Miami-Barcelona Expansion & Bid Discussion Part 2

Re: Miami-Barcelona Expansion & Bid Discussion

2,000 without any advertising. Miami FCB will start a advertising campaign in the coming week. More People will get season tickets once we know that we got the team.

 

Re: Miami-Barcelona Expansion & Bid Discussion

You advertise the website. You want soccer fans to go their and sign up.

 

Re: Miami-Barcelona Expansion & Bid Discussion

Putting a link up on FCB's website isn't going to reach too many people. Now they are hitting the airwaves and newspapers, which will reach many more potential fans than anything on the web will.

They set the bar way too high with their one week goal for signups, even if they had been advertising the website. Since the Fusion were disbanded, the interest in MLS has been slim to nil here, so the news coverage on this has been hard to find. So far the majority of people who know about it and/or have signed up on the site have been the soccer nuts who are on sites like BS all the time(that or serious Barça fans).

I think the interest will rise once the website and bid get some more visibility in the press here. However, with the Fusion debacle still in the minds of fans, a lot of people will be hesitant to put a deposit down until the team is officially awarded, which is a catch-22 if MLS decides to use those numbers as a deciding factor on the bid. I think given the results in Toronto despite iffy support, the Barça/Claure ownership team, and the potential rewards of this market, Miami is no doubt a serious contender, regardless of how many people signup on the website.

 

Re: Miami-Barcelona Expansion & Bid Discussion

For the 2007 season and beyond, MLS mandated that each team have a Developmental Academy with U-16 & U-18 teams.

"MLS Press Release

11/10/2006 10:53AM
MLS launches Youth Development Initiative
Major League Soccer Communications

NEW YORK -- Today Major League Soccer charts new territory among major professional sports leagues in the United States by launching a youth development initiative that allows teams to acquire, outside of the annual draft, top young players from their respective local areas. Ultimately, this initiative will enhance the quality of young players entering the League and allow more of them to represent their hometown teams.

MLS is requiring each of its teams next season to establish a youth amateur program, separate from the pro club. These youth teams will give talented young players with professional aspirations an excellent opportunity to pursue their dreams, stay close to home, and continue their education. Players registered for at least 24 months in an MLS youth program become eligible to sign a professional contract with that team without entering the MLS SuperDraft..."

 

Ok, one thing, WHY o WHY must it be MIAMI BARCELONA? Its not just retarded, its, retarded. Why can't MLS have these interested team owners at least make the NAME of the club somewhat original? I wouldn't even mind if it were MIAMI Barca or some nickname related to FC Barcelona... but to have the name ripped off the club in Spain and just slapped into Miami cheapens their original club and cheapens MLS even more than it is. I hate this league for being somewhat short minded on the names of its clubs. I want MLS to be respectable instead of whoring itself out to the highest bidder. Money is money though... sigh...

 

Re: Miami-Barcelona Expansion & Bid Discussion

Yes, they both do (Columbus had to add theirs after construction). My judgment just based on looking at the facility is that it's broadly comparable to Crew Stadium, but that stadium was built 10 years ago, and the league is understandably interested in raising the bar. I think it might be a tad below BMO's standards.

I look forward to those teams' expansion bids.

 

Re: Miami-Barcelona Expansion & Bid Discussion

FIU does have VIP boxes. What MLS want to see is a press box. Everything MLS want to see will be done and will be ready for 2010. It is a very good stadium. I was at a FIU games two weeks ago. It will be a good soccer stadium, until Miami FCB built one.

 

How do you explain Toronto then?

 

Yes, with very poor attendance.

 

Improvement is improvement lol.

Miami, not unlike Toronto, or Atlanta(R.I.P. Silverbacks), is a major league town. I've beaten this point to death, but here it goes again. Miami will never support minor league anything long term. Every minor league team that has ever set up shop here has folded within 4-5 years. That's just the way it is. Also, for the major teams(i.e. the Fusion), you have to be around longer than 4 years to gain a dedicated following. It also didn't help the Fusion that they were in a relatively new league. When the established, well publicized NBA, MLB and NHL came to town, it was easier for them to gain a following and sustain it. MLS at the time of the Fusion was struggling to gain ground everywhere. Just when everyone was starting to come around to MLS and the Fusion, MLS made what I believe was a very bad mistake by disbanding BOTH Florida teams, while keeping Dallas, KC and San Jose, which all had comparable support. Now they're eager to get back with this new Miami bid.

 

The only way we will get this monkey of our back is for Miami to support our soon to become reality MLS team.

 

The average for 2007 was 916. For 2008 it was 1,701. Much better, but still the lowest in the league according to that table....

 

Not from a quote from Claure
and the last statement is the most troublesome: I can't understand the situation with Miami FC, I know it's USL and blah-blah-blah, but how can only 1,000 fans come to a "professional" team in Miami? I know some will say it doesn't matter because their is no correlation to MLS, but their is..... just look at Seattle's support and Vancouver's support

WhiteStar Warriors it looks like you are a cry baby and jealous that Miami will get MLS and Tampa only USL.

 

I have to agree with loco25.

 

You know that the Miami soccer fans / Miami Ultras were the one that started the Tampa Bay Rowdies Supports Group website. WhiteStar Warriors like to bash Miami.

 

Guys, folks from Tampa & Miami have been taking pot-shots at each other and bashing each other for years. That's part of the reason I'd like to see Tampa (not Tampa Bay... ...) get an MLS franchise ASAP.