San Diego USL (potential) expansion thread

Yeah Loyal might not want to deal with him but if he helps offset cost at Aztec stadium I bet they will work together. Maybe he can be a minority owner and they convince Seidler to come back in as majority owner.

 

I just hope the NWSL people will do community integration and outreach as well as SD Loyal did/does. Because so far everything that I've experienced, heard or read was positive.

Fingers crossed they then also come up with a nice looking identity, name, colors and all.

Not thrilled to have Burkle involved though, especially regarding potential future MLS aspirations with or without SD Loyal in tow.

 

Well the Loyal will be leading the MLS charge so if he's not involved with them he won't be involved at all.

 

Went to the match on Saturday great to be back Torero again, and the result was nice. Team looked good in person, lots of possession and some good flow, just need to integrate the new guys, and finish better.

 

Yeah they got better as the night went on. If they keep improving like this we ought to do well. Though I am cognizant of the fact we played the worst team in the west. The next couple of weeks will be far more informative. But it was good to get the first W.

And the crowd was great given the limited numbers in attendance. Can't wait to see the place full again in a few weeks.

 

I know the lights have become LAFC's second side but I didn't realize it was their youth team, it was literally men against boys.

 

Was it? I wasn't aware of the Lights ages. But if that's the case then I retract my comments about us looking better.

 

I actually don't know if that was a youth team but it sure looked it. Some of those guys looked awfully young especially compared to our guys.

 

Downside of being an affiliate I guess. The Loyal are free to build their best team to win. Partial farm teams are obligated to play young guys who may make MLS someday soon but who aren't MLS level yet.

 

We'll based on reports let's wait and see after 2022 and how MLS and it's offshot/2nd Team sides proceed.

MLS is reported to be close to applying for a D3 league (with less infrastructure demands and somewhat ironically also less roster restrictions than USL Championship)

 

Yeah part of me is worried about that. But then someone pointed out this new MLS D3 league is little more than the old Reserve League making a comeback in a slightly more formal form. It's not designed to be much more than what the Arizona League is to MLB.

 

Well that was the most pathetic finish I’ve seen in a long time. Giving up two stoppage time goals when you should have had the game in the ********ing bag?!

 

NWSL related https://theathletic.com/news/casey-stoney-manchester-united-women/KxhsjnNb4RF7

Thats a pretty high profile manager

 

She's a great get if they land her. But I'm still torn on this NWSL team. I'm happy we'll have a women's team in and of itself. But I'm concerned it'll split some of the fan dollar away from the Loyal when the Loyal need all the support they can get for the push to MLS. Also concerned with this particular NWSL team's ownership in that they've already screwed one city.

 

Reading more about the team I'm even more conflicted. Looks like the Loyal reached out to collaborate, which frankly given USL and MLS standards on stadiums would have made sense since both organizations want a soccer specific venue and the Loyal were rebuffed. Instead the Loyal are working on stadium plans in the 15,000 seat range (obviously their first choice at the Sports Arena was rebuffed by voters), the 1904FC have announced a 10,000 seat stadium and then shelved their plans for an Oceanside venue and that site has now gone to the Sockers for their new North County arena. And now the NWSL team has their own plans for a 10,000 seat venue. I just don't get why these folks can't work together to make something happen, particularly knowing how hard it is to get something like that done in San Diego.

My only solace is that the Loyal, the team of the 4 I just mentioned I'm most invested in, have been talking with SDSU about playing at their new stadium as a fallback (and a damn fine one at that) and they're the team best situated to be able to make that larger venue work (particularly if they make an MLS push).

 

I think eventually the NWSL team will figure out there isn't any good land left (unless they get the sports arena spot) and work with SDSU.

 

If the USL team couldn't get the Sports Arena I'd be shocked if the NWSL team could given that it's already gone to a new arena developer. Unless they continue to drop the ball that ship has sailed. And in all honesty if it does, it should go to the Gulls backed group since San Diego needs a new arena more than it needs an extra outdoor venue.

 

Interesting. As a fan of AFC Wimbledon in League 1 this makes him a strategic advisor to an opposition club. Much more familiar position to find myself in than the odd position of supporting him as I do in his day job as manager of the Loyal.

 

Because the original Dons were ripped away from their fans and then the fans helped rebuild the team that carries their legacy forward today. As a Quakes fan I appreciated the parallels to what happened to the Quakes between 2005-2008 as the fans were instrumental in getting Lew Wolff and John Fisher to commit to MLS and bring our club back after MLS ripped it away. I was living in San Jose at the time and went to more city council meetings, rallies and event than I'd care to remember in support of the Quakes that hiatus period.

 

Great win on Saturday. And the crowd was pretty good given the Padres were playing at the same time.

 

With how good the Pads are now....I can see both teams being able to draw good crowds (a lot of folks who might want to attend Pads games on a whim are probably priced out these days when compared to a going to a soccer game).

 

I mean attendance was still 5,800 officially out of 6,000 capacity, so not too shabby. And yeah they're going up against the best Padres team in almost 25 years in an admittedly inferior, if fun, venue. Winning 3 straight at home will definitely not hurt matters.