Congrats to Captain Jack and future Mrs Captain Jack Lauren! Future Mr. and Mrs. Price!Congratulations to @jacko_8 and Lauren on their engagement 💍(📸 IG/ jackp_19) pic.twitter.com/bTQpq0gT6Z— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) December 24, 2021
Ghanaian international, and @MLS @ColoradoRapids centre back @LALASABUBAKAR1 paid a courtesy visit to Commonwealth Hall. He donated some jerseys and some items to the Sports Team. He recounted memories during his days in the Hall as @VandalsUg T1 pic.twitter.com/E6zLbr50Oa— Old Vandals Global® (@OVAGlobal1) December 24, 2021
Just an addition to the Comunicaciones/Champions League speculation from a couple pages ago: In researching their history in the CCL, I put together this spreadsheet of all their results in the competition since the expansion of the format back in 2008. A big thing that surprised me: while they managed to get 2 wins against Liga MX teams over the years, they haven't ever beaten an MLS team (in four chances). They've picked up the vast majority of their points at home in the competition, but their away record has been dreadful: 3 wins (only against teams from Trinidad & Tobago and Puerto Rico), 1 draw (which history views as a loss on penalties), and 10 losses. Compare that to their home record, which only includes two losses - one against the TTPL's W Connection back in 2009 and one against Liga MX's Toluca in 2013. In the two times an MLS team has visited Guatemala City to play Comunicaciones, the result was a 1-1 draw. Anyway, the point of all this is: if history is any indication, the Rapids need to be damn sure they take care of business in the home leg. With the travel and atmosphere they will have to deal with in Guatemala (along with the lack of any competitive matches in the weeks leading up to the first round), I'm not expecting Colorado to pick up a big result on the road. Lest we forget, this is the team that nearly gave Club America a huge scare back in 2020 - this could easily be a lot more difficult than many are assuming.
I have been wondering how soon the Rapids will start training given that they have a CCL match in mid-February. Seems that it would need to be in a two or three weeks. Also. the Rapids will certainly to be playing friendlies prior to the first leg v Comunicaciones. I assume these will be v other MLS sides also preparing for CCL play. Hope they will be able to fly charter to the first leg in Guatemala City.
If the KSE is able to get the Rapids (as well as the Nuggets and Avalanche) back on Comcast does that increase the chances of getting a shirt sponsor? With the upcoming season the final one with regional telecasts and then in '22 and MLS taking over with their new package in '23 it seems the Rapids could negotiate for a long term deal. And speaking of shirts, hard to believe there hasn't been more speculation about what the design of the home kits will look like for '23.
So, did any of y’all watch the Euros? There was this player…Lorenzo Insigne…who has been having a stellar career for Napoli, and now becoming a regular starter for Italy. Well Insigne lit the tournament on fire, and is now reportedly heading to Toronto: It’s official @TorontoFC have landed Insigne. #MLS https://t.co/C8NWAHzQDm— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) December 28, 2021 If you follow European soccer, you know this guy can play. Sounds like TFC will be dropping close to $20m per year in salary and incentives for him to “woo” him to play in MLS. This is absolutely huge. Not only for the league but also for TFC. Insigne is an absolute beast. He’ll be like Giovinco on steroids. It reminds me of when LA Gals brought in Beckham during his prime - which broke the mold for how soccer in MLS looked. If Insigne - joining in summer - acclimates to MLS quick enough, this has the potential to be one of the best and biggest signings in league history - especially if he plays like he just did during the Euros. And it’s heartbreaking to think that the Rapids will never get a player like that because “it can create locker room issues.” Oy that’s always been a cop out to me and creates this frustrating dynamic for being a fan. You want your team to do well, and to be competitive - but you also want your team to get some players who can make magic happen. Knowing that PS doesn’t want to get players like that, means you know there’s a cap to this teams potential. Sure with our “lowly roster” we won the west. And by golly are we not one of the more competitive teams in the league??? Heck yeah we are, and I’m proud of it. But thinking long term…If other teams start getting players like Insigne on the regular, we’re gonna fall further and further behind as the league moves further and further forward.
Reference tweet for the $20m. I know reports are 11 + 4.5 incentives, but Twellman (who is extraordinarily accurate in his reporting) says it’s more: “Net salary” means Insigne will be making $20m+ in @MLS. Giovinco’s salary was always more than what was reported and now this contributes to that belief. #TFCLive #MLS https://t.co/BYgYkBTo7B— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) December 28, 2021
Assuming Smith were open to getting a player like that, how much more are you willing to pay for tickets to fund it?. For ease of math the Duck holds about 17,500. Over 17 games that’s an attendance max of just under 300K per season. To cover half that salary the Rapids would need to raise ticket prices by over $30 per ticket. And that’s generously assuming sponsorships, merch sales, etc make up the other half. Before somebody responds “Kroenke can afford to pay it without raising prices” while that is true, I’m generally not in favor of running teams based on the good graces of the owner’s pocketbook because when that owner decides they’re bored with the team the team is then in a world of hurt. I’m not saying the team has to be profitable, but the team shouldn’t be running at such a negative that it becomes a disincentive to owners to keep propping it up. That’s how you end up in the mess that England is in.
Oh believe me, I truly understand the money side of it. Insigne is going to cost a TON of money. Money that maybe Toronto fans and area will be able to help defer with ticket sales, jersey sales, memorabilia, TV deals, commercials, international fan purchases, etc etc etc. My point is simply we’re not a big market team yet. And for PS to say the reason we don’t chase those big players is due to potential “locker room” issues just doesn’t hold a lot of water. If I’m a player and Insigne is coming to the team, I’m getting stoked you know? Quite frankly I like the idea the Rapids have built on - Us vs Them. They don’t believe we should be competitive and yet here we are. It’s awesome - and it’s worked for a long time for teams like KC - tough to play against, and we’re gonna boss the game. We’re building to be in that similar vein. Our strength is our team, not one player It’s just kinda sad at the same time, because it would be nice to have someone with gamebreaking ability every time he touches the ball you know? Also, thinking long term as well, if the league average player is a 2-3mil per year kinda guy, it’s gonna be tougher and tougher for the 3-500k per year guys to compete. I have a feeling 2030 MLS is gonna be radically different than 2021 MLS.
Sure, and in 2011 Rapids fans wondered how long the formula for our 2010 win would work in the rapidly changing MLS, and here we are in 2021 with a new formula that took us to the top of the West.
Yes. You are absolutely right. I’m not saying we’re screwed for the future. What I’m saying is I’m worried about what the league looks like in 10 years when it comes to money - when we’re not a big market team that has an owner that seemingly doesn’t want to spend big money. The difference between 2011 and 2021 budgets was in the tens and hundreds of thousands. The difference may be hundreds of thousands and millions. The 2011 average base player salary for the rapids was $97,853.45. In 2021 that number was $256,850. Our top paid guy in 2011 was Conor Casey at $400k. Trusty made $375k base and $431,250 guaranteed compensation. If other teams around the league start signing players like Insigne on the regular, I don’t think we can compete financially with that. The league is going to raise the salary cap - and there’s only so much Garber Bucks available to us smaller teams to pay those kind of salary premiums as the average salary of the league takes a big jump. Going from an average salary of $95k per year to $256k per year isn’t as big of a jump as from an average salary of $256k to say $750k+ in the next 10 years. Someone has to foot the bill Is it going to be the team? The league? The fans? There’s a big wave coming in MLS. 25 years ago players were making a grand a game in some cases. I’m just nervous to see how the Rapids work to hang tough in a league that is seemingly shifting to more big dollar budgets.
1475960321621827585 is not a valid tweet id Poor AI translation, but what? Barrios being loaned to a club in his hometown with an option to buy? Doesn’t seem logical. “Attention @JuniorClubSA has everything very advanced with the winger Michael Barrios currently a player of @ColoradoRapids of the @MLS , the player would get a loan for 1 year with an option to buy !!! The transfer bag is moving in the shark team !!!”
I'm enjoying that the reaction by the "big" teams of MLS to the lowest paying and one of the 5 lowest paying teams winning the conference titles is apparently throwing even more money at stars. Ok, you do you, it worked so well last year...
Here’s Sam Stejskal’s take on the DP salaries and how it hurts the quality of play in MLS. https://theathletic.com/3009792/202...isnt-top-priority/?source=user_shared_article
I really doubt its a reaction to us. In fact, I doubt any of the "big" teams even think about us at all. I'm not irritated that our club isn't dropping $20 million on a guy. I'm irritated that our club is unwilling splash on a couple to DPs in the $1 to $3 million range. Thats not an unrealistic expectation for any MLS club. The aforementioned locker room argument is obviously bullshit because all you have to do is look at what Acosta is getting paid right now.
Agreed. While I don't think its necessarily bullshit, I do think its a matter of what personalities you have in the locker room driving if its going to be an issue or not. Acosta, for example, doesn't seem like somebody who's making a big deal about what he's making. Unlike what I've heard about a prior player with a name and a salary to go with it. One of the reasons we let him go as a free agent...
Which is a scouting issue, not a salary issue. A guy can be a cancer in the locker independent from their salary.
NEGÓCIO FECHADO!O meia Max assinou na última semana o contrato até 2026 com o Colorado Rapids, da MLS. O jogador se apresenta ao clube norte-americano em janeiro. pic.twitter.com/rUZPTQIEJM— Flazoeiro (@flazoeiro_) December 29, 2021 “DONE DEAL! Midfielder Max last week signed a contract until 2026 with Colorado Rapids, from MLS. The player presents himself to the American club in January.”
Backpass: Six QuestionsHow much is Cole Bassett worth? What academy player is the next big thing? Was the success in 2021 a fluke? And more...photo credit to the incomparable: @Photog_JohnB https://t.co/DezsuwbSRM— Soccer Rabbi (@soccer_rabbi) December 29, 2021
Any of our Rapids family who are in Superior/Louisville and other areas impacted by today's fires, stay safe and call out if you need anything.
Nice Write up- I am also still high on #1 Pick middie Mayaka from last year. Granted we seem to have a loaded midfielder but every review said he was ready to step into MLS and play.