Well now. It looks like the Union will be announcing next Wednesday that they’ll be launching a USL team in Bethlehem.— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) August 14, 2015 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:
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.)
They have used Steel retro shirts as a third jersey so perhaps they can use that name without any licensing issues.
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.
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.
I did a Google search and found this concept . It looks pretty close to what they wore back then doesn't it?
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.
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.)
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.
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.
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.)
Multiple sources confirm to me that the Union have all the necessary rights to call their USL team Bethlehem Steel.— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) August 19, 2015 well look at that.