Multiple sources have confirmed to me that the original ownership group and @KevinNagleMLS have been moving apart for some time 2/— Evan Ream (@EvanReam) February 1, 2017 Was so bad that a few months ago (again multiple sources confirmed) that @KevinNagleMLS and the ownership group had to call in a mediator 3/— Evan Ream (@EvanReam) February 1, 2017 That mediator? Don Garber, according to two sources. A few months ago, they came to an agreement, and then everything was fine 4/— Evan Ream (@EvanReam) February 1, 2017 And then today, according to one source, @KevinNagleMLS and @Mayor_Steinberg went behind SRFC's back and submitted their own MLS bid 5/— Evan Ream (@EvanReam) February 1, 2017 Idiots are going and blowing a great thing.
WHAT A SHIT SHOW....I'm baffled. I've been glued to twitter all night following this. I really really hope they work this out.
Definitely looks that way from the outside. Also explains why the league has dragged their feet on Sac. So sorry guys, you should have been a lock not the most chaotic of the bunch.
Sac Rep and the 7 other clubs who won't get one of the four expansion slots should invest the would-be 150M+ expansion fees(1.2B combined) and form another league. Easier said than done of course but all these potential expansion owners(12+) willing to throw away 150M+ each would be far better served using that money to invest in their club/academy in another league and try to rival MLS. Or, more and more will just keep getting locked out and massive investment erased from our landscape.
There is a LOT of misinformation out there. I'll address it when I can. I would just suggest everyone take a deep breath and calm down. https://t.co/8i1zWuAzDh— Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) February 1, 2017 OK. But I'm currently on a ledge, so ... GOOD NEWS THAT EXPLAINS ALL THIS AND MAKES ME HAPPY BETTER COME SOON!
I'm merely suggesting the 8 expansion owners who don't get accepted, use their would-be expansion fees and invest it in their clubs. That's a strong foundation. That's wealth/money the NASL doesn't currently have. The target has to be challenging MLS and all that goes with that(tv deals/attendance/USOC-->CCL). If Sac Rep theoretically did that, spent 150M or even half that on academy/roster, then played at Sac State, we'd see a full house every game and I'd suggest a quality of product better than SJ's. Even a flat/balanced 8M roster is a better product than SJ's and a number of MLS teams. That's not a knock on SJ. I'm not suggesting Cosmos level spending. I'm suggesting 150M could bankroll higher quality rosters than many MLS teams and do so for a number of years. A flat 8M roster is of higher quality than a DP top heavy 5M roster if done right. Is it likely? No. But my gut tells me after this news that MLS will go with one more CA team and San Diego has taken the lead. Which leaves Sac Rep out of MLS indefinitely, potentially permanently. But that will happen in a number of markets. So what to do with all that would-be investment? Will they sit on it or attempt to challenge MLS? I take it you choose to sit on the money.
What the flying @&$#..... What a shit show, this explains Whitman coming on board and the fact that the team hasn't posted anything about expansion. I'm hoping for "good news" but none of this sounds good, they're trying to take everything Republic did and get an MLS team here under a different name?!? This is incredible and pisses me the @&$& off.
I don't it's beyond the bounds of possibility that after MLS is maxed there will be enough demand across the country for other leagues to prosper. But you'll need proven demand, appropriate facilities and investors. But who's to say a team in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chattanooga or Omaha can't be as successful as Cincinnati or Sacramento have been to date?
Actually the Cosmos and Miami are both owned by extremely wealthy media moguls, also Indy and Carolina are both bidding for MLS. That right there counts for half the league. Edmonton and San Francisco also have decent money behind them. The NASL has had decent money behind most teams. There are a few bad apples, but most of the NASL's issues steam from poor leadership not from the lack of money.
If this isn't cleared up -- positively -- early Wednesday morning ... I swear I'm getting angrier and more alienated by the minute.
As a Philly fan living in So Cal (i.e. not normally on this board). I wanted Sacramento in MLS because of the Republic its fans and branding. Everything seemed like a go if they could just get some big $$ behind it. One without the other, and I don't want it in MLS. pick another major media market. It just looks like a divorce to me, and you the fans are like the kids who are going to get screwed in this deal. All I can say: I'm sorry! I can't imagine how must this must suck for you true fans.
Oh. ********. This. Shit. Damn, Quakes and Pubics are supposed to be rivals, but I didn't think we would be trying to outdo each other in the "WTF is my FO doing?" contest...
holy f#$k what is going on. my brother lives in Folsom and is REpub season ticket holder. just sent him an article two days ago about how great Sacramento's chances were of getting MLS. he's going to be pissed when he reads this nonsense
So, no news or word clearing this whole thing up as some big misunderstanding? -- edit -- Guess not ... Reminder that I'll be on @davisjsn's show at 9:02 to talk about the situation in Sac. Both parties still radio silent here in California— Evan Ream (@EvanReam) February 1, 2017
Check out @SacRepublicFC's Tweet: Club Statement on MLS application: pic.twitter.com/dStWnJjpnl— Sacramento Republic FC (@SacRepublicFC) February 1, 2017 This isn't gonna end well.
1 thing I'm hearing re: Sac Republic kerfuffle is that contrary to pub'd reports, Kevin Nagle doesn't have controlling interest in SFRC (1/)— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) February 1, 2017 There is basically a negotiation going on btwn Sac Republic and Sac Soccer & Entertainment Holdings to merge. $ are the sticking point. (2/)— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) February 1, 2017 Without SRFC's name and fanbase, Nagle has nothing. It's a big power play.
I'm not so sure there will be no fan base, even with a new brand for a MLS franchise. What concerns me is SRFC's statement, "in violation of our agreements and without our authorization." If this is going to be drawn out into a protracted legal battle, I think we can kiss #24 and #25 goodbye.
By the way, as much as it's a big power play, Nagle is the one who overplayed his hand. From the SRFC tweet, it sounds like there was a way forward for an MLS joint application. It's just that Nagle decided not to take that route. That was a dumb move. It just pissed everyone off, and made the situation worse. It might even have cost the whole project.
Nagle cut them out. That much is clear. But that this is a shock to them? My lord, the depths of dysfunction that implies are deep.
I think this is probably right: Seems like MAYBE Sacramento could still have a Republic MLS team but really doesn't seem like Nagle AND Smith can both be part of it.— Sac is Built for Pro Soccer (@ProSoccerinSac) February 1, 2017