Not to mention two more teams still on schedule for 2005. If it ends up being Rochester and San Diego next year, then it should DEFINETELY be Seattle and Cleveland for 2005. With OKC and MIAMI in 2007
Let's Bring on the Rhinos! I'm glad to see Rochester get in the mix. It's refreshing to see MLS ACTUALLY put a team in a city that gives a crap. The city has proven its support for soccer, and to echo an earlier statement . . . it would give the USNT another cold SSS to freeze out the Mexicans and Central Americans during WC qualifying. Anyway, I'm ready for MLS expansion . . . REAL expansion to a city that backs soccer, not some tired old Chivas USA expansion story. I think San Diego will be a bust, not to mention the potential for FMF style management to screw up things. Further, I checked out the Rhinos website . . . I LIKE THE RHINSTONES!!!!! Bring on the Rhinos and the rabid fan base, we need another group of hard core supporters in MLS like we have in Chicago (Section 8!!!!!). Go FIRE!!!!!!
I'm calling B.S. about this (and I'm not referring to BigSoccer!). I remember your posts after the near incident at RFK between La Norte and the ESC. You, alone amongst your brethern and sistern, was going on and on about how it was a hooligan moment and crap like that. YOU WEREN'T EVEN THERE! https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=74764 It's not funny. If you wanna talk like a hoolie about "firms" and crap like that, go buy "Hooligans over Europe." If there's one thing MLS needs less than real hooligans is wannabes with diarreha of the keyboard. Mods and the Rhino supporters: Sorry for hijacking this thread. Sachin
I have to echo my man Sachin on this one. The Mod's need to take that kid out to the woodshed and teach him some manners. To be on topic, I have to say again that I would really like to see the Rhinos in MLS. There fans are great. Real diehard. I think they would fair really well in our league.
Damn you Kenn for deleting that post! I had a great joke all set up. I don't think those map pics will post to the site.
can rochester support MLS first of all i must say that it is encouraging to see any article talking about MLS expansion...i just hope this time its for real....BECAUSE IM TIRED OF SEING ONLY 10 TEAMS PLAY EACHOTHER OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN! Sorry bout that, but its true, MLS need ONE division with say 20 teams...then you would really have an interesting championship. Hopefully some day the MLS will even be part of UEFA and CHAMPIONS LEAGUE! Now that would really help MLS get off its knees!!! I am also very pleased to see how a relatively small city like rochester can support a MLS team....or at least would like to. Is it not crazy that 10000 fans show up to support an A-League team???? THATS GREAT NEWS!!! i hope all goes well and the MLS gets up to 12 teams in 2005 and 16 in 2008.
Re: can rochester support MLS U - Union of E - European F - Football A - Associations I think it would be a little hard for MLS to get into UEFA, unless of course Bush finds the weapons of mass destruction in Luxembourg.
1.1 M in the Rochester metro area. Buffalo is 70 miles west and 1.1 M in the metro. Syracuse is 70 miles to the east and .8 M in the metro. There will be a ferry between Rochester and Toronto next year and that's about 90 miles as the crow flies. In a 100-mile radius you are looking at 7 million people.
maxim-1... where exactly did you get your information about MLS and international games being 'kissed goodbye' from having an artificial surface? Perhaps you haven't been keeping up to date on the topic? Just a quick google search would show a couple interesting articles about both UEFA and FIFA approving some artificial truf. Like it or not... the plastic grass is here to stay. MLS has 3 teams playing on artificial turf now. Fire and MetroStars (SafePlay) and the Dallas (FieldTurf). SafePlay isn't FIFA approved (as far as I can tell.. desiged more for american football... a little spongy).. but the FieldTurf is. UEFA has approved 3 atrificial surfaces: http://www.uefa.com/uefa/News/Kind=16384/newsId=92170.html Including FieldTurf: http://www.fieldturf.com/index.cfm?pageView=readFeature&featureID=2 FieldTurf is also recommended for international play by FIFA: http://fieldturf.com/index.cfm?pageView=readNews&newsID=302&keyword=FIFA&sportPage=soccer FIFA used artificial turf for the U-17 World Chanpionships. 10 matches and even the Final was played on artificial turf: http://www.fifa.com/en/display/article,71883.html
First of all, Fire have moved to Soldier Field, and no longer play on the Fake Crap. MLS is moving away from Field Turf and other fake grass surfaces. In 04, 9/10 Soccer fields in MLS will have grass fields.
I am excited by the prospect of Rochester coming into MLS in '04. www.ussocceruk.com It is looking better and better every day. I think this will open up the door for other A-League franchises to come into MLS. MLS can say, "build a SSS and you can come up." It will be the promotion system people have been looking for. I'm also ready for some new teams to come through Denver.
From Family in Rochester - Local Commentators (don't know if they meant news or local soccer announcers?) has said that if Rochester is in MLS next season they expect them to average between 15 and 20 thousand...and that PaeTec Park could be ready by late june early july....would only have to play 2 to 4 of their 15 home matches at their current home... take all that for what its worth...
Could they possibly set up the schedule to have away games til the stadium is done, ala the Galaxy at HDC?
That is unrealistic for next season. With the current construction timetable pushing out and the fact that phase 1 of PTP will have 17,500 seats, I can't see numbers like that when the majority of the games will be played at FF. I could see them averaging 15,000+ in the games played at PTP next season. Or in 2005 when they are in PTP the whole season.