I've seen it mentioned in a few articles and interviews already. And we all know there has been a bunch of chatter on a 2nd NY club. This may be a good idea in the future, even though I usually can't stand NY/LA sports teams, however it may be good for MLS with TV and US growth. Who knows? With the opening of the HDC, could we eventually see a Clippers/Lakers Staples Center similarity? Even if only for a few years until another stadium is built there? The commish has mentioned that although most likely not in the short term, that if someone stepped up that they'd look into it. Does anyone see this happening?
btw, I personally don't think it's likely to happen soon, but the possibility and suspicions/hopes/predictions of MLS brass and fans that the HDC makes the league some money within 5 years or so makes the situation quite intriguing....
During the halfime radio broadcast of LA-KC, Joe Tutino talked to Tim Lieweke (sp?) and on the subject of expansion, he said he envisioned a 16 team league with LA and NY having second teams. He went as far to say that the 2nd LA team would play at HDC and that there would be a different owner....he would not give any more info than that. I was hoping someone would have also heard the radio broadcast and posted about it to further confirm these statements.
That move seems unlikely for a very long time. If the LA fanbase can't consistently sell out the HDC to see the Galaxy (no blame for the fans here though) why should the league put another team there? Logistically it doesn't make much sense at this juncture.
I can't see it happening and I don't want to see it happen for a long, long time. A San Diego team would be as big a rival for the Galaxy than a 2nd So Cal team. If there were to be a 2nd team here, it'd probably be in Orange County or the Inland Empire, but Carson's not too far from O.C.
Haven't you guys been reading about the rumors of an all Mexican-American team? Sort of like an MLS version of the Chivas of Mexico? Why do you think the All-Star Game format has been changed? Don't you think it's a trial for the new team (gauge fan attendence)? It seems logical. Either America or Chivas will enter MLS with some cash and operate a team in the LA market. Of course they will use HDC as the home field (in Mexico it's very common for 2 teams to share the same stadium, much like the NFL does with the Meadowlands). They may have dreams of building a "super league" one day. Europe has mulled that concept for years...
This is a bad idea. Why polarize the Galaxy fan base? If Mexican ownership is interested in MLS, they should open up a new market -- like Houston.
The owners of Club Guadalajara "Chivas" Jorge Vergara and the president of Club America Javier Perez Teuffer were both present for the Galaxys first game at the HDNTC, given that and the FMF flag flying high its safe to say that we can expect to see a team owned by a Mexican Club playing there. Perez Teuffer (Club America) has allready stated in numerous interviews that they are allready in advanced talks with AEG to purchase one of their clubs. Im thinking this could be the Los Angeles Galaxy or maybe the Dallas Burn. As for Chivas the idea is to bring in a Franchise team which would be very similiar to Club Guadalajara. Except Chivas is a Club rich with Tradition and having a second team can be very difficult especially when Chivas doesnt play with foreigners. I think a Chivas Jrs could work in L.A they could have the same tradition of not fielding foreigners and if they want to take it even further have a core group of players from California.
Couple of thoughts: 1. Lamar Hunt owns the Dallas Burn. I could see Chivas either buying LA or Colorado. There is a large Mexican population in Colorado, though I'm not sure about where in Mexico they come from. Not sure about San Jose, although they may be an outside possibility. 2. I can't see how the "no foreigners" concept Chivas has would play in the US. Assume for a moment that ChivasLA only plays Mexican-American players. Is there a labor problem here? I'm not sure. VS, is this Chivas the club buying into MLS or the Chivas owner buying an MLS club? Sachin
I can't wait to see the size of the discrimination lawsuit that is filed against this proposed all Mexican-American team. That would just be GREAT for the league.
Vergara is not talking about an all Mexican-American team. He is talking about an all-American team. That's different. And I just read that America's president continues talking to MLS executives about the possibility of having its own team in the league, that is to own an operate a franchise.
Just found this quote on Mexico City's Reforma newspaper: "The blue-cream (team's colors) institution wants to expand and, aside from having a team in the second tier division, also wants a "filial" (affiliate team) in the U.S. America (said Javier Perez Teuffer, president) has decided to have at least three strong teams -- the one which will participate in the local tournament, the one which will try to participate in the Copa Libertadores and the one that will go to the U.S. if that country (U.S. Federation) approves it."
Re: Re: 2nd LA club Originally posted by Sachin Couple of thoughts: 1. Lamar Hunt owns the Dallas Burn. Ahh my bad, Teuffer said that they are going to buy a team from AEG, so i guess the Burn is out of the picture. I could see Chivas either buying LA or Colorado. The diffrence from Chivas and America is that Chivas will make a new team possibly a Club, while America will buy an MLS squad that is allready established. btw i say Club because there are plans to have a Club in L.A similiar to the one in Guadalajara where people can become members and hang out and practice all types of sports. 2. I can't see how the "no foreigners" concept Chivas has would play in the US. Assume for a moment that ChivasLA only plays Mexican-American players. Is there a labor problem here? I'm not sure. This is obviously the biggest obstacle. Chivas was founded by French Students and the club didnt really have a no foreigners policy, it used to be just fielding Players from The state of Jalisco and then as the MFL became more profesional it became Just Mexicans. I think the correct thing to do would be to field just American born players, as a Chiva fan i wouldnt have a problem with that. VS, is this Chivas the club buying into MLS or the Chivas owner buying an MLS club? Well Chivas belongs to Vergara, before it belonged to the Club associates but Vergara bought them all out.
Reading that thing (which is putting way too much trust into the minds of journalists, and maybe translators as well), you COULD conclude that Chivas wants a lower division (?) MFL club in Carson. Can you believe I don't actually want to open that "FIFA Regulations Can of Worms"? I think it's bogus anyway. It's not like the Galaxy should agree to that, BTW. Just absorbing the possibilities.
Nope.. Chivas allready has a lower division Club (Tapatio) which competes in the Mexican 2nd Div. Then they have their reserve team which participatres in the Torneo de Reservas which is a reserves tournament which all the first division clubs reserve players compete in. Chivas owner Jorge Vergara allready owns another team outsuide of Mexico, Club Saprissa of Costa Rica and he is in negotiations to buy other Clubs in Latin America. The idea to have a Chivas jrs club in the MLS came from AEG and Burillo Azcarraga ex FMF representative, this was a year ago when Chivas was going bankrupt and close to being Relegated !!! The plan was to have AEG sponser Chivas but Vergara came along and bought the Club but seeing how he was at the HDNTC it safe to say they are still negotiating with Chivas..
KMEX-TV ch.34 say Club America is interesting to created 2nd LA club and share with LA Galaxy at HDC. I think 2nd LA club is mexican/american communities and LA Galaxy is foreiger/american communities are great heat rival.
It's a bad idea and MLS is looking for trouble IMO. If there were some kind of mexi-american club then why would latinos support the Galaxy? I could see the riots in LA now.
I think at this point it would be a really bad idea seperating the already existent LA fanbase. I just wish the Mexicans living in Los Angeles would adopt the Galaxy as their home team and then it wouldn't be an issue as to who owns the team. Maybe when the Galaxy has three or four years straight of selling out all 27K seats at the HDC, then we could think about a second team. But until then...
Would Chivas fans like a team that is owned by the Chivas owner but fielding only Americans? What would be even weirder is if Club America bought a team in the US and called them 'Club Mexico'.' Actually a Chivas USA team might be a hit with jingoistic Americans who think soccer is a foreign sport, well...maybe not. And the only way two MLS teams in the same stadium would work is if the teams are catering along different ethnic lines (and I don't know how I feel about that), I have a feeling most Mexicans in LA haven't taken to the Galaxy, but if a new MLS team forms and guiltlessly name themselves 'Aztecs' (or something else related to Mexico) and wears green, white, and red for colors, and has a 3-4 Mexicans on the roster, I could see Mexican support lining up for said team, and a pretty good rivalry too if the Galaxy stick to Central American foreigners.
I don't know what I think about this (ethnic lines issue) either, but in the end, this would be huge for MLS growth IMO. I could see many of the Mexican-Texans/Arizonans/NewMexicans supporting that team as well. And if it were to provide a significant growth for MLS, it is something to look into.
To use the HDC to make money EVERY week, instead of half the time. I agree with your point, but they would be using 1 facility for 2 teams, thus cutting down on stadium costs and the related at least for the first couple years.
I think the only way that a second club could possibly be sucessful in L.A. in terms of fan support is if they have their own stadium in a different part of town. If a brand new team sets up shop in the HDC who is going to support them, there will be nothing to differentiate them from the Galaxy. They need to have some identity, which can be helped by there own stadium and/or a part of town they can identify with.