I'm a Jets season ticket holder (Red Bulls too of course!) and I'm unaware of any escape clause in the Meadowlands' deal for either party. They've committed nearly a billion dollars each to the project and it's unclear what the terms of an escape clause might be. Would one side have to walk away from a billion dollar investment? I don't think Garber will welcome Kemsley until he has demonstrable evidence that he's hit that flush, investors plus stadium. I'm not sure all folks from outside the metro area understand that money here only means you're in the game and can make your pitch. NYC is full of money and any number of fully financed development projects have failed to get the green light over the years.
I doubt that they would move to anywhere but Queens or Long Island. I'm not a Jets fan but it only makes sense to them.
After fifteen years one of the two teams can opt out, giving a year's notice, and this option pops up every five years thereafter for the twenty-five years of a joint lease (if one opts out the other has to complete the lease). Highly unlikely as they are 50/50 with investment and operations as a joint venture between BigBlue and GangGreen. Iirc, the Jets gave up on the LA idea long ago. They certainly considered building in Queens when the WestSide project fell apart but couldn't get it done in Queens, just like the Cosmos couldn't get a stadium built there back in the 70s. Kemsley more connected, more capable of building a stadium there than the Jets owners? And how many new sports facilities can we have in the region in the span of a decade? I guess we'll see.
Thanks for the Meadowlands info DoctorK. Though I was speaking in my hypothetical about an escape clause during this current period it just goes to show the extent to which I've really become Red Bulls/MLS one and Jets/NFL two with EPL/NBA/NHL/MLB/other domestic soccer leagues following. Shocking in a way I used to live and breath Jets football but slowing though inexorably the New York Red Bulls have eclipsed everything else including my memories of Cosmos. I tried to get my seat at the Arena for the MLS all-stars/manu game but even though I called yesterday morning by the time they got back to me my seat was gone. Could've taken a different seat but I was 50/50 about going from the start. It's not the Red Bulls v manu and the team could get a lift from different soccer fans from the area coming to the Arena for the first time so I'm passing. Despite this perspective it didn't stop me from giving the ticket rep who called back a stern lecture (I'm good at tedious stern pontificating ain't I, lol) on their crazy plan for dealing with season ticket holder for this game and of course I had to also factor in a discussion of F.cosmos with the rep as well. I'm just a little guy but I move a pretty hard line on this question with Red Bull and league employees. This guy agreed that F.cosmos has the potential to split our fanbase and my position is that Red Bull should be doing everything in its power to oppose this initiative. For whatever it's worth I've also had the opportunity to speak on these matters with Soler and Stover but both were unwilling to divulge their personal positions. Went to a party Sunday and met a guy who's also a Cosmos/MetroStars/Red Bulls guy. He's been to multiple games at the Arena. I asked him what he would do if F.cosmos became a reality and he first said he would probably flip to them. I gave him the stern tedious treatment and he admitted he hadn't really made his decision and would probably stick with Red Bull. I considered whether flipping is the answer he thought I wanted to hear in a casual first meeting. This has become part of my life in every setting including Big Soccer. I'm just one guy but I'm committed to taking my shot whenever opportunities present themselves to defend my team, encourage folks with real power to oppose this F.cosmos BS, and challenge New York Red Bulls fans to stand strong against F.cosmos or NY2 or any other attempt to split this fanbase. Driving to DC in a couple of hours for family and game. Let's Go Red Bulls!!!
zensum - I think your fear of the Cosmos, or any NY2 team, splitting RBNY's fanbase is overstated. If and when a second NY team hits the field, some RBNY fans will flip, whether it's because of geography and personal convenience, distaste for the Red Bull name on the team, or being a Cosmos fan. But I think it will be a small number of fans that will switch teams. The NY2 fanbase will be made up mostly of fans who aren't going to RBNY games now. And there's a lot of those fans out there, particularly in Queens/Brooklyn and on LI.
I guess I broadly agree Paul but with the following provisos. When I speak of the RBNY fanbase I'm not just referencing folks who go to games but also fans who watch on TV or just have a peripheral connection to the team. I'm thinking there are tens of thousands of extremely casual fans out there that know RBNY exist, may watch some games or segments of games while channel flipping on TV, or follow the big occasions of the team, signing Henry/Marquez, a playoff run, ultimately championship runs, and consider themselves fans. All teams need this segment, the hardcore is just that the fanatical through thick and thin guys and gals. Mike Know-it-all on the FAN yesterday made a point about the Mets. He suggested the Mets were down now to the hardcore, all the casuals were gone until the team rights itself. I'm concerned about this group because they can become stronger fans due to time and circumstance. How many fans of teams jumped on during championship runs...lots of them. The hardcore will hold granted but this broader group without the firmer connection may not at least in the numbers we need to slowly grow a solid generational fanbase. If NY2 is named after Cosmos there will be the added allure of an historic name. If you just want 18,000 fans in two stadiums in the metro area you'll certainly get that with F.cosmos and RBNY. I buy the argument that there will likely be more media coverage for 2 teams. RBNY sincerely wants NY2 though I'm guessing they are wary of F.cosmos but won't say it publicly. NY2 not F.cosmos is fine in 2016 or beyond after we've had the opportunity to at least plant the seeds (again) for this generational fanbase and after all the drama (for me at least) that's probably when we'll all see it, lol. PS - DC was great must have been a hundred fans including a signicant segment of transplanted New Yorkers. Ten or so guys around me go to school or relocated to the DC area and remain Red Bull fans and come out to this game sporting the colors (a great sign!). Again part of that deeper fanbase we need time to develop IMHO.
Hi zensum! You should see the Bulls play in DC all the time. We could use annual 4-0 thumpings of the Scum for the foreseeable future!
Hi ag, yeah I've seen some good victories there over the years. Just back from the DC area the drive up there was a bitch, took 2 hours to get through the toll plaza exiting the turnpike. I watched the LA / Portland game Saturday night on FSC. I'm thinking we're pushing LA to up their game and RSL is pushing us. This is just what the league needs to raise the level. Henry scoring is needed by league and club too though the non Henry goals were even better than his. I wonder if the last couple of games and the Henry goals will spike attendance this Saturday? Great crowd in LA though they have the advantage of that LA weather. Last I looked rain predicted here again Saturday...we just can't catch a break. See you Saturday!
As a side note, and because you mentioned this, did you see any of the high light on FSC of the league? They were very impressive. Not only because of the scoring but because of the venues and level of the game.
It has been a pleasure to see this league grow in talent..especially from the middle 50%, talent and money-wise. Two great goals and one PK. I hope the Cosmos can be an example of MLS style of play that I've grown to love.
Posting on message boards is never finished Since you never said you wanted me to send you a pm about front office appearances, did you get a chance to attend the Viking Army watch party for the game vs DC. Erik Stover was there at halftime taking questions. Also, proof of the charitable work done by RBNY: Red Bulls and Town of Harrison renovate Legendary Harrison Soccer Courts
Some of their members are member of ESC. I believe that most aren't. They are their own group and they have their own section next to ours.
i support the whore-a-bulls in this battle....and i think a proper derby is possible because its soccer and the venom is there 35000 seat sss with 5000 seats tarped off i think the team can avg 25-30 its first year
they have to build a stadium before that happens. maybe they should tarp off the maple leaf at BMO, it's very visible on tv nowadays.
http://hypebeast.com/2011/07/rob-warner-the-resurgence-of-umbro-the-ny-cosmos/ Tailors tell the tale of the legacy, eh?
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/sports/2011/07/21/cannavaro-leads-cosmos-at-old-trafford/ Cosmos roster for Man U game: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/sports/2011/07/21/cannavaro-leads-cosmos-at-old-trafford/ Invitees: Nicky Butt Sol Campbell Fabio Cannavaro Brad Friedel Robbie Keane Brian McBride Gary Neville Michel Salgado Patrick Vieira Cosmos U23 Players on the team: Chad Calderone Ibrahim Diaby Stefan Dimitrov David Diosa Marvin Iraheta Dane Murphy Yanik Reyering Moriken Sangary Friday, August 5th, 2:30 PM, Fox Soccer Channel There's your team. McLegend!
The first match at Ashburton Grove (Emirates Stadium), was Dennis Bergkamp's testimonial. There were a few legends in the Ajax lineup, like Cryuff and van Basten, and the Arsenal fielded a legends side in the second half. What's unusual isn't the number of retired players so much as the number of amateurs in the roster, a necessity I suppose, given the lack of a professional squad. Wasn't there supposed to be an "inspirational" match in the NY metro area?
And they'll laugh. Why would the world be impressed by what amounts to a retired all-star team? Is the world in awe everytime there's a "Zidane XI" that you see put together to play a charity match?