Article: Earthquakes to Houston closer to done deal?

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

  1. okiebear

    okiebear New Member

    Mar 28, 2005
    Bucks County
    Good point. This story would not have gotten past this editor. All this happened in his town? Then why wasn't he on the people like a fly on honey? A good reporter will corner sources like this in an alley and at least force them to say something, even if it is a denial. A good editor would suspect that some "secret source" was using the reporter to plant something misleading, or float a balloon. Neither is a reporter's job.
     
  2. anderson

    anderson Member+

    Feb 28, 2002
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Today's Houston Chronicle includes two pieces. One is a column. The other is a report.

    This is the column, by Glenn Davis, who writes two weekly soccer columns for the Chron:

    On Soccer: Playing site critical for MLS team here, Glenn Davis

    This is the report, which includes quotes; it's written by Bernardo Fallas, who has been reporting on this story for some time:

    Prospective MLS team eyes Dome
     
  3. AndyMead

    AndyMead Homo Sapien

    Nov 2, 1999
    Seat 12A
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    What perspective would that be? An expansion/relocated team in their first year in temporary digs with all the local media hype and fan interest? That sounds like Rice-Eccles Stadium.

    Unless the perspective you're looking for is that of a team with an absentee owner who has given the team a marketing budget of $0, announced the team is being sold no ifs/ands/buts, and slashed the front office staff.
     
  4. jeff_adams

    jeff_adams Member+

    Dec 16, 1999
    Monterey, Ca

    Andy, we're in the same boat at SJ. It sure isn't a knock on the Wizard's faithful.


    On the other hand, remember all the fuss about the Revs decline in attendance last year? The massive stadiums like the Meadowlands and Gillette look terrible with small crowds.

    Does CA really believe they can fill up a 60,000 stadium?
     
  5. sangreazul

    sangreazul Member

    Nov 17, 2003
    Belmont, CA
    Club:
    Club América
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    In the Fallas article, it states that

    "Loston added the potential use of the facility depends on how other proposals fare, specifically the one by Astrodome Redevelopment Corp., which calls for a $400 million conversion of the Dome into hotel, convention center and retail real estate. The company has been given a tentative deadline of Aug. 18 by the county to finalize the proposal and give a "go or no-go" decision, Loston said."

    In accordance with LIEwicke's teleconference two weks ago, he said that the QUAKES future would be determined in a matter of weeks, not months. That means we're not too far from the aeg announcement. If his words are to be taken as truth, it doesn't seem like Club America has enough for aeg to sell to them in such short a time with so many pending issues for the Houston franchise, at least if 2006 is the target date.

    Even if playing in the Astrodome is a short term solution, there is still the issue of building a soccer only stadium which is not guaranteed and is what MLS seems to want.

    In reading both stories, I get no new information from what has been known for months. The commotion stirred by these articles seem to originate with that 'source close to Club America" The same source that has been wrong for the past few years.
     
  6. Mr. Bandwagon

    Mr. Bandwagon Member

    Terremotos
    May 24, 2001
    the Barbary Coast
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ding! Ding!

    By choosing the Quakes over an expansion franchise they also could play in '06 while expansion has been ruled out until '07 by the Garbster.
     
  7. Mr. Bandwagon

    Mr. Bandwagon Member

    Terremotos
    May 24, 2001
    the Barbary Coast
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Okay well then here's my prediction:

    The unknown SJ investor is...

    [result]...Landon Donovan. Instead of paying cash money, he's just going to trade Anschutz some of his stem cells and the exclusive rights to clone his DNA. In return, AEG will give him the Quakes whereupon Landon will immediately contract them out of spite for booing him.[/result]
     
  8. Mr. Bandwagon

    Mr. Bandwagon Member

    Terremotos
    May 24, 2001
    the Barbary Coast
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yup. There's a lot of development slated for the land in China Basin that is/was being considered for a potential San Francsico SSS site. However the fact that there's no credible I/O group looking to place a team in SF means that the possibility of it happening is still extremely slim. The mayor of SF won't get serious about discussions until there's somebody on the other side of the table. Likewise, as you point out the Niners are in the stadium hunt and would surely be first in line when it comes to getting a deal done. Mayor Newsom has indicated that he wants to move forward on planning the new NFL stadium ASAP so that he can resolve the details well ahead of his re-election campaign in '07.
     
  9. Revolt

    Revolt Member+

    Jun 16, 1999
    Davis, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sapporo is a friend of mine. You sir, (pick either AlamoDump or AstroDump) are no Sapporo.

    Actually, I have no recollection. It was like 3:00 in the morning when the matches were on.
     
  10. denver_mugwamp

    denver_mugwamp New Member

    Feb 9, 2003
    Denver, Colorado
    Looks like the game is over. Found this over on the Houston expansion board:
    Mexican Purchase of Earthquakes Nearly Complete

    I'm sorry for you folks out in San Jose. You fought the good fight and we were all pulling for you. But it's over.
     
  11. Revolt

    Revolt Member+

    Jun 16, 1999
    Davis, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  12. The Cadaver

    The Cadaver It's very quiet here.

    Oct 24, 2000
    La Cañada, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Goodsport may want to climb back off that limb. Sounds like there's someone sawing behind him.

    (or maybe we need to add ridge Mahoney to the growing list of people out to "get" the Quakes)
     
  13. Bayern1986

    Bayern1986 New Member

    Sep 24, 2004
    Houston, Texas
    If the quakes do move to houston, i hope sj gets another team bc their fans are awesome supporting the team like they have this year, I was hoping that they would move the Wizards because their attendance this year is just embarassing.
     
  14. ElJefe

    ElJefe Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 16, 1999
    Colorful Colorado
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Astrodome was built in the early '60s to accomodate a natural grass field. The fact that it no longer has one isn't due the inability to grow grass indoors, but the fact that the process of doing so interfered with the games of its first major tenant. It was truly ahead of its time in that respect.

    So comparing it to a stadium that was built 35 years later is unfair.
     
  15. cristoforo7

    cristoforo7 New Member

    May 14, 2003
    I can only say that I hope the Soccer America article author's AEG "source" is the vacation relief janitor.

    Either that, or this is AEG's way of telling the local investor group: "Make your offer by close of business on July 1, 2005, or you can forget about it."
     
  16. denver_mugwamp

    denver_mugwamp New Member

    Feb 9, 2003
    Denver, Colorado
    It's obvious that this article was released for a reason. There's way too much detail to just be a rumor. It almost reads like a press release. The train's leaving the station. Who wants to be on it?
     
  17. wufc

    wufc Member

    May 1, 2005
    UC Irvine
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Here's what yalpstel said on the SJ board.

    Hey listen. Last night I ran into Don and Colin and then a few steps down the way, Tony.

    I asked each of them to give me something, anything as I wondered on my way. They knew what I was talking about - what's up with owner talks and stadium issues.

    BIG smiles all the way around from all three of them and a reassurance that I shouldn't get to feeling hopeless (which I certainly am NOT).

    Quite yer worrin' folks.

    SSV is still there (just not here) doing what they do best....

    Keep the faith....

    BELIEVE!!

    and

    NEVER GIVE UP!
     
  18. myshap

    myshap Member

    Jun 19, 2002
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Exactly.

    First as I pointed out earlier CA isn't Chivas.

    Second out of all the mistakes Chivas USA made, going to LA was the biggest. At least in the short term. Yes the Derby is nice and will provide them with attendance boosts every year, but they simply limited their market. LA already has a team for the soccer loving Gringos out there and a large number of the non-Mexican Hispanic community that are willing to support MLS. That leaves them with only the Mexican market and even more strained then that in some cases, the Chivas loving Mexicans. Problem with that is most Mexicans won't give the time of day to MLS

    Now that's not to say that Chivas USA won't make it. I think that LA's population is such that Chivas USA given a couple of years, better Mexican players and a winning team could convert more Mexican fans. Of course they could lose them too and that would be bad for them and MLS.

    Now look at a CA Houston. This is a city that has a lot of soccer fans, Gringo and Hispanic, but no team. If we were to take Chivas USA as an example of how many CA fans will cross over, it's what, I don't know, something like 10 to 15K(???) add that to the other populations that will have interest in a Houston soccer team and that's maybe another 10 to 15K. So right there a CA Houston team could start out with with a 20 to 30K fanbase.

    It's what Chivas USA should have done in the first place.
     
  19. jri

    jri Red Card

    Sep 28, 2000
    boca
    Its not over- if there really is someone interested in soccer in SJ..they could always build an SSS, and get in the A-League tomorrow. Make it clear that there is 5 year plan, and they need to pack the stadium to make it work.

    A-League has big league cities, and good quality soccer.

    If they REALLY want to get back in MLS, they can....let's see if they do. Let's see if these potential owners really are committed to soccer.
     
  20. Goodsport

    Goodsport Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 18, 1999
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I seriously doubt that the deadline is July 1, 2005. More likely by the MLS All-Star Weekend.


    -G
     
  21. jri

    jri Red Card

    Sep 28, 2000
    boca
    C'mon Tree...Soccer America doesn't even try to get info on the Northern Calif. soccer scene- since they are soooooooo far removed by their location. Certainly, they would have no way of knowing or finding out (thru connections) what the reality is with the SJ potential ownership situation... ;) :D
     
  22. Rocket

    Rocket Member

    Aug 29, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Besides the SJ/Houston talk, the other interesting news in MLS Confidential is the ongoing discussion between Televisa and AEG/SUM to form a partnership regarding World Cup broadcasting in the States:

    So does this mean we may see the World Cup end up like the EPL, with a few free games and the rest pay-per-view? :(

    http://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562136033
     
  23. monster

    monster Member

    Oct 19, 1999
    Hanover, PA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So if there is no source and not enough substantive quotes about moving the team, the reporter is lying. But if a "mystery investor" is unidentified and never speaks to the media, that's supposed to be taken as gospel?

    You know, I don't want you guys to lose your team. Seriously. The denial just gets a little old sometimes.
     
  24. sangreazul

    sangreazul Member

    Nov 17, 2003
    Belmont, CA
    Club:
    Club América
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    I sure as hell hope so. What's good for aeg/sum is good for mls :rolleyes: ... Imagine all the extra money they could make. I say make the whole world cup PPV.
     

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