Are We Resigned to a USL Team?

Discussion in 'Milwaukee' started by 5x300games, Oct 29, 2007.

  1. dethfire

    dethfire Member

    Jun 24, 2005
    I personally would not support or go see a USL game in milwaukee. How can I rally for 3rd rate soccer talent. I'd only be excited if MLS came and we saw some good names.
     
  2. Kevin Alexander

    May 27, 2004
    America's Dairyland
    You'd be suprised at the caliber of play of some USLD1 teams. The gap between them and MLS on the whole is not that great at all. One only has to check some recent USOC matches or friendly results to see this....

    I (and others) have said it before, but I still contend that the top USL teams would hold their own mid-table in MLS.
     
  3. mcnaulty21

    mcnaulty21 Member

    Feb 6, 2007
    Wisconsin
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Wow, you're just full of spite aren't you? 'Screw indoor soccer, screw the 2nd division, I will only accept the absolute best'.

    Baby steps, buddy, baby steps.
     
  4. dethfire

    dethfire Member

    Jun 24, 2005
    haha well I think we deserve the best. but really, I don't think milwaukee would get excited if it wasn't first rate soccer. howd the united and rampage turn out. the wave is barely surviving. why, because no marketing and no big names.
     
  5. mcnaulty21

    mcnaulty21 Member

    Feb 6, 2007
    Wisconsin
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think we deserve the best, but we don't have the support of the city for a big money investment like an MLS franchise. A USL team wouldn't need their own stadium, Uihlein or even the expanded Valley Field might work. And the investors wouldn't need to put in 50+ million.
    The Rampage/Wave United fell apart because they moved to Franklin. They were doing very well when they were playing at Uihlein. The Wave have declined over the past few years, but we are still doing pretty well.

    Sorry if I came off like an ass in the previous posts
     
  6. Zak1FCK

    Zak1FCK Member+

    Aug 23, 2005
    Milwaukee
    Club:
    FC Kaiserslautern
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Or the new facility being built in Cudahy.
     
  7. olderandwiser

    olderandwiser New Member

    Jul 13, 2005
    Milwaukee
    There have been numerous player exchanges, promotions and relegations between MLS and USL1.

    What is a "good name"?
     
  8. dethfire

    dethfire Member

    Jun 24, 2005
    Right I understand the city isn't behind the development. And honestly we really do as a city have more important things to focus on and have more important developments as much as that pains me. However, in terms of support, I simply can't get excited watching joe shmoes even if they are talented. Hell I even enjoy watching Bavarian vs MKE Kicker Majors games, but those are only like $5 and its not a big deal. But I wouldn't go out of my way to be a big fan and supporter of a team and league that gets no attention outside bigsoccer forums. Call it the lebron or kobe syndrome, but I'd absolutely get season tickets if I could see games with beckham, donovan, eddie johnson and such. I'd love it! And I highly doubt the USL team would get much attention here. Hell the wave has been here for 20 years and I have friends who play soccer every week and have no idea we have an indoor team. Why? because they do zero marketing. and a USL team I doubt would have alot of money to market the team
     
  9. Kevin Alexander

    May 27, 2004
    America's Dairyland
    It's not like USL games are $35 to get into. In Portland my entire season ticket cost $107.00



    Well, in the last 3 years or so, the Timbers have played the Galaxy (pre Beckham), Sunderland, Necaxa, Preston North End, AC Milan's U21 side, and Toronto FC. And I'm sure I missed a couple in there..... Don't forget the USOC; plenty of MLS vs. USLD1 games there. In fact, lots of USL victories.



    This is a big problem across the league as a whole. There are lots of "how not to do it" lessons to be learned from not only the Wave United, but other teams that have failed. Just the same, there are lots of good lessons to be learned from cities like Portland, Montreal, etc. If you've been reading these threads, you know that a lot of support is "grass roots" type stuff that gets compounded game after game by word of mouth.

    To everyone else reading this thread: The "I'll only come if it's MLS" fan is the one you'll run into the most. When this happens, don't try to "sell" them on the league, just politely move on. It's their loss.
     
  10. sprintjeløy1926

    sprintjeløy1926 New Member

    Sep 22, 2004
    Madwaukee
    You deserve third rate soccer, whatever that may be.
     
  11. dethfire

    dethfire Member

    Jun 24, 2005
    good one
     
  12. K-sWeise

    K-sWeise Member

    Aug 7, 2007
    Milwaukee, WI
    i guess i'll really take what i can get in terms of a USL team, it really doesnt hurt our chances of an MLS team. Maybe if a team here can show that milwaukee is capable of holding and supporting a soccer team then more people will be interested in bringing an MLS team here.(how many cities/states host a USL team and an MLS team?) not to mention my hopes of USL being a feeder program into the MLS, but everyone i talk to about that seems to tell me that is a long time away. I agree though i would still support a USL team here, but MLS is the way to go.
     
  13. chinaglia

    chinaglia Member

    Jan 25, 1999
    Florence, SC USA
    Club:
    Motherwell FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If the games were fun and the level of play decent it would sell in Madison. Just look at the Mallards baseball team. I think the only viable way to "do" minor-league soccer in Madison/Milwaukee is PDL. Why? Because you don't have to pay the players so you don't have to "make" as much money.

    In my business plan for a PDL team I had in the ticket plan that parents got in free when bringing a kid. We also had an area designated in Breese for a beer tent, etc.

    I think it can work but you have to really work to make it fun for everyone. Unlike baseball, not everyone understands the game of soccer.
     
  14. sprintjeløy1926

    sprintjeløy1926 New Member

    Sep 22, 2004
    Madwaukee
    I wasn't joking. Sorry for the confusion.
     
  15. K-sWeise

    K-sWeise Member

    Aug 7, 2007
    Milwaukee, WI
    if we have the resources to get a usl team here in milwaukee why wouldnt we just use them to create a mls team? i would wait the extra couple years to have mls give us a bid to enter. its just a matter who is going to help us convince the city or convince someone to help fund the team... which sucks but if anyone has something optimistic share.
     
  16. mcnaulty21

    mcnaulty21 Member

    Feb 6, 2007
    Wisconsin
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's a huge difference between USL and MLS financially. The problem isn't waiting for the MLS, we have to go to them. Right now, we can't get a stadium anywhere and there is noone willing to fund it.
    Ask Wilt about it
     
  17. K-sWeise

    K-sWeise Member

    Aug 7, 2007
    Milwaukee, WI
    so we stand never to get a team? how do we attack another person like peter then? are we supposed to call politicians around here to support a stadium somewhere? i guess all thats pretty crazy to think that we could stimulate some interest in a team but its painful to come to this thread or drive by the milwaukee mile anymore and think about our chances of having a team gone.
     
  18. Intru

    Intru Member

    Mar 16, 2006
    Rochester, NY
    Club:
    Puerto Rico Islanders
    Where do you think big names came from?, well as another poster said here, you defiantly deserve third rate cause a true soccer fan wouldnt care if their team didn't have big name or hundreds of trophies, they would just care for their team because it is his and not anybodies else, because he loves the game and he is proud of having a team in his city. Sure we all want the best but face the music most cities are not gonna get MLS and USL is the next best thing and its not that bad or that far behind MLS, and maybe in the near future you may even see some in the CONCACAF Champions League.

    And the tittle of the topic is to depressing, take it as a plus USL is much different, it has a much different feel to its game than the MLS, fans can really get close to the game and the players, most USL stadium allow alot more fan freedom to than in MLS so a nice atmosphere can be created, like in PR, Rochester, Portland, and Montreal they all have very good supporters groups.

    Like here in PR we are aloud flares, smoke and any type of display imaginable! The people have imbressed the team pretty well to.

    It all depends of what you make of it, if you come in to the game thinking your gonna have a bad time, then your not gonna be disappointed, but if you go in them thinking its gonna be wild then your not gonna be disappointed either. I have seen game in the Bombonera and Azteca and i can tell you that I have had a great time but I have the best times watching the Puerto Rico Islanders of the USL 1.
     
  19. VioletCrown

    VioletCrown Member+

    FC Dallas
    United States
    Aug 30, 2000
    Austin, Texas
    Club:
    Austin Aztex
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My question would be 'Are you even going to get a USL-1 team?' It's sad that there isn't one there. The Milwaukee -- Minnesota rivalry seemed really intense and was a good backbone for the USL-1. I miss it. And I'm sure Minnesota does as well.

    Though I'm not up there, I wish the highest level y'all can support up there. And I'd like to think USL-1 would be it.

    If I had a USL-1 team here in Austin, I'd be grateful and go to all the games, rather than wishing for an MLS team. With Philly and Miami possibly forcing St. Louis to the sidelines, I don't see MLS in Milwaukee or Austin, probably ever.
     
  20. sprintjeløy1926

    sprintjeløy1926 New Member

    Sep 22, 2004
    Madwaukee
    I would say probably not on the USL team. The development and brand recognition is what would have made the MLS team viable and you're not going to have either with a USL team. You don't need the same kind of investment, but you still need somebody who is willing to lose money every year. At this point, I just don't see a professional team making it here anytime soon.

    I would love to see the city leagues and amateur teams improve, rather than focusing on getting an MLS or USL team. I think the state needs to develop its soccer culture more before its ready to support a PROFITABLE and SUSTAINABLE pro team. And the fact that Wilt couldn't make it happen pretty much proves that. If I had unlimited disposable resources, I would spend it on developing a very good semi-pro club.
     
  21. chinaglia

    chinaglia Member

    Jan 25, 1999
    Florence, SC USA
    Club:
    Motherwell FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    In my discussions with Peter and others, we all pretty much agreed that the only way to be profitable with a team would be in the PDL. So, I ask, what's really the difference between PDL and some of the amateur sides in the state? I would think that Bavarians (pre-NPSL) and maybe some of the better Madison sides would be comparable or better than PDL. Now that 56ers and Bavarians are in the NPSL I have to factor them out of the equation since their expenses are more than the average amateur side.

    I still believe that the real way to build the sport is to think beyond state borders and develop regional rivalries and competitions from the ground up beginning with amateur sides, moving to semi-pro and then eventually fully professional. This won't happen in my life time.
     
  22. K-sWeise

    K-sWeise Member

    Aug 7, 2007
    Milwaukee, WI
    what about the wave though? the indoor soccer team not only makes a profit but had the best team in the league from 97-04. If we could get something going in the city of milwaukee especially if it was a joint program with UWM it would work. i understand that the wave is sort of a novelty because it seems like there attendance is mostly parents bringing kids or like cub scouts or something, but that audience would be there for an USL/MLS team plus actually devoted soccer fans. getting a team here in whichever league would be work to develop it, but i think it would do well.
     
  23. Kevin Alexander

    May 27, 2004
    America's Dairyland
    Can you post some of the details of your business plan from when you held the PDL rights? Not "calling you out" or anything, I'm just curious to see how you would have planned to make it work in Madison.


    Well, I suppose with a PDL side, you'd have an instant "built in" rivalry with the Chicago Fire's PDL side, and the Des Moines Menace....

    As for it not happening in your life time, I sure hope that means you're in your late 90's. :D
     
  24. Peter Wilt

    Peter Wilt Member

    Jun 11, 1999
    Whitefish Bay, WI
    Source? Sorry, this simply isn't true. i wish it were.
     
  25. K-sWeise

    K-sWeise Member

    Aug 7, 2007
    Milwaukee, WI
    i guess i've looked at it as a somewhat stable franchise i didnt mean to be one of those people who just makes stuff up and has no source. i guess the fact that they were so successful in the late 90's early 2000's and still not in decent financial shape is a deterent to wanting to bring an outdoor team to milwaukee. although i think people tend to view indoor as more of a novelty sport than a real passionate one. yet still the wave has been around for a while and has been a dominent team in their league, that has to prove something, no?
     

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