St. Louis in the USL

Discussion in 'St Louis FC' started by Alistair Fannell, Aug 22, 2013.

?

St. Louis

Poll closed Jan 30, 2014.
  1. 5

    1 vote(s)
    25.0%
  2. 0

    3 vote(s)
    75.0%
  1. G Enriquez

    G Enriquez Member+

    Apr 1, 2002
    Tampa
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  2. jasontoon

    jasontoon Member

    Jan 9, 2002
    Seattle, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Huge sigh of relief here. SLSG running an MLS-affiliated team playing at the Soccer Park is almost a best-possible-case scenario. (Hermann Stadium would have made it perfect, but whatever, I'm not complaining.)

    A lawsuit-dodging huckster from the murky depths of arena football running a team playing in Cottleville was a worst-possible-case scenario. Dodged a bullet there.
     
    jstats repped this.
  3. Seaside

    Seaside Member

    Oct 28, 2009
    You obviously don't know the politics of soccer in Chicago.
     
  4. Bluesfan

    Bluesfan Member+

    DC United
    Aug 12, 2000
    Tampa
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Scotland
  5. jasontoon

    jasontoon Member

    Jan 9, 2002
    Seattle, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Did you actually read the story? I'm thinking not. Because you would have seen quotes like these:

    "There are several hundred million reasons why there is no MLS team in St. Louis now, or perhaps ever...."

    "...the city is well off the MLS radar screen for expansion..."

    "...St. Louis soccer fans eager for a rapid climb into MLS probably need to get real, as Kavanaugh has, and accept the benefits of having a minor-league team."

    You probably also don't know that the same author (one of the two or three most knowledgeable people alive about St. Louis soccer past and present) wrote a piece a couple of months ago called "St. Louis Unfit for Current Round of MLS Expansion".

    I think maybe you need to straighten out the cart and the horse yourself before you comment, kemosabe.
     
    ChinaBlue and zcanes1 repped this.
  6. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Perhaps the creators of Soccer in StL should re-label their articles. Because stating this is some how a 1st step to get MLS is exactly what that article's title says, regardless of its content.
     
    Nacional Tijuana repped this.
  7. Bluesfan

    Bluesfan Member+

    DC United
    Aug 12, 2000
    Tampa
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Scotland
    My point was the hackneyed 'we are on the road to MLS' gets so tiresome.
     
  8. jasontoon

    jasontoon Member

    Jan 9, 2002
    Seattle, WA
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The title doesn't "state" anything. It asks a question that is obviously on a lot of people's minds, and then the article answers it. Far from being "hackneyed", it's just about the only honest piece about the issue I've ever read, from any city.
     
    msilverstein47 repped this.
  9. ButlerBob

    ButlerBob Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 13, 2001
    Evanston, IL
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why would they team up with the Magic? They have already built a pretty good youth / academy program. Or did I miss something indicating they were looking to start a USL Pro team. Although the Magic already have a some type of relationship with PSG. +

    Back to the thread, I think it's great that St. Louis is getting a team. And the combination of a top youth club and someone with money seems like a good combination. They have a ready made youth program / academy set up.
     
  10. Sport Billy

    Sport Billy Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 25, 2006
    Which is why I asked
     
  11. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  12. mikehurst21

    mikehurst21 Member

    Oklahoma City Energy FC
    United States
    Nov 6, 2013
    Moore Oklahoma
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    wow their anticipating 5,000 per game. Thats pretty ambitious for usl pro. we've lucked out here in OKC with 2 straight sell outs so it can be done good luck St.Louis. Looking forward to have you in the league cuts down on travel for the Energy and provides for another possible rival
     
  13. Shamrock78

    Shamrock78 New Member

    Apr 14, 2014
    You're saying adding a team reduces travel costs?

    I'm also tired of hearing they're aiming for MLS. How do they expect the fans to get excited over USL Pro if they start with talks about the big league?
     
  14. Sporting Real

    Sporting Real Member+

    Jun 29, 2011
    Kansas City
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As I recall, the USL wants to split into 3 conferences, so the more teams in each conference, the less you have to travel out of conference to play a decent number of games. So yes, in this case, a St Louis team would help reduce travel cost for a Central Conference
     
  15. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And for St. Louis. whose DII team averaged just over half that last time out.

    Attendance is not a matter of luck.
     
  16. msilverstein47

    msilverstein47 Member+

    Jan 11, 1999
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    but weather is...you just don't get it do you?
     
  17. mikehurst21

    mikehurst21 Member

    Oklahoma City Energy FC
    United States
    Nov 6, 2013
    Moore Oklahoma
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    The Oklahoma City Energy fc has sold out both of their home games ( both with the threat of severe weather the month of may in Oklahoma keeps a lot of people on pins and needles especially in the Moore area) and both were loses combine that with the whole NASL thing yeah I would say that there was a bit of luck involved. I don't think it was all luck though
     
  18. Sporting Real

    Sporting Real Member+

    Jun 29, 2011
    Kansas City
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Interesting that St Louis sees USL as the fiscally responsible option. That could start coming into play in future expansion for all parties
     
    Blando13 repped this.
  19. Sport Billy

    Sport Billy Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 25, 2006
    I know you're the attendance guy, but you may want to look at that again.
    St. Louis averaged 4000 the first three games.
    It was then that Athletica was folded and everyone knew AC was doomed.
    It was then that attendance plummeted.

    We have no idea what attendance would have been with a sound team that people thought would be around the next year.

    Additionally, Kavanaugh stated they only need 2500 to make money.
    That's certainly doable.

    I don't know if they will average 5000, but I certainly see them averaging 3500 which would put them in the upper 1/4 of the league.
     
    Alistair Fannell and msilverstein47 repped this.
  20. msilverstein47

    msilverstein47 Member+

    Jan 11, 1999
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    he is mostly just full of hot air and of course himself...
     
    Alistair Fannell repped this.
  21. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hence why I quoted it, mostly because I don't believe it. USL might have the benefit of MLS involvement now, but their track record for vetting potential ownership groups is laughable. Maybe they have turned a corner.
     
  22. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It could just be nicer way to say it was cheaper.
     
  23. Sporting Real

    Sporting Real Member+

    Jun 29, 2011
    Kansas City
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm betting the financial part will have more to do with 'Am I competing with bigger money ownership groups like the Cosmos and MNU for players,' not ownership vetting
     
  24. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  25. mikehurst21

    mikehurst21 Member

    Oklahoma City Energy FC
    United States
    Nov 6, 2013
    Moore Oklahoma
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    StLouis-FC20602.jpg

    at least it didn't take as long as it did for Colorado Springs and Tulsa to announce their names. Tulsa could have announced sooner than they did because it was already trademarked
     

Share This Page