BIG announcement coming from the LA Blues…i

Gotta love worthless sports merchandise.

You know how when a team wins a championship, like say the World Series, and as soon as the game ends all of a sudden tons of people are already wearing championship t-shirts and hats? Well that means they are already made before it was determined who won, so the losing team probably printed a bunch of useless sports merchandise. I always wondered what happened to that crap.

Then my sister spent a year teaching in Africa, and she told me she saw a couple people wearing random non-winner championship t-shirts. So I guess at least some of it ends up getting donated somewhere!

 

I'm not sure it's worth tens of dollars now.

 

Leagues do. In the NFL's case, I'm sure it's NFL Properties. But the leagues have for years printed championship merchandise for both competing teams. And, as you note below....

Yes.

Which is why you get this in February:

 

I think if someone took them over they would need to do a complete rebrand. I was going to say that it was a bad brand, but that would imply that enough people know about them. But would still recommend that they do a brand new launch. If I had one the big Mega Millions last month and took them over. I would rename them Cal FC and bring in Eric Wynalda and his team. And then hire Peter Wilt to consult on how to promote the team and build an org.

 

Peter's a bit busy now, and Wynalda has a job, though that might only be until June.

 

Anyone else notice the tweet about the announcement coming on 2/5? "2/5" was done with blue numbers bordered with Red. Interestingly, on 1/30 SJ is announceing their rebrand and include adding Red. Possible Blues announcement being link with SJ?

 

Looks orange to me. Clearly a rebrand to LA Dutch Blues.

 

Orange County Blues....

 

The Quakes FO isn't that stupid. Affiliating with a team in a city your fan base sees as the enemy (and regularly sings about shitting on) would not be a smart move. To say nothing of the dysfunction of LA Blues to date. Same goes for the Blues, partnering with the NorCal side that Galaxy fans by nature are not fond of would be a hamstring out the gate.

Besides the Quakes will go the cheapest route possible, a simple B-side.

 

Rumor is that RSL is doing their own thing in San Diego and are not partnering with any of the existing clubs. Meaning PHX is still available for any team not willing to field their own, and wants to buy the soccer team equivalent of a broken down jalopy.

 

My latest predication:

Blues "announce they are dropping down to the PDL", and in the same pressor, throw out the gratuitous "But our ultimate goal is moving to the MLS".



Just some light-hearted humor on an otherwise boring Thursday

 

With how poorly they're run that's probably it. Remember last we heard on LA's side was that they're going their own route vis-a-vis USL.

 

2 weeks away! Who's ready for a #NewBluesEra? http://t.co/Cy4AptQtt2

— Orange County SC (@orangecountysc) January 22, 2014

 

Well definitely a new logo then... Hopefully it comes with some other announcements or 2/5 is going to be very anti-climatic.

 

This would be like their third badge in four years, no?





They should have one with Nero fiddling, I think.

 

Didn't you know Kenn, the logo is why no one comes to their games...

 

My guess is the USL Schedule will tell us it's non affiliate related by being officially unvailed before 2/5 ... or if it's not unvailed by then ... I'd assume it would be a new crest and new Blues affiliate announcement. Agree though ... if it's just a badge/brand update ... wow ... very sad.

What else could delay the schedule coming out? Real question ... if MLS/USL knows the affiliates for 2014 are done or if there is another announcement coming ... can't think of another reason to not announce a schedule following the USL Combine and before preseason games/news get underway.

 

Schedules aren't easy. They used to be roughed out at the AGM and then polished, but I don't know that Phoenix had the ability to do that and other concerns since then may have delayed it.

 

Wonder if MLS teams will loan out more players during the World Cup break that MLS will somewhat use ... in effort to get some guys minutes ... I could see it happening. Especially with a team like SKC that has 2 teams to loan players to. 4 is a minimum (2 if you split the affiliation up).

 

Last time around (2010), lower-level teams played Open Cup matches during the MLS break for the World Cup group stage, but MLS teams didn't enter the tournament until a few days after the break ended. They could conceivably loan players out during the break, but they might not play them during Open Cup matches because they'd be cup-tied and it could complicate matters later.

 

Houston is looking to come to Pittsburgh for a friendly during the World Cup. I don't suspect we'll get any additional players during the break..

 

Obviously a new logo won't solve all tproblems, but it's an easy first step that pretty much every USL Pro team should be taking. USL Pro teams have some of the worst soccer logos since the old NASL... aside from the new teams (Oklahoma City, Sacramento) the only logo that says "we are a professional sports team" is the Charleston Battery. How much does a decent graphic designer cost? Some marketing consultant to think up a name that doesn't suck? That should be within the budget of most third division teams...
Have a decent team name, logo, jersey, etc. and people might take you seriously, hell some might even buy your merchandise (even at the MLS level that worked wonders for SKC).