I was at the rally on Friday and the game on last night, and I kept hearing things along the lines of "the area is so wealthy, someone has got to step up and buy the Quakes". I think it is selfish for us to hope for someone to invest in the Quakes if we are not willing to invest ourselves. We need to save the earthquakes ourselves. IIRC Raiders fans had to pay $10,000 each for a personal seat license. If they can collect $10,000 for a seat license per season ticket holder, I am certain we can collect $10,000 to own part of the team from 1500 fans. $10,000 * 1500 fans is 15M, more than Chivas paid for its team. Some might be willing to invest more, some less, but we the fans can raise a significant amount of capital. I don't necessarily feel that we need to own the team, but we could show that we are willing to invest our money into keeping the team in San Jose. If we had a couple thousand people willing to invest there own money ($1000 to $100,000 each) and were able to raise $5,000,000. I think the Quakes become more attractive to a potential white knight. Not only does it become a smaller investment for the white knight, but he shares the risk with some of the fans of the team. As part owners, we could have some say in how the team is run, would have a vested interest in making the team a success, could keep the team in San Jose (or at least in the SF Bay area). I believe that professional soccer can be a success in San Jose. I believe that the Earthquakes will be a profitable. I believe that Earthquakes will stay in San Jose. I am willing to invest in the 2005 San Jose Earthquakes. I'm in for 25K Whose with me?
let me look under the cushions of my couch. I should have thousands of dollars down there that I'm not using to survive in this over-priced mecca of ours.
Great! Send me an email at dpg2003@aol.com with all your contact information (name, address, phone, fax, email, etc.) and confirming your investment pledge amount. Soccer Silicon Valley is in the process of contemplating a mechanism for smaller investment (in the thousands instead of millions). In the meantime, we are informally collecting this information. Anyone who can pledge at least $1,000 for investment let us know. I'm with you (though not sure what level yet).
You're not kidding are you!! Please count us in and an email will be forthcoming soon--as soon as we figure out just how much. This may be the easiest thing I've ever done to help support the Quakes. Heading off to my couch.....
Count me in for a few grand, beats blowing it on internet stocks. Heck this investment even has revenue! Of course once I own the team I'm jacking up the cost of those delicious frozen lemonades ya freeloaders!
Hey - I believe in this approach too. I came away from the rally Friday with the same impression - telling everyone the Quakes need a $30 million savior left me feeling hopeless and worse than that, "useless". For crying out loud, I am a regular Bay Area resident, struggling to make ends meet. But I am an avid Quakes fan, and I want to contribute to the solution, not wait for a savior. I will scrap up $1000 or more to go toward this effort too !! Soccer Silicon Valley - You've got everybody's email addresses PLEASE get out a message to start this ball rolling with a smaller individual contribution plan. We've got to start NOW, the days are numbered. And for the record, I LOVE Spartan Stadium and wouldn't trade it for HDC !!
Hopefully this isn't true but this article from ESPN Desportes reports the sale to Club America is a done deal. http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/story?id=257217
My Spanish isn't that great, but I don't see anywhere in that article that says it is a done deal. There's stuff about two or three more details to be worked out, and about how Americans have peculiarities about certain points in negotiations, and they're optimistic it can be worked out soon, or something like that. Anyway, even if my reading is wrong, if Club America officials are quoted in a story, the safe bet is to assume they are lying. AEG has pledged, in writing, not to sell the Quakes to anyone other than a local San Jose investor prior to September 17.
Sounds likely.. Sorry I didn't see the other thread.. In the Mexico forum they have one that says it's a "done" deal but as stated, the article doesn't really state that. On the investing issue: Perhaps the fans who do have some money would do well by investing in some tickets to bring some extra fans to the matches. A bigger impact on keeping the team could be made that way than dreaming of millions of dollars from fans. If there was just an effort by a few dozen well off supporters it could make a big difference. I guess some already do it but at least it's more realistic than hoping for fans to invest the millions needed.
if the fans are going to invest in the team..... we should have a "save the quakes car wash" or something to help raise money ... and it would promote the earthquakes
Frankly, we need to do both and I anticipate SSV will be announcing shortly both initiatives -- (1) for regular fans investing what they can, and (2) purchasing season tickets (if you aren't a season-ticket holder already) or doubling your season-ticket holdings (if you are a season-ticket holder). These are complementary initiatives. Each fan should consider his or her own budget and how best he or she wants to contribute. We hope most people can do both. Remember, even if you're a part owner of the team, you will still need tickets. And, besides, those extra tickets can be used to introduce folks to the team and the game. (I know many of us are already doing that).
If you fans were to come up with $15mil, you could at least partner with AEG to keep the Quakes in San Jose at Spartan for another season, while additional investors are found. Additional millions are needed to meet league cash calls, etc. You would need to find partners, if not AEG, Steve Jobs or some group willing to partner with Fans LP. You could well influence CA to keep the team in SJ in partnership with you -- the 'collection' would demonstrate in very strong, long green fan commitment to the team. The problem is the great divide between fan support and local govt./business support. Refurbishing Spartan seems the best way to secure an sss, but Spartan Shops appears even more difficult to deal with than municipal govt. in the region. Could the Quakes show a profit in a revamped Spartan? And can AEG, CA or any other partner be convinced that the fanbase, though dedicated, is really large enough to consider continued investment in the region? My own feeling is that if CA were the partner, the influx of Hispanic fans would be quite large (based on MFL matches at Spartan), but not without rebranding the Quakes to show a connection with CA. Clearly, rebranding is not what you have in mind, but genuine fan-ownership of the Earthquakes. Coming up with $15mil won't do it, when CA can match that, along with TV options, and the deep pockets to meet cash calls. In any event, good luck.
Count me in. What if we could buy the Quakes , negotiating mit the League to make it a separate entity , taking it public, thus making our investment translated into shares? We'd all have a much more vested interest to make the team successful - business wise - a la the freakin' Packers, etc, etc, etc...?
Obviously one of the biggest problems is stadium revenue/costs. Since Spartan is at a public university (AFAIK), could some governmental entity step in and get/force a much better deal for the quakes. It is not as if Spatan shops will ever lose money by helping out the Quakes. Heck you guy should appeal to the Governor. I know he is into sports and fitness. I am serious. If the local goverment wants to keep the quakes, while not being able to get an SSS, maybe pressure could be appied to Spartan shops for a better deal. If Spartan would not help out volunatarily, all it would take is a legislative act or executive order from the governor.
4000 fans averaging $7500 ea would be $30000. I'm certain that is achievable. Count me in for at least $10,000. I'll send the confirming e-mail.
I support this also with at least 1K. I'll ask my family members if they can also pledge. At this point I think the probability of this and other smaller investors is more realistic than expecting/hoping a corporation will come to the rescue. How about all the soccer teams in the area? From the kids to high school to collegiate? Where's the support from them? Are they not interested in keeping a professional team in SJ?
my sister knows the editor for my college news paper... i'll see if she can get something in about the earthquakes
It would seem from all of the talk so far that the Quakes could probably turn a profit in Spartan right now if Spartan Shops was not so greedy.
Good luck, but remember to leave money to buy your tickets for next season as well. You didn't think you would all get free tickets did you?
If ownership by committee winds up being a reality, has SSV approached Spartan Shops about investing in the team? If they're part of the I/O group, the money from parking and concessions at MLS games could potentially benefit the team, as opposed to now.