BAD news coming out of San Jose....

It is not surprising to me that you would make such a statement, given your general attitude on these boards.

Negotiating is never a waste of time if the other side indicates a general willingness to come down off of its latest offer even before a counter-offer is made (assuming the offeree is genuinely interested in reaching a deal).

Apparently, at the point Spartan Shops made its offer, AEG was not interested in operating an MLS franchise in San Jose anymore, period.

 

What's the current college deal in Houston, all-seeing Madame Jefe?

And again, what is your objective in taking AEG's side on every point, if the above is an example of the utter lack of substance behind your arguments?

We're losing an MLS team - you ever think "I suppose I don't really know what I'm talking about, so maybe I'll just sit this one out." ?? Or are you just trying to score assh*le points so Segroves will sit with you on the short bus?

 

I guess I don’t understand the logic of moving a team with a fan base (it’s size can be argued by others), recognized name and logo, and 2 league cups because you can’t get a stadium deal done to a city where they will be an unknown quantity (I’d be shocked if they kept the Quakes name) and you only have a handful of months to promote them. Oh, and you have no stadium to put them in. Unless I’m missing something in Houston.

 

Re: Ne Plus Ultra...

Mugwump, if you foresee a team here again, then by your logic the market is viable. Isn't it better to stick around than lose credibility, goodwill, momentum and disband an impressive team with a genuine following?

 

Re: Ne Plus Ultra...

Unfortunately, I'm not in with AEG so they don't ask my advice before making their decisions. And I don't know all the particulars of the siuation. But look at the Cleveland situation:

Art Modell moved to Baltimore bacause Cleveland wouldn't give him the deal he wanted The new Browns owners got not only a brand new state-of-the-art stadium but a great lease deal on it.

If I was in AEG's shoes, I'd want to draw the line someplace. Obviously they decided they could not stay with the current situation.

 

He doesn't take AEG's side on every point. He points out that demonizing them isn't the same as a well reasoned argument.

Yes. You're likely losing an MLS team - you ever think, "I'm too emotionally wrapped up in the situation to cooly and rationally analyze the situation. So instead of blaming everyone within reach, regardless of the facts, maybe I should sit this one out??"

I guess that's an answer to my question.

 

Re: Ne Plus Ultra...

Why would AEG not have control over revenues if it built a stadium?

No, AEG did not work toward a stadium solution. At best they hoped somebody else would step up and do it.

 

Your analogy is extremely weak.

A better one is: If you have the capital, the time and the motivation and the Lexus dealer is willing to sell you a new Lexus at the dealer's cost because he wants to move some inventory, and you can turn around and (legally) sell the new Lexus to cash payer Mr. Smith at a $5000 profit after spending 5 hours tops on all the various negotiations and paperwork, wouldn't you be interested in doing so?

Here, if AEG could have negotiated a much more favorable deal with Spartan Shops under the threat of moving to Houston, it could have turned around and assigned that deal to a new investor-operator such as SVS&E. The new and improved Spartan Shops deal would have been part of the asset package sold to the new investor-operator (especially if it had an out clause that allowed the new investor-operator to negotiate even better terms or to void the deal and play in a cheaper stadium like Buck Shaw).

But as stated above, the whole issue is really moot given the lack of movement on an SSS plan.

 

But if SVS&E could've substantially achieved (2) through a more feasible arrangement with Spartan Shops, then wouldn't they have bought themselves at least a couple more years to explore additional possibilities for (1)?

 

Re: Ne Plus Ultra...

Why do I suspect that neither you, Jefe, Bootsy, or the now-comfy Andy Mead have access to some MAGIC slide rule AEG is not sharing with us?

Just look at NY/NJ. If they can make it there... The difference is they insisted on making something happen there.

 

In theory, yes. In reality, no.

It still would have been a money losing arrangement on the overall cash flow, just less money lost.

And their negotiating leverage with respect to an SSS would have, unfortunately, dramatically lessened once they announced such a deal.

The reality is, SVS&E wanted the SSS plan solidified before they would commit to buying the Quakes and that was their number one priority; reducing operating losses obviously was very important but, without a satisfactory answer to the first priority, it was simply not enough from SVS&E's point of view. You can disagree with SVS&E's point of view, but that was in fact how they viewed the situation.

 

As of right now, the Earthquakes are still in San Jose. Hopefully it stays that way.

If it doesn't, hopefully the bay area gets a team sooner rather than later.

 

The Merc is reporting that Quakes staff were informed of the move to Houston this morning:

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/13415186.htm

A sad day for San Jose and Quakes fans. I'll save the obituary for another post, but we've got Quakes memories galore.

 

Oh you must be.

I'm losing my team right now. Like I really care about losing my bigsoccer status to someone abusing theirs.

You don't think you've been trolling in the San Jose forum while our team is sinking? That's far more offensive than my asterisks.

 

Huh, way to remove a zinger too.

 

******** you, MLS. It will be very difficult to support the league any more from my vantage point. I'm really looking forward to telling my kids why we won't be going to Spartan anymore and why I'm going to burning all my Quakes gear in the backyard.

Good luck to H-town. I, for one, have some serious doubts the team will be an instant success without an owner, stadium plan, and just now getting a ticket sale plan underway. Maybe I'm missing something obvious, but I thought it takes quite a bit more time to get settled into a new community, build corporate relationships, sales, etc.

Somehow this makes MLS stronger. I just don't see it. Not for 2006; maybe moving forward.

Final thought here: Now that MLS is gone from San Jose, its really long past time to open up all of Northern California for potential stadium locations.

 

And what was a one in a thousand type hope is now a one in ten million type hope. (See Mercury News link above. One in ten million is that the announcement to the front office is not irrevocable if someone comes up with a last minute, signed on the dotted line deal by 5 p.m. PT today-- the likelihood of which is statistically a fraction of a milisecond more than nil. A hope against all hopes.)

 

Regardless of a miniscule chance of the course of history reversing its apparent trajectory, I have to say: Good luck, Houston.

 

So you're telling me I've got a chance...

 

I just want to give my condolences to all the Quakes' fans if Garber is about to do what we fear. It would be terrible for American soccer to lose San Jose. I really feel bad for the fans.