I've read nothing line this. Do you have links? I thought the deal was that they owned businesses in the UK. Someone embezzled a lot of money from them. Therefore, they didn't have the cash to invest in St. Louis soccer any longer.
Okay, I just read several things people had written about it and tried to connect the dots on what they had all written. I don't know how accurate any of what I read is, which is why I asked you guys. As for it being "Not at all" right, it seemed pretty consistent in what I read that the Vaid brothers were the primary owners and for whatever reason pulled out of the team, then Cooper invested more of his money and then cut the salary to save money. The MLS part may not be right, it just made a lot of sense to me. I don't remember ever hearing anything about embezzling before, but that could be what happened. All the trouble started shortly after Montreal was awarded an expansion franchise, and the Vaid brothers were supposed to back the team through 2011, as if they thought in 2012 they'd have an MLS team.
Wow, I haven't been on the boards in awhile, but this just blows my mind. Yes, I was an Athletica fan, and have my own opinions on Atheltica folding and AC surviving. No point going into that though, what's done is done. Now that some time has passed I have been thinking of going out to an AC game to try and support soccer in STL. This comment makes me feel completely unwelcome though. I certainly won't be sitting in "Section 20" or whatever you guys are calling yourselves. And its a shame because I had a great time at Athletica games beating on the drums and having a few (or more) drinks with the Army. In fact that was a lot of the lure of the game for me, and how I convinced friends who were casual fans to come with me- because we sat in the fun section. I doubt we'll have a very good time sitting in the family section, but I'll take that over people yelling gay slurs at me if I show up in my Athletica jersey. And I'm neither a lesbian nor a man-hater, in fact I'm married to a man. Yeah, some Athletica fans hate AC. Why do you assume that they're all women (they're not, some are guys), that they're all lesbians (also not true, both gay and straight fans), and all man-haters? I know a lot of redneck guys who hate soccer and say all soccer fans are gay. So would it be cool for me to post over in the Athletica boards how the AC fans are all gay? And how calling you gay isn't insulting or bashing, its the truth?
Kyle is good people, but he tends to not taste his words before he types/says them. If you look at the demise of the Athletica thread in the forum...90% of the posts state that it was pure sexism that the AC made it through and the Athletica didn't. The problem was the business model of the two leagues.
One over-reaction doesn't call for another. How do you make the leap from one post from someone on BigSoccer to "people yelling gay slurs at me if I show up in my Athletica jersey." Many, like me, are/were fans of both AC and Athletica, but some of the posting over there ignores reality. Just today, we have this: This is so short-sighted it's not funny. The decision to end Athletica was not based on attendance or on sexism or any other made up bullshit. It was based on what those making the decision believed to be the better long-term investment. It's as simple as that. Those trying to force apart AC and Athletica fans be crying unfairness and sexism are as illogical and ignorant as anyone who claim all Athletica fans are lesbians. For the record, I don't think Kyle said that all Althetica fans are man-hating lesbians. He was pointing out that there are Athletica fans who are refusing to support AC for asinine reason. He probably could have said it in a nicer way, but some fans are "man hating" (Mona for one) and mere statistics would indicate that both AC and Athletica have fans who are lesbians.
COCO STL, I'll also vouch for Kyle. You are most welcome to come to an AC game. We wish all Athletica fans would join us, but we understand that hard feelings will always exist for some. Let me know when you're planning on coming out and I'll give you a couple of free passes. I encourage you to bring any and all Athletica fan friends as well- I have some buy one get one free passes too. There are many that have been hating on AC and the fans since the whole thing went bad with the Vaids and some of us are a tad defensive. Please come out to the games. The guys are playing well now with a new coach and the atmosphere could use an injection of new fans. sincerely, Chickenhead.
yes, please join us, you are very welcome. Also, let's not forget Liz, the President of Laclede's Army and most probably Athletica's #1 fan joins us in Sec 20 and has a great time. I'm sure she is still a little bitter and depressed by it all, but we make her feel welcome and she has a great time supporting professional soccer in St.Louis.
I agree with those guys. And for the record, I have seen people wearing Athletica gear at the AC games, and no one hassles them at all.
*laugh* You horrible, horrible AC STL fans.. How dare you make your league require a $400k paid in advance reserve fund while WPS requires no reserve funds at all! You bastards! But seriously, if WPS had required the reserve fund of all their teams like USSF did of the D2 teams, then the Athletica would probably still be around. When they folded the Athletica they had no idea how long it would have been before they could untangle the Vaid's from the teams and allow the players to be paid. The only thing that kept AC STL afloat was the reserve fund.
Wait, could you clarify your last sentence? Because if you're syaing that calling A.C. STL fans "gay" wouldn't be an insult/bashing, since "its the truth", then that's wildly out of order. In any case, I will vouch for Kyle as well, and no, I don't think he is a homophobe. All that being said, your post is rather melodramatic...You feel unwelcome because of one thing one fan said on one message board? And you were just getting round to thinking about maybe, possibly going to an AC St. Louis game but this comment has scared you into not going? All ranting aside, you are more than welcome, as is everybody.
Coco, let me respond accordingly. First, you're right, as you've been away from the boards for awhile, the comment was made a little while back. At the time it was said in annoyance over the feedback Athletica's folding received. I myself was as big an Athletica fan as most. I knew most of the club on a personal level, having tattooed a few of the players. I still stay in touch with a few girls, texting periodically. Matter of fact, KJ Spisak and her family are coming in the shop next week. So, I don't take Athletica's folding lightly. It killed me, and still upsets me when I think about it. What made things worse is the general reaction by their fans. I say "their" as in "Athletica Only", who--as we all know--turned it into an issue of gender and male bias. This was never the case whatsoever, yet the anger of many turned into extremely uneducated slander, and if there's one thing you hate seeing as both an AC and Athletica fan is the demise of one damning another. So, I hope you understand that my comment wasn't targeted at any one person nor yourself. Doesn't make anything right, just making a point. Ultimately I would like to apologize for any offense. Was never my intention, nor am I anything resembling a bigot. Never claimed I was PC, but an ignorant fool I am not. I'm friends with those in Laclede's, spending time at the games and after parties in addition to chatting online with Liz, Johnny, Keith and a couple others. If you would attend an AC match I'd like to invite you over to 20. I'll buy you a beer (or soda if you're a non-drinker) as a peace offering.
Would it be realistic if the supporters of St. Louis (and perhaps the city, county, state) undertook some sort of "share" ownership campaign? This model has been successful for other pro teams in small markets, most notably the Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL) and the Green Bay Packers (before the NFL passed the laws forbidding that type of ownership). I don't know that USSF D2 would be open to that type of ownership scheme but then again, maybe they would. Is this a viable option? There was also that struggling (League 2? League 3?) football club in England that was bought out through shares by fans, globally I believe. What was the name/site for that again? Could AC STL try something like that?
I'd be for it if possible. Not sure all what goes into something like that though. I know my namesake club Scarborough Athletic did something to that effect when the first club went under. It was at the time the oldest football club in England, if I remember correctly.
While we're discussing finances, Inside MN Soccer is in the middle of a four-part series on the future of D2 soccer, and today's installment is very relevant to our situation here in St. Louis. Here's the link: "Rethinking Division-2 Pro Soccer in North America – Part 2" Quarstad spends part 2 talking about "Running teams like a small business instead of on their potential profit," and it raises a lot of interesting points about cutting costs and other issues that St. Louis is just now figuring out halfway through the season.
So long as they figure out something. I'm not optimistic at all for the future beyond this season and damnit, I want this club to stay here. However it happens I don't care, but I'd love to see AC get healthy, bring in some sponsors, get crowds up and they can form an alliance with the Lions. Maybe as a feeder system. Help boost their crowds too. The Lions have some solid boys on that squad. I'm a big fan of their keeper, although Dufty is easily our MVP of the year so far.
sucks that we were so close to a big name shirt sponsor until the news spread about the shit hitting the fan.
so now that its obviously not going to happen... can you tell us who it was supposed to be? just curious to know what our shirts would have looked like.
Kyle, thanks for the apology. Is is appreciated. And perhaps my response was a bit dramatic, especially in regards to whether or not I come out to a game or not. So for that I apologize, I'm usually not one to go around picking online arguments (although anything I wrote in the Athletica boards during the week after they folded gets a pass in my book, we were all shocked/angry. I"m more objective about it now and wouldn't say the same things). I certainly share your frustration over the slander being thrown back and forth, I am tired of seeing fans of both teams attack each other. I think it's fine to disagree over how or why Athletica folded, in fact I'm sure I'd disagree with most you, but I'd like to see us all be able to discuss it without resorting to name-calling etc. As to stuff SportBilly posted from the Athletica forums, while the tone may have been somewhat gleeful and uncalled for, they are posting facts. Many argued that saving AC over Athletica was the better business decision and/or long term investment. As of now, the numbers aren't backing up that argument and so Athletica fans feel vindicated. I think they have the right to point out facts that back up their argument, and pointing out low attendance doesn't mean they're all against AC. Yes, some of them want to see AC fold. But I think most of us just want to know why SLSU made the decision it did, especially if we're going to get behind another SLSU-owned team. The gloating may be uncalled for, but I think continued civil discussion of the actions of SLSU is reasonable. I appreciate all the offers to meet up at a game. We're actually headed out of town for the next 5 weekends, but I'll definitely check the schedule when we get back. I do miss the drinking and the drums. I have to admit though, its hard to want to get behind a new team when they may not be here next year