I did not want to start a thread, but it seems there was no other thread open that dealt with the same thing: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2011-08-10-los-angeles-stadium_n.htm A few things: the City Council has backed a proposal to go ahead and build that NFL stadium we've all been hearing about. What do you guys think about an NFL team, and what will that do to the Galaxy and ChivasUSA? With competition from the NFL, do we see the Galaxy attendance drop in the future? If it is the Chargers that come to LA, like people are saying; that will leave San Diego with only the Padres Do we see Chivas move to San Diego then? If it is the chargers, Qualcomm goes empty. I'm sure CUSA wouldn't mind sitting in Qualcomm until a cheaper Soccer specific stadium is made.
i'd be happy with Chivas leaving If that happens I could see Galaxy attendance rising but I don't think an NFL team would take away fans. Hell if they could build it to also serve for soccer, like qwest field, we could have our big matches there and US national games. Rose and Colosseum don't cut it.
2 MLS teams, 1 NFL, 2 Hockey, 2 Basketball, and 2 Baseball seems wayyy too much for Los Angeles. I just wonder, does MLS attendance drop when the season overlaps with the NFL? Especially with how notorious Los Angeles sport fans are, in terms of actually supporting their team (showing up late, leave early). Yeah i think it be best for Chivas and the Galaxy for Chivas to leave. San Diego would be a ripe market though.
I don't see that there is much if any competition between the NFL and MLS for fans whether in Los Angeles or any other city. The NFL season is relatively short with only 8 to 10 home games (including preseason and playoffs) with most games being on a Sunday during the MLS season. The ticket prices also tend to separate the them as well. On the other hand, I see college football as being a bigger competitor due to the Saturday games. I am going into my 38th year as a UCLA season ticket holder and its a good thing the Galaxy games are almost always televised, so I can record them on my dvr.
Right under your nose... https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1800056 Mods: can we merge the NFL stadium/Farmer's Field threads?
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! Everyone I meet from Orange County claims they are from LA, sorry boys but no... brah
see the "BYE BYE GOATS" thread already dismissed https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=23917590&postcount=39 Chivas USA vice president Rodrigo Morales told the Sporting News in May: “We are sharing our home with the Galaxy, and we need to move. I don’t know when and where, but it’s very likely that we will be moving soon to our own home, and it has to be in Southern California. This is a huge market for us.” “The first option I was offered from MLS was San Diego,” Vergara said earlier this month. “I refused it. I didn’t want to go to San Diego. I wanted to go to LA, and I’m completely sure, 100 percent, we want to stay in LA. We’ve invested a lot of money in Los Angeles. We’re going to stay in L.A. forever and ever.”
Moving the Galaxy to downtown LA is a no-brainer for a great many reasons. Public Transport, Public Transport, Public Transport Much larger demographic, espically within a walk or short drive. Bars, Restaurants, etc. Consolidated parking - not paying for $15 to have to walk 15 minutes. Big League appeal - Much more attractive venue to attract signings and fans Isn't it telling that despite having the best record in the league for the last two years, a huge soccer fan base and David Beckham/ Landon Donovan and we still cannot consistently sell out matches? While this is not because of location alone, I can't help but think that the Galaxy would consistently draw better in a downtown stadium. If it works in Seattle, it should work here. It will elevate the team and make for a much more accessible team for the greater population (sorry OC fans...). Plus we woudl have a stadium to grow into and would never have to leave for a dumb friendly match. Also, AEG won't own the NFL team right? I am sure they would rather just own the building and the complex.
Since it was the Galaxy that the Home Depot Center was built for, I see the Galaxy staying in their home, while Chivas USA goes downtown.
batch grade What? How is it a "no-brainer" and then the next sentence you follow up with isn't it telling. Look, how ridiculous does that sound that the Galaxy should play in a 72,000 seat stadium when they are averaging 21k per game? We have consistantly dropping attendance since 2008. There is no way in hell Downtown LA will be like Seattle Sounders games. I dont know you, but a thought and statement like that screams to me you are not from here... or know much about this city to think that will ever happen. L.A. sports fans including the Galaxy fans have a horrible fandom reputation for a reason and it is more than well deserved. They don't show up early for shit, they don't participate in crap. The reasons it works in Seattle, Portland, and such is those are much smaller cities with real centralized downtowns, less traffic, more focused fan groups, a thousand less distractions than the mega-opulous city of Los Angeles. If the Galaxy were to play just throwing this out there in Farmers Field on a Saturday Night at 7:00pm start time in late April. Imagine the Traffic Clusterf*ck the 10 and 110 would be if say The Dodges were playing at Dodger Stadium @ 7:10 PM start time. The Kings were playing at Staples @ 7:30 PM start time. Justin Bieber was playing at Nokia @ 8:00 PM start time. Then factor a Satuday night in early September/October. Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Kings/Clippers/maybe lakers at Staples Show at Nokia. USC Trojans playing late afternoon/evening game at Coliseum. or UCLA playing at Rose Bowl. Food for thought when thinking why the Galaxy should move Downtown and then tell me about the thousand man march to the stadium while your at it too.
Re: batch grade Um... can you not read the list of reasons that came between those sentences -Public Transport, Public Transport, Public Transport -Much larger demographic, espically within a walk or short drive. -Bars, Restaurants, etc. -Consolidated parking - not paying for $15 to have to walk 15 minutes. -Big League appeal - Much more attractive venue to attract signings and fans You are correct. I am not from here. I am from NY where the Red Bulls average gnats in a beautiful stadium with the best DP in the league. But I have lived here long enough and have spent enough time at various events sporting and otherwise to know that your opinion is off the mark. If one of the worst teams in history of sports (the Clippers) can continue to draw well when we have the best team in the NBA here, it goes to show that there are enough people to support another team. Or anything really. Who cares if the upper level of the stadium isn't open? Have you been downtown when all of those things that you mentioned are going on? Plus a convention? It's pretty amazing really. It doesn't feel like the LA you are referring to where people just stay home and cry because of traffic. A downtown location will appeal to more casual fans, which would likely make up the difference in attendance of matches now. No one from LA wants to drive to Carson unless they are idiots like us. It's about being at the center of attention and attracting people to the product. Kind of like what they are hoping the NBC will do for the league. The Galaxy cannot grow in the HDC and largely b/c it is too remote. Taking the train to the game would be a fantastic thing.
Who uses public transportation in LA? I am going to drunk drive home if we move like I do every game at the HDC(joking btw). Plus it works for Seattle and Portland because they aren't LA. Angelinos hardly get up for anything. We arrive late and leave early. Cops beat a guy to death in Fullerton(?)... meh. In those cities people have less options of entertainment. It's the same reason people in the sticks go to high school football games en masse and we don't. They choose between having their way with a sheep, beating their wife, going to the space needle or soccer at Qwest(I refuse to learn the new name). That's not to say that I don't think we would have more fans show up. We would be the right in the center of attention and people would know a Galaxy game is going on. I'm just saying don't bank on the Seattle comparison. Those people are heathens. HEATHENS!
The Downtown stadium will have a roof, so it's going to have ARTIFICIAL TURF!! I don't care where the stadium is located, or how cool it is, I don't want to see my team forced to play on fake grass. Every time I hear about how awesome Portland or Seattle might be, it's always negated (to me) by the turf issue.
Polo grounds That should end any argument you have about Los Angeles with a native. I would never speculate what NY should do just because I transplanted there for a few years. Public Transportation in Los Angeles? Again brah not NY. why would you even say this. Demographic? What one are you reffering to... the low income latinos that live in around the downtown area? Or the 47 caucasian/hipsters that live in artists loft near crazy gideons? Bars/Restaurants - there a couple... no really a couple. If you want to sustain 50,000 to 100,000 people in a downtown area you need more than an ESPN Zone, Katsuya, Trader Vics, and Palm restaurants. It's not Time Square down there dude. Went to a Laker game last season and guess where the 12,000 people went as soon as the buzzer sounded? There cars to get the hell outta there. The other 5,000 left early in the 4th quarter to get a good seat at flemings. (NOT) Consolidated Parking? The only thing consolidated is the Price $20. Park directly across from Staples $20. Park in the convention center $20 although $30 for preferred and $50 Valet. and you can park farther away off 9th St. but thats $15 or $10 with a walk. Guess where the parking is gonna come from when a 70,000 seat stadium comes? Who knows, but AEG calculates its direct revenue just like that asshole frank mccourt on PARKING. And it won't be $20 dollars either. Big League Appeal - It would be nice to know that Farmers Field was built for the Galaxy, but it wasn't. And just how Chivas USA feels the HDC isnt there home, is the same as Galaxy fans would feel about playing in Farmers Field. It was built for the NFL. you wanna have the same lame argument you have with chivas fans about get your own place with some dipshit, newly minted NFL dickhead about why doesn't the Galaxy get their own place and stop playing in our house. You Really want that discussion? You probably weren't part of the Galaxy days at the Rose Bowl, but we treked to that cavernous, parking nightmare for years to watch great soccer played on a football field.... lines on the field and sometimes they didnt even take down the goal posts, in fact they never took down the goal posts... balls constantly ricocheting off that thing sitting over the goal. As a stadium for Galaxy soccer it sucked. it looked bad on TV, it sounded worse. And MLS doesn't want games to look like that ever again, and playing in Farmers Field would do that. We deserve the home depot center... now. and for the unforseeable future.
Actually AEG is on the record stating that the Must own a controlling interest in any team that comes to Farmers field. Think about it, they own the Galaxy who play in AEG's HDC, and they own the Kings who play at Staples. So it would make sense for AEG to insist on majority ownership of any team that wants to play at their stadium. That's getting in the way of teams wanting to relocate to LA, as for sure Al Davis wont sell the Raiders, and Spanos wont sell the Chargers. They might have a chance at the Vikings, Rams and Jags, but they'll have to pay a premium. Maybe that's AEG posturing to get a better deal, but it might not be too. And think about it, why would AEG want to take their best tenent out of the HDC? Any possible increase in attendence at Farmers for the Galaxy (which is dubious to me) is mitigated by having an empty HDC.
Re: Polo grounds You're totally right. I should have no opinion. Interesting, TJ. Some good points, but also a bunch of points that make me suspect you don't actually live in the city either. I work in the building industry and have a pretty keen sense of what is happening (or will be happening) in the city and you sound like you are talking about downtown circa 2002. If you have actual ever taken Public Transport in this town (which I doubt you have) it will open yours eyes! It works and people <GASP!> actually use it!! The buses are packed in this city, but yet most people contend that "we don't have pubic transport". I even take the subway regularly and would do so (as would many others) for games downtown. The expansion of the expo line (should be done soon, which only helps matter. Demographics. Seriously? This is simple math. What do you think population density is in a 10 mile radius of the HDC? Better yet, what about the disposable income? Now apply the same to downtown and I think you'll find a massive difference. Sure there are poor areas around downtown, but that is changing rapidly and it's just flat out easier for the rest of the city of LA to get to. Fact. Bars/ restaurants. Again, I suggest you get out more. There are so many restaurants opening in downtown all within a short walk or a one stop on the blue line. I do get what you are saying regarding the Stadium itself. It certainly would suck to be a second class tenant in a cavernous stadium. But the Galaxy will continue to toil away in mediocrity of local interest if they stay in Carson. The only thing that would get more people down there would be if we were able to sign 6 world-class DP's. If that's what the league wants then so be it, but Garver has stated that the league needs to focus on downtown stadia. Perhaps we should just build that proposed SSS by the Colosseum and move there.
Looks like it's a retractable roof at best. Why we need one is beyond me unless for the conventions. I don't get the trending toward field turf. In the NW they say that the fields are too difficult to drain. Don't have that problem here.
Are you sure about that? If so, consider the ramifications. NFL rules absolutely forbid NFL owners to own professional teams in other leagues. That would mean they not only would have to dump LAG, but all the other soccer and hockey teams they own in Europe. Sounds pretty far-fetched to me.
Malcolm Glazer - Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Manchester United Robert Kraft - New England Patriots, New England Revolution Hunt family - KC Chiefs, Columbus Crew, FC Dallas Paul Allen - Seattle Seahawks, Portland Trail Blazers, (part) Seattle Sounders Stan Kroenke - St. Louis Rams, Colorado Rapids, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Mammoth AEG is not dumping the Galaxy