Article: Earthquakes to Houston closer to done deal?

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by wufc, Jun 30, 2005.

  1. jeff_adams

    jeff_adams Member+

    Dec 16, 1999
    Monterey, Ca
    Stan, they could have done ALL that in private. They are "playing" the media. After three years of articles, they don't have squat. I'm all for doing your homework, but these clowns named a freaking GM three years ago! (Ivan Zambrano if you haven't heard)

    They've had America fans panting for too long. Who can believe another article?
     
  2. Justin O

    Justin O Member+

    Seattle Sounders
    United States
    Nov 30, 1998
    on the run from the covid
    Club:
    Seattle
    If starting teams in cities with firm SSS plans that are immune to changing political whims is a requirement, we can pretty much forget any new cities except Rochester ever joining MLS.
     
  3. gherter

    gherter Member

    Sep 16, 2002
    Leesburg, Virginia
    If there are two owners then why not do both, sell the Quakes to the SJ owner, and then add a new team for CA in Houston. The main point was to expand, and unload some teams. Why not do both? I think the SJ owners must not be acceptable to the league, maybe they don't have deep enough pockets?
     
  4. Al Salinas

    Al Salinas New Member

    Apr 11, 2000
    fremont
    Yes, the quakes would love to have a good quality mexican player, but reality bites, they would have to have a Ryan Suarez show to make room for allocation money.........the cost of a "quality mex. player" takes most of the "allocation" the quakes get!
     
  5. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Or sell the Quakes to CA now, and give the new SJ group an expansion Quakes when their new stadium opens. The "Cleveland Browns" solution.

    And while a few hardcore Clash/Quakes fans may walk away forever, the majority of Quakes fans would likely embrace a replacement franchise. It's certainly better than not getting a replacement.
     
  6. jeff_adams

    jeff_adams Member+

    Dec 16, 1999
    Monterey, Ca

    Mike, interestingly enough, SJ still has a team. Tony was a joke, but you've noticed that SSV learned their lesson and has not "outed" the current potential investor. Feel free to make fun of SSV if the Quakes relocated to Houston, but until then.....they've done the job.
     
  7. aosthed

    aosthed Member

    Jul 16, 2004
    40º30' N 111º52' W
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    Sweden
    Deion's career is over? :confused:
     
  8. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    And to be perfectly honest, Tony Amanpour almost certainly is responsible for the Quakes still being in San Jose. Without him, the team was almost certainly gone. And part of what worked then was the very public nature of it all. But you're right about keeping things under wraps now. Anyone else that gets "outed" will seem like the "owner that cried wolf!"
     
  9. Revolt

    Revolt Member+

    Jun 16, 1999
    Davis, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Trying to put my obvious subjective feelings....

    This is the second plan where a MLS club would play in an over-sized dome. Dumb, Dumb, Dumb...

    As much as I hated Dragon Stadium and Podunk field, high school stadiums are far better venues than over-sized domes. (If this is the choice given)
     
  10. Goodsport

    Goodsport Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 18, 1999
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Indeed... this is the scenario I'd bet on at this point.


    Unless the SJ owners and SSV have yet to make their bid to AEG.


    -G
     
  11. anderson

    anderson Member+

    Feb 28, 2002
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I won't try to characterize anything about efforts to get a venue in the Bay Area, but I don't think Houston is in the boat you suggest.

    First, the Astrodome already exists and, after Aug. 18, will still need a tenant. The Harris County Sports & Convention Corp., the entity that runs the Dome, has already met with America and reached the conclusion that bringing a team to play there is financially feasible. While America hasn't been talking much publicly, the S&CC representatives' quotes have all very favorable. America is bringing in their facility manager for the Azteca to look at the Dome. Televisa may eventually decide against going into the Dome for engineering or economic reasons, but this certainly isn't pie in the sky.

    Second, Delmar will take some time, but the HISD Board of Trustees has already approved in principle the concept of redeveloping Delmar in cooperation with an MLS team. The HISD Administration will still need to negotiate a deal with America and take it to the Board for approval. The deal may not eventually work out, but it's not like we're talking about some sort of fantasy.

    As pointed out above, the political situations in Houston and San Antonio aren't at all similar. We could go into detail that only poli sci geeks find interesting, but just to paint a picture, Mayor White (who, incidentally speaks fluent Spanish and enjoys support from the Hispanic community) will face no serious challenge for re-election this year. Harris County has one of the most stable political leaderships since the demise of the Politburo. HISD has a new, Hispanic superintendent and is building their new headquarters at the Delmar complex. If America doesn't come to Houston, it won't be because of the politics.
     
  12. okcomputer

    okcomputer Member

    Jun 25, 2003
    dc
    They are only planning on using the astrodome until a sss is built. Like SLC.
     
  13. DirtyJerzey

    DirtyJerzey Member

    May 30, 2005
    Harrison, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    All I know is after I saw the SJ-LA game and the beating of the Landon pinata ... if there are any fans that deserve an MLS team, its San Jose fans.

    Best of luck to you guys ... you've got a non-SJ fan rooting for you all.
     
  14. anderson

    anderson Member+

    Feb 28, 2002
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Again, I don't want to try to characterize anything you've seen in your local media. But did the Zambrano articles actually have any quotes attributed to a specific America official? I listen to a fair amount of Spanish-language sports talk radio and check out the local Spanish-language printed press in Houston. They often include references that can only generously be characterized as rumor mongering.

    Also, it's been reported regualrly that America and Televisa officials have been in and out of Houston meeting with city, county, and HISD officials over the last few months. Yet, officials from America have been extremely circumspect in their comments to the media. They haven't been making claims that would indicate that they're trying to "play" the media or that they've acquired a team. If anything, quotes attributed to named America officials have been very cautious.
     
  15. ThreeApples

    ThreeApples Member+

    Jul 28, 1999
    Smurf Village
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I've made my personal objections to this idea known in the past. Putting those aside, this only makes sense if CA had a stadium ready to go.
     
  16. wufc

    wufc Member

    May 1, 2005
    UC Irvine
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Club America may not be willing to pay the $12+million expansion fee.
     
  17. anderson

    anderson Member+

    Feb 28, 2002
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Fair enough. Just keep in mind that the interior of the Dome is almost completely modular. It would obviously still rquire some expense, but the structure was designed so that any part of the seating can be removed (or re-arranged) fairly easily. It may only be a temporary solution, so it may not be worth doing a whole lot beyond some very basic upgrades, but if Televisa wanted to spend the dolares and make a long-term go of it, they could do almost anything with the seating or most of the rest of the interior. Architects and engineers drool over that place.
     
  18. anderson

    anderson Member+

    Feb 28, 2002
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They may also realize that a good way to avoid having an expansion team roster that's going to struggle for some time is to acquire an existing roster that already includes quality players who wouldn't be available in an expansion draft.
     
  19. jeff_adams

    jeff_adams Member+

    Dec 16, 1999
    Monterey, Ca

    The deal is done. I was sure of that the minute AEG announced that Lalas was going to NJ. It seems that MLS/AEG like splashy announcements at the All-Star game. I'm going to bet that's when we'll hear who the new owners are (not that it won't get leaked in the press first).

    Also, has anyone else noticed that since Lalas left, Johnny Moore seems to have more "inside" access? I wonder if the new owners have hired him as a "consultant"? Perhaps they are already running the team?
     
  20. Airblair

    Airblair Member

    Dec 8, 1999
    Redwood City
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Where have you seen this?
     
  21. Stan Collins

    Stan Collins Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Silver Spring, MD
  22. Magi-Raistlin

    Magi-Raistlin New Member

    Sep 26, 2003
    SC
    This is getting quite frustrating...

    I wish the potential local owners would either step up or bow out at this point. We've been hearing about these nameless possible o/o's in SJ for a while now...perhaps the All Star game we'll get to hear about a good deal of the stuff that the league has been working on for a while now: SJ/KC's sell, higher salary cap, raising SI limit, etc.
     
  23. CeltTexan

    CeltTexan Member+

    Sep 21, 2000
    Houston, TX USA
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What's being left out by our trusted leaders down here in Houston is how a Mexico City owned franchise that moves a Northern California team to play in South Texas soccer mad culture will work out!

    Huge questions need to be researched by the Houston Sports Authority and Club America officials. Questions like...

    1-Do Mexican men and women care about MLS?------Very, very little

    2-Do Mexican men and women that love their futbol care for MLS?---Some

    3-Will the Mexican men and women that love live futbol, care for Club America and care for the U.S. domestic league be motivated with a moved team from California?-----Worth looking into

    4-Does Garber, the HSA and Club America recognize that MLS league play is considered by many MFL fans to be at a lower level and thus of little following?------Lower level in following is exactly why Luis Hernandez and Lothar Matteus sucked donkey d!ck. Our domestic league's culture is what it is...rugged and fast. Yet goals are scored in honor of the the city. So little interest is to be seen from people with prior love to another club in a distant city, in another country

    5-Understanding that MLS is a tough sell because many die hard fans, regardless of culture, regard MLS as a lower level of play...can the Club America fans living in Houston be counted on in larger numbers than they would find with keeping the Quakes in San Jose, to purchase tickets to watch a lower level of play just out of love for their mother club?---IMHO no.

    6-When Club America is on T.V. and Club America Houston is at the Dome...can Club America die hards be counted on to skip the Televisa show of their team of 40 years to come out and be the die hard block of hinchas and supporters CA officials are banking on by relocating a 2 time MLS Champ to a new city?----No way Jose! MFL fans already exist...MLS fans need to be cultivated and ignited! This is where the vision must come in for Club America investors. O sea, who in Houston can be seen 10 years from now as their die hard followers. That's the people they need to go after from day 1 amigos!

    7-Since the beautiful game bleeds the culture of a community and or nation. And if Club America fans don't come out in force to be the backbone of the Club America MLS franchise... How ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH will an owner from Mexico City connect with a people and culture in Texas that has a tradition of being very pro U.S., very pro U.S. National Team and historically speaking...proud of its break from Santa Anna and anything from Mexico City?----The curse of the Houston Oilers a.k.a. the Tennessee Spoilers will be handed down to Team Houston CA in the form of a moved football team in blue from another city's loyal fans! Transfered old Auguilas that have tons of flair but don't really care to be in MLS's grit league and like the Oilers of old a mixed bag of other talent that is full of promise yet is content to just pull a paycheck and call it a day.

    Club America and its intent to move a winning club from Northern California, away from a great set of fans will bring MLS much embarassment down the road. If Club America really was the class organization that MLS wants to get into bed with than why even move San Jose in the first place. They should make their majic work in an established market.

    Heck as many Ca fans in Houston there are just as many CA haters...so the Mexican footie fan support is halved from the start just cuz its the piche Auguilas!!!

    Houston could go with investors from outside the U.S., but Club America and Houston are a terrible fit Stan.
     
  24. MT mojo

    MT mojo New Member

    Apr 23, 2004
    Montana
    I think the only way a lot of this happens is if CA markets itself in a similar way that Chivas USA did. And I think after seeing how C-USA is doing, the Club America people will make sure this doesn't happen. I highly doubt they will advertise mainly to CA fans when there will be more fans who won't go because they dislike CA.
     
  25. Stan Collins

    Stan Collins Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Silver Spring, MD
    Yopu're right of course, but how right do you think you are? Let's suppose 90% of those soccer diehards (who either said "vey high" or "high" interest in soccer) don't come out for MLS on any regular basis. That would leave about 100,000 who would. If they each went 2.5 times, that would be an average attendance of over 17,000 a game, or top quarter of the league. This is before you account for any casuals.

    Or to put it another way, if 99% of them never went, but 1% bought season tickets, that would be 10,000+ season tickets, the largest base in the league.
     

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