I'm on the fence. I can see MLS moving the "franchise slot" to Sacramento, or another place for that matter, and having a second LA team come around once the demand gets to that level. As it is, the Galaxy are definitely huge and the most recognizable team in MLS, but they don't enjoy the insane support from their own market as other markets do. Also, moving 2nd LA to Sacramento could be the big push Republic FC needs to get a stadium done and get all of the investors to step out of the woodwork. You just have to ask - does MLS benefit more, in the near-to-mid term, from having a second team in LA, or having a team in Sacramento? I don't really know, but I could make a good case for either decision.
I've seen Galaxy supporters basically suggest that the main reason the team doesn't command sell-out-every-game support is fundamentally a lack of marketing presence in LA. (It's been a few years since I've lived in LA, but when I was there I would have agreed with that assessment.) One of the best arguments I've seen for a really strong LA2 team is that it'd be the genuine kick in the pants that the Galaxy need. Anyway, point is, I'm not sure empty seats at Galaxy games are necessarily an argument against LA2. They might actually be an argument for LA2.
When you are in LA, no one mentions the Galaxy. That is where the problem stems from. They treat the Galaxy the same way Sacramento talks about the RiverCats. We may support them as our team, but no one talks about them in everyday conversation in the same way they talk about the other major sports teams. Listen to any sports conversation in San Francisco (where I currently live) and the discussions focus on the Raiders, Warriors, 49ers, Giants and Sharks (I hate hockey). There will never be a mention of the Earthquakes. In Los Angeles, no one talks about the Galaxy. The Galaxy are not a sexy LA team. They tried to be, but the sports culture there needs Puigs, and Bryants. Who are outgoing and put themselves in the news. Not Donovans, who shy from it. There is a rumble currently in the sports scene in Sacramento. Whispers of the Republic. I've had more Republic talks with people in the past 6 months than I have RiverCats talks total. The people of Sacramento will determine the long term success of our bid for an MLS franchise, not Warren Smith. Cal Expo and the Arden Area is not going to pull the same kind of attendance number percentages that Sac City College has, just based on location and ease of access. Lazy fans can get to City, but lets see if there is enough initiative in our soccer culture to go to Cal Expo. I am worried personally, because our US Open Cup games have the same kind of attendance as other USL Pro teams do. They are played at Cosumnes, and no one goes or cares. Will the Cal Expo site be the death of this momentum? The US Open Cup is a huge opportunity for Sacramento to make a huge name and lots of noise for its Soccer team, and we are dropping the ball.
Cal Expo seats 8k, season ticket holders account for 5.5k. I don't think it will be hard to get 2.5k lazy people to find their way to Cal Expo. I haven't gone to the US Open games at Consumes for one good reason. I don't want to deal with traffic on 99 on a work day.
Sorry but you're way off. First, Cal Expo is not a "worse" location for access. That is entirely dependent upon where you are traveling from. Have you been to a Hughes game? Have you sat in the line of cars trying to exit off 12th Ave? Or crawl along Sutterville at a snails pace? Sorry, Cal Expo is designed for high volume traffic. It will be better. Second, they are moving two miles from the current location (and both locations, Hughes and Cal Expo are about equal distance form downtown.), so again, your "location and ease of access" point is bunk. If they were relocating to Galt, you may have a point, but even then, fans would still show up. Lazy fans?!?!? Really?!?! The attendance at the first three games seems to argue otherwise. If you think that the almost 60,000 fans who showed up for three regular season games is less important than the 3,000 fans who showed up for two, last minute scheduled, mid-week games against amateur opponents......whatever, dude. Plus, they are moving to what will probably be one of the nicest fields in all of NASL and USL Pro. Like @HectorF18 said, 5.5+K seats in an 8K stadium are spoken for. The rest of the season is going to be an 8K sellout. Sacramento does not need the US Open Cup to make a name for itself. Our bid for an MLS franchise from a community/ fan support position, is LOCKED IN. Sac has obliterated the USL Pro's attendance records, and beat many MLS clubs so far this year. No one doubts Sacramento's fan support anymore. Hell no. Warren just needs to work on big $$ investors and a stadium plan.
This would be very good for our chances since I don't think MLS wants to move Chivas out of LA. Source: David Beckham could leave MLS expansion in Miami for Chivas USA David Beckham has been presented with an alternative option to his bid to start a Major League Soccer club in Miami that could see him instead go head-to-head with his former club, the Los Angeles Galaxy. Beckham, who played for the Galaxy from 2007 to 2012, was approached this week to become part of a consortium led by Asian investors who are planning to bid for L.A.'s other MLS club, Chivas USA, according to a source with direct knowledge of the offer..... https://sports.yahoo.com/news/sourc...-for-chivas-usa-in-los-angeles-232552030.html
MLS will bend over backward to get Beckham into the league in a front-office role, so if that requires Miami to play at SunLife or Lockhart for a year or six, that's gonna be what'll happen. Hell, they may even give Marlins Park a shot, and let Fishgod do his thing after every FC Miami goal.
Don't agree with that at all. Maybe, and a big maybe, they will let him play at one of those, IF he is building a SSS. Without an ironclad stadium plan in place,........no Miami Beckham. Miami isn't NYC. MLS has made it clear with their actions that NYCFC was a "must have" market (for a second team), and charged a premium for it. Garber has made it clear with his statements that Miami is not a "must have" market. I don't think there are any more of those "must have" markets left.
Sacramento Republic brings a startup vibe to soccer -- Sacramento Bee Nice to hear, but let's see them sign on ...
I mostly agree with this, but a whole lot of fans went to Hughes by light rail and RT helped by scheduling extra trains. I hope there's at least extra bus service to Cal Expo.
Small bit of news: Sacramento Republic FC Opens Bonney Field - capradio.org At 14,000, you can starting thinking about making the jump to MLS.
Sacramento Is Underdog To Land MLS Team - Capradio.org So Sacramento is being told it's #25. But if Miami falls apart, or Minneapolis falls though ...
That is an interesting thought does LA really need 2 clubs? With the Popularity of the Galaxy is it even feasible to consider a second club in La could even succeed under any ownership or model that is put in. If it was the only team in the LA market I could see the need to want to keep it going but it is not.
I agree..the need for a 2nd team in LA is debatable, but MLS seems to think they do need it this point so we have to go by the thinking that it will stay at LA for the time being.
Yes the key words you used are for the time being. There are a few Cities that have gotten momentum who are on the outside looking into MLS expansion for the most part. Sacramento, Indy, MINN to name a few waiting a few years to see which one would be the best to relocate. It may not be a bad idea to see a series of friendlies with Chivas visiting these cities over the next few years. Even add San Antonio to that mix.
What is a series of friendlies going to do? All the teams you listed- Sac, Indy, Minny, and SA all have demonstated a good, solid fanbase with their attendance, and have solid ownership groups that know how to run a minor league team. Chivas visiting once isn't going to change that, or show a different quantifier for MLS expansion/ relocation. All those cities will be in MLS eventually, IMO. How soon, and in what order is the big question. It all depends on current ownership putting together a MLS stadium plan and big $$ investors.<--(This is the wildcard in play)