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.
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
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.
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?
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.
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.
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]
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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."
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?
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!
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.
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.
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...
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
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.
I sure as hell hope so. What's good for aeg/sum is good for mls ... Imagine all the extra money they could make. I say make the whole world cup PPV.