Does LeBron in Miami bump Miami/South Florida slightly higher in MLS expansion plans?

Discussion in 'Inter Miami CF' started by WorldGame, Jul 8, 2010.

  1. WorldGame

    WorldGame Member

    Aug 28, 2002
    Orlando
    Preface:

    1) This is not a rumor. Just a bit of discussion on a smaller bit or speculation; putting 2 and 2 together to see if it comes anywhere near 4.
    2) And, of course, Commissioner Garber is NOT sitting in his NYC office thinking, "Right, LeBron went to Miami...gotta run down to Florida and re-plant MLS."

    If...

    - the LeBron in Miami/"Tres Estrellas" (aka, "Three Stars"; copyright pending; it's mine, don't steal it; an NBA-ish riff off Real Madrid's Galacticos) experiment takes off and draws all kinds of attention and business to South Florida...

    and if...

    - MLS and its group of investors wanting to get in on the "Soccer in the US" gravy train, especially in the early aftermath of WC2010, decide there's enough "heat" (sorry) in South Florida to more than sufficiently spill over into a successful fan base for an MLS franchise...

    while also...

    - MLS presumably sooner rather than later has to address the massive gaping hole in its territory otherwise known as everything east of Dallas, south of DC, and southeast of Chicago...

    Then...

    - the question is: do these disparate factors, at minimum, combine to effectively push Miami a little bit higher in the pecking order to be MLS franchise #20?
     
  2. Sempuukyaku

    Sempuukyaku Member+

    Apr 30, 2002
    Seattle, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States


    Um........




    no.
     
  3. Flex Buffchest

    Jan 25, 2010
    Orange County, California
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Umm, I'm gonna go with, no. Just because LeBron goes to Miami doesn't mean MLS has to. They're two totally different leagues.
     
  4. eclipse02

    eclipse02 Member

    Sep 20, 2009
    It would be NO because LeBron Plays Basketball.
     
  5. drSoFlaFan

    drSoFlaFan DEFEND THE FORT!

    Feb 25, 2008
    Plantation, FL
    Club:
    Ft Lauderdale Strikers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    LeBron coming to Miami in no way will directly impact any MLS expansion plans.

    That being said, Miami is now center of the NBA universe. Similar to the Shaq days, there will be a lot more national attention on the area, more national TV games etc. There will be a lot of sports/celebrity buzz in town and you never know what could happen.

    Heck, the Panthers have already begun to try and piggyback on LeBron's arrival, offering "Seats fit for a King" this weekend with $23 a game lower bowl season tix and $6 a game upper bowl season tix.

    It's unlikely, but I wouldn't be shocked if some investor(namely Dolphins owner Ross who is in love with the celebrity image) wanted to get in on the South Florida sports scene by getting a MLS team.
     
  6. 4door

    4door Member+

    Mar 7, 2006
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i think that Lebron actually hurts Miami's chances more than it helps. Though I would say it only hurts it very slightly. But there is no benefit from having Lebron.

    Seattle certainly benefited from the loss of the Sonics. I think there was a general sports fan that was looking to get behind a new team, there was newspaper real estate that was once covered with Sonics stories and some of it went to the Sounders. And other franchises like Portland and Vancouver that do not have a lot of pro sports can tap into that general sports fan/media interest that can really help those clubs. For Miami so much of the attention is going to be glued to the Heat, especially if they are winning championship after championship, that a new soccer team might not get the same buzz it would have if lets say the Heat was bottom of the league and drawing 5k. I think the general sports fan in S. Florida, who would casually go to any sports game, will focus now on basketball. And that hurts other sports IMO.
     
  7. LuckyStriker

    LuckyStriker Member+

    Favorite club? a German one..........
    Apr 14, 2010
    in exile-Statute of Limitations yet to expire
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    yeech..........:rolleyes:

    1 man's opine of what would "bump S.Florida up".

    *An owner independent of the owners of all other franchises in pro sports.

    *An owner with pockets deep enough to get in and still have more than enough cash on hand to operate a club within MLS rules for the long term.

    *An owner with the political savvy to negotiate a reasonable lease with the political hacks of Broward county and referb. Lockhart to the degree it meets standards going forward.

    *An owner with a deep, abiding love of the game and contacts suitable to building a REAL organization/roster-because fans will not tolerate 2nd rate for very long here.


    In short......an owner.
     

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