Miami-Barcelona Expansion & Bid Discussion

I'm not sold on the split season, but your statements on the correlation between winning and fan support are right on. With very few exceptions, most pro sports teams in the US draw mainly based on performance.

The NFL is most immune to this effect because of the limited games played(only 8 home games per season). However, the Dolphins, up until this year, have been in a perpetual downward spiral since 2001, their last playoff appearance, and even as a NFL team, support was fading. They finally got their act together and are rebuilding.

I was at the last Panthers post season game, which was in 2000. They still occupy the bottom of the standings this year. Considering their dry spell it's impressive that they've averaged 16,000 fans in that span.

The Heat have rarely ever been a bad team, and most of that time was in the early years so NBA was still a novelty here, but overall they have done well enough to keep butts in the seats. Last season, as the worst team in the NBA, they were 9th in attendance, and most of the season they didn't have Dwyane Wade and they traded Shaq.

The Marlins are an enigma to the rest of the sports nation. Two world championships in just 16 years of existence, and people are puzzled. Why have they only averaged 20,000 fans over that time, in a market chock full of baseball loving Caribbeans? What they never realize is the effect the poor facility, heat, and weather have on attendance and support. Two post-title fire sales sure haven't helped either. They do have a new retractable roof stadium on the way, they just have to sign the final papers, however the lengthy attempt by Norman Braman to derail the project has pushed the opening back to 2012.

In most pro sports cities around the country, if the team is not performing, the support is down. If their winning, it's up. It's not just Miami or Florida where this occurs. Fair-weather fandom is something that happens everywhere. However, to doubt the quality of the thick and thin supporters in any town(in this case Miami), is foolish, because I've heard 10,000 Marlins fans drown out 25,000 Mets fans at Dolphin Stadium.

Also, for every team but the Dolphins, you cannot ignore the fact that unlike the "great" sports towns of say New York, Boston, and Chicago, we do not have decades, and in some cases centuries, of tradition and generations of fans. The longest tenure non-Dolphins team is the Heat, at 20 years. The Marlins and Panthers have only been around since '93. The Fusion were only given 4 years, certainly not long enough to gain a strong following. It was getting there fast, but it was cut short. Considering the lack of history of our teams, and the transient nature of this area, I feel that South Florida does a very fine job of supporting it's pro teams, and it will only get better as the years go on and the second generation of fans is born(i.e. my future kids).

MLS will have the NFL-like limited opportunities appeal(I'm guessing by the time Miami would get in there will be 15-16 home games). That will make the weather a non-factor, especially since they'll likely schedule most of the games at night. Put a MLS caliber team in the heart of Miami, and you won't fail. If hockey can be a sustainable enterprise in South Florida(and when the Cats played in the Miami Arena they nearly sold it out every night), then surely soccer can. If MLS can work in Kansas City or Dallas, it can work in Miami.

 

On the Double quote, that is kind of what im trying to magnify, with having a split season you can attract more fans becasue of the importance of each game, and you would still have the same amount of home games needed as if it were one big season and also have extra games if you have play-offs after each split season. I just want to know out of curiousity what do you see negative about haveing split season? I just feel it would help fan support but I want to know your take and why it wouldn't be a good idea?

 

I think like promotion/relegation, a split season would be a tough sell to your general US sports fan. It's just too unusual for the American sports market. If anything it would hurt fan support. I can see that having two, shorter, seasons would magnify the importance of each game, but I just don't like that setup. The longer the season, the more legit the competition results. Once MLS gets up towards 20 teams, the bad-mediocre teams(Red Bulls) will be weeded out of the playoff picture, and 8 truly good teams will qualify. A split season schedule also takes away some of the prestige that comes with being the champion when there are potentially two at any given time. Right now, with one postseason and champion, it makes that much more important, and more entertaining for the fans. Two championships each year would only dull the appeal of the league. MLS has to be very careful about how it positions itself, because this is NOT a soccer crazy nation like the rest of the world. Some things you just can't get away with here. You have to have playoffs, some would argue you have to have conferences and divisions, and I would say you need only one season/champion per year.

I also think right now MLS has the best time frame to play it's season, with as little overlap as possible with other sports. Going split season would likely increase that overlap, especially with the NFL, and that would be very bad for the league.

 

Hey, all local guys, sign up or reserve season tickets to show support for the Miami Franchise...

Here is the link. Please pass the voice.

http://www.miamifcb.com/EN/index.htm

 

There wouldnt be two champions. There would be an Apertura champion, and a Clausura champion. And then those 2 will battle in 1 game for the MAIN CHAMPIONSHIP

 

Calling all soccer fans in South Florida to go to Miami FCB and sign up for season tickets. FIU is a great stadium for soccer. We could see MLS in 2010 they want to see that we do want it. Miami FCB could have a great player like Thierry Henry playing in Miami in 2010.$ 20 deposit per ticket will guarantee you the rights to secure the best seats in the house at FIU's beautiful new stadium.

 

Plain and simply, the split season ideas sucks. It does nothing much, but dilute interest. So what are you trying to say...have two mini-Champs so you can have a Main Champ at the end. I say NO the two Champs are the Conference Champs at best...so you can have a League champ at the end of the year.

Split seasons exist in Soccer-only nations. Ultimately .it is not so much about the Soccer fanacism, but moreso about how certain leagues can make more $ provided the year round interest(not to mention adequate weather) and lack of competition.

Personally, I think it is a horrendous idea. Would the World Cup have the same importance and prestige had it occurred every 2 years...even less twice a year? While there still would be fans attending, its prestege would diminish greatly.

There is something special about having one Champ per year. If there are national leagues that have split seasons that is something that has occured, because of the local/national sports landscape of that nation (Soccer-only interest), but in general it is not something desirable particularly in a healthily diverse sports nation.

PS: Keep things simple...we just want a soccer team. We'll worry about Conference Championships or some other sub-championship issue when we get there.

 

Miami FCB interviews this weekend.

Caracol 1260 Sunday at 4:30 PM with Ernesto Barrera

http:///www.caracol1260.com/

The Fútbol de Primera Sunday Show, hosted by Andres Cantor and heard live from 10:00-11:00 PM ET (7:00-8:00 PM PT) every Sunday night.

http://www.fdpradio.com/Seccion.aspx?IdSeccion=7

 

I haven't herd this show forever. I remember in the SF Bay area both Cantor and his partner Alex Gutman I believe his name was did a simulataneous show but that was in the 90's. I think they were the ones who came up with the Honda player of the year award back int he early 91 or 92. I wish I could find it on the radio dial.

 

Wow Horrendoues idea? I dont understand, having the season so long drives me away from watching it! Its too damn long, if it was to be simple and making it a split season where every game counts, a person having a simple spark of interests to see that one game is important they might be intrigued to watch more often espacially if the season is split. Im sorry but I hate HATE MLB because having 160 game is ridiculous, Who in thier right state of mind will watch 160 games of baseball in one season. If it was a split season each game will have more significance and I would probably watch other matches as well that don't have to do with the team I am following because each game matters! There would definitely be more attendance in the stands, more hinchas, more games, more quality, and more everything!!

With this long season its way too long, in my opinion it would make the league better with split season, havng two champions is better than one. More importance to each game, and if your team sucks the first season, you just have to wait three months to start fresh and not a whole freakin year. Whatever in my opinion it may grasp the other fans who dont have as much interest in it, and get them attracted to the MLS. Whatever just my opinion, everyone is entitled.

 

Me, actually. Well maybe not all 162 games, but quite a few(10 or 15 are radio only so I can't watch those lol). And I've been to road games as well(TB and NYM this last season). I'm not lying when I say I'm a die hard South Florida (pro)sports fan. With so many games, baseball gives fans the most bang for their buck, by far, of any sport. Tickets are cheaper, and you get to see more of your favorite team. Nothing wrong with that.

I don't buy the "make it a shorter season where every game counts" or where "each game is more important" arguments. Every game is important, in any season format, from opening day to the last minute. If you lose 3 games in April and miss the playoffs by 9 points, guess what, those games were important. The NFL only gets away with such a short schedule because the physical nature of the sport makes it impossible to play much more than that. From what you suggest it would be two seasons of 16 or so games, which after expansion is cooled down, will mean you won't play every other team, much less every other team home/away. That's why in my mind the NFL is a very flaky competition format(although not as bad as div. 1 college football, where opinions and computers determine who the champion is). Unfortunately, with the current MLS setup, and the almost certainty of it expanding past 20 teams, we're stuck with conferences, but at least you'll play every other team at least once every season. The NHL and NBA do this, and unfortunately, the MLB does not, and the NFL simply can't.

Having shortened seasons of around 16 games, where you don't play every other team, combined with playoffs, is no way to crown a champion, and having two doesn't make up for that. The longer the season, the more accurate the results. In a 16 game season odds are good a team can catch fire and get in to the playoffs. Make it longer, and the weaker teams will settle to the bottom of the table and the better teams will rise to the top. Anyone can win 4 or 5 games in a row and sneak into the playoffs, but over a long season, only the best teams will be able to sustain success, and that makes the competition better for everyone, from the players to the fans.

 

I guess your right, but I did mean in single table format, you play every one once at home or away and then next part of season you play everyone opposite. But yea i guess it won't fly not every one feels the same about certain things. Its cool as long as we get a team in Miami.

 

Miami's MLS bid comes with plans for youth academy
www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/columnists/sfl-flsprusnak30sbnov30,0,6103340.column

 

Toronto still has a waiting list of 9000 people. They capped their season tickets at 16,500.

 

The link isn't working for some reason but that is huge! I really think this is going to happen!!

 

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/columnists/sfl-flsprusnak30sbnov30,0,6103340.column

 

Indeed, even more:
http://www.torontosun.com/sports/soccer/2008/11/11/7369516-sun.html

 

Toronto has been very impressive. So has Seattle. The differences between those two cities make it a very interesting subject. Seattle has been supporting the Sounders since the NASL, so you would expect the fans to be crazy for MLS. Toronto, which has never really had decent soccer support, and horrible USL support in particular, has been unbelievably good in supporting TFC. However you can't expect season ticket numbers that good in every city.

According to the Miami Herald article today, Miami has had 6,000 fan signups and 2,000 season ticket deposits as of Thursday. They're now really starting to hit the papers, radio and TV, in both English and Spanish, to get the word out. I would guess that with the media blitz, they could have around 8,000-10,000 season ticket deposits by January, which would be plenty to show MLS the support is here IMO.

 

If MLS doesn't make this happen they are morons with a capital M!!!

Come on Barca-Miami, vamonos, can't wait for the first game, I'll be there with bells on.

 

It is going to happen. MLS will not turn down Claure/Barca. Get the word out.
sign up for season tickets that what they want to see.