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Like it. Love it! A couple of things though; 1. Taft Stadium, being owned by OKC Public Schools would mean that no beer can be sold at games, correct? 2. I SERIOUSLY doubt that Taft Stadium EVER held 20K. There are some unused, grassed-over, decrepit terrace "stands" behind a fence on the south side of the running track. MAYBE, if they are counting those then you can somehow get close to 20,000. 3. I'm really looking forward to seeing what the improvements are going to be making to Taft, because it's a total rat hole now. 4. Interested to see if parking is an improvement they are making, because there is practically NONE right now
Congrats OKC. Apparently the new owner of the NASL team also owns the PDL team that averages about 1200 fans per game. A new 7500 seat stadium would be a nice place to play for their "promotion" (unless he keeps both teams). Also, it is interesting how NASL is winning the race for more markets than USL. Add it to the fact that NASL averages about double what USL-Pro does, they are only getting further and further ahead from that league in prestige.
When I saw that the battle was apparently between NASL and USL PRO I was really glad that NASL won. On a personal note I was ALSO glad that Lund and his group beat Funk and their group. I'm still a little pissed that Funk et al killed the OKC Blazers to bring in the Barons hockey team.
It would be nice of the USSF to establish some standards for D3 teams that help to clarify the sometimes blurry line between D2 and D3. Maybe that could prevent some of these fights. For example the NASL is required to have most of its teams in cities above a certain population threshold. Maybe the USLpro can be required to stay the ******** out of markets above a certain population threshold? Farm teams belong on the farm, after all.
I disagree, obviously. I might be more inclined to agree if the USLpro made some changes to how they run their league.
Now that we are in the NASL, I'd like to see teams like Orlando City, Charleston, and Pittsburghmake the move as well
let them go wherever the market dictates. Ideally would be great to see USL have 30+ teams in hyper regional leagues all over the country.
For the kabillionth time, USSF's published standards apply to all professional leagues, with specific addenda for a Division II outdoor league, which was - hello - the source of all the consternation three years ago. (Not that anybody gave a rat's ass about D3 standards until the instant D2 was instructed to wear big boy pants.) Not as long as there are egos involved. And not as long as the thing we've never ever been able to get away from (that everybody in this game thinks they're the only ones who know anything) persists. To hell with the free market, then?
Yes, absolutely. The NASL is required to expand into markets above a certain threshold in order to maintain D2 sanctioning. What is the difference if D3 is required to operate on a smaller scale in smaller markets?
I wonder what it takes to get banned. Because that guy breaks that rule often enough that I think he would be by now.
Oklahoma City expected to join United Soccer League ... www.oknewsfeed.com/oklahoma.../pro-soccer-oklah...
Yeah, why don't those USL reprobates just go away and die already? Free enterprise, bah! Why don't we kick the NPSL out of Buffalo while we're at it? That's an NASL size market, how dare they!!! Like you said, there are egos involved. Feuding egos in this case, the worst kind.
In your dream would the USSF tell NASL to stay away from all cities above say 1.5 Million people? I agree D3 standards would be nice, but I would assume it would be a minimum population wise and USSF can not tell any league to stay out of any city with a different Pro team (Imagine if Sunil told the Cosmos that they can not play in the NYC catch area). BTW even if the USSF set up D3 standards if USL did not like them they could just not call themselves D3 and continue to operate as "The best league below MLS" regardless. In theory all competition is good. Be it USLPRO and NASL in Tampa/OKC Or NASL and MLS in NYC. I am sure if there was an ownership group willing to invest, NASL would not think twice about allowing a club in LA or Chicago or Dallas. But they would need Cosmos type money and craziness to make that work.
I just now realized somewhat of a trend... the large major markets in MLS seem to have the hardest time with fan support: NYRB, Chivas, Chicago, and I guess you could throw DC and NE in there too. Just a curious thought (and probably one for a different thread I suppose) but kinda makes you think twice about NASL thinking to expand into these markets that are not quite meeting their potential at the D1 level.
Is about TV money, if the NASL ever thinks about getting any National TV deal (and maybe they do not think is possible) they would need to be in the biggest markets that they can. I mean is not like the Red Bulls were blowing everyone out of the water attendance wise, yet MLS owners understood the importance of a second NYC team, and why in my personal opinion I think they would not move Chivas USA even if they bought out Vergara (They would change the name for sure).
Here's a different article about the NASL effort or really more about the stadium rehab. http://www.visitokc.com/articles/index.cfm?action=view&articleID=121&menuID=128
Oh, this ought to be fun : OKC NASL group sues USL after receiving a cease and desist letter (link to article)
The USL sound like a bunch of whiny "see you next tuesday"s. Can't see how that order is enforceable by any court.
That's what Brad Lund and his group are going to argue in court, that it is NOT enforceable in Oklahoma
USL suing their own clubs. This sounds like a song I heard before. The article doesn't say but I guess USL is claiming since OKCFC is in PDL aka USL then are they competing against USL with a their new NASL team. Seems weaker than the USL vs Rowdies and Rhinos lawsuits.
So let me get this straight, since I'm slow on the uptake. NASL and USL are BOTH planning to come to Oklahoma City? Would be nice if one of them would just come to Tulsa instead...
USL officially announce new USL Pro team in OKC http://www.uslsoccer.com/common/mobile/mobile.html#a734282