I agree, but it is worth noting that Orlando USL played in the Citrus Bowl 2011, 2012, and 2013 which at the time sat 65K. Average attendance was between 5,200 and 6,600. They would have played 2014 there too except for the renovations to prepare for MLS etc. So, it can be done, and if you have an eye for MLS it is not a bad option for growth...but it is far from ideal.
Problem is they don't have an eye toward MLS. This USL group isn't the same group putting forth San Diego's MLS bid this month.
Just to get a better overview as it's quite confusing to me right now. These are the potential/reported owners & investors, locations and connections for San Diego pro soccer teams. Please add, if I missed something or correct if, if it's wrong San Diego NASL Demba Ba, Eden Hazard and other players on investment side with Club 9 Sports (presumably @PeterWilt1) Albion NASL in the South Bay. San Diego USL Ownership group unknown, sources suggest that all owners are of Japanese origin including AC Milan star Keisuke Honda. Battalion/Surf USL in North County San Diego MLS This group holds exclusivity with MLS for SD The principal money man is Mike Stone, the founder of FS Investors Steve Altman, former vice chairman at Qualcomm (major donor for SDSU’s JAM Center basketball practice facility, Altman is the “A” in JAM) Brothers Masood and Massih Tayebi. Padres owner Peter Seidler said last June he was part of the group but several sources close to him confirmed he is not currently involved. Moores, the former Padres owner, also has been linked to a plan to redevelop the Qualcomm site as a university annex with a mid-sized stadium and possibly purchase an MLS team. An associate said he is no longer involved in either project. Joint stadium with SDSU, likely @ current Qualcomm NFL stadium site
Just occurred to me, are we sure the San Diego USL group is related to the formerly North County Battalion (Now SoCal Surf) group? I was just looking at all 3 sub-D3 teams websites (SoCal Surf, San Diego Zest FC (USL PDL) and Albion SC Pros (NPSL)) and it jumped out at me that on the Zest's website they have a Japanese language option. And they're holding "International 2017 Tryouts" this year with a clear focus on Japan. Is is possible that the Zest are actually the group that Keisuke Honda is associated with in his attempt to bring a USL D2 team to SD? https://www.sandiegozestfc.com/blank-19 Or is that just coincidence?
Good find, certainly one that would make sense, as to why on earth they'd have a Japanese language version of their website in the first place. Not very common for such a amateur or semi pro team I'd say.
Looks like they already held the Japanese based "International" try out too back in December. http://www.sandiegozestfc.us/2016/11/30/international-open-tryout-in-japan/ More and more I look at Zest the more it seems to fit that they're the group behind the USL bid rather than the Battalion/Surf group.
Heard today that there was a link between Demba Ba, Hazard, et all, Surf and Honda. Like the company Honda not the player. No idea the strength of the source, just something overheard.
So the USL bid is independent of anything we have now. Makes sense I guess. I mean the North County NASL bid seems to be independent of anyone local as well. Only the Albion South Bay NASL bid seems to have any ties to any of the extant local teams. And of course none seem to have any ties to the MLS bid either. Amazing that we've got 4 different groups trying to bring soccer to SD. Even more amazing that none of the 4 are working together to try and get it done.
Which is crazy because IIRC a couple of years back someone said that there were at least 4 groups trying to bring soccer to San Diego and most of us said we had doubts
So I guess no announcement in March as they originally stated they would. Wonder if the USL in SD thing is going to happen or not now...
I always thought that USL tip was a bit half baked. The USL component in San Diego is contingent on the MLS picture here.
From what we'd last heard the USL bid was independent of the MLS bid. So that wouldn't have been the case. But then there's been nary a peep in months regarding the USL bid despite the last we'd heard March was the month they'd be revealing their plans. Wonder if the MLS plans, albeit independent, derailed USL at all?
I would say there is a high probability that the MLS bid threw a stick in their plans, and either became more cautious or formed a relationship with the MLS bid. From what was reported both the USL and MLS groups were looking at Qualcomm as the location where they would play. If there was any truth to that then the USL group is beholden to the MLS group no matter if they want to be or not.
Well supposedly it was one location. The other was Torero. But either I think would be at the mercy of the MLS group given Torero is just above Mission Valley and of course Qualcomm IS the MLS site (if it happens).
I'd never really trust a random string of tweets as a credible "report" but from what I understand of the process, the "reported" USL bid in reference to Keisuke Honda has always been part of the FS Investors MLS bid. I think someone passed half of a story to someone else who passed a piece of that to someone else.
I saw these two stories a while back: - https://www.soccernation.com/keisuke-honda-embarks-on-u-s-youth-soccer-development/ - https://www.soccernation.com/soltilo-fc-host-successful-futsal-clinic/ There was this reddit thread too that connected some dots: - https://www.reddit.com/r/NASLSoccer..._usl_to_launch_a_san_diego_franchise_in_2018/ There isn't anything I've found that directly outlines the connection, but I've had conversations with Honda's people who have told me directly that they are involved with the MLS bid, but that they have no role yet. Not sure what else that could mean.
Explains why we haven't heard anything then. MLS isn't a go yet so what would be the point of USL being a go if its part of the MLS bid.
Exactly. Which is why I said that those tweets from before were only half the story. The big USL news that was supposed to come in March was probably this: https://www.soccernation.com/usl-announce-plan-to-launch-third-division-pro-league-in-2019/ What that means for USL D2 is a mystery to me though. It sounds like more details will be coming later this summer.
Interesting. Certainly seems likely that MLS2 teams and a few lower level USL teams will end up in this new USL 2.
I wouldn't count on MLS 2 teams ending up there. The complaint about them being unhappy in D2 has been vastly unsubstantiated.