (lots of places). Ted Drewe's for frozen custard. And Crown Candy for old-style soda fountain ice cream. None are for snobbish foodies, but all are excellent.
Never indulged, but here is a list of the supposed best spots to find it, from the local alternative rag: https://www.riverfronttimes.com/foo...-best-spots-for-gooey-butter-cake-in-st-louis