Bingo. The other problem is "where to play". I went to a Beat game at Bobby Dodd last season, and I was at Herndon last weekend for the Founders Cup. Neither is suitable. Herndon would be great, except that the field is not the 68 yards wide that is claimed. There really is no way to widen the field. The 16,900 seats (with the temporary bleachers they had for the final) was a great size. Bobby Dodd, was even nicer. So nice that, even though listed at 40k, the upper decks are stacked such that they really aren't noticeable. The 63 yard wide field, however, is completely unacceptable. The one possibility at Dodd, though, is that if they are widening the field during their work this summer. the grassy area was surrounded by a wide concrete track. Remove the track, and the real estate would be there to widen the field out to 70 yards. I don't think that happened. From what I hear, the Silverbacks play at a real crappy place with no real stands to speak of. So, Atlanta needs an investor and a place to play. Sounds like just about any other place. As far as Seattle - MLS still hasn't expanded, so that promise hasn't been broken. Of course y'all should've known you were just being used by the NFL. - Why is the Gold Cup being played at SAFECO and not Seahawks Stadium? Exactly.
even though it's athens sanford stadium is very nice for some footy action. at least temporarily. hell if they can afford the lowly thrashers down there why not try a MLS team?
I think you've hit the nail on the head. If they can't come up with at least a couple of additional investors by then, I think it would prove that the single entity structure just doesn't work. On the positive side of things if the US can get the World Cup back here in 2010 and MLS can expand and show some hope of getting profitable, then there's a ton of momentum for the 4 years leading up to 2010. That might be enough to really solidfy the league.
Agreed. This has been kicking around for years; rumor has it Lurie virtually promised as much to the state so they wouldn't feel like their tax follars were being spent on a facility that would be used 10 times a year. If Lurie is willing to be an I/O, then Philly should be a lock...ironically, for many of the reasons Mike doesn't want to hear. Ultimately, though, like I said earlier...I agree that MLS should not come to a city like Philadelphia unless someone is willing to put up the dough.
Mike, if I remember correctly, didn't you say in another thread regarding this meeting that Hunt merely said they hope to have four new teams by 2006? It's subtle, but different from telling people you're definitely going to add four teams.
Mike's gonna kick your ass for the youth soccer comment (if I don't get there first), but let's examine your other points. UGA plays in Athens, Ga. Not exactly a good barometer for Atlanta sports. You guess correctly re: the investor.
If Seattle did get a team and possibly a stadium it would be a great place for WCQ's and home field advantage.
I think it proves the exact opposite point. It would prove that there are only a few men interested in funding first division soccer in the US of A, and we've already got them. With no single entity, MLS would be a 3 team league right now.
Didn't Seattle get a really good turnout for a USMNT game at Safeco?? Donovan and Mathis each had doubles?? I don't know who it was against. As for Atlanta...I know the reason the Beat don't play at Bobby Dodd is that they weren't wanted there anymore...If they build an SSS, it will probably be where the Silverbacks new training facility will be, at Spaghetti Junction (where 1-85, I-285 and US 23 intersect), It's near very populous and growing Gwinett, not far from North Fulton, easy drive north from ATL, perfect location, that is. Yes, those are all dreaded "youth soccer hotbeds". But Atlanta does a good business in expats, look at the Brewhouse Cafe, and pubs like Fados, Rose and Crown, Hand in Hand. All do well when they show footy on the telly (sorry to sound so Brit). The Founders Cup got close to 7,000, and it is near the ghetto...I think if you got MLS here, with the growth of its young stars, that Atlanta would average between 15-17,000 fans a game. That being said, I think Seattle, OKC, and Rochester deserver first dibs based on past support and willingness to build an SSS.
Can't we forget about Atlanta? It's not a town that supports pro sports well. Therefore, it doesn't matter how popular youth soccer is. It also wouldn't matter if they had a stadium plan and a willing I/O. We saw what happenned in Miami and Miami is better than Atlanta at drawing fans to pro basketball and football.
my youth soccer comment was more aimed at it produced a soccer fan like myself. not so much "OH KIDS PLAYING SOCCER!" and people will GO to athens from mid georgia to watch the mens soccer team i think they'll go to see a MLS team. until it's set up. also. you bring people from alabama tenessee and south carolina. just think. one day there could be... "southern ultras"
Which isn't true. Georgia Tech was more than happy having the Beat pay rent. The reason they were kicked out is the same reason the Fire went to Naperville and the Crew had to leave the Horseshoe - stadium redevelopment. It's hard to play soccer with a backhoe in the penalty box and a frontloader in the center circle.
Well, it's not really that simple, is it? It may be there are many deep pockets interested but because of the single entity structure, they stay away (for various reasons, not having enough control over their own team and not wanting to pay for league-wide losses elsewhere just to name two). I remember that guy who was interested in buying DC United a few years back who cited single entity as the main reason he ultimately didn't pull the trigger. I just don't think it's black or white either way.
Washington DC's average summer temperature and humidity is higher than Houston's, according to a graphic in USA Today last week. I think it was 83.6-82.3 F, if memory serves. No recollection of what the humidity was, though the difference was negligible. Point is, if they can play at RFK in July/August, Houston shouldn't be a problem.
Just to stir the pot a little more.... don't rule out Miami (Lockhart). Yes, attendence was weak but the owner was an idiot and Lockhart is perfect. By 2006 the economics and the right managment might put it back on the list. MLS isn't going to stay out of Florida for long.
That's bandied about all the time, and the DCU thing is often brought up, but I've never (a) seen actual tangible proof that that's why he didn't pull the trigger, and, (b) in any case, we don't know for sure that anyone who's been interested in an MLS team has listed "single entity" as their #1 reason why they didn't go into it. Especially considering (a) There wouldn't be a league without single entity, (b) single entity keeps some costs (especially player salaries) down (now that should appeal to an investor, shouldn't it?), and (c) the fact that soccer loses money however you do it should be far and away a bigger scare-off than single entity.
FieldTurf, approved by FIFA, used by Ajax for practice fields (among others), being considered as a surface for stadiums by multiple European teams, Allen agreed to pay to replace with grass if it's the only thing preventing MLS from coming to Seattle. Next argument....
I'll rephrase: MLS Commisioner: "I promise that if the stadium gets approved Seattle will get a MLS expansion team at the first expansion after the stadium is completed" The stadium is completed, I'd like my team in the next expansion, or my tax dollars back.
Honduras on March 2nd. Attendance 38,524. Second biggest home attendance of 2002 (42,117 in the Rose Bowl against Korea on Jan 19th).