Their potential fanbase isn't soccer fans in the USA. It's soccer fans in LA. What people in Sheboygan, or Raleigh, think is irrelevant. Later you made another post about their strategy. Frankly, guys like us sitting in Eastern NC can't really grasp what might or might not work in the Los Angeles market. It's Cue's problem. It'll be interesting to see how he tries to solve it.
Well. A taqueria restaurant from Reynosa is not going to have a web page. They don't need to. Believe me, burritos are Mexican, ie, northern Mexico. The closest thing Anglos have come to inventing the burrito is Hot Pockets.
chapulincolorado, will survey my people tomorrow, they are from different Mexican states as i understand.
See pic above. There are different types of burritos from the Mexican side. There are the Sonoran version which is made with large flour tortillas as opposed to the Tamaulipas burritos which are made with "regular" sized tortillas. Texas and Californian Chicanos have made their own versions and American culture has added their own take. Burritos are nothing fancy and have now become morning b'fast staple along the US-Mexico border. They have become such a basic part of Southwest "cuisine" that now I am not surprised to see Anglos waiting in line with Mexicans to order breakfast burritos (flour tortilla with egg mixed with different ingredients-potato, bacon, bean, cheese, etc).
If they are from the Southern part of Mexico, they might have never even eaten a flour tortilla until they came to the US. As far as survey, depends what you ask. More proof of the burrito being from Mexico: From Real Academia Española: "burrito. (Del dim. de burro). 2. m. Méx. Tortilla de harina de trigo enrollada y rellena de carne, frijoles o queso." From Diccionarios.com: "burrito nombre masculino Méx Tortilla de harina de trigo que se rellena con carne vacuna deshebrada, jitomate, chile y otros ingredientes y se arrolla para poder ser consumida sosteniéndola con la mano; es típica del norte de México."
Que oso, huey! It's a very northern thing. I met fellow pips from souther Mexico that had never ever eaten a flour tortilla until they came to Tamaulipas or the US. Southern Mexico is corn tortilla to the max. Corn and corn tortillas is very embedded in the culture (culture, economics, etc) and in the cuisine of Southern Mexico that is at a lower level of usage in Northern Mexican cuisine. We eat corn tortillas, but we just got to have flour tortillas in the mix. A fajita taco or burrito must have flour tortillas. Hmmmmmmmmm. My wife is from a very rural town of San Luis Potosi and I was raised in the Tamaulipas border. We are a classic example of Southern vs. Northern cuisine. She eats everything with corn tortillas and I am the opposite, I eat everything with flour tortillas.
Los mejores tacos en toda frontera estan en Calle Canales, Matamoros, Tamaulipas. Tacos de Campeones.
These are not silly rules. They were very well thought out and help to make MLS a good balance of home-grown talent and foreign nationals. This was specifically to avoid the problems that NASL had with too many foreign players. It helps build domestic talent for the national team. And it attracts a broad range of fans. Go to a DC game, you'll see what I mean...you'll find everyone from a senator's chief of staff to recent immigrants from Latin America. I doubt in a single-league entity that you could change the rules just for Chivas. It wouldn't be fair. Change these restrictions for the whole league, and you could really upset the delicate balance the league has created. They've managed to create a base for soccer here; why risk that because Chivas has trouble filliing the stands? There also probably be legal challenges. I'm not an expert in employment law, but you probably could not get away with an only Mexican policy. Or only whites. Or no African Americans allowed. Somebody would challenge it, and they would likely win. Chivas needs to adapt to the situation here instead of expecting everyone to adapt to their traditions. This is a common problem when any company enters a foreign market. The owners knew that going in. And they misread the market, that's all. If they can't adapt to the market, then the business will fail. It would be nice if the Mexican and Mexican-American fans were a bit more open minded and were interested in supporting soccer in this country, rather than just teams with their countrymen on it.
Audio clipsare up in his blog. http://sidelineviews.blogspot.com/2007/09/shawn-hunter-audio.html Haters and armchair-strategists, back to posting essays on how to make MLS like the EPL. In the mean time, I'll be watching my team kick some super pub club ass.
I am white also for the record. I just dont understand why we care to force them to have Americans on the team if they dont really want them. Why make them put a slice of American cheese in their taco if they perfer something else? I can see from a patriotic standpoint that thats what some may want. I just dont see the point myself. I'd rather see teams having the freedom to take on a unique identity than handcuffing them to a life as something they are not. And they really can't compete with the Galaxy for the American fan. They really dont have a shot in hell of doing that. White kids will root for Becks. He's an amazing draw that a schizophrenic Chivas has zero chance of competing with. And just for the record, offering them the freedom might be the more American thing to do. Thats much more American than forcing a quota system on them. Or atleast it used to be. Anyway.. Difference of opinion here I suppose.
well they have to have americans on the team cuz they play in an american league and have to follow the same rules as all other 12 clubs.
The problem is they have segregated themselves too much. It is a team that is connected to Chivas in Mexico. I've heard lots of people talk about how if you watch Mexican soccer you either like Chivas, or hate them. Why would a fan of Pumas, or Club America want to cheer for Chivas USA when they have a strong dislike for the Mexican based team? It's just a bad set up.
Well, i've talked to my people this morning. They are from different parts of Mexico, but we got consensus: there was no such thing as burrito in Mexico 20 years ago. They've got big tacos, then something similar to burrito called guaracha (i'm not sure about spelling), but real burrito came from US, it's a part of chicanos (again not sure about spelling) culture.
I like to use myself as a good determinate as to why Chivas is not doing well in Los Angeles since I am a consumer living in the actual area and choose to spend my money on the Galaxy only. I should be the person they are trying to capture. I love soccer and watch MLS games. I (a customer) have bought only Galaxy merchandise, Galaxy tickets, and watch Galaxy games on Fox Sports West, ESPN, and Fox Sports Channel. (Not Chivas) and not because I can't afford to enjoy two teams and only have an interest in following one team, but because I feel Chivas isn't an American team. Its an MFL team in the MLS, or atleast its been marketed that way. Whether I speak spanish or not is not an issue when I say, having a team named in spanish is a bad idea in a league of all english names such as MLS. Los Angeles Goats would have helped although not using Goats either would have been better. While I am white, I have many hispanic friends who enjoy watching the Galaxy with me instead of Chivas because they feel Chivas is just a wolf in sheeps clothing. A gimmic of the one and only MFL team. They can watch the real Chivas whenever they want and they want an American team to cheer for as well and the Galaxy have done a better job of letting the L.A soccer fan cheer for they as their local team. I cheer to several teams from several different countries. If the Galaxy owned a team in Mexico for example, and named them Sports Club Galaxy Mexico, how many Galaxy fans in Mexico would support a team like that in the MFL, even while being a Galaxy fan of the states? Chivas USA needs to re-brand and become a true local team.
There's other issues to think about. Chivas is obviously Mexican. Not all brown people in SoCal are Mexican even though most brown people are called Mexican. Many are Guatemalan, Salvadoran, Costa Rican and so on. They tend to not like Mexico so much so supporting a Mexican leaning MLS club is out of the question. Strike 1. The other points about non-Chivas supporting Mexicans has been covered. Strike 2. The Galaxy has Beckham, titles, glamour and history whether you want to admit it or not. Strike 3. As I see it, Chivas has really one option at this point. They can't re-brand and stay in LA because they will continue to be the Clippers of MLS. People won't identify with them. Whites, Latinos who don't support Chivas; none of them will identify with Chivas USA in different colors. They must be sold, move and re-brand. In a perfect world, here's how it plays out. - Fall of 2007: MLS announces 15th expansion team is either Seattle or Portland; let's say Portland for argument's sake. They begin play in 2009. - 2008 MLS Season: LA gets their real rival back in San Jose. Everything is right again in rivalry land. As a Galaxy supporter since day 1, I possess a hate of San Jose that Chivas will never come close to. - Fall of 2008: Chivas USA sold to whatever investor it is in Seattle, they will begin play in 2009 as the Seattle Sounders. Why is this perfect? LA didn't lose a rivalry because the LA-SJ is back and better than ever. Plus, now we have the Seattle-Portland rivalry in MLS. MLS loses the failed abortion that is Chivas USA, the HDC isn't destroyed any further by the tenants and the sun shines on the Galaxy as they win MLS Cup 2008 and 2009!
Everyone seems very concerned about our attendence this year. For those who don't understand why we are so low, let me explain, 1. We are a young club. 2 1/2 years old. Every one else has 9 years on us (Toronto is the exception) 2. No big stars. Attendence went down when the big names left. 3. No coverage. Living in the shadow of Becks and his impact has drawn most "new" soccer fans over there. I'm sure Antonio Cue is aware of this, hence the change of personel. Somehow I think we will manage. Lots of corperate sponsers and such.
Great point. I knew about this, but I don't think it's been mentioned on this thread. It's possible that with sponsors, CDUSA generates more revenue drawing 10K a game than a typical MLS team generates drawing 14K a game. I suspect the fact that the big Mexican star on this year's team is a defender and not an attacker is a problem. If Claudio Suarez was a central midfielder, I'll bet they'd be drawing alot better.
Not sure this made much news at the time, but raised a few eyebrows in Portland for sure: A Chivas Legends vs. Club America Legends match at PGE Park on August 10, 2007 drew 14,761. These weren't the actual clubs mind you, but just two clubs of players who had formerly played for each team (some players in their mid-40's), and it still drew nearly 15,000. http://www.soccercityusa.com/lcca081007-pics.htm Makes you wonder how Chivas USA might draw if they relocated to Portland, though I haven't heard that raised as a possibility yet.
I don't think that will happen. From what I have read, St. Louis and Philadelphia are pushing hard for MLS teams. I don't see the league adding 2 teams in the northwest that close together.
You're missing the point. MLS won't technically be adding two clubs in the PNW. They would be awarding one expansion franchise to either Portland or Seattle which seems a given and then with the relocation of Chivas to the other, we esentially get two new clubs. St. Louis and Philly still have obstacles to over come as well so they are far from givens.
Well. I am not sure what you guys are going to tell the Mexicanos that have been eating burritos since they great grand parents ate those suckers or to the Sonorans that invented the whole thing. Anywho. I've met enough Mexicanos that don't know what Zapata did during the Mexican Revolution that I am not surprised about your "survey."
BTW....20 yrs ago was 1987. In 1974 or 1975, my dad bought me a Sonoran burrito in Cd. Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Maybe someone from 1987 did a time travel and fed us their burritos from the future. Sorry. But Burritos have around Mexico for a loooooooooooong as time. A guarache in some parts of Mexico is a flat corn tortilla with the ends bent up.