The Fresno USL Expansion Thread

Discussion in 'USL Expansion' started by Knave, May 4, 2017.

  1. sj_oldtimer

    sj_oldtimer Member

    Nov 18, 2005
    Clovis CA
    Downtown Fresno is the least expensive land unless they move to Madera County, and even then, the stadium would have to be away from developer areas. It has been demonstrated with other SSS around the country that building these stadiums anywhere in the suburbs is a mistake, especially if the stadium is not accessible by any means other than a long drive for most of the spectators. Downtown Fresno is relatively easy to access from most areas of the Fresno metro area...I live in Clovis and often use Amtrak...only 15 minutes away from the Willow/Barstow intersection, right at the Fresno/Clovis city limit.
     
  2. Cavekicker

    Cavekicker New Member

    Fresno FC
    United States
    Feb 9, 2018
    Fresno, CA
    athletics68 repped this.
  3. athletics68

    athletics68 Member+

    Dec 12, 2006
    San Diego & San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Has the team not explored any other options in the area?
     
  4. 2in10

    2in10 Member+

    LA Galaxy, Internazionale
    United States
    Jun 19, 2016
    Sparks, NV
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  5. athletics68

    athletics68 Member+

    Dec 12, 2006
    San Diego & San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Really!? That’s an interesting choice. Not a huge population there. And travel is going to be problematic being so far from any major Interstate or airport.
     
  6. 2in10

    2in10 Member+

    LA Galaxy, Internazionale
    United States
    Jun 19, 2016
    Sparks, NV
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Agree. Might have something to do with the availability of a stadium even if they do have to renovate. I guess they could be hoping to tap into Salinas but still a very small population.

    I was looking into Metro area sizes and saw that Reno is the second smallest of the 2020 teams in both USLC and USL1. Only Tormenta FC (Statesboro, GA home of Georgia Southern U) is smaller.
     
  7. ThreeApples

    ThreeApples Member+

    Jul 28, 1999
    Smurf Village
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This article says it would take a year to do the renovations at CSUMB, so this ownership would not field a team anywhere for 2020.

    https://www.ksbw.com/article/usl-fo...a-new-home-on-the-monterey-peninsula/29645992

    The stadium is paved over with concrete and is used only for commencement ceremonies.

    The Salinas MSA, which is coterminous with Monterey County, would be the smallest in USL-C with a bit over 400,000. The county is huge in land area, so maybe under 300,000 are within reasonable distance to try to draw fans. CSUMB is about 10 miles from downtown Salinas (pop. 156,000) and a similar distance from the towns on the Monterey Peninsula. The campus is on the former Fort Ord Army base. This idea is pretty much the opposite of putting a team in the middle of an urban core.

    There is an airport with United Express/American Eagle commuter plane service, but I'd guess that most visiting teams would fly into San Jose and bus down (a bit over one hour in light traffic).

    Old-timers might remember that Salinas was the home of the California Jaguars, who played at various levels of USISL/USL in the 90s, including two years in the D2-level A-League.
     
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  8. 2in10

    2in10 Member+

    LA Galaxy, Internazionale
    United States
    Jun 19, 2016
    Sparks, NV
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That distance is closer than I thought and I would think rather doable. Would the region be able to support a USL-C team is the next question.

    Salinas MSA is estimated in 2018 at 435,000 with Reno MSA at 469,000 but growing at a faster clip. There is a report that the Reno area could grow 9% from the 2018 estimate by 2023.
     
  9. athletics68

    athletics68 Member+

    Dec 12, 2006
    San Diego & San Jose
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    70 miles to the nearest airport. But keep in mind that it’s 75 min in good traffic... which is only late at light or early in the pre dawn am. Any time during daylight or the commute you’re looking at a lot more.

    Biggest issue is being in the middle of not much. Neither near downtown Salinas or Monterey.
     
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  10. SpencerNY

    SpencerNY Member+

    Dec 1, 2001
    Up in the skyway
    We'll were back this season as Central Valley Fuego FC. Details are sparse but apparently home games will be played at Fresno State Soccer Stadium.

    Fuego played a U.S. Open Cup match last night at Lamonica Stadium and it looked to have 1,000+. Judging by the pictures I've seen of the lone group of bleachers at Fresno State, hopefully the team has worked out a deal to expand the bleachers significantly.
     
  11. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Wow I thought the Fresno Fuego folded. Glad they are back!
     
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  12. SpencerNY

    SpencerNY Member+

    Dec 1, 2001
    Up in the skyway
    Yep! They're pretty set on getting a soccer specific stadium built downtown--easier said than done, but I guess it's that way in most cities. Hey, I endured years of games at Spartan Stadium and Buck Shaw, so I'm used to the pain.
     
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