Bethlehem Steel FC USL Superthread

Discussion in 'United Soccer Leagues' started by thomas19064, Aug 14, 2015.

  1. thomas19064

    thomas19064 Member+

    Apr 29, 2008
    Delco
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States




    Tannenwald reporting this morning that the Union will be placing a USL team in Bethlehem - he expects the team will be fully owned and operated by the Union.

    announcement will be at Lehigh University's Goodman stadium - safe bet that's where the team will play, 16,000 seats:
    [​IMG]
     
  2. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  3. thomas19064

    thomas19064 Member+

    Apr 29, 2008
    Delco
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    For anyone wondering, the original Bethlehem Steel stand is at Moravian, but Lehigh's stadium makes a lot more sense because of Parking/Dimensions/Turf/etc.

    [​IMG]
     
  4. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Fresh from Union press release:

    Please join Philadelphia Union CEO and Operating Partner Nick Sakiewicz, Lehigh University President John Simon and USL CEO and Managing Partner Alec Papadakis for a special announcement August 19th on Lehigh University’s campus! The event will include fun games, inflatables, photo station and an all around fun day of soccer!
     
  5. Knave

    Knave Member+

    May 25, 1999
    They better go with Bethlehem Steel FC.

    If they do, it'll be the first MLS-II USL side that's way more bad-ass than the parent MLS-I side.
     
  6. Sevin

    Sevin Member

    May 24, 2001
    U.S.
    I live a long way, but I've already got a shirt if that's the name.
     
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  7. Darkwing McQuack

    Darkwing McQuack BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 11, 2011
    Morrisville, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A. Holy crap you changed your profile pic. Can't be doing that, lol.

    B. Hopeful this'll be the start of MLS teams giving their USL side their own identity.
     
  8. Knave

    Knave Member+

    May 25, 1999
    Boy, I have really gone and upset people with the switch. Funny thing is, this is at least the 6th avatar I've had on BigSoccer. Granted, I had the last one for a good, long time.
    There's long been a little chatter that some of the MLS-II sides might rebrand after they've gotten on their feet. At least that's what I heard from the Cascadian sides a while back. The II name was a branding crutch to give the team a leg up while starting out, but it might not be the name that sticks for the long term.
     
  9. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I can see it in some cases. In other cases, I think the brand extension benefits might be seen as just as - if not more - valuable. You'll probably get a difference of opinion depending on who you ask, but some clubs probably see their o-and-o team having a similar identity as being good for business, whether we think it's the cool way to go or not.

    (And Bethlehem Steel FC last played 85 years ago. They would not be tapping into any dormant fan base there.)
     
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  10. MUTINYFAN

    MUTINYFAN Member

    Apr 18, 1999
    Orlando
    They have used Steel retro shirts as a third jersey so perhaps they can use that name without any licensing issues.
     
  11. thomas19064

    thomas19064 Member+

    Apr 29, 2008
    Delco
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #11 thomas19064, Aug 15, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2015
    People will be clamoring for the Bethlehem Steel name, and its been tossed around enough the past few years that it might work, but I'm not sure who actually has the rights to use the name.. I think the Union may have made a special deal to make the Bethlehem Steel merch.. no guarantee that ends up the name

    That being said, I think the team will likely have a unique identity and won't be a "2" team.
     
  12. newtex

    newtex Member+

    May 25, 2005
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    The start? Rio Grande Valley FC would seem to be the start. Or maybe even Real Monarchs SLC. Not much different but certainly not RSL2.
     
  13. CLTFC

    CLTFC Member

    Feb 10, 2015
    Club:
    Charlotte
    Thier foul chant can be, "this is BS, that was BS! Now pull out a card!!!
     
  14. mikehurst21

    mikehurst21 Member

    Oklahoma City Energy FC
    United States
    Nov 6, 2013
    Moore Oklahoma
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I did a Google search and found this concept . It looks pretty close to what they wore back then doesn't it? image.jpg
     
  15. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    per @Dills

    Live stream of the announcement can be watched here:

     
  16. thomas19064

    thomas19064 Member+

    Apr 29, 2008
    Delco
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [​IMG]

    Lehigh Valley... sorry Bethlehem wishers, but that name is looking like a long shot.... makes sense though. I guess the Steel name is still a potential. I would think Lehigh Valley Steel probably avoids any trademark issues that I think Bethlehem Steel could potentially cause.
     
  17. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Given most teams in most sports there seem to have used "Lehigh Valley" over the years, you'd think that would at least follow that convention. But the fact they didn't announce a name for the team today (please, God, not another "FC") says there's a chance for people's input.

    But USL didn't let its (late, though not lamented) indoor team in Reading use "Reading" because it was thought it would seem low-rent. (They went with "Pennsylvania," and it didn't matter, because the team was a nightmare and folded after one terrible season.) Using "Bethlehem" could result in some quizzical looks.

    (Digression and true story: I was born about 40 miles north of there, and when I was a kid, I thought it was cool that Jesus Christ hailed from just down the road in Nazareth.)
     
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  18. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Except for, of course, these folks, who might at least raise a fuss. (Not saying it would be a dealbreaker, but it could get messy enough to not be worth it.)

    Another history lesson: back in the late 90s, the A-League's Pittsburgh team (which survives today in USL) adopted "Riverdogs" as its nickname. And the minor-league baseball team in Charleston, South Carolina - which no one would ever confuse in either marketplace for a soccer team - pitched a fit and that's why Pittsburgh is the RiverHoundsTM to this day.
     
  19. thomas19064

    thomas19064 Member+

    Apr 29, 2008
    Delco
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #19 thomas19064, Aug 19, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2015
    They announced there will be name the team voting: 4 choices and a write in slot. I'm sure the nostalgia fans will stuff the ballot boxes with Bethlehem Steel, so we'll see what happens.

    Another reason to favor "Lehigh Valley" would be down the road if they look to build a stadium or move to another part of LHV. Sak did give lip service to potential stadium of their own and apparently they are on a year by year basis with playing at Lehigh University. I can't imagine they'd want to restrict themselves to only Bethlehem.

    and finally - Allentown and Easton... I mean I'm sure people from those cities would still come to watch a team name Bethlehem based on proximity, but I have to think generally they'd prefer an identity that includes them as well.


    EDIT:

    All that being said, I'm an outsider - so I don't know what the people in the area and ownership would prefer... I do admit I personally think Bethlehem Steel would be really neat - just trying to look at things objectively.
     
  20. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Did they reveal the choices, or just say there'd be four?

    And one man's nostalgia fan is another man's necrophiliac. As I've said, almost no one with any meaningful memories of the original BSFC is still alive and in the area, so it would be another sop to the faux-retro crowd who seem to like to attach themselves to the history of the game even though they got here an hour and a half ago.

    Great name. I love it and recognize the history and don't think it should ever be forgotten. I'm just not sure about bringing it back today. (And, as you mention, "Lehigh Valley" is more inclusive, but if you're a soccer fan in Allentown or Easton or Catasauqua and you quibble about that too much, I don't know.)
     
  21. bballshawn

    bballshawn Member+

    Feb 5, 2014
    Delaware
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    damn was hoping it would be similar to the sixers and located there "sub team" to delaware.
     
  22. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My money is still on Bethlehem Steel.
     
  23. thomas19064

    thomas19064 Member+

    Apr 29, 2008
    Delco
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    choices aren't revealed yet. Voting will start in September:
    http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/usl
     
  24. thomas19064

    thomas19064 Member+

    Apr 29, 2008
    Delco
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States


    well look at that.
     
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  25. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [​IMG]
     
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