Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 Dunno, Carlos. But I think they renewed it not that long ago. Goodsport, do you know this??
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50FYI re Quakes moving Update from today's Houston Chronicle: Quakes don't appear Houston-bound
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 Also worth noting this Milwaukee newspaper article (originally posted on the Milwaukee expansion subforum by wufc) lists Houston as a 2008 candidate along with the usual suspects plus Rochester while Toronto is mentioned as being the only expansion team in 2007 (assuming everything is going according to plan with the stadium deal):- http://www.jsonline.com/sports/socc/nov05/367946.asp MLS currently has 12 teams, including first-year franchises in Salt Lake City and Los Angeles (Chivas USA). Garber has said the next round of expansion should come in 2007, when Toronto is expected to join the league, and 2008, with one additional team. In addition to Milwaukee, other candidates for the 2008 slot are Cleveland, Houston, Philadelphia and Rochester, N.Y. Looks like if the Quakes are moving it is going to be somewhere that may be quite surprising.
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 I think that article was just off base and we shouldn't read too much into it.
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 I'm sure that it's either done or close to it. I guess we'll find out soon. -G
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50FYI re Quakes moving As I had posted here: [GOMER PYLE]"WELL SUR-PRAZ, SUR-PRAZ, SUR-PRAZ!"[/GOMER PYLE] -G
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 At this point, whichever city that's mentioned (other than San Jose, Santa Clara and perhaps Milpitas) would be a huge stretch at best. -G
Old news, new news Well, yes, the Houston Chronicle noted that AEG was no longer in discussions with UH over Robertson on Oct. 23. The news in today's Chron is that Oliver Luck states that he's aware of no one in discussions with AEG to relocate the Quakes to Houston. Luck has been a participant in all venue discussions involving AEG in this market. He would know. And that Bernardo Fallas confirms Leiwicke's comments (always a wise thing to do) with another source at AEG:
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 Goodsport: You know if there's any word that Televisa may purchase the Quakes and keep them in San Jose? Obviously, Houston is a big Hispanic market. But there're an awful lot of Mexican-Americans in the San Francisco greater metropolitan area, particularly down toward San Jose.
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 If so, it is coming from way out of left field. Sounderfan, if he is lurking around, would have the best idea, but there is absolutely no noise on the Sounder boards about anything of this nature happening.
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 According to a San Jose Mercury News article from a few months back, either Tim Leiweke or Scott Blackmun (both of AEG) stated that AEG hadn't spoken with Televisa/Club America regarding the Earthquakes for quite a while, and I hadn't heard or read anything since then that would indicate that that's changed. And on top of that, Ajax America's first press release regarding their intention to work with MLS stated that they were speaking with potential local investors in both San Jose and Kansas City - they later narrowed their talks down to just San Jose. Perhaps Televisa is still interested in Houston as an expansion option, but it's highly unlikely that the Quakes will become theirs. -G
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 Seattle won't get the Earthquakes, but I seriously hope that either the current Seattle Sounders get promoted into MLS or an expansion team called the Seattle Sounders emerges. -G
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 Right. I don't think many of us, particularly those who have regularly been to SJ games, think there's a fan support problem. Level Spartan Stadium and replace it with a new SSS, right there, or right across the street, and the attendance will be great. I personally prefer the current stadium because I know a new one would mean no more primo seats for $15 or less (season ticket price,) but the league needs to court fans with more money and less natural soccer interest.
America From Perez Teuffer's interview with ESPN Deportes on Oct. 10: Javier Perez Teuffer or Juan de Villafranca - the people who actually represent America and Televisa in their negotiations with the league and locally in Houston - usually respond to questions about whether they're interested in bringing an MLS team to Houston with very clear answers in the affirmative - just like in the ESPN Deportes article. Likewise, when asked about whether they've met with certain local officials or discussed certain venues, they also usually respond with a clear, affirmative answer. In contrast, when they've been asked to respond to questions about acquiring the Quakes and relocating that team to Houston, their answers have usually been rather circumspect, along the lines of "no comment" or "I have nothing to add".
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 Since MLS keeps mentioning Houston as an expansion candidate, Club America may also be looking the expansion route. With the possibility of a AEG/Televisa partnership for WC rights gone, I can't imagine why CA would be deadset on getting an existing team other than "they want to be competitive."
Re: America Thanks anderson. I actually wouldn't mind a Houston MLS expansion team, which would no doubt provide an instant regional rival for FC Dallas (though the new rivalry's initial intensity would depend a lot on how well the Houston team plays its first season). -G
Re: America It would, but it would not. Given the experience of Chivas, I think America would be better of rebranding an existing team expecially one as good as the Quakes. But, if they want to try from scratch, oh well. By the way, I've been burned by America's spokespeople before...be sure to view what they say with some skepticism.
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 now weren't the Blackhawks around BEFORE the NASL San Jose Earthquakes? Or was that the Clippers?
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 You're probably thinking of the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks. Dan Van Voorhis was awarded a franchise in 1988 and the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks started playing in 1989 (check out the 1988 and 1989 entries here). -G
Re: AEG: Odds of Quakes Move 50-50 You left out the Bilderburg Group, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, The Priory of Sion, the Cathar Heresy, the Albigensian Crusade, the Temple of Isis, the Knights of Malta, Skull & Bones and much more. You see, Don Garber is a 33rd degree freemason and wants to move the Quakes to Dallas because Dealey Plaza (where Kennedy was supposedly shot) sits on the 33rd parallel--as does Baghdad. And don't even get me started on the occult significance of the intials, AEG.