Tweets from Washington Post Soccer Insider: SoccerInsider Facing massive financial issues, Crystal Palace Baltimore will not field a team next season and hopes to return in the future #nasl #usl CP Baltimore has also parted ways with English affiliate, which provided only a small portion of club's budget #nasl #usl
NASL has a release up with a few more details as well: http://www.nasl.com/article/crystal-palace-baltimore-to-sit-out-2011-season Don't know that I like the colors they're picking....better not be any hoops invovled! LOL
The colors are the colors of the state but what gets me is that its the color scheme for Real Maryland (Div2 or PDL team in the DC burbs). I think Yellow and Black checkers are the way to go because that is what is on our flag. I just hope the new team name is something inspired and not FC Baltimore or Baltimore FC.
D3, actually; they're a USL Pro team (formerly USL-2). Frankly, as somebody not local to Baltimore, I'd be way happier with them coming back as "FC Baltimore" with a better organization, a better facility, and the ability to field a team ready for D2 competition than I would with them coming back in recognizable form under a wicked cool name with spiffy jerseys. (Of course, either one would be better than not returning at all, which until this announcement had been my assumption about what was going to happen.)
Real Maryland dropped down to the PDL this year. and I have always been a fan of Yellow and black...but i perfer vertical stripes
Wait, you mean in 2010, or for 2011? Because I could've sworn Levey was playing with them this year, and I'm positive he's to old for PDL. (Either way, I'm surprised not to have heard about it. Interesting.)
He means for the 2011 season, they're the one USL-2 team that isn't making the move to USL PRO. As for some detail on Baltimore's future, Dave Topp has some good details on the plans, which include a possible ground-share with the WPS' Washington Freedom. http://worldsoccerreader.com/2010/12/crystal-palace-baltimore-to-sit-out-2011-nasl-season/ If I can throw two cents in on uniforms, I think black and red stripes and yellow accents with black shorts and black and red socks could look really good. Then go with an all-yellow, or yellow jersey, black shorts and yellow socks, alternate uniform.
here was an article from nov 16 http://www.potomacsoccerwire.com/news/700/14126 and one from USL http://pdl.uslsoccer.com/home/480905.html
The Freedom already have a stadium essentially in a DC Suburb its the Maryland Soccer Plex. Its where DCU tend to play their US Open Cup Matches. Why would they want to move to Baltimore?
I was wondering the same thing. Maybe the Freedom aren't drawing 10k per game or anything but at least they are a known commodity in the DC corridor.
Freedom were better off doing double headers every week with DCU like they used to do. Why has WPS not tried to do this?
Apologies for continuing to pull the thread OT, but to answer a few questions: They have tried and it's really just not that feasible cost-wise to rent the time at DCU's stadium on a WPS budget. Speaking of.... Aside from the franchises that have already closed or very close to it, the Freedom are easily the least stable franchise in the league right now and almost weren't able to make their payments. The coach of ten years is out, the old investors are out, the new guy is thinking of changing the name and splitting home games between "DC" and Florida. I wouldn't be surprised if a move out of the 'Plex to somewhere nearby was in the cards as well.
The soccerplex is just not in a good location. It's easier to get to RFK than the 'plex, unless you live within 5 miles of it. Besides, the field they play on only seats ~ 5k.
"Sit out" a year????????? (Posted on another Big Soccer thread on CP) ```````````````````````````````````````` I hate to be a pessimist but Pete & Jim's record speaks for itself. No league, city, investors, whatever should (will) go into partnership with them. They have failed at every level except to have a "beer tent" at UMBC. They can't coach, manage, market, or operate a professional level team and are a laughingstock (in NASL/USL) at all levels. Worst of all, they didn't pay coaches and players - a cardinal sin of running a team. They owe lots of people lots of money and have made no overtures to settle their debts. To reinvent themselves means declare banckruptcy, then create a new team/organization and repeat all their previous mistakes. The only way an investor would become involved is to buy a majority interest and fire Pete/Jim.
I agree with Buzz, not only would they need new investment, any new team team needs a completely different managment group. Even from half way across the country these guys haven't done a good job. I think their eyes were bigger then their ability. Which is the common problem with groups that get involved with minor league soccer in this country.
Any word on what some of the players like Bush, Veeder (going to the U20 camp in January), etc (some of the younger ones with more potential) are going to do this upcoming season?