Miami MLS site

Well I think we all should be realist's here..Miami is having chance after chance, just look and see what's happening with the Miami FC in the USL attendance is horrid, probably around 700 average for the season, Montreal had 10,000...So if they do get another chance with a MLS team and blow it we will never have a pro team in Florida, honestly if their is a team maybe the attendance will go up to 2,000-3,000 and that is a failure as far as MLS is concerned., and I'm sick and tired of the whiners in Miami who say that the USL doesn't count because it's a sub-par league, the sponsors are bad etc.. if Tampa gets a chance to have a USL-1 team we will blow away the attendance Miami has

 

well tampa should work on getting a USL team, because its pretty likely that MLS is going to miami sooner then later.

outside of people who live in other parts of florida, whining that their part of florida deserves a team more, i think forming a supporters club, like the sons of ben for philly, would be a very good thing, and a website is definitely part of that.

 

Yea the last time i checked MLS and USL are business/sport leagues not charity foundations. How is a MLS team in Miami going to gain support when 700-900 people show up for USL-1 team in Miami. BTW we do have a supporters group:
http://www.freewebs.com/mls2centralfl/index.htm

 

even though you'd like to point to USL numbers as indicative of MLS potential numbers, there just isn't a strong correlation there.

 

hummm.... i think seattle might have something to say about that

 

I can't recall the exact numbers for Toronto, but no team in the USL history had a average below 1,000 except for Miami. Anywhere in the world if a first division team gets that kind of attendance something's wrong with the fans, that's why it's crucial to have a solid fanbase and i don't see it in Miami

 

I was a season ticket holder during the Fusion days and I can tell you the last year was exciting and people were finally making the trip up to Lockhart to see the games but as mentioned Ken Horowitz pulled the plug when things were finally getting better. I think if the Fusion would have remained attendance would have been at about the 12,000 average with that rising a few thousand had they moved the team back to Miami as it should have and I don't think thats bad.

The Fans are here, they just need to put a good team together and give it time so that the fan base can start to grow. I have alot of friends who are excited about this possible new team and they are willing to become ticket season holders if this materializes.

As far as the USL, people are still skeptical about it since it's 2nd division with no hope of getting into MLS, I've gone to the games but the level is just too low. I've got to give props to Traffic for giving it a shot. I hope they are involved in the MLS team, they deserve it!

 

First of all, I am new to Florida and never been to Miami. But there is a few things I'd like to add from my German Soccer viewpoint.

I can totally understand the viewpoint of Chichi, when he says that people might not be that interested in the USL-1 side Miami FC since they don't have any chance to be promoted up to the MLS. I've never seen Miami FC play, but I know, the quality of soccer (read: success and beauty of play) is always a significant reason for potential ticket consumers and season ticket holders to go and empty their wallets.

Another point that seems to be never discussed (or at least not since I am checking out the board here) is, that MLS has a media coverage USL-1 can't ever compete with. Once you get a weekly match on ESPN, you pretty much reach EVERY SINGLE HOUSEHOLD AND MILLIONS OF BARS worldwide. Not every household or bar tender will watch the MLS Primetime thursday, but chances are significantly rising, once they have the option. Not to mention all the extra coverage from soccer channels and glossy magazines since the arrival of a certain English Man and his wife. That plays a valid role in having a franchise pick up in my opinion.

What strikes me too is the fact that Miami is a metropolitan area with literally TONS of entertainment and cultural options to chose from daily, be it all the other already discussed sports franchises, the hip clubs, the vibriant music scene, the posibility to hang out the beach and get wasted and possibly laid throughout the year due to climate conditions, and millions of things that I don't even know anything about. Talking climate here, I don't know about everybody, but it takes a strong dedication to sit down in a stadium to watch a game with it having 100+ degrees in August, not to discuss cheering and jumping, yelling, waving flags ect... Not impossible, but quite exhausting and for some even dangerous to their health.

Miami seems to me quite a bit like LA on the East Coast. In terms of celebrity and plastic surgery density I don't know who leads the chart. What I mean to say here is that people have a lot of reasons to go to live in Miami, Sports may not be their number one priority. And of course I am aware of the population less privileged and not ridiculously famous and/or rich, but the local media usually concentrates on the middle to upper class, because that's the people they can sell their products to.

In Germany Berlin (Capitol) is the biggest market of them all, they have a brilliant, beautiful and huge stadium, but they never sell out. Their manager and the German Bundesliga have often pointed out, that the difference is the variety the consumer is able to chose from. Huge markets with prestige are always markets that are fought for hard by all kinds of investors, companies, TV networks.
Not all of what I pointed out may apply to Miami and there is people here that know much much more about that market, but maybe there is something to take out of that reasoning. Idk.

On a additional note to WhiteStarWarrior: I don't have the intention to piss you off or anything. That being said, I believe you could concentrate less on hating (that might be a word too strong, but you get the point) on Miami possibly getting an MLS team. I can't help and sometimes think it's because you're jelous of them probably getting a MLS side soonish, unlike Tampa Bay. Maybe I am completely mistaken and misread your intentions or comments. I mean I'd love to have Tampa Bay a team more than any other area in FL, but making Miami sound like the worst place ever, is not ever gonna make people consider Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay will be considered if we all stick together and if investors and MLS understands the solidarity of Soccer Lovers, you know. If we continuesly push it forward for Tampa, for Miami, for Florida those with the big bucks will not be able to look away any further. They will possibly understand that people are so desperate to see and have Pro-Soccer in Florida, that it will pay off to have two teams here.
As I said, no offense man, I understand your passion and value your efforts! peace.

 

Good point but you do have to admit that even in Germany a team in the 2nd league having around 600 fans is a small number..I don't hate Miami i'm just concerned that if their will be a MLS team their could be financial trouble..Soccer is about passion... USL is a second league so I guess according to Miami fans it doesn't count..where do you think all the great players started out in the minor leagues...every little city in Europe has a soccer team which is great..Miami has a opportunity and only 600 show up for a game...or is Miami so stuck-up they need Ronaldinho to play their so there will be jump on the bandwagon crowd

 

As far as Miami FC goes Traffic Sports is still trying to learn how to crack the nut that is our sports scene. The main problem is very few people even know we have a pro team down here. They are doing grassroots and only grassroots, so that takes time. Last season we averaged about 1,000 fans per game, it just takes time when there is almost no marketing other than going to schools.

And yes alot of Miami is that stuck-up and needs marque names in order to go see a game. International games do well here, so we need BIG international names. That's just the reality of the Miami sports fan.

 

Here are some interesting discussions regarding Miami FC:

http://www.usldiscussions.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=004225

Zinho and Romario are really BIG names in Brazil but they are wayway past their prime and their is no way you can sign a high-calibre player to the USL

 

LOL I have to agree on this, they will need a couple of big names to put some butts in the seats, no doubt. Thats the reality of Miami. But I think there is a future for a team here... and besides, which player wouldn't want to be in Miami? This place rocks!

 

Yes, I have to agree, when you say, that 600 people attendance is low for the German 2. Bundesliga, quite unthinkable to be honest. Actually even the third tier has an average of about 1500 visitors per game. Single clubs like Arminia Bielefeld (now Bundesliga) had an average of more than 10000 people per game, when they were competing in the Regionalliga.

There is a huge BUT, that I have to bring up though, that makes that comparison an invalid one. In Germany or in any other country of the big 5 in Europe or even in almost all European countries Soccer/Football does not have to compete with other huge sports leagues like in the USA. Not to mention with even FOUR top and world leading leagues: the NBA, NHL, NFL and sadly and dissappointingly steroid ridden MLB.

You know, the people a lot of times stick to what they were exposed to as kids. Soccer it is for the majority of Europeans, Latin Americans, Africans and even some Arabs and Asians. In contrary to that, in the USA it is American Football that is so huge to where it is hard to imagine how many games while college Football season you can watch on TV for someone that hasn't seen it. Not to mention the NFL, or the gazillions of College Football Teams throughout the nation and even High School Football Programs. And on top of that the quality of for instance SEC Football is remarkable, which is not the case with a lot of American Soccer.

Even High School Football gets more TV coverage (at least here in North Florida) than USL soccer gets, which is a shame if you ask me, without wanting to disrespect the quality of the High School Football programs.

So it is understandable that a lot of great athletes see their future in Football, Basketball, Baseball and Ice Hockey (more the Northerners) instead of maybe Soccer. It can't take you places here. I mean it can, being in the right environment, if you really push it and have the right kind of support and luck. And if you have a natural talent in addition.

I mean heck, I even catch myself enjoying Gators Football and the NBA quite recently, just because of the vacuum of Soccer coverage and the disability of subscribing to FSC or GOLTV though my provider in my area. ( I H.A.T.E. IT! btw)

That said, I believe the same happens to the fan, they grow up worshipping people like Brady, Favre, Tebow, Le Bron James, O'Neil, Le Cavallier (spelling?), Gretzky, Vanek ect. not so much Josy Altidore, Jason Kreis, Eric Wynalda, Freddy Adu, ect... As a result, they might develop a sympathy for Soccer in the best cases, but possibly not a die-hard fanhood attitute, like a lot of the kids/people having European or Latin-American roots. So they stick with their guns, or more the guns of their fathers and mothers.

So it is maybe a Miami problem in certain areas of the whole picture, but in the big picture it might just be the USA with it's culture and the fact that geographically, economically and culturally they are quite isolated.
What I mean with that? Well, if you live or grow up in the USA you don't really need to look much further, you are being fed with everything. A lot of times one forgets to ask him-/herself if that's even what they like. You know, Convenience betrays sometimes.

On an off-topic sidenote, Ronaldinho has seen better days. I believe he'll transfer to AC Milan or Chelsea any time soonish by the way. Maybe Barca and him don't get along that well anymore. Sometimes a change of surroundings can help to get back on top of your game.

Okay, enough for today. I hope I brought in some aspects that leads to understand the bigger picture. If not, I can live with it.

 

Without a domed atmosphere to protect the fans and players from the harsh elements that are here in South Florida during soccer season or a consistently winning team (unlikely); the reality of keeping fans going to this kind of venue is unrealistic. Build it and they will come is not enough. It has to be built right and then they will come.

 

That's a bunch of BS. Sound like someone dosen't know what they are talking about. USL is not a busch league. On any given day any team can win. USL and MLS are getting closer and closer in caliber each year. In fact USL pays better then MLS.

 

Yeah a website would be great. So who has one that can be transformed for Miami MLS? If anyone has a Mac it's easy to make it look real nice very easily. So who's going to step up and pay for a site?

 

If you say so. But in my opinion if you believe I don't know what I am talking about, it's you who sounds absolutely like you don't know what you're talking about.

Instead of making generalizations I tried to differentiate. You know that's what grown ups do when having a discourse/discussion. Don't see much of that in your paragraph.