The only question that matters is if anyone in Nashville will attend the games. To hell with talk of ownership models. What do we know about the fan base?
We don't know about the fan base, but we'll see in 2 months. One of the reasons for Chattanooga's attraction is the city's size is really in the sweet spot for minor league soccer. There's no serious expectation for Chattanooga to ever get an MLS club, so the sports fans in our area don't have the same "if it's not MLS, it's not 'real' soccer" mentality that a place like Atlanta has. In Nashville's case, there's a little bit of "we should have an MLS team" vibe, that could work against the city's sports fans getting behind the NPSL team. As another comparison, look at Tulsa. In their first year, they had great crowds (understandable since it's a large city & they've been without soccer for a while). BUT, that success attracted the attention of the USL, who'll be adding a Tulsa team in 2015. After which, I'm afraid the average sports fan will no longer consider the NPSL team an attractive option, regardless of how well they're run, or how successful the team is.
That's sad. Why would that exist there? After some qualifying games in Nashville a few years ago, they drew a whole 3,000-5,000 people per game for USMNT games...that's terrible. Why would they expect an MLS team?
I'm not saying it's prevalent, just that it exists. My theory is that any US metro area over 1,000,000 is large enough for fans to delude themselves into thinking they "deserve" an MLS team. Nashville is the 35th-largest metro area in the country at ~ 1,800,000 people. At those numbers, fans start seeing themselves as a "major" US city. It's also likely any city that has a major league team in any of the top 4-5 sports, is prone to imagine it should have a major league team in ALL of them. Which, of course, is dumb.
That was the Under-23 team, not the full-on national team. There were 3 games played over 5 days. Two of those games were on weeknights. The thursday night game drew 4,269, the Saturday game drew 10, 578, and another Monday night game drew 7,889. I will also add that US Soccer did almost zero promotion and advertising for these game in the Nashville area. They only do a little bit more for the full national team when they play in Nashville. The USWNT played Scotland on a rainy Wednesday night and drew 14,224 in 2013. The last three USMNT matches played in Nashville have drawn well. 26,141 against Morocco, 27,959 against Trinidad and Tobago, and 29,059 against Paraguay on another rainy Wednesday night. While I don't think that Nashville is ready for MLS, I do understand why some people would make the argument that someday we could get a team. Nashville's population is booming right now. The cities getting bigger and younger everyday. I don't think the Olympic qualifiers should be the sole reason that people don't think Nashville deserves a team. My wish is that Nashville someday gets a USL Pro team or a NASL team.
Nashville Football Club is excited to announce open tryouts for the 2015 season are now available for sign-ups. Must be 16 years of age in order to participate in the tryout and please make sure you are fit and ready to play. Must bring proof of age such as driver’s license, etc., shin guards and cleats/turfs. REGISTRATION FEE $30 – Online $35 – Walkup DATES / TIMES: Saturday December 20th– 12:30-3:00pm Sunday January 18th-12:30-3:00pm Saturday February 21st - 12:30-3:00pm March 7th- 12:30-3:00pm LOCATION: Vanderbilt Univ. turf fields off Natchez Trace / Wellington Place Pre-register 48 hours prior to the date you wish to tryout by completing this form / payment: https://NashvilleFC.formstack.com/forms/tryout_form After the 48 hour window, you will need to print and bring the form with you along with the walkup payment.
http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/1192...d-nashville-fc-under-threat-from-us-franchise there’s a real danger that the club could end up being a victim of its own success. Nashville FC’s growing popularity has flagged up the existence of an emerging football market in the region. So much so that the owner of a club based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (some 720 miles away) recently announced interest in a potential move south.
No offense to NFC, but I don't think their grassroots success has much to do with islanders interest at all. I think it has everything to do with H-burg being forced to relocate, the owner's son going to college in Nashville and Greer stadium being available.
Smallest metro with all four (plus MLS) is Denver, I believe. I believe Phoenix would be the second-smallest metro with all five if we got an MLS team, and we're the seventh-largest city in the country. And I think there are somewhere around 40, 42 metros total that even have one major league team. (This is all from memory, it might be close but not exact.)
Anyone on here know how Nashville FC did in terms of supporters and members? I saw they finished 4th, but I was kind of thinking about buying a membership. That being said, if there are very few supporters, then it'd be tough to get behind.
Didn't they say they finished fourth in attendance? Considering the league doesn't publish numbers and I have had no luck getting a reasonable sample of numbers from around the league for the last couple of years, I'm not sure how they can make that claim. I have seen a handful of attendance figures for them over their tenure and they have been pretty good, but to rank them within the league, you kinda have to have other clubs' figures, too. #justmath
Nashville FC has 300 fan "members" for the upcoming season who pay $75 each year, or $150 as "premier members," to vote on club decisions. They also receive special jerseys and other items not available to the general public.
Huh cool, any idea on average attendance? I think that is interesting that @kenntomasch mentions that they were fourth in attendance. Chattanooga FC would be 1st. Wonder what the numbers and other big movers were.
I'm not really sure if Detroit City is first or if Chatty is first...either way both franchises are doing their soccer business the right way...I applaud them.
DCFC isn't first. They've really been 3-4 on the list in the past. They have high games, for sure, and 2,500ish is good attendance. But Chattanooga and even Tulsa (pre-2015) were higher.
If Nashville FC applies assotiation football formula, club members don't expect profit. You expect that profit could be invested in club staff, players, stadium, etc. Usually amateur association football clubs are non-profit organizations.
Well they have 4359 likes on their Facebook page but their crowd shot pics suggests 300-500. At least in the few they show.
So I was wondering how you guys feel about moving up to the USL http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...ille-play-pro-soccer-expansion-team/83622346/
So the point being referenced here is that NFC chairman is said by the city to be the one inquiring for USL. However there's not other information because NFC won't comment on it. On Twitter it's being inferred that the chairman is doing it without knowledge of NFC. Drama.
I only said that because they said that. And then I - in the post right above yours - wondered how they could make that claim when the league doesn't publish numbers and there is, to my knowledge, no one like me who makes an attempt to compile them. Seems to me that we hear about any lower-level club that does draw well. It's not like people tend to keep that a secret. As for Nashville, well, hell, welcome to the party. We'll try not to focus on the fact you are super late and be glad you are here at all.
Oh I wasn't calling you out or anything. I just think it is interesting because for all I know that is true. I mean my local team, the Georgia Revolution, does not get 300 a game I can assure you of that. But the whole lower league soccer movement in America seems to be pick up enough steam where maybe more teams will be reporting attendances soon.