Like many NYC soccer fans, I am anxious for MLS to add a team within the city limits (Go Cosmos! but please not in Queens). The question I pose is what do you think will be the affect on the NYRB? Many have assumed that it would increase interest in the New York area and that a derby would become a great rivalry. But what if a second New York team within the city completely overshadows the red bulls? I mean if the base grows considerably, the chances may be that the fans go heavy towards the new team (especially if the Cosmos return). While we can only speculate, I see the distinct possibility that NYRB may not have the ability to compete with that. Many may think that this is a good thing, but they did just build a new and amazing stadium. It would be a great thing if the city had two respectable teams with good sized fan bases, but if a new team cannibalizes the NYRB fans then i think it may create problems. Any thoughts?
Sorry, I don't understand NY fans. Yes, it would be ideal to play in the city. I get that. But RB Arena is a 20 min. train ride for crying out loud. And it's a fantastic first class stadium. Yet, there's no buzz and run for season tickets. What gives? Other cities (eg. Philly, Chicago) have suburban stadiums and are doing just fine. Support the team you have! No second team until you prove that you can fully support your first team. What do you have--20 million people in your metro region and you can't sell out a few thousand season tickets? Come on.
We all are. People tend to say Queens because realistically it's the most plausible location. I don't think anyone would contest if they could put a stadium in Midtown, but that's simply not going to happen. And with the price/sq ft lowest in Queens, coupled with a much lower population density, it would create the least amount of problems. But city limits is the main goal..so if they could put it in BK, BX or Manhattan, it would be great (well not Staten Island, sorry). A lot of people are concerned with the 1st "NY" club failing. And it is a serious concern. But with competition comes alteration. I'd argue that the pressure of a 2nd NY club would push Red Bull to start focusing on their fans. People might say that RB focused on their fans by building a new stadium, but its more accurate to say that they rebranded the Metro, and INHERITED the stadium plans (the work was already done for them). And the identity most fans yearn for was abandoned when the Austrian company erased the name, discarded the uniforms and mimicked the Red Bull cans. If Red Bull starts to see fans leave, maybe they'll begin to listen to their die-hard fans who have been screaming for them to listen for ages now. My dream is for either Red Bull to sell or somehow revamp their club to NJSC (in addition to the Cosmos return). NJ-based fans deserve a club...and they don't deserve one named after RB and called NY. They don't even have to attach a location to their name. They can do a Sky Blue FC kinda deal. Fans need to identify with the team. When RBNY figures out how they can get fans to identify with an energy drink team, then we'll see two clubs prospering instead of one overshadowing the other.
Why do you think that? The Harrison stadium is located in the best non-NYC location, if that says anything. Giants stadium was horrible, but they get huge soccer crowds. Here are a few in the last couple of years that I personally went to: And if you go back to the first few Metro games...they had a lot of people in the stands. So why do you think no one is showing up now? 22 mil in the metro area. Many are Mexican, Central American, South American, Western European and Eastern European...and have a love for soccer. Why do you think no one cares?
If those pics were from a Red Bulls match, I'd say great. They're not. New York may support your national team and international friendlies. The MLS and Red Bulls are struggling to sell tickets in NY. Adding another team may create a nice derby or maybe it'd create two struggling NY teams in a region that doesn't seem to care for MLS.
Ill start by asking why not queens? The demographics of Queens alone is the perfect reason for a soccer team there. It is so diverse with so many cultures. Queens is the most diverse county in the country - it is like the ideal place and maybe I am a bit bias but just from the outside looking in - if this is going to work, I think Queens is the best place for that to happen. Honestly - i dont think it would hurt RB but only help them. A derby would create rivalry and we love our rivalry in NY. Not everyone is going to jump on the cosmos bandwagon just because they are the Cosmos. Some people who already are a die hard RB supporter will stay rooting for them and then there are those will root for RB because maybe they live by Harrison. There are 9 million people in this city - and not all who are interested in soccer would root for the same side! Bottom line is - with NY - Its a demographics thing that is soo difficult to explain but there is a reason that Queens and Long Island have a lot of Mets/jets/Islanders fans. Then go to the Bronx and you find a lot of Yankees/Giants/Rangers fans. Growing up in this city - i can pretty much tell you - there will be many people who hate any second MLS2 side - and many would hate them just because they played in Queens (if thats the location) as there are those who hate the borough! (No joke) Yes there are exceptions to all rules - i know but im just saying. Just like those people in LA frowned at me when i told them i went to the Valley and I didnt understand that! Two teams will cause a rivalry and cause more people to take an interest.
Hey, if you say so. NYC alive with passion for the MLS would be incredible for the league in so many ways.
i think so but at the same time - the league has to do its part too and raise the cap a bit more - i mean that goes for all markets - not just NY! I would like to see the day where all MLS clubs are drawing 20K per game.
I had decided to not answer these types of posts anymore but what the heck. Here goes. lol There is no buzz or run for tickets because there is a spare interest in RB and prior to that the MetroStars. The FO's had failed to full exploit the market and they received what they sowed in return. As far as RBA, yes its a nice place but it just doesn't have the drawing power that it needs. NY'ers aren't easily duped with fancy decorations, we want real substance. A new stadium doesn't do it. What are you, our parents? Who do you think that you are? Just because you don't have options, doesn't mean we shouldn't. Grow up.
Maybe MLS should alive in passion for NYC. Aside from having the office HQ here, their rules and regulations are not favorable to a NYC team.
Sorry bro - this makes no sense - the rules and regulations are not favorable for any team lol - not just a NYC team.
A true soccer rivalry in this city would be the best thing to ever happen to this sport in this country. Can you imagine how the subways would light up on game day? How the city would take sides? How fans would line up? It would be the premier rivalry in the country. Right now people on this side of the river are just waiting. No one believes anything will happen. They've heard it so many times that it just doesn't phase anyone anymore. I think that people will only believe it when someone actually starts building a stadium.
You know what I meant. You said it yourself. Raise the cap, increase the roster, allow academy signings. MLS can't continue doing what it's doing and expect a team in NYC to do well. They need to raise this cap, they need to help grow this sport.
And this is what I love about some New Yorkers. Queens, a borough of the city, is too far away! I have to say, as a teenager in central Suffolk Co. most everyone I knew was Mets/Giants/Rangers. With a world-class stadium just a PATH train ride away, don't expect a lot of sympathy.
Yea, I live in central Suffolk County, too. although I don't watch any other sport besides football..ermm soccer.. if people ask, i say i say support the 3 teams you mentioned, as do most that I know. But don't expect me to to get on the path for a team in Jersey coming all the way from Ronkonkama train station. A direct train from ronkonkama to Penn is 1 hour 15 mins with no delays. Then add of subway + path & transfers. NOt to mention a not that late last train back to NYC. No thanks. I support red bull rite now, but have attended 2 matches in my entire life. 2 matches vs DC united. I support them because they are the only team around, and that is as far as my support goes.
Likewise, considering that you support the Revs and not the RedBulls, being that you are from Suffolk.
Likewise, considering that you support the Revs and not the RedBulls, being that you are from Suffolk.
As I said there are exceptions to every rule but sorry = most the people I knew as a teenager and still know now in Queens and Brooklyn - are Mets/jets/Islanders - do i know others that mix it up - of course just saying for the majority not trying to argue - because it just proves my one point that both teams would be supported. Im sure you knew a lot of people with that allegiance. I know a lot of Dolphin/Yankee fans for those that were of Italian heritage too. Again - the demographics of New York are tough to explain! Your telling me though you dont know more than 1 person who is Mets/Jets/Islanders - if you say you dont know 1 - then sorry - I will doubt you and think you are just trying to prove me wrong!
Until you understand that the metrostars and then red bull have never been interested in the City. For them, the promise land has always been the suburban soccer family (ie white). This may have been the case for much of the league. they utterly failed to establish a foothold in the ethnic neighborhoods in NYC and never gave them a reason to add a team to the teams they follow from home. Coupled with the fact that they have never shown respect for the committed soccer fan, letting the NJSEA security run roughshod, treating their supporters club like crap, it's a hard thing to love. Nevertheless, I loved. I loved and loved. The Metrostars were my team. Period. But along came red Bull, and changed the organization from a soccer team -- a poor soccer team no doubt, but a soccer team nonetheless -- to an energy drink advertisement. That was a bridge too far for me. I'm not interested in being a tool of the board room where they thought that one up; "hey, let's by a sports team, name it after the can of soda, so that when people chant the name of the team, it's free advertising for our sugared poison." So forgive me for loving soccer, loving american soccer, and wanting it to offer something so much better than the Red Bull and its organization -- an organization that has its own supporters arrested in New England. The Borough Boys are striving for more, and better, and what we are doing is not just for NYC, but for the health and vitality of the game in the US (and I suppose Canada too).
While the hockey thing is a little different, there aren't that many giants fans on Long Island. Maybe LT lived in your town or something.
I'm not from Suffolk Co., I just lived there from the late-80s to late-'90s. I'm from the Boston area and live here again. I wasn't trying to argue, if anything I was trying to reinforce your point about the oddness of NY sports fanhood. Just pointing out my personal experience. For the record this was the Port Jeff/Miller Place/Sound Beach/Rocky Point area on the North Shore. I do feel bad for my LI-based RB friends. My pal Mark is always saying, "so basically I have to cross three islands to get to RBA?" I was at that game, and wow, it takes a lot for the Midnight Riders to express sympathy and solidarity with New York fans but that incident was insane. Even by the standards of the podunk Foxboro PD who have made no bones about their anti-soccer fan attitude in the past. The fact that RBNY didn't alert the local Red Bull distibutor, who put on that little party, that a large contigent of fans were coming and to expect them...I mean jeez.
By the way, from my experience the Midnight Riders are a true class act. And this is coming from someone who looks for any excuse to hate all things new england, so that's saying something.