News: Thursday, March 15 , 2018

Chicago withdraws from 2026 World Cup bid.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/emanuel-pulls-chicago-out-of-world-cup-bid/

Is this because FIFA is being unreasonable with its financial demands on host cities or is it because Chicago's financial situation is so bad. Probably both.

Still mind blowing given that US Soccer has been headquarter in Chicago for a long time.

 

The MLS-Liga MX partnership could alter soccer's North American trajectory
The Guardian

U.S. game boosted by MLS wins over Liga MX
ESPN

Classy Chivas peg one back for Liga MX vs. Seattle
ESPN

Chivas outclass Sounders in CCL quarterfinals
ESPN

BC-SOC--MLS-Around Major League Soccer
Courier Express

Chattanooga FC looks to unite US Soccer, backs away from NISA
Chattanooga FC

 

same thing has happened in Vancouver as the province's government (and the owner of BC Place Stadium in DT Vancouver and where the Whitecaps of MLS play) - the Province's premier has said its because FIFA will not define the costs expected and has pulled the plug on vancouver being a host city (even though the city government has endorsed being a host city)

keep in ind that vancouver has hosted a lot of FIFA events- the WWC 2015, CONCACAF qualifying, the 2007 under 20 WC to name a few- and they all were very successful, in both attendance and financial ways

AND I AM PISSED- the MWC is more than a sport, its a cultural phenomena unlike any other event in the world, including the Olympics and short-sighted politicians just dont get it

 

Thank God It’s .... Thursday?

 

Is it just me, or does it seem every "New Stadium Rendering" looks the same?

Oh, and none look anything like what actually gets built.

 

I was feeling good about this article until I got to this:

• World’s game, World’s rules – Promotion/Relegation is the right course – legally, ethically and economically. Kelly argues that Pro/Rel would help generate investment into the US Soccer pyramid.

Jesus T. Christ! Pro/rel must be like Viagra to some of these people.

 

Wha wha wha?

 

Oh good lord. A transparent angle being played by millionaires to try to get into the billionaires club. Meanwhile, he's firing up some rubes.

 

I dont know, the way many people immediately flip out about it, you'd think pro/rel was invented by Emmanuel Goldstein.

 

Now before you guys start freaking out about Chicago and Vancouver, they may have some valid reasons.

http://thebreaker.news/news/exclusive-fifa-demands/

 

https://mlsmultiplex.com/2018/03/14/dc-united-ben-olsen-tactics-land-trouble/

 

How is it that everybody is surprised by all this? It's been public knowledge for decades. In fact, someplace on line there' a copy of Holland's FIFA bidders book from 2006. It would be hysterical if it wasn't so appalling.

Basically the local host gets nothjng and pays for everything. FIFA would rather disband than pay taxes. And you don't get so much as a " home go world cup 26" logo on your city letterhead without paying them and yes they check and yes they do demand you pay.

The best one (or at least my favorite one) isn't even in that article:

During the tournament you must reserve one lane on all freeways for exclusive FIFA use. And not just team buses and the like but the limos carrying FIFA officials and their caterers and whoever else they designate. Your police must block that lane, at your expense and arrest anyone not carrying FIFA credentials.

It's insane, and it goes on and on. Sell Flatter used to demand that every stadium have a private entrance that only he was allowed go use, and a private bathroom reserved exclusively for his ass.

 

I really am in the wrong damn business.....

 

I saw that a few days ago and ignored commenting on it anywhere. I hate this "Pro/Rel would help generate investment into the US Soccer pyramid" argument. Pro/Rel demands that every team focus on the here and now because they can't afford to drop a division and lose money. You can't afford to waste money on planning for the future when you can't plan on the revenue streams being there if you drop.

The only investment you would see would be in the non-infrastructure parts of the game. An owner isn't going to invest any appreciable money in their D2 club's training facilities, stadium, or youth team if they are worried about getting relegated. They are going to spend that money on salaries of existing players or imports in order to make sure that they don't lose money by dropping. Same thing for D1 clubs. 70 million on a training facility isn't happening because you need that cash around in case you get into a relegation fight.

The relegation aspect will always keep teams from thinking about the future or how to make incremental changes that will improve them, and the sport overall, in the future. For all the complaints that people have about needing to invest in the youth and make changes the idea of relegation fitting with that is silly. A team like Philly can invest in their academy and actually try and play youth this year (may have 3 starters that are 20 or younger by year's end) when there isn't the threat of relegation. But if there was? The million or two a year that they spend youth is instead spent on several imports that are established as players because the risk isn't worth it.

So would Pro/Rel increase investment? Maybe. But it wouldn't increase the investment in a way that is beneficial to soccer as a whole in this country. In order to get the appropriate infrastructure built (stadiums, training grounds, youth academies, etc) you need to be able to have some known stability in order to know what you can spend. Relegation introduces an amount of uncertainty that would keep all but the very top from investing in any meaningful infrastructure.

 

Well, since it seems like they are all designed by Populous, there is probably some copy-and-pasting going on for the renderings.

 

Whatever they may promise FIFA, I don't see that happening in 2026 in this country. The first city that tries that is going to get roasted nationally and every other city will run the F away at high speed.

 

Very well argued!

 

Whoever else they designate: hookers, bag men, high-priced security details, etc.

 

And I get it: You've got a 120x80 rectangular field surrounded by 20K-30K seats; it doesn't leave much room for a whole lot of creativity. Still, the sameness is stunning.