A+++++++++++++++ Just wait, anyone who thinks this was a bad decision, just wait. I think any true fan of soccer would appreciate the fact that the league is expanding anyway. Where it expands to, who really cares. As long as the passion of soccer is spreading across the best country in the world, we should all be happy. Can't wait to see SLC.
I say 'B', with the answer to the intangible deciding it in the long run. The plusses: Expansion is a good of league vitality. Having someone of Checkettts' stature associated with the league is exceptionally good. If he likes it, the rest of the sports establishment may take a more serious look. The minuses: Salt Lake City is not the major media market that MLS would otherwise like. Until the expansion was announced, SLC didn't seem to have any especial reputation as a soccer hot-bed, which raises questions about it's desire for, and ability to support , a team. The intangible: Is the talent base in the US broad enough to stock one or two more teams? perc
I say A. The more I think about it, the more it seems to make sense. It's a big area, lots of money, and only one other major sports league in town. Checketts seems to be an exciting owner. Of course we won't know if it's really a great move until a year or so from now, but at this moment, SLC appears to be a good choice.
What about when the MLS expanded to Miami and Chicago? The MLS was playing to the area's populations being Chicago's Polish and Miami's Latinos. Now look, both of the Florida franchises are defunct. Who is Salt Lake City playing for? Mormons? Whenever I hear expansion I think of Rochester. I, like many other area fans, are ardent supporters of the club. Last week when Montréal came to town, we were just shy of sell-out. If expansion fever were to hit Rochester, it'd help the piss-poor economy of Western NY.
That's absolutely brilliant logic! Right on a par with "The Supermodel should go out with me because I haven't had a dat ein six months.."
I hope the franchise does wonderfully. I'm a bit shocked they haven't awarded a team either in the Pacific Northwest or to the Rhinos. I've witnessed a little bit of Portland's and Seattle's fan base and have been impressed. The Rhinos have been a great squad with a great following. Utah came out of the blue for me, though I guess the Blitz has done okay. I really don't care if a market is big or small as long as the stadium is packed. ----Mark
Miami was a stupid place to expand. There are lots of Central and South Americans, and Haitians in Miami, but it is a predominantly Cuban town. Cubans play BASEBALL. Soccer is less popular in Cuba than in the US. I think that the reason they got the expansion team is that the Commission at the time (whose name escapes me at the moment) was half Cuban with lots of business ties in Miami. I agree that Rochester deserves it, though, are they still playing on a baseball field? ----Mark
Construction has begun on Paetec Park, a 14.000 seat soccer spec. stadium, owned by the Rhino's, expandable to 20,000..However, sorry 2 admit, they still play on that pathetic baseball pitch. Can't wait till next year..
It doesnt really matter to me at this point who gets the expansion nod. Just hope that Rochester is next on the list. Not only are they able 2 compete (i.e. us cup, beating 3 MLS teams to take it all), but they will outdraw any MLS team from day 1 and establish leading average attendance for yrs 2 come!!
I feel sorry for you that you feel that SLC will be playing for just "Mormons". True it is that there are a lot of Mormons in Salt Lake. However, there is every single race, creed, color and religion here that the team will be "playing for". The stereo-types that are placed on SLC are very ignorant. Why don't you just go ahead and say that soccer players in Boston are playing for the Catholics? Or for Baptists down south? We ARE a hotbed for any sport being that the lifestyle in SLC is very health/sport/family oriented. I myself live in beautiful SLC and am not a Mormon. What a SHOCK! A Salt Laker who isn't Mormon! I guess that comes as a shock to anyone who does not know this community and throws out the ignorant stereotypes at will. Soccer is for PEOPLE. In SLC there will be a passion that will be revealed to all who love soccer. How about we all just accept the fact that MLS is in SLC and get used to it because we will be around for a long time..............Thanks.
The move to SLC only avoids a 'D' because that wasn't an option on the ballot. So I give it a gentleman’s 'C'. Rochester would have been a better move, B+. Seattle wanted more time and is getting it; placing a team there in ’05, with the head owner knowing ’06 would be better, would have been foolish. Personally, I don’t think any other city was ever really an option. Explanation: No matter how exciting it is to have a team in SLC, it’s a risky business move. I’m not one to take too many risks, so I gave it a low rating. That doesn’t mean I think it will flop, I hope SLC succeeds big time, but what it comes down to is I don’t know how the local public will respond. And I don’t think anyone else does, either. Checketts seems confident, as he should being the main push for the team. But to me, ambiguous fan support is as wild as a card can get. From my experience of living in Utah (’94 – ’98) and playing local soccer there (Orem adult league) there is not much of a soccer buzz. There is no soccer history or tradition of which to speak. There has been one women’s national team game . . . ever, no men’s, no big club games, and no NCAA men’s games (thanks to title IX no Utah colleges compete in the NCAA. On a side note, BYU took an interesting step a while back by joining the PDL). Utah does not even a successful ex-NASL, NPSL, or APSL team to boast about. Nothing. The precedence for supporting professional soccer in Utah is as close to ‘0’ as you can possibly get. Soccer history or tradition isn’t essential, I believe, but without it you don’t have a basis of comparison and it is difficult for anyone to say what will happen. With Rochester you know what you’re getting. Since I tend to play it safe I would take the sure thing – a guaranteed minimum 10,000 fans per game (more for MLS), an organized and experienced ownership team, and a franchise that will be around for more than a decade. Seattle guarantees success, too. Both were better bets than SLC. Plus, arguments to support success in SLC are unconvincing. Youth soccer participation is high, but there are a lot of youth there (highest birth rate of any state, I believe), and that has no impact on box office success (birth rate or youth participation). The state has a lot of Hispanics, but not even a percentage of what you may find in Florida, Texas, and California, and the Fusion, Burn, and Earthquakes aren’t exactly models of success). Checketts has sports experience, and let there be no doubt he is the only reason a team is in SLC, but IMO he’s a wildcard, too. How committed is he to soccer? What will he do if he hemorrhages money for the first three or four years? Finally, the stadium deal is far from a sure thing; reassurances of millions of dollars from owners and politicians made days before the announcement deadline are about as reliable as my ’84 Audi Quattro. Good luck, Utah soccer fans. It’s a dice roll and I hope you win. Prediction: Utah will not be the Fusion, but I don’t think it is Columbus, either. They should have a great first year or two, but real success will take five or six years to determine, after the novelty has worn out. If they can get a stadium built early, put together an attractive product, and excite a fan base (sign a marquee player, attract national team games, have success at the US Open Cup, for example), they should do fine. If the stadium gets bogged down and the fans lose get another single-entity-ruled-mediocre-team (pick your favorite), then the franchise will limp along like so many others in the MLS (Kansas City, San Jose, Dallas) or leave town altogether (welcome back to NYC, Checketts). Parting shot. Chivas USA has a chance to inject some life into this league. I hope they come out firing, win the next three MLS championships, and engender some good old fashion ethnic soccer hatred/rivalry in this country. Tap into that subverted nationalism brewing in our blood. Chivas, the immigrant Mexican team, storms in and takes over American soccer! Think Celtics verses Rangers. Think Boca verses River. Bring on the passion.
It shows they are accomplishing a lot with a little, which is where good investors put their money. If they can earn X with Y, maybe they can earn a lot more with just a little more money.
A B for now, with a more accurate grade due after the third season. There's definitely potential, but it's always a very anxious thing to expand given the previous contraction and that two teams are really struggling for attendance. On the other hand, we knew the league wasn't going to be an immediate run-away success, so it's better to struggle forward than to not even exist.
Not every team in a Major league needs to be from a major media market? I mean, the mighty NFL has Green Bay, the NBA has a team in SLC, and the NHL... really, how many media outlets are there in Calgary? Ottowa? This team will probably sell tickets, with no other major summer sport around. And showing games played in front of an active and enthusiastic crowd can only help the league. Especially with a dynamic midfielder like Danny Szetela at the heart of things Furthermore, the league NEEDS twelve teams. twelve teams = some sort of competition to get into the playoffs. ( just wait, they'll go to a ten-team playoff format now). twelve teams = six games a week = %20 more highlights to turn up on Sports Center. And SLC was ready to go. They win. I look forward to seeing Seattle and possibly Rochester soon. But for now, Welcome Salt Lake.
Man, come on now, you lived in Orem bro. This is the Salt Lake Valley we are talking about. The only thing people in Utah county like is BYU football. Come on dog, Soccer thrives in the Salt Lake Valley. That's the only comment I thought I'd make. Thanks--
I live in western NY... Considering the politics and economy of this region... I suggest MLS doesn't even bother... The moment something attracts interest around here, the unions and local polit bureau will make sure it's 10x the cost, and run it into the ground... MLS doesn't quite have the pull to grease enough dirty palms around here...
dont really care where MLS expands to, as long as the team is successful, and helps the league be successful.