American expansion possibilities

Discussion in 'NWSL Expansion' started by WPS_Movement, Dec 28, 2012.

  1. cpthomas

    cpthomas BigSoccer Supporter

    Portland Thorns
    United States
    Jan 10, 2008
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Portland was 4th in MLS attendance in 2019, so not middling, although their attendance is well below the top 3. Their attendance has a stadium size cap at ~25,000, always are sold out, and have a 5-year waiting list. The biggest question for them is whether at some point they will need a new stadium to replace Providence Park. That would be a very tough call because PP is an incredible and intimate soccer environment.
     
  2. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    Doubt they replace with a new stadium. Having full attendance is better having a half full bigger stadium. What are the numbers for Seattle and Atlanta with bigger stadiums?
     
  3. toad455

    toad455 Member+

    Nov 28, 2005
    Atlanta sells out Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Seattle usually brings in 60k+.
     
  4. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    In 2019 they had just expanded the stadium, so while it shows the potential of the Timbers, they historically (i.e. before the stadium expansion) were more in the middle of the pack. Admittedly, that's basically an artificial limit because the sold out for several years in a row, but that's what the numbers were, especially as they weren't selling out the stadium for their first few years.
     
  5. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    We already thought that Sac joining would rule out a future for Oakland, and now I think there's even another (now internal) reason to not expect Oakland: the club ousted its founder+president last fall, and just last week he has turned around and sued the club. Sounds like a fairly big clusterf*** of controlling interest and ownership shares and such, particularly associated with the move from NISA to USLC.
     
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  6. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    And Jill Ellis was just hired by Sacramento to spearhead the technical side of its NWSL expansion and also have some responsibility over the 2023 MLS team as well.
     
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  7. Cliveworshipper

    Cliveworshipper Member+

    Dec 3, 2006

    Depends what you mean by selling out. They have always sold all the seats they felt comfortable selling. That gradually increased over the years.They have sold out the stadium for every mls home game since the Timber’s joined the mls until fans were excluded for Covid.
    It’s a 100 year old stadium and the facilities couldn’t handle a larger crowd initially and get people to bathrooms and concessions. They opened up seating as the became better able to give fans a good experience. Also, some of the seating is still not sold for obstructed view and accessibility. The upper corners behind the new elevator shafts and on the sides of the old baseball box suites still are tarped over.

    here’s a screenshot of the wiki entry on season attendance. Every game has been 100% sold out to what they set for capacity each year.
    [​IMG]
     
  8. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    What they mean technical side? Like looking for players and training?
     
  9. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    We have a Sacramento thread, you know... *looks at timestamps for the news*
     
  10. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    There is? Didn’t see it.
     
  11. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    Granted, the thread needs to be renamed because the WPSL team originally involved in the Sac effort is no longer directly involved, but yes... All the Sac-specific discussion is in the "CA Storm NWSL" thread.
     
  12. toad455

    toad455 Member+

    Nov 28, 2005
  13. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    "Maybe making a new stadium that could then be used for WoSo" stories are nothing but lip service IMO and a dime a dozen, and I don't put any stock in them until at least one of them actually happens. Not to mention that it's utter bullsh!t to act like you can't start a WoSo team unless you have a new stadium when you already have a BroSo team that's making due with what's currently available. It's PR posturing to just get the stadium approved and nothing more.

    Minny, Cincy, Indy, now ABQ, and I'm sure I'm missing other examples - Oakland was more realistic than any of those others. I'm tired of the talk, get me some independent verification that these organizations are actually serious about WoSo.
     
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  14. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    I did a tour of the Home Depot Center (now Dignity Health Sports Park) before it opened in June, 2003. This was also prior to the folding of the WUSA and hosting the SARS relocated 2003 WWC Final. In the bowels of the stadium one of the locker rooms was labeled "Future WUSA Team". This was over 6 years before the WPS Sol took up residence (not to mention Chivas USA).

    "It could also be used for" is one of the great marketing tools in stadium construction.
     
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  15. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    Yeah, and that's why I hate it so much... It's so hollow, almost never actually meant (or at least taken seriously) by the people saying it, and yet it nonetheless gets the signatures/votes/whatever because it "sounds good". Ugh.
     
  16. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    [​IMG]
     
  17. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Unrelated, but just to let you know besides Austin FC stadium there is a USL team Austin Bold FC which built its own stadium a 5,000 capacity for 5 million dollars.
     
  18. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerq...s-owner-reveals-what-stadium-could-look-like/

    13,000 is a lot. Maybe they don't have another major sports team?

    [​IMG]

    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – In less than a month New Mexico United will open their second season and the team will again, play at Isotopes Park.

    Will they ever have their own stadium? On Wednesday, United’s owner gave fans a look at what could be the team’s new home.

    New Mexico United is coming back after a successful inaugural season. Their fans bring in some of the league’s largest crowds, averaging almost 13,000 people for each home match here at Isotopes Park.

    “I’ve been to a couple of games, I support the team and I enjoy soccer immensely,” said local Roger McNew. Fans want their own place to call home.

    “We have this team here now and we should let them have their own stadium,” said another fan.
     
  19. toad455

    toad455 Member+

    Nov 28, 2005
    Albuquerque has the Isotopes for baseball, but I think that's it. No (American) football, no basketball. So having just baseball and soccer would be a bonus if they also bring in a NWSL team. Not that'll it'll be anytime soon.
     
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  20. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    I mean, I didn't mention Austin, so definitely unrelated. X-D Especially because mentions of Austin FC's NWSL ambitions have not been limited to Q2 side statements, and Bold Stadium hasn't been linked to WoSo at all. Besides, the 5k for Bold Stadium is definitely well below what's acceptable for NWSL now.
     
  21. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    Toad says they have only baseball and soccer team and one of the largest crowds at their baseball/soccer stadium. Think an NWSL team have a chance of being popular there. Maybe a 10,000 capacity would be good size for women’s team just starting. Just showing how cheap it can be made with 5000 capacity soccer specific. Double the capacity probably cost around 10 million. Or just share with New Mexico United team and don’t have to spend millions.
     
  22. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    Oh yeah, I wasn't saying that I think Austin isn't a good candidate - it's similar to Portland and Salt Lake in the current sports landscape there, so that's at least a bit of a plus. But since the current NWSL effort in Austin is coming from Precourt, there's no reason for that potential NWSL team to use anything other than Q2 anyway.

    The original point was not an issue about trying to build a stadium that would work for an NWSL team, it was about name-dropping NWSL to get a stadium for a men's team built with no other evidence that NWSL was actually on the men's team's radar.
     
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  23. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    Feel like they should sign a contract promising an NWSL club if building a new stadium if they are that serious.
     
  24. SiberianThunderT

    Sep 21, 2008
    DC
    Club:
    Saint Louis Athletica
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    Interesting theory I just saw on Twitter:

    COVID has not only caused the SacMLS bid to fall apart, but it also caused the RenoUSL side to fold. RenoUSL was the Quakes' partner team. There's the potential here for the Quakes and the Roots to partner up, and maybe the rumored SJ-NWL interest group with them too, so that the Roots' NWSL side can easily use the SJ stadium, whether or not SacNWSL happens.
     
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  25. Klingo3034

    Klingo3034 Member+

    Dallas FC
    United States
    Oct 11, 2019
    Not like Sac team was going to play now but in 2 years time. By that time COVID would be under control.
     

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