4-19-2004: A Fist Full of Yen

We owe JMU Soccer! our gratitude...



Good stuff in that Rochester stadium article about the particulars of the deal, including the funding and the Rhinos' ability to contribute and the phases of construction.

Had to laugh at this guy, though:

Good luck with that.

Higher attendance is goal for Earthquakes (Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal) - (registration required)

From that:

 

Talking Points - San Jose Mercury News (# 8)

Revs must pull themselves together - Boston Herald

Rivalry must be rated R - N.Y. Post

Random Rants - San Francisco Examiner (bottom)

Marshall just misses Goal in promising Crew Debut - Columbus Dispatch

United's Adu wows Fans - North Jersey Herald News

Cancela adept at chipping in - Boston Globe

 

interesting take

 

This may just be the attitude of the writer, but this article makes the Rhinos seem like an outfit without a whole lot of money. It almost seems like if they wanted to join MLS, they'd need bake sales and car washes to raise the expansion fee. Is it really that bad?

 

It's expensive to do what they want to do. They're an A-League team. Granted, they probably generate more revenue than any A-League team (with Charleston comparable, probably), but that's not close to the kind of money they'd need to (a) get into and (b) compete in MLS.

 

I did an interview for this article, but wasn't included in the end because my take was too positivie. The interview was little like the press conference that the President had a week ago where every question was pretty much, "Don't you feel like you were to blame for the events of September 11th? Don't you want to apologize to the American people because you caused September 11th?"

Except on my interview it was pretty much, "Don't you think this much smaller stadium is a slap in the face to tax payers? Don't you think this much smaller stadium will hurt Rhinos MLS chances? Don't you think this much smaller stadium is and insult to tax payers? Do you feel it's insulting the Rhinos are taking your money and not using any of their own in this much smaller stadium?" Essentially this guy Spector doesn't like the stadium and has written as much as possible to criticize it and the Rhinos organization. He re-runs a lot of quotes from the same people to try to prove his slant.

That said, the Rhinos ownership is not on the level of Anschutz or Kroenke or Hunt or Kraft. Frank DuRoss is however the owner of several minor league teams, not just in Rochester, and is an excellent businessman with excellent connections. Many Rhino fans have in the past talked about the fact that the Rhinos might become the Milwaukee Brewers of MLS if more money isn't injected into the ownership group. So, no bake sales necessary, but a visit from billionaire Rochestarian B. Thomas Golisano wouldn't hurt either.

 

This is a great article on the Revs situation. I'd said after the first loss much of which Martins has written. Because the Revs don't have very many defensively oriented midfeilders they better maintain the lion's share of possesion or their back line is going to get torched each and every time. Something obviously isn't clicking because on every goal that's been scored against the Revs it's looked like there were four guys standing around trying to gaurd six in the box.

 

Thanks for the reply, drew. I'm sure you're a bit closer to the situation than most of us. I know you say that DuRoss is an excellent businessman, which means he has a good reputation in the community, but in your opinion does he have enough money to pull off a move to MLS? Or would there have to be a search for partners? I've seen a few threads at BS where people speculated how big of a lotto windfall a person would need to be able to own a MLS club. Now obviously having a SSS in hand is a big plus. But the consensus is that it would take $20 to $30 million to be able to be comfortable joinung the MLS club.

 

But it's completely short-sighted. Adu's goal was re-played on every newscast and sports highlight show across the land. That's the important thing. It was an event in and of itself, so no need for theatrics.

Plus... he's f'ing 14 playing w/ men who would be pissed off at any perceived showboating. If Nike is "wondering" about its investment b/c he's not theatrical as a nervous 14 yr. old, they morons that don't realize the worth of having an uber-talent in their hands. Fredinho will make anybody associated w/ him a T-RUCKLOAD of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

 

You have to read Mushnick regularly to understand his take. He's constantly on about athletes who preen and say "look at me" as well as ESPN's predeliction for making them the focal point of highlights on Sportscenter.

He was just saying here's a guy who doesn't showboat, and that it's refreshing.

And for those of you who don't read Mushnick regularly, I'll save you some time. Here is every column he's ever written:

"Blah blah blah run to first base blah blah blah young male demographic blah blah blah late start times blah blah blah can't shoot free throws blah blah blah Francesa said blah blah blah ticket prices blah blah blah Chris Russo blah blah blah John Sterling self-serving blah blah blah third and long meaningless statistics blah blah blah buy tickets you don't want to get tickets you want blah blah blah YES network blah blah blah graphics at the bottom of the screen blah blah blah Vince McMahon blah blah blah dead wrestlers blah blah blah Ticketmaster service charges blah blah blah sneaker companies blah blah blah Little Leaguers' favorite X-Games events blah blah blah undeserved saves blah blah blah showboating on Sportscenter blah blah blah."

 

Sounds to me like the Rochester group are great businessman. I have no idea of their net worth (obviously, they are not anywhere near Anschutz class), but to get the stadium funded on such a small capital outlay from them- kudos for great negotiating. Anyone can write a check to build a stadium- it is much more skillful to get someone else to pay for it.

And it will be close enough, that if it makes sense to join MLS, it will be impossible to argue they aren't fulfilling requirements.

Well in advance, they sold the naming rights. Nice.

And the Rhinos make money, or at least break even. How many A-League teams have ever been able to say that (less than 1%).

I think the Rhinos owners acumen would be of value to the MLS pie. Those guys are sharp.

 

now that's f-funny. thanks.

 

Ah yes. That brings back fond memories of his narcolepsy-inducing contributions to TV Guide.

Anyway, two things about Adu's goal made me happy: one, that he had his head in the game enough to know they were still behind, so a major celebration would be inappropriate, and two, the fans in attendance were Metro-fan enough not to be Adu fans. I mean, I was remembering 5-6 years ago when Sammy Sosa hit a late-inning home run in San Diego, and the SD fans went nuts, the scoreboard fireworks went off, etc... even though the home run put the Cubs ahead of the Padres, in a game the Padres needed to keep their play-off hopes alive. It was embarrassing to the Padre players. Good to see the fans in the meadowlands didn't do anything that stupid.

Now, if it had been a bicycle kick, or if he'd dribbled around 8 guys before scoring, I'm sure the response might've been a bit different. But still, not San Diego-like.

 

Jri- I read what you wrote too.

I have two thoughts on the situation. Maybe because DuRoss isn't a multi-billionaire he'd be more dilligent with how and where his money went. However, I think MLS single entity might just throw his dilligence away if the Rhinos finishing a season in the black can only go to cover another team's red. How does it work now with LA? Does anyone really know how the money situation works within the "Single Entity" besides the money players? DuRoss can sit at the table, an extra billionaire partner would help up the ante though.

 

Interesting take from Mr. Frantz. Many of us here of BigSoccer and observers from other media markets believe that Freddy Ady hype has been on overdrive for the last couple of months. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Bob asks where all the Freddy stories and SportCenter highlights are.

"Question: How much coverage would a 14-year old player in the NBA get? In the NFL? In Major League Baseball? The kid wouldn't be able to breathe. Another question: How many Freddy Adu stories to you see on Sportscenter? How many articles do you read? You have to HUNT for them. Yep, soccer sure is catching on, all right."

I believe Freddy will have a bigger profile (read: more featured articles, radio and TV interviews) in the Bay area as the Quakes' May 1 home date with the One and his team gets closer. Maybe then, Frantz will be unmercifully crushed by weight of Adu-mania.

 

I agree with your points. I am musing here, but if I were DuRoss, I would negotiate something along the lines of the stadium deal w/the billionaire's boys club (MLS Owners): Not as much downside, not as much upside.

For example, I'd expect DuRoss to beg out of the sharing the losses thing. But then, have some caps on how much DuRoss can benefit from upside from MLS project (how that would work, I'm not sure). I'm not privvy to all the details, but I'm sure you are right- having less money means you just have to be smarter with what you have. Maybe DuRoss would not get compensated w/share with future expansion fees (don't know)

Before people say "No way MLS' owners will negotiate"- think about Rochester brings: solid fan history, stadium, bigger footprint, an ownership group that knows what they are doing and won't embarrass MLS (look at this Chivas clown). There is value there for sure. Whether or not its enough for MLS' boys club to cut a distinct deal, I dunno. But if I were Garber et al, I'd consider it.

If not, DuRoss takes his marbles and stays in A-League. Then he is not out the tens of millions he woulda had to pay for stadium, league and is financially solid and still has his stadium. Smart stuff by that guy...

 

You know, while MLS might be negotiate the franchise fee, they're very keen on owners meeting the cash calls. When Horowitz and DC's old ownership group started declining cash calls, they lost all influence for the duration of their involvement in the league. But if things go well, by 2006 the new stadiums will result in the direct cash payments being reduced considerably.

 

I think this is the first ever MLS mentioning in Anschutz's new newspaper. Seriously - they don't even post match results or league standings on the back page of the sports section.

Now the question is, should the writer be praised or fired?

 

Isn't this article a classic case of a writer proving the point of what he is trying to argue against? (Is there a term for that?) I mean, soccer is obviously catching on if he is noting how it isn't catching on, right?

 

There is a term for that. It's called "Bigsoccer."

 

Yeah-- the sharing of the losses is an important peg in the legal foundation of single entity, which of course is what allows MLS to have a cap without a CBA. I recall that MLS has increased the local control of franchises, but I'd be interested to know exactly what they've told Kroenke and Vergara about the cash calls other than what Haig said-- that, in the future, the cash calls won't be for a big money.

 

Great name for this thread, James.

This was the first result for "A Fist Full of Yen" on google.

I wanted some pictures from it so i could build a fighting force of incredible magnitude