Phoenix City FC will be joining the league next season. As Fullerton is the only city we can realistically drive to as fans (about 6 hour drive), some of us will probably make the trek out there. Any advice on lodging?
hate to spoil the party but are you sure that the LA Blues will still be in USLPRO ? not that I want them to leave of course, but they lost 800 K the first season, maybe this season also
I'm certainly not sure, but I'm hopeful that I won't have to spring for a plane ticket to see an away game.
There is a Marriott right on the campus of Cal State Fullerton with a Bar directly across the street. Price is not too bad just over $100 a night for a double bed (if the game is over the summer months). So if you split with someone it doesn't kill the bank. That is probably the best option for something walking distance from the Stadium. If you are looking for a pub crawl the night of or night before the match it is better to get a room near Downtown Fullerton. Short drive from the stadium but not really walking distance. Would be cheap enough cab trips. And Blues FO might even be willing to setup transportation for you if you bring a decent sized group. Hope that the team is still around next season, they are selling Season ticket for next year so maybe thats a positive sign, hoping to make the trip out to Phoenix as well.
My bet is they are back for 2013 and try and use the full offseason to build off the season. They have already started to have some friendlies. And if they continue this in the fall, and winter, it should help. They brought in some folks to sell tickets at the beginning of the year. It really takes time to build those relationships. So hopefully they still have them employed and they will have a full offseason to try and see season tickets. My only concern is if they decide to try and put a team in the new women's league. They have had more sucess on the women's side. If they go that route, it may be too much to come back. Hopefully they commit soon either way so that they can start selling for next year.
I guess we can assume they will be back next season since they are selling 2013 season tickets: http://lablues.ticketfly.com/event/150811/ Steve
Teams have sold tickets for next year and then pulled the plug before. Given how few season tickets they probably sell, it wouldn't take long to reimburse the fans.
An important point that. It looks like the Blues are an organization that plans to go forward. Perhaps they expect to make money by developing young players and selling them? Are they a club? with paid membership? I'm just thinking that they must have another revenue stream, yeah? Their women's team have been good on the pitch. I see that their attendance (W-League) is spotty, but their owners have laid out plenty of money on their co-use stadium. But the track around the pitch is a freaking terrible idea, and the pitch "has been upgraded to FieldTurf?" Read: "We put in a lousy plastic pitch because we're freaking idiots." Oh well, perhaps they have more plans ahead. I'm sure that I'm too optimistic about the lower divisions, I just want to see the sport grow here in the states. - Mark
Was the pitch replacement up to them? Since they play at a college it might have been out of their hands. I have no idea really, just a thought. Steve
I don't know because I don't live in LowCal (thank the Goddess!). But from the article I read, the owners of Pali Blues paid for the renovation to the stadium, and because Carl Lewis is a fan of the club, they replaced the old track with a new high-tech rubber one. So it sounds like the team were in the driver's seat on the renovation. It's tough to find a stadium a lower division team can use. So I get that compromises have to be made, but a track between the fans and the pitch just blows. It would be cool if they could cover the tack and put seats there for matches, but I'm not sure how well that would work. In any case, they are only drawing a few hundred fans per game. My guess is that they either have another revenue stream or don't mind losing lots of money. It's not a standard business where the team has to make money in any case. (Or maybe they have a really cool sponsorship deal?) In any case, I hope that their USLPro side does not play at the high school stadium this coming season. Some success on and off the field would be good. Maybe the team in Phoenix will help with that. - Mark
Sell them where? That would be a fool's business for any minor league team in North America. MLS avoids paying transfer fees for domestic players. They don't want to go down that road. No. Like every other minor league soccer team, they lose money. Their major problem is they lose a lot. The ownership claimed to have lost $800,000 in 2011. They likely lost even more this year since they spent more on players. They said they want to reevaluate their investment in the team in 2013. That might be coming sooner due to the loses. They will exist as long as the Mansouri family is willing to lose money with the team. But they might have reached their limits and coudl . It just isn't working. They certainly didn't expect the club to average a few hundred fans for the past two years. The Stadium-by-the-Sea is suppose to be a high school field for the charter school. The women's team plays there like 5 times a year. But the school uses the field all the time. So having a track and FieldTurf is for the school. Notice the football lines?
Thanks. I'm always hopeful that these teams will survive and thrive, but I haven't been following any of the lower leagues closely enough, especially on the business side. I hope this works out, but I fear that it won't. - Mark
Blues will be back for the 2012 season 2012/10/29 With the international match against Mexico's U-20 National Soccer Team, the LA Blues are on track for what is expected to be their best year on and off the field. Going into the third year of professional competition in the USL 2013 season the LA Blues now have a new Head Coach, new players added to a small base from last year roster and new goals for the year.
Excellent news. Florez was the coach who took the old San Fernando Valley Quakes to back-to-back PDL playoffs a few years ago when I worked for them. Nice guy, good to see him back.
I nearly choked with laughter when I read this bold pronouncement. That really isn't saying much, it would be a bigger accomplishment to do worse. That would be something to marvel at.
Quick question. Anyone know who played at number 17 for the Blues vs Xelaju MC? It wasn't Waddell and the reason I ask is I'm trying to get the right roster down. I think the player is from Mission Viejo.
Is that all it takes to 'connect' with a city? A snappy name (although Blues is hardly original) and sweet logo. I can totally see how it helped them connect with ticket buyers in Fullerton.
Do you know that Long Beach is about 10 miles from Carson? You know, where two Major League Soccer teams have their home? So why on earth would you think going to Long Beach, and moving closer to two MLS teams, would help a minor league soccer team that has no fanbase? Even for you this is a doozy. Very good team? They finished 8th this year and didn't even make the playoffs. Which disappointed their tens of fans. No, the main story is whether the Blues can keep from losing more than $800K again. Otherwise they are not coming back.