http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34632349: "Celtic are exploring the possibility of starting a franchise club in the United States. The Scottish champions are also looking into similar opportunities in Asia as they attempt to grow their global brand. Initial talks have already taken place between representatives of the club and the North American Soccer League, which is the second tier league in the US. The NASL is hoping to expand from its current 11 teams to 20 teams by 2018. Celtic regularly travel across the Atlantic to play pre-season friendly matches. English Premier League club Manchester City took on the franchise for Major League Soccer side New York City in 2013."
If there is any truth to this, and they wanted to be in Boston they most likely would either not be able to use the Celtic name or would have to cut an expensive deal with the Boston Celtics to use the name in Boston. So I think that pretty much rules out Boston.
At least they are not mulling spending $100 mil for a farm team. This shows some confidence in the NASL. While an extra team would be nice, I just wish we can hear more 'articles' about NASL teams forming on the west coast!
And for $100 million you get millions in tv revenue and 27k a game average. Maybe it's worth it. But I doubt Celtic has that kind of money. Then again I'm sure they want to retain lucrative NASL branding rights and 100% profit from player sales.
Football teams - like all other sports teams that matter anyway - are all about tribalism and building it. Celtic, of all the other clubs in the world, ought to understand that. If true, this means the end of the NASL as being "D1 in all but name." If you're a league that allows another league's clubs to set up farm teams and join, you're minor league and always will be. If it's Barcelona (or Real Madrid, at a pinch) it could work for a while, but in the long term I'd be sceptical. I can't imagine there being anything other than "It's a really slow news day. There's no stories at all out there. Let's make some shit up!!" to this, but if there is, I posted this back in 2010 when Chivas were stinking up the MLS QUOTE="The Irish Rover, post: 22194851, member: 176276"]I've posted the following before, but IMHO it bears repeating: Chivas USA just devalues the Chivas Brand in the eyes of Chivas fans, without winning any non-Chivas Mexican fans over and alienating/baffling/boring non-Mexican Hispanics (Costa Ricans, Salvadorans, etc) and Anglos. As for Eurosnobs . . . If Vergara or whatever his name is wants a team in the USA, move it to San Diego or the Inland Empire and rename it San Diego/LA Athletic (Atletico San Diego/LA in Spanish), giving the team an identity of its own, without which they will never more than 15k a game. ---oo0oo--- Maybe Chivas is misunderstanding their own Mexican demographic. Some Chivas fans in LA will not turn out because Chivas USA isn't the real thing; that's Chivas down in Mexico and they can see them on TV. In the meantime, how many Cruz Azul/Pachuca/Tigres will fans turn out to watch any team with Chivas in it's name - unless it's to watch Galaxy beat them. I'm a mad Man U fan, and there's no way I'd support Gunners' USA if I was living in LA, and I really doubt I'd bother turning out for the LA Red Devils unless the latter was a kind of "proving ground" team for kids/squad players that need to be tested at a higher level than than the Championship. Even then I doubt I'd pony up for a Season Ticket to watch the next Gabriel Obertan develop (or not; probably not). If he does develop, I know he'll be gone at the end of the season; if stays it's because he hasn't developed and I'm looking at a Man U reject. In any case, with the MLS single-entity structure, Chivas don't own the rights to the players outright, so what's the point? If Chivas is to own a team in the US, it has to be THAT city's team and branded and marketed as such, with Chivas' contribution coming from the footballing side in coaching, scouting, developing a youth system (to which they can transfer Mexican-American kids who declare for the USMNT over Mexico; that way Chivas keep their principles and the $ from the player ). Even then I have my doubts for an MLS team unless the Chivas connection was actively downplayed.[/QUOTE]
Unless they got one or both of the Celtics main owners as part of the ownership group. One of them took over the Olympic bid before it failed and went to Harvard, the only real option to play in the city. Celtic is affiliated with what was the best local academy before the Revs started theirs, formerly the Greater Boston Bolts. In fact it was called something like "Celtic Bolts" for a year or two before it changed to FC Boston Bolts (I think that's the current name). Anyhow, that academy is also affiliated with the Boston Breakers who play at the Harvard soccer stadium. The Breakers were allowed to add endline bleachers to conform to NWSL standards, and it would take another upgrade if someone were to try to get a NASL team to play there. Even though Harvard is private, I'm fairly sure a local billionaire can take advantage of donating to an educational institution in lieu of a favorable lease. Boston would be Celtic's best shot at their brand exploitation with a small built-in fanbase. No clue if either Wyc Grousbeck or Steve Pagliuca would be interested in something like this.
Do you think that NY City FC is as bad as Chivas USA? It's also a brand promotion, but much milder, and I personally don't mind it. Celtic might be thinking something along the lines of NY City FC, the tweet doesn't say much.
NASL aside, I love that Celtic are doing something, anything to try to expand. One of my favorite childhood clubs. They really need to get out of the Scottish league somehow, though. If England won't take them, maybe France would?
Here's a good read to summarize what's been said here: http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/...-of-celtic-buying-a-north-american-franchise/ Out of SPFL? NASL would welcome that.... hahahaha
Manx, Cornwall and Calais would want in, maybe even Galicia... No one would get along. Could be fun to watch.
Interesting concept. It might spur investment in the Republic of Ireland for signings. I could see this also benefitting the Belfast Clubs as well. I don't think it would have much of an impact in Wales since their larger teams ex. Swansea City, Cardiff City and Wrexham play in the English leagues.