Having an owner and an SSS (currently under construction) with MLS-level expansion capabilities puts San Antonio into the race. And 11,000 showing up at the home opener is a great way to kick things off... But I'm in agreement with Yoshou ...let's see what attendance is like at the end of the season.
September 4, 2004, San Antonio Express-News: Didn't work out, no. That said, if you're scoring at home, this is not the earliest a lower-division market with a new team has been put forward as a possible MLS expansion market. But it's close.
Tampa was being offered up prior to their first game. Orlando as well, but I'm not sure they count as expansion since they were more of a relocation after it became apparent that Austin wouldn't be taken seriously as a possible MLS expansion.
I meant Orlando, who touted themselves as an MLS expansion "favorite" either before or during their preseason tournament at Disney, can't remember which, exactly. But it was really early. (And I specifically said "market with a new team" and didn't specify expansion or relocation.) Tampa Bay (and I don't recall that big an MLS pimp for them, but maybe there was) at least once had an MLS team. But two games in....is pretty early. We were all convinced there was no chance Rochester wouldn't be an MLS team by mid-1999.
WSW was pimping pretty hard that Tampa was the second coming, but he has some pretty odd ideas, so perhaps I shouldn't have counted him. The rest of the Rowdies fans were pretty realistic about their chances of getting a team.
13,151 actually .... and over 10K for match 2. I think SA has plenty going for it in the "expansion" race. The Crocketteers have shown the drive of the community and interest in both soccer/American soccer here in SA (as have the subsequent forming of 2 other supporter's groups here in the city). Our group was founded in March of 2009 ... our team was announced in October of 2010 ... well over a year before anyone knew anything about SA getting an actual team on any level. It is also the largest supporter's group in the State of Texas with over 730 paid and/or registered basic members (I know for a fact that there are over 450 paid BEFORE the season opened). Again, there are two other groups in SA as well. In the other thread (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1926506) I've gone over some of the other things such as corporate presence in SA, miscellaneous factors such as WC regional viewing breakdown, available monies, general support for SA sports, there are two ownership groups here with the drive to have a team (Hartman with the Scorpions and Spurs Sports & Entertainment), and of course the fact that SA was literally a hair away from getting an expansion franchise not that long ago (before yes, politics screwed it) ... and I would say ABSOLUTELY, SA is a contender. When counting all factors involved, SA is very attractive and presents as solid a case as just about anyone.
Being anyone's tenant isn't the first choice for MLS for any of its expansion teams going forward, I don't believe. It's probably Your Own Stadium Or Forget it (though the Alamodome could be a suitable temporary venue).
I think that Austin would be a better choice in the long run, but it doesn't seem to have the synergy that San Antonio has. Even so, San Antonio is way behind Orlando and New York City - and probably Las Vegas -- in the race for the next MLS expansion team. My guess is that San Antonio is 4 to 12 years off.
I'm not sure they're behind Las Vegas, given recent developments there. In any case, given Cleveland and San Antonio were locks years ago, given that Salt Lake came out of nowhere, and given all the things that have to happen in a given market before a club takes the field, I think handicapping is a crapshoot. (I will say this: it's not enough just to draw a bunch of fans in the lower levels - though it doesn't hurt, obviously - and it's not a guarantee that you'll get an MLS team. Someone could get funding for a stadium and write a check and pretty much move ahead of someone else while that someone else was sitting around putting out press releases about meeting with Garber.)
63% Latino. There is simply no way San Antonio goes by without a franchise in the remaining years of human life on earth.
Currently, the Scorpions play at Heroes Stadium, a high school stadium in the city's North East side. However Scorpions FC broke ground on 2/29 on their own SSS nearby that'll be ready for the 2013 season. The SSS is already designed for expansion with the MLS in mind. Phase 1 - under construction Future Expansion Phases I'll go one further. If the Scorpions continue to draw that well at the gate, with ownership and SSS in place, they'll leapfrog both Orlando City & Cosmos (both of whom dont have SSS plans yet) into the driver seat in the race for No. 20.
Wow. Two NASL home games and they're #20 now? Cool. Raise your hand if you remember these exact same conversations in 1999.
How much impact on MLS expansion chances does the addition of UTSA football to division I-A have on that market? Its a new factor to consider. UTSA starts play in the Western Athletic Conference this Fall. They wouldn't share stadiums with the Scorpions, but would it effect potential attendance?
Hate to break it to you, but if Orlando hasn't leap frogged NY2, then I doubt San Antonio will. Although, I really like your enthusiasm. Keep it up.
In regards to Orlando, if Rawlins pulls together a stadium plan before NY2 comes together, Orlando City should be No. 20. as MLS should not prevent them from joining if they meet sufficient criteria just because NY2 is not ready. At this point though, it all comes down to timing as I believe Cosmos & Orlando City will eventually join the league by resolving the SSS issue. I just feel that San Antonio could beat both to the punch if they draw well as expanding an SSS to MLS-level capacity (like Stade Saputo) should be an easier deal to complete in a quicker timeframe compared to constructing a new SSS (See DCU, & NE). Both Orlando City & NY2 dont even have stadium sites selected.
You know, this isn't a situation where if you meet certain criteria, they have to give you a franchise. MLS - now, as always - can decide or not decide to expand, can decide to approve or not approve an application, can let someone sit in the lower levels despite seemingly having everything necessary, because they can. The difference between now and, say, 2003, is that MLS is in a position where it doesn't have to go begging for investors. And if you don't want to go back quite that far, how about just a few years ago when there were those saying, "C'mon, MLS, just give Jeff Cooper a franchise already! What are you waiting for? What more does he have to do?"
Raise your hand if that conversation involved a locale that SA has .... oh right, no. Name anything other than the "two game hype" that said prior team/market has/had that equals what SA has/had ... (stadium, maybe ?) The SA Talons started playing at the same time (Arena Football) and there won't be any loss of attendance to that (if anything, the Talons will suffer instead) ... I don't see UTSA Football being an issue. IWA is DII football here in the city as well. Of course, the Scorpions only have 3 home games after AUG 5 anyway ... so I really don't see there being an issue. =================================================== I seriously don't get the "Orlando" leading the pack after NY2 .... I mean really. It was already alluded to in this thread/another thread about the situation involving the ownership while in Austin, and then down in Orlando. There's just as much "hey look something shiny" about that as there is SA (except without the prior approval killed only by SA politics) ... but what's the actual substance that Orlando City has that others don't ? ^ not trolling OC, actual questioning. Austin a better choice ? Where do you guys get this ? Again, how is SA way behind OC or behind them at all ? LV ? WTF ?