Columbus Crew to Austin Texas?

I construed it as an I-still-boo-Santa confession.

 

No. But it shows that he's still influenced by his views formed as a NFL exec. Specifically, in regard to this thread, how he considers Columbus as a market vis a vis, for example, Cincy.

 

Once PSV “gives” the stadium to the city of Austin, whats to stop the city from selling it to a third party? Leases are meant to be broken per Dave Greeley. Would be a shame if the owner decided to renegotiate the lease.

 

That's amusing to think of. Precourt wants to break his lease at Mapfre and pay liquidated damages. There's no particular reason for the city of Austin to do that to Precourt but if they did he'd collect fair market value for the stadium which is probably a good bit less than it costs. As a city owned site, there's nothing to stop other developers from lobbying to replace the stadium with mixed use.

 

What's Wynalda's point? Is this a pro/rel argument?

 

It would seem like it, and he would also be correct. An open system wouldn't completely prevent relocations - but it would help saturate cities making them far less likely, while still creating a "******** you, we'll start our own club" fallback for cities with shitbag ownership.

 

It'd also destroy the first division in this country and likely any others that link up with it. But hey....we can be like Europe so it's winning amirite?!?!

 

Wynalda still doesn't understand climate, so I put very little importance in his comments about a great many things.

 

Ask me how much I care about the survival of MLS right now.

 

How about we make a pact with MLS? No more relocation of franchises in exchange for no more discussion of promotion and relegation. As shoplifter aptly says, no concern for MLS' well-being is warranted under circumstances in which the league exhibits no loyalty to its fans.

 

You don't negotiate with terrorists. The Pro/Rel trolls will never stop trolling.

 

Can someone please tie Wynalda to a chair and show him typical weather in December-April in most of this vast, vast continent until he gets it?

Maybe stick him in Missouri in February naked for a week. See how long until he suffers from exposure.

 

Denver--just ask the Costa Ricans. Or Salt Lake City--heck put him out on the Navy Pier in Chicago.

 

Wait, climate doesn't necessarily have anything to do with pro/rel, does it? We could do pro/rel, but keep our March-October schedule

 

If we did that, the schedule would be the next excuse for the pro/rel brigade to ignore MLS, because its not like the rest of the world (by which they mean Europe, by which they mean England and Spain, by which they mean Man U/Man City/Liverpool/Chelsea/Arsenal/Real/Barca).

 

Wynalda bangs on the schedule drum like an ill-tempered infant, too. It's usually a package deal with him.

We could do pro-rel with the current schedule. It would be tremendously stupid, but we could do it - until the whole enterprise fell down, which would probably take two years, max.

 

^^^ his argument tends to lean on aligning with transfer windows in which the majority of transfer activity occurs rather than 'soccer is better with a fall-spring schedule'

I'd prefer to be on the fall-spring calendar, again due to transfer alignment, but I realize there are legitimate problems that would need to be addressed to even consider it. That said, you're correct, a summer calendar has nothing to do with pro/rel.

It's better when not everyone can participate

 

How do you address being in a climate zone that specifically has harsh winters as opposed to the arid or oceanic climates of the Western US and Europe? This is aside from the relatively shorter growing seasons, too.

I mean, aside from playing everything indoors?

 

legitimate minor issues.
Minor things, like kicking a ball that frozen into a rock. Small issues like losing a toe to exposure. Little things, like having nobody in the stands.

 

To your point, I'm not sure you can, the best you could do is take most of December and all of January off and requiring heated pitches. Or just wait for global warming.

I'd *prefer* it, I'm not married to it.

 

And February...then you are right back to the schedule we have. I think in most places February is colder than December.
Taking December through February off...sounds familiar.
Would it make you guys happier if MLS just moved its start data but played the exact same calendar they do now? It really makes no sense.

 

There's always going to be part of the season in shitty weather, no matter when it starts. Either the really important part at the end, or the beginning. Like I said, it's not a sticking point for me. I care far more about an open system that allows opportunity for everyone.