In the U.S. map below, you will see 23 red spots (which covers 24 potential markets). Sky Blue FC and New York City, share the same red spot, but are two separate markets/franchises. These so called 23 monopoly hotels shown below, are the areas that NWSL needs to lock up. Certainly not all areas will be locked up within a year or two, or even five years, but if NWSL wants to have as many franchises as MLS one day, then these are the areas that need to be reeled in. If you look at the map below, you can triangulate and actually sector off these franchises in to clusters of 3 or 4 franchises (in each cluster). Travel Clusters Cascadia Cluster: Vancouver, Seattle, Portland. Pacific/Salt Cluster: Bay Area, Los Angeles, Salt Lake Central/Cowgirl Cluster: Kansas City, Dallas, Houston Big Ten Cluster: Chicago, Indianapolis, Columbus, Pittsburgh Lake Ontario Cluster: Toronto, Western New York, Ottawa, Montreal East Coast Cluster: Boston, Sky Blue FC, New York City, Washington DC Southeast Cluster: Charlotte, Atlanta, Jacksonville (broken down into 3 regions) West region: Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Bay Area, Salt Lake, Dallas, Houston Central region: Kansas City, Chicago, Indiana, Columbus, Pitt, Charlotte, Atlanta, Jacksonville East region: Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, WNY, Boston, New York, Sky Blue, Washington DC Acquiring these clusters (geographically) enables the league to set up road trips for each franchise that would save a ton of money in travel costs. For example, in a league such as this, you would play all teams in your division/region (home and away), and then you may only need to travel to no more than two clusters on the road. For example, a team like Portland would go on their first road trip and play the Big Ten cluster, with four straight road games against Chicago, FC Indiana, Columbus, and Pittsburgh (in succession). And then Portland's only other road trip cluster (later in the year) may be against the East Coast Cluster with four road games in a row at Boston, New York, Sky Blue, and DC, before traveling back to Portland for a large home stand. Setting up the schedule to have large home stands, and large road stands, with connecting the dots on road trips, gives the opportunity to save money on travel costs. You take less road trips, and when you finally do go on the road, you play against the road teams in that one particular cluster, and then come back home. Now, some of these clusters are intriguing. The best cluster for stadiums in this league would be the Big Ten Cluster (especially if Chicago can finally play in Toyota Park within time). FC Indiana would have a nice stadium. Columbus plays in a nice stadium. And Pittsburgh has a new stadium to play in which has a great view to it. Add Toyota Park in for Chicago, and this cluster has the stadiums of glory. The Southeast Cluster sets up some intense rivalries, with Charlotte, Atlanta, and Jacksonville. Cascadia of course may be the best cluster for rivalries though, but the Southeast Cluster is also very intriguing (with some southern Civil War territory in there). If the league wants to be as large as MLS one day (actually larger), then this is the route they need to take. Acquire 2-4 new expansion franchises each year, and by 2020, you have this wonderful setup of national dominance in soccer markets, as well as the best markets in Canada. (NWSL markets - with monopoly hotels, includes expansion hot spots) (click on image above for full-size)
I though "connecting the dots" referred to comments, statement or hints from real parties possibly interested in the league, not a geographic lesson.
There is plenty of bandwidth available to have both Sky Blue and New York from your area in NWSL. I think it could develop into a massive rivalry.
I am setting here in New Brunswick area, read daily the Star Ledger, and on SB, but I must have missed the comments from Red Bull (which I think you mean by NY) about being interested or wanting a women's team, so please bring me up to date on that. Not being a wise guy, but please. I also assume you mean playing at RB stadium. I have a hard time that there is enough support for 2 teams that close in NJ Harrison and Piscataway. If a stadium gets built in Belmont Park, that is a possibility for a team, but not a rivalry.
Yes, I'm talking Red Bulls here. I also think they become the first team in NWSL history to wear pink kits as their primary color. Just a hunch.
RBNY never officially said anything, but Wahl tweeted a while ago that Toronto, Vancouver, and RBNY were all interested. This was around the time of Portland's first (or second) home game. And Vancouver has since publicly stated that they'd never had conversations with NWSL.
I remember that but nothing else. I wanted for WPM_ to basically admit he/she does know not anything else about RBs.
No one knows whether Red Bull will be in the league next year, as probably they don't even know yet. That has been tight-lipped. The only thing I do know for sure, is that they have communicated with NWSL, with Portland, and there were two other credible sources that confirmed Grant Wahl's initial breaking news on this. That's all we know, and it's been quiet since then. I do know that Toronto is in the league next year, if everything works out during the application, acceptance, and overall timing aspect of things. Both sides want to make that work. It would be a major windfall if NWSL can acquire Toronto and New York.
I'm kinda with Cpt here, there is no evidence that New York would support Women's football, I think it would be risky to go in there as their first expansion. Toronto is a no brainer. There are people in the Equalizer comment section questioning Toronto as a viable candidate, but they sold 22,000 tickets for the US-Canada friendly in under one hour. They sell out every home match at Toronto FC and they have sucked for 7 straight years of their existence. You have to give it to these fans, they are diehards. Add to that they have one of the largest season ticket bases in MLS at 16,000 and are owned by Rogers Communication, one of the largest cable/telecoms in North America and the synergies are very apparent. New York... Someone needs to point out where the synergies are cause I don't see them.
Thanks for responses, there has been so many threads on expansions, I wanted to get a base line on what has been reported, what people know and what they think they know. The "gossip" at the SB games has been that SB and Red Bulls have had meetings, including relatively recently. A term that been stated in this gossip was "quote 'a partnership' unquote" (while also using air quotes) said as being used in a very loose way but none know or can say or willing to say if that means financial relationships, use of RB front office, or use of team facilities by SB. One time the comment was "not Lady Bulls". My take from all this is that unlikely a separate RB women team but it may not be a 100% takeover of the existing SB franchise.
Well if that happens then I think it will be a good move. They are close enough that that they can bring everything under one umbrella and costs would be kept down playing in a larger park. For the fans they wouldn't be too far from Rutgers, unless your on the other side of New Jersey. So for them this should be an improvement for venues.
Red Bull has clubs in Brasil, Ghana and Australia, so I can't see why they wouldn't move on a ladies club with the success of Portland and FCKC (i'm sure sporting kc is looking at them with one eye.) as i've said, it's quick fix for the red bulls to buy into skyblue which is the best and oldest brand currently, vs building a team from nothing. redbull is a completely different animal than portland. do they really want to put resources into a complete women's build vs cutting a deal with skyblue and doing an adjusted rebranding? big corps like to acquire and add to their portfolio, not build brick by brick.
Oldest brands right now: 1.) Boston Breakers 2.) Chicago Red Stars (I believe Chicago was announced barely before Sky Blue) 3.) Sky Blue FC 4.) Western New York Flash 5.) FC Kansas City (the name was announced before the Thorns, but not their newest KC logo) 6.) Portland Thorns (originally most thought it would be Rose City FC) 7.) Washington Spirit (I believe the Spirit name was announced after the Thorns) 8.) Seattle Reign Oldest previous brands: Washington Freedom (2001-2010) Atlanta Beat (2001-2003, 2010-2011) Bay Area Cyber Rays (2001-2003) New York Power (2001-2003) Carolina Courage (2001-2003) San Diego Spirit (2001-2003) Philadelphia Charge (2001-2003) Philadelphia Independence (2010-2011) FC Gold Pride (2009-2010) St. Louis Athletica (2009-partial-2010) Los Angeles Sol (2009) MagicJack FC (2011)