Has anyone you spoken to ever told you what Red Bulls motivation would be to sell the team now? It seems to me the worst is behind them with getting out of Giants stadium. Also, I find it hard to believe they just wanted a venue to hold concerts otherwise they never would have removed the stage from the original stadium plans. Are they getting an offer from Barca thats too good to refuse? I can't help but think alot of this isnt just wishful thinking from fans.
Are you stating that you know this is a fact, this is happening right now? (this being the sale of the team, of course.)
Did you not read Micheal Lewis's article on BigAppleSoccer or the other one on the NY Post Blog from Brian Lewis? Add to that several independant sources (not the ones from Lewis's article) that have confirmed NYRB sale discussions, several indicattors from RB (read lack of certain efforts and canceled programs), the Austria Meeting where I was told RB expressed to Stover THEIR plan, and the corporate denials to the story. These rumors are coming from reps at places like ESPN, adidas, current MLS GM's, former MLS executives, and the like. Hardly what i would call random people making stuff up. Weather or not a deal is worked out (i think the denials are grandstanding because they are locked into price discussions and are posturing their interest or lack of interest in reaching a deal) is to be seen...but there are discussions going on facilitaed by MLS HQ. It may turn out RB doesn't sell or deal with Barca in which case the fans are sunject to more embarasing RB marketing gimics and having a team where soccer is the second priority or eve third. It may turn out they do sell...in which case the $1 million dollar question becomes will Barca do right by the NJ/NY fanbase or will they make the same mistake Red Bull and to a lesser extend Chivas USA did.
they just built a new stadium they arent going to sell the team..... Also I really pray its not Barca FC NY or anything like that... just sounds dumb. I don't mind when foriegn teams want MLS teams but our league should have teams with their own names so we don't sound like a reserve league or a 2nd/3rd division league. I remember they were saying Boca Juniors and River wanted MLS teams would be awful to see Chelsea LA FC, River Plate Miami, Boca Juniors Dallas FC, Barca NY FC haha .... looks like my last youth tournie I playd at
So? What is your point. Stadiums have 30 year depresiation schedules and also Red Bull didn't pay cash for the stadium, they most likely privatly financed it..which means that $100 million investment was not expensed all at once. They have an amortization schedule...companies like RB as big as thay are dont usually have hundreds of millions is cash on hand to make these investments. So explain to me why the stadium now being built means RB won't sell? Agreed. Anything like the sort would be rejected in this market just as Red Bull has.
Your reasoning is what makes me skeptical of this whole story. The 800 lb gorilla(giants stadium) is behind them at this point. Unless Barca is making them an offer they can't refuse or the deal is some sort of a partnership with Red Bull/Barca its hard to figure why they would sell at this point. I would think they would view Reb Bull Arena as a new beginning for the club. Also, if the team gets bought by Barca I dont see how anyone can think this will be much different then Red Bull owning the team especially if its called Barca USA with the same kits as the parent club. It will be another distant owner with no knowledge of the complicated rules and restictions of MLS.
So, why would Barca come into a league where they don't build or own their own stadium? Do we want another team renting a stadium and losing money? The only way teams show a profit in this league is by owning a stadium. I doubt Red Bull would sell RBA. Would Barca want to build somewhere else and would MLS let their soon-to-be premier stadium go to waste without a MLS team playing there?
You pronounce it like the plural of Kramer's first name. Short for Cosmopolitan. Just like Knicks = Knickerbockers, and Mets = Metropolitans. But it's oh so original! OOhhh... we gotta bring it back!
Actually the 800 lb Gorilla is their business model which is fundementaly flawed...you know the one where soccer is just a vehicle to promote the energy drink brand and where NY is just part of a larger global brand vision. As long as Red Bull, as an owner, continues to try and exploit NY for this egocentric pipedream...the problems will continue and will be magnified.
If there was a compelling product on the field nobody would care what the team was called. Its not like the metrostars packed in the fans.
Absolute total bullshit statement. All one has to do is dig the shit out their ears and open their eyes. The voices of discontent are everywhere. Just look at any NY based fan board and its logjammed with opions that clearly establish the branding scheme is not desired by at least a 2 out of 3 margin. The Metros did just as well or better historicly that Red Bull with a tiny portion of the resources vailable to them. People will ALWAYS care about what the team represents..its more than the aestetics of the name, its the very foundation of what that name and the branding protocals behind it mean, the fact that its will never be about NY/NJ or anything organic...its just about the product pushed in Austria..everthing this soccer team does revolves around it. Its cancerous. They can win and attarct a segment of kool-aid drinking front runners but will lose them once they suck again. The very concenpt of the team here and its lack of identity will always doom it to irrelevance. Theirry Henry wont change that, Figo wont change that, and RBA won't change that...it may distract some for a short time...but they can't hide who they are.
I did. I was wondering if you had more concrete information. I'm also wondering who the secret source is. I'm not buying either the rumor nor the Red Bull "party line" yet, I'm just waiting to see what shakes out. The way you wrote the post I quoted had me thinking you might have something.
Yeah, after reading and hearing the rumors and the RB response I'm not getting my hopes or fears raised. I think it is a matter of when not if RB sells but that could be years away. That there was a rift between Mateschitz & Beckenbauer is the one piece of water cooler talk I think is most interesting and believable. I wish a journo would ask if Der Kaiser's advisory status remains.
Wake me up when they actually sell the team. If I have to see one more guy on Metrofanatic blowing smoke up that doosh Harraby's butt because he made some vague prediction months ago I think I'm gonna hurl.
Bottom line, as long as the team stays in the area, and plays in harrison, it'll be my team. Just don't annoy the hell out of me with 1000 Comos threads first. I used to like the Cosmos, now, not so much...
Now who's dreaming???? Why would we want the team to be called FCNY? In a crowded NY area sports landscape that would die worst than MetroStars. For the sports pages alone you need some kind of identity. This aint Toronto with 4 clubs total (CFL, NHL,MLB, MLS). At least in this town, bigger is betteer, and despite what many of you all believe, COSMOS is EASILY the best, most marketable name out there, why try to deny that fact? It is a no-brainer of epic proportions.
You mean, restructuring the league to a single table format is a stupid idea? You mean, having two trophies (one for end of season with best record and one for playoffs, like the NHL) is worth not dreaming for and is a stupid idea? It makes sense. I don't want teams being separated so much. Conferences... divisions... I don't want to see them in soccer. I want them to stay in the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL. I like them better there. I never said I had anything against the Cosmo name. There's no stupid mascot that can resemble a "Cosmo." And that's why I like Metro as well, how the hell do you represent that? In other words, I don't want to be called something sounding a bit simple and that having a mascot run around the field to entertain the crowd. I'm paying to see my soccer team blow chunks on the field, why would I wan't to see some mascot distract me from the attrocious play on the field? I like the name Cosmos, but I think that's something of the past. I like Metros, but I'm afraid people won't want to go backwards, and do you blame them?
Totally, dead on! Now, talk about a bullsh*t statement. Fifty former fans on Metrofanatic doesn't make this statement true. There are many, many, many more people, who are not on any message board, that I personally have talked to, that don't give a f**k about the team name. They do give a f**k that the team sucks balls, and that's why they don't come. I'm telling you, I've never heard the name, identity argument outside of these boards. But, keep it up. If you say it enough times, it might just become FACT. Yeah, if you take away the curiosity factor of the first few years of the MetroStars's existence, they did pretty bad. Thank you!
I understand your point, but realistically, the MLS longterm future (15 to 20 years maybe?) at some point will equal: -Eastern, Western, and Central Conferences (10 teams per conf.) Or we can go the classy route and name them after people: Hunt, Anschutz, and Garber conferences anyone? -#1 and #2 from each conference qualify for playoffs - 2 overall next best teams qualify for 2 wildcard spots The Supporters Shield has already been established in this league and wont go away at anytime in the foreseeable future. It gets MLS and US Soccer recognition via the spot in the CCL that you get for winning it. Keep in mind that only the SS Winner and the MLS Cup winner qualify directly to the group stage!! So the SS is treated as a bigtime award. In fact, I don't know if this has been done before, but last year Commissioner Garber presented the SS on the field in a small ceremony!! I would argue that we are already a two trophy league. The way the playoffs are structured right now in the league is that teams #1-8 go to the playoffs- so in essence we are already operating as a single table even if we are keeping the aesthetics of an Eastern and Western Conference. What I would like to see at some point in the future is: US Soccer and MLS jointly hype up and make a bigger deal of US Open Cup; Since there is no relegation and there probably wont be any at any time in the foreseeable future, institute an official last place trophy; See an MLS team win the CCL.
Bull. They could change the name to whatever authentic name you like and it still wouldnt change the fact that the team fielded will be held to a 2.3 million dollar salary cap that a large number of soccer fans in the area won't find appealing. Until that aspect of MLS changes if it ever does, there are certain fans you just will not get regardless of the team name. While other markets have made the "its not top level soccer but its your local team to support" argument that has worked in some areas I'm skeptical of the success of that here. People in NY are generally only interested in seeing the best or something close to it if you are selling the team as a major league. I find it hard to believe that if next year they rebrand the team to Ironbound FC that suddenly Red Bull Arena will then be flooded with all these thousands of people who havent been going because the team is now named Red Bull but will out of the blue start going because the teams name is authentic to the area.
People I know that follow the team don't care what it's called. Are they excited that there's a Red Bull logo on the jersey? Of course not. All that the fans in the area want is a team that is competitive and fun to watch. As dumb as the logo is and as dumb as it is to be named after an energy drink, this is not what's keeping fans away, as we all know.
I think this is a good point. I think a Majority of the fans aren't happy about being call the Red Bulls, but the name (and Red Bull's motives) aren't what's keeping them away. The history of crappy play on the field is. I'd rather they change the name, but I'm not going to stay home or hold my breath until they do. For me, going to see live soccer is more enjoyable than staying home hoping for a change.
The thing is, no matter what you think, there is always someone able to slap a team jersey on a furry suit and call it a mascot.