Lockhart in Jeopardy THIS MONTH

Yeah dr was mentioning it. I mean, they weren't necessary slated to just be practice fields for the team, they were going to be additional fields on the premesis to accomodate tournaments, youth leagues, as well as training facilities for the Strikers I'd imagine. I think these are the kinds of smaller details that could be negotiated with Schlitterbahn if the Strikers are looking to stay at Lockhart long term (sounds like they are) and Schlitterbahn really does want them to stay (again, seems like it based on what we've seen).

There is immediacy with this issue only because of the lease being up June 30th. Based on what is coming out, I'd say the likelihood of a deal being struck with Schlitterbahn is gaining momentum. If you've seen the scope of the initial proposals, it's obviously a project that is going to take some time to work on. Maybe these shennanigans by the FAA is just an attempt to speed up the whole process so they can make their $$$ and step away from the situation faster. Who knows. But my point is, once we get through this season, we'll probably have a better handle on the future stability of the Strikers and the NASL. I have no fears about the Strikers. In my most humblest of opinions they could hold a press conference tomorrow announcing Beckham has become the majority owner of the team and will be partnering with Traffic to put the Strikers into MLS as team #20, and they wouldn't miss a beat, things would only continue to keep on moving forward, just at an even higher level!

But the rest of the league is another matter. So far I'd say the season has been relatively successful. You'd always like to have more fans, but I don't think attendance could be characterized as abyssmal or way below expectations. A big factor that is goign to start looming larger and larger every day is the need for new investors in Atlanta and/or Cary. Boy, if the Railhawks could really start having some crowds on the level of the Strikers, coupled with their dominance on field, they'd make a very interesting product. Minnesota's numbers have been climbing as well, and Atlanta, God Bless them, finally got the home win they desperately needed to keep their fanbase happy. So investors for three existing teams, as well as expansion franchises need to be on Commisioner Downs' plate right about now!

 

Sigh of relief... I like this actually. A water park and resort... can only be good for marketing the Strikers.

 

There is a lot to this story we are not hearing about. I think Lockhart is safe after reading this article and other stuff online. We might be kicked out of Lockhart for some time for them to start building the park, but it looks like in all renderings and such that Lockhart is within the plans of the company. The FAA and Shitterbaun have a history of working together as the last page of this article indicate....

http://assets.bizjournals.com/cms_media/southflorida/schlitterbahn proposal.pdf

My take on the situation......Who knows.....

 

Now if Traffic could find someone to share the 100 million dollar entrance cost for MLS. That plus a renovated Lockhart = MLS.

 

It needs continued support for the team for this to happen. We need a consistent 5,000+ at the stadium for each game. We need at lest that many supporters in supporter's groups - Philly & the teams in the Northwest has many, many more than that. Support is the main thing MLS is looking for. Continuing support.

 

Well, I've always said that MLS' first priorities are strong a ownership group and a SSS or plans for one.

Attendance? Sure it helps, but Seattle got into MLS without having great attendance and Philadelphia didn't even have a d2 club before they were accepted. MLS is just looking for strong markets, with stable ownership and a modern stadium. Attendance is just gravy on top.

 

To be considered a strong market, I think South Florida has to re-prove itself as a place that will support local domestic soccer. Fair or not(and I believe not for various reasons), South Florida has a negative image as a soccer and overall sports market.

And nice crowds for Honduras and Jamaica etc., or friendlies with big time foreign clubs don't prove anything. They got 18,000 plus at FIU for the Gold Cup Friday night. But there is zero guarantee that those fans will buy tickets for a local team.

We're going to need strong support of the Strikers to get those other two things, strong ownership and a SSS plan, on our side.

 

Philadelphia, professional soccer aside, has a rich history in the sport going back to the Dutch/German enclaves that settled & populated in it. The Sons of Ben galvanized into a "fairly large" supporters (read: $) group that was actively seeking a franchise years before being granted one. Still, it took the current consortium seeking a viable market and working with them to get Garber to notice and get it done.

South Florida strikes me at least as an extremely fragmented community in so many ways. I don't know if you have the #'s all pulling together on the right side of the rope at the moment.....but there's always hope.

What got Philly through the mess was ownerships' ability to work with the hellhole that is the city of Chester to make (hopefully) the SSS agreement a key part of the eventual revitilization of that area. I know they have given jobs to the desperately needy there, and are supposedly working on helping with the financials of bringing marketplaces back there safely as well.

It's a big commitment. Ft. Lauderdale doesn't have nearly the logistical/environmental problems, but it might have too many apprentices-and not enough chefs-in the kitchen at the moment. Their answer, out of necessity would probably need to take a different path. Which is why many here have opined that an even bigger money guy would be the most likely path forward for them.

This place requires winning/entertainment to thrive. Much like LA in this way. Only "Cash & Flash" will see it through. Look no further than the Heat.

Hmmm........wonder if Arison feels like branching out...............

 

This is probably the most reasoned response I've read yet regarding this issue. Thank you.

The thing I don't get, not being from SoFla, is the depth of this "extremely fragmented community." Why is there discord between the "pro-Miami" faction and the "pro-Ft. Lauderdale" faction? Or is it much deeper than that?

I think most objective people would agree this could be one of the best soccer markets in the country. So Miami didn't work out (again). The Strikers seem to be on a high, why not get behind them 100%? Are the various ethnic communities just unwilling to unite behind a single brand, maybe out of fear of appearing too American? What's the deal?

 

It's fragmented in more ways then one. You've got all these pockets of Latin and Caribbean communities who follow their national sides and teams from back home, rather than the local team. It's easy to see why in most cases because their "home" soccer is better than anything the US has to offer, and they still have a strong connection to their homeland.

Then there is Miami v. Fort Lauderdale. But that divide really only goes one way as I've observed it. People from Broward or Palm Beach have never had an issue supporting teams based out of Miami. It's the closest local team, we're not getting our own, so you support it.

Miami people on the other hand seem to have some kind of superiority complex(with a few exceptions). If it's not named Miami and being played in Miami, they don't care. And even then, when it comes to soccer, history has proven with the Gatos/Toros, Freedom/Sharks and Miami FC, Dade County is still a shaky market.

Fort Lauderdale seems to only take issue on this when it comes to soccer, and that's certainly due to the great tradition and soccer pedigree the city of Fort Lauderdale has with the Strikers. The Miami Fusion and Miami FC playing in the home of the Strikers and calling themselves Miami was downright offensive to some.

 

BTW this is what I think the ideal vision of Lockhart should be if it's renovated and a move to MLS is ever made. This excludes the lazy river from the water park. I imagine if a serious MLS bid was made that would be out and a more substantial upgrade than what the Schlitterbahn folks probably have in mind would be in order.




Remove the corner sections, extend the sideline stands to the touchlines, add a roof over each stand, replace all the seats, add real suites and a press box, some new video boards, etc. etc. Very English feel on this one.

"West Stand is the Best Stand" lol

 

Ever go to a Marlins game when the Mets or Phillies or any east coast team is in town? Often the majority of fans are there to root for the other team. Almost everyone here is from somewhere else and carries those allegiances with them.

I've read more than a few post here from folks from PB or Broward that they won't attend games in Miami-Dade. Some of these posts, IIRC, even concerned attending Marlin games in the jillion dollar super stadium, let alone any venue in M-D for soccer.

See above. The dislike, distaste, whatever seems to run both ways.

I've posted about the size of this 21st Century Miami being over 120 miles north to south. There is room for a lot of diversity here. A lot of room for the proverbial different folks with different strokes. A whole lot of folks with vastly different points of view and cultures. They don't always mesh all that well.

Neat! I love it! Who's going to pay for it? Especially after paying $100 million - vastly overpriced, IMO -for an MLS franchise? This may have to be in place well before that.

 

Well $100 million for any non-Beckham team, he gets a discount if I recall correctly. And he's apparently not allowed to use his team ownership deal in NYC or LA. So if the stars were to align that figure would go out the window.

Some people from Broward/PBC may refuse to drive to Miami-Dade for the Heat/Dolphins/Marlins, but they still support the teams(or at least they don't openly bash them). I don't ever hear any Broward or Palm Beach people bitching for their own NBA, NFL and MLB franchise in the 954 and 561 because "Miami does not represent them".

 

You're forgetting the 2005 fire sale. And when the MLB called the ownership out for pocketing revenue sharing money last year. And the perennial overall joke-ification of the team by Loria. The only difference between the Marlins and the Expos is that he was able to squeeze the money for a stadium out of Miami, something he couldn't do in Quebec.

I'd gladly drive down to the new ballpark, if the owner wasn't an egocentric moron hell bent on ruining my childhood baseball team. But hey, that's another argument altogether.

Love him or hate him, Wayne Huizenga laid a fine foundation for the Marlins and Panthers. The 97 fire sale was rough, but still, everyone who has followed Wayne as owners, with both teams, has done nothing but make steps backwards(Loria got lucky in 2003 with the Fish). The Panthers hopefully are finally about to turn it around, they finally seem to have some decent folks at the top, on the hockey and business sides, to right that ship.

 

That's pretty close to how the Cricket Ground has been utilized by MLS for the last two MLS Combines.

Not great, but I've definitely seen worse.

 

Oh you bet! That's really the point I'm trying to make. Not a Miami vs. other county issue for me. Just the distance these days. Spent a decent amount of time 'round the OB back in the day......no issue for me.

So many here come from other places and will never let go. I'm one of them.

What made the Strikers unique for me was the fact that I was here, and on the "ground floor" so to speak when the NASL reached me.

Memories + proximity=loyalty.
I don't have that with any other professional sport south of the 215.
Which is why FtL is the only sporting entity down here I care about........

 

Same here. You will see me at Marlins games... when the braves are in town!

As for the strikers, it's like I told my wife. If we were to move to England (where she is from) I would support the local side. That's why I always try to catch a Havant & Waterlooville match if I can't make it up to Newcastle. The Strikers for me are a team that I am able to support from the beginning (of the 2.0 era, granted) and already I am at the same level of support and interest as I am with NUFC. Maybe more so in the fact that I am able to be a season ticket holder and live relatively close to the team. That's why this Lockhart situation has really got me concerned for the future of the club...

 

Listen to Tim Robbie tonight on Miami Ultras Alive to see what he has to say about the stadium issue.

 

Which is owned by the FAA, no one else. And about moving to MLS, or why they had no presence at FIU & the Gold Cup Friday night. There are even more interesting tidbits in this broadcast, too. Well worth the time spent listening to it.

Great broadcast, guys. Your best by far as far as getting good info out to us. Well done...

 

If the strikers could take this plot of land over, they could build a nice size stadium. Its at Oakland and NW 31st Ave. Seriously, I look at this plot of land almost every day and think about this being a great place for a stadium. I THINK its for sale too...

 

Good news in the Sun Sentinel about the 6 month extension by the benevolent FAA. I wonder how many calls to politicians to get that extension, but we needed to at least finish the season out.

 

Thanks for the heads up with some good news....

The next question is: what happens after the 6 month grace period? I'm fairly certain that the Strikers will survive, but where?

 

Great news about the lease extension.

After that it appears the Schlitterbahn thing is happening, so it's up to the Strikers and the schools to work out a solid deal with them. The FAA appears to be intent on selling the land to them, so that would take them out of the picture forever and surely make dealings on the site much easier.

I imagine the Strikers would move to the CBRP Cricket Stadium in Lauderhill while construction/renovations are going on at the FTL/Lockhart site.