Can we put the stadium issue to rest?

Stanford is a non-starter.

10,000 crowds would look GOD AWFUL in Stanford.

 

You used to be able to bring beer in with you. I think some rowdy Cal-Stanford games put an end to that, though.

 

In my opinion, the worst thing about Stanford stadium is the running track around the field, which means you're way too far from the action. That's one of the great things about Spartan, is that you're so close to the action.

 

I wrote an email to youth soccer heads and the Earthquakes about a possible move to Pleasanton. The head of sales at the Earthquakes said it was a good idea, and forwarded my email to Alexi Lalas. The Head of Sales, Steve Powell, said that Pleasanton would be a good site, but there needs to be public funding. So then I sent emails to Pleasanton City Councilmembers as long as the mayor, as well as the county supervisor of the area which Pleasanton is in.

 

So, any progress to report on this front?

www.soccersiliconvalley.com is just a place-holder site right now, with no content.

 

Check back tomorrow and/or go to Shake with the Quakes after the game if you're a season ticket holder.

 

I pointed this out to Goodsie, cuz in this post/thread I make mention of this group. But last weekend I went to HDC w/ an old family friend who is now well-to-do and is looking to get into sports management/ownership. But if an MLS nut like myself is 2 degrees separated from a potential owner, there's gotta ppl out there w/ the resources to get SJ's ship in order.

This is on the difficulty of getting new owners into MLS, as I stumbled into "Roberto", an old family friend w/ whom I'd grown up, as he was good friends w/ my oldest brother. We used to watch the World Cup w/ his family. Both his family and my family were hard-core futbol families, a rarity back in the day.

On Saturday last, I had tix to the Galaxy- Colorado game. As usual, I sent word out to my family that I would be in town and was going to the game. My brother called me up at the last minute and said that he would like to go along w/ my 12 year old niece, but he might need more tix b/c my niece was w/ our family friend Roberto and his 12 year old daughter. No problem, as we were able to get tix.

I had heard that Roberto had made a decent killing in real estate. So when I saw the stretch limo pull-up, I felt really embarrassed that we had cheap seats in the upper deck. And then I realized that this guy easily could have reserved us seats in one of the luxury boxes, not just because he had BANK!! but b/c he had heavy contacts in AEG. But we all enjoyed the game nonetheless. Neither the girls nor the dads had been to The Cathedral despite being Galaxy fans, and they were impressed.

Anyway, we went back to the limo and drove around for awhile. As I was spending quality time w/ my niece, my brother and Roberto were talking about sports and Roberto's desire to own an NFL team. Then he busts out w/ how he had been approached to buy a hockey franchise at a bargain price, but he didn't want to do it b/c he would need that money for an NFL franchise, which is his life goal, kind of like a harley Davidson was for him when he was in his early 20s and dirt poor from stupid business mistakes. The NFL franchise for him would be more status than anything, and kind of a toy to make money.

So, this guy's 1st generation Latino. He's done well for himself. He comes from a futbol family, and yet MLS doesn't even enter the equation for him. (I didn't even ask him, as it was clear that he had other goals. Plus I felt a little awkward talking business w/ an extremely successful business man.)

But I wouldn't say that he would never consider it. The guy has a knack for making money, so maybe after he buys an NFL team he would be interested in expanding his holdings into MLS. His kids love soccer and he truly does follow it, as during the game we had an in-depth discussion of the infamous 3-6-1 alignment in WC '98.

My questions/observations are the following:
1. I understand how Glazer (?) owns a good chunk of ManU but wouldn't even entertain owning MLS
2. The HDC is as much about attracting potential investors as it is the home of the Galaxy. Plus, HDC is really equipped to handle a high-end clientele. I had no idea to what degree until Saturday.
3. If carlos-of-the-ucla-kind is just 2 degrees removed from a possible owner, then grass-roots efforts like what we see w/ San Jose's fan club branching out into the community and actively advocating for the franchise, has much potential. As do the efforts in Detroit.
4. As MLS comes closer to financial solvency w/ its SSS throughout the league, I think it will be easier and easier to find investors. I'd truly would be willing to bet that "Roberto" would be interested in developing his childhood sport for the benefit of the country. He's idealistic that way. But after he reaches his goal. I doubt he'd entertain losing money for several years until the ship gets in order.
5. Harrison must come off as big-time in order to attract media and fan interest in NY and w/ investors. Harrison prolly should try to outdo HDC. And if it does, more power to them and more power to MLS and soccer in this country. EDIT FOR QUAKES FORUM: Any new stadium in SJ area would have to be first class. If not, it runs the risk of being disdained by other parts of the Bay, IMHO.

Check out the discussion that ensued...bs soccer journal

 

This is OT, but it looks like the A's-to-South-Bay thing won't be happening anytime soon.

http://www.trivalleyherald.com/Stories/0,1413,86~10669~2289740,00.html
http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~11680~2290178,00.html
http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~11680~2289649,00.html

 

There it is SJ Sports Authority...
There it is Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce...
There it is Dean Munro...
There it is Ron Gonzalez...

The Athletics are staying in Oakland. The Giants are staying as the SJ Giants in the California League.

Now, get your heads out of your collective okole and work on a soccer stadium!

 

A few interesting points out of the article. But first a BS disclaimer: I assume that the writers knew what they were talking about, and I assume that the bit about who "owns" what territory and what that means is accurate, even though I thought there was handwringing about Sacto, too.

First, the A's really need to move out of the Bay Area. I don't like it, but I can't see them thriving if they stay. Maybe now that SLC is a major league city....

Second, to echo Spartacus, there will not be a major league baseball team in the South Bay. Will not. I'd like to repeat that: Will not. So, money spent to build a fabu baseball stadium in SJ will be horribly wasted. Come to think of it, money spent to think about building a fabu baseball stadium in SJ will be horribly wasted.

If in the long-term SJ wants major league sports teams beyond the Sharks and the arena footy league team (sorry, I forgot their name), they have soccer and basketball to go after. The NFL? Same issues as baseball. Basketball? Well, take the Warriors, please.

Or, you could go after a MLS team. You know, help build a nice stadium for a family-friendly team. Which you already have in your town! And continue to be part of a growing sport.

Third, stadiums matter. Spartan is a problem. I like it well enough, but I'm not picky. (OK, the field should be widened and raised. And the parking lots a little nicer. And better food. And some flipping pubs nearby. And public transportation access.) But Spartan appears to be turning off people and keeping the big money away.

Fourth, and not really from the article, when I say "help" build a stadium, I mean cheap land leases or loans or stream-lined permitting, etc. I don't mean build and give away. SJ can look at the Quakes as an asset to be managed, or they can look at them as something disposable. SJ, et al are looking at building a very, very expensive baseball stadium. A reasonably sized soccer stadium (35k?) could be built for a fraction of the cost. And, if you're really feeling lucky, make it nice, oversize it to 40k - 45k and work for another WC in the US, with SJ being prominantly featured around the world when a semi-final is played there. Priceless promotion, baby.

 

Good post, Horndude. As soccer fans, we are of course graced with superior intelligence, taste, and (what the heck) athletic ability . We know that building an SSS and keeping the Quakes here should be a high priority for the city / community. It makes so much sense on so many different levels and from so many different angles. But we need to try to make this case to the local public officials and be relentless about it. I think the 8/20 rally should be the focal point for starting to make this happen.

 

More Hawaiian there Spartacus? We'll all be fluent by seasons end.

 

And it avoids the "bad word police"!

 

Cool! A new alternative to the "culero!" chant we use on the refs.

"Okole! Okole!"

Accent on the middle O, Spartacus? oh-KOH-lay?

 

Rumor on the Colorado Rapids board is that there will be a press conference on Tuesday morning to announce their stadium location as Commerce City, Colorado. Apparently, the poster who posted this has been a reliable source.

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2877783&postcount=42

Not that it is relevant to our stadium issue, just thought I would spread the rumor.