I like the set up of AC STL, and hopefully more MLS/NASL sides will follow suit. I believe they have right idea. Regardless of what I believe should happen and what actually happens, I would like to know which markets/existing teams should make the leap into WPS? Some others I would like to see: Carolina Railhawks [NASL] Colorado Rapids [MLS] Montreal Impact [MLS201?] Rochester Rhinos [NASL] Seattle Sounders (W-League) [MLS2011] "Somewhere" in Texas [FC Dallas or Houston Dynamo (MLS)] Toronto FC [MLS] Vancouver Whitecaps (W-League) [MLS2011]
WPS Expansion Franchise ideas (and primary team color) Richmond Rolling Pins (Richmond, VA) Carolina Casserole (Cary, NC) Florida Furbies (Tampa, FL) Baltimore Bladder FC (Baltimore, MD) Pittsburgh Prophecy (Pittsburgh, PA) FC Ohio Barley (Columbus, OH) Detroit Curling (Detroit, MI) Sacramento Starling (Sacramento, CA) Wheeling Woop FC (Wheeling, WV) Seattle Scuzzle (Seattle, WA) Team Logo for the Sacramento Starling ............ Fans in Wheeling are wearing their logo with pride and chanting, "Let's go Woop, Let's go Woop" Team Slogan: "Don't act like your WOOP don't think" .
As posted and discussed in various threads over the past few years, it is nice to create wishlists but ultimately, there has to be an investor group willing to put up the money and absorbs a few years worth of $1m+ losses. Historically, a franchise in the Carolinas would seem like a good fit given the WUSA heriatge and strong soccer culture at the college level. Soemone with $$$ needs to feel that way, not me. With all due respect to the Courage perators and fans, recall that they were merely a fill-in when Orlando fell apart. Somewhere, Texas would be a nice fit, but Dallas was a "founding city" of WPS until they couldn't find a place to play and the ownership group collapsed before the league took over and gave up. I like the Vancouver and Seattle suggestions, Vancouver has a strong track record with the Whitecaps but I do not know their financial status or level of support for the womens side. FYI, Seattle should say [MLS2009], you may have missed it but they have actually played a whole year in MLS already and are the model of fan support for the league. Will they support the womens side? After the SOL collapse, a few more Left Coast teams would be welcome, perhaps including Portland [MLS2011]?.
http://www.equalizersoccer.com/webpages/blog.aspx?postid=7f35c904-36f7-4d5a-b2ba-eb614f80a969 It does look like LA will be back for 2011, as well as maybe one other team. Denver, Seattle, Vancouver all have interest.
As a resident the Raillhawks has crossed my mind many times. I would really love to have a team here and it is such a great environment to have one in. I hope we get one soon.
Glad LA will be returning. And the league should focus on West coast expansion only with the Gold Pride (& soon the LA Sol again) are the only teams on the west coast. Seattle seems like a no brainer. Maybe they add LA & Seattle in 2011 then Denver & Houston in 2012??
Yeah, you folks know of any ownership groups in those areas with the cash to actually buy into WPS? Sure, picking a location that fits some sort of geographic diversity model is fun and all. But a viable ownership group dedicated to foot the bill for a significant amount of time is what will determine which cities get expansion team(s). As soon as I win the powerball, my town will immediately vault to the top of any expansion list. my chances of winning would greatly increase if I actually bought lottery tickets... Given the failure to establish a team in Dallas for the 2009 launch (Dallas was originally going to have a team) and the subsequent failure for Dallas to surface as an expansion city in 2010 tells me that there won't be a team in Dallas for some time.
Portland, OR. I'd say with PGE being remodeled right now to be a SSS, the market could be prime for a decent WPS team as well. Its gonna be a great downtown stadium and I'd like for as many soccer-oriented events to use it as much as possible. It can even be called... I don't know... Green Tree FC (WPS likes colors for some reason). Bam. Done. Find me an investor I'll run this thing!
And with Nike and Adidas NA headquartered in Portland, there would seem to be the possibility of a natural investor -- but then, there's that other WPS sponsor that probably would squash that possibility.
The Richmond Rolling Pins??!? LMAO!! Some of those names are absolutely hilarious!! Some of those teams could be good just from the fact that the oppostion will be too busy keeling over in laugter!!
We've now lost two teams and to me expansion is more important than ever. It is vital to stay out of markets that host MLB,NHL,NBA, and NFL teams. To me this is important, go to areas where they don't have 3 of the big 4 sporting teams. Upper west coast right now is the best spot, vancouver, portland, and seatlle based on how the sounders have done. My biggest concern remains staying away from big market areas. Look at locations that have a good core of fans that attend soccer games at all levels. WPS reallyyyyyyy needs to do their homework and research in this department becuase now it is becoming vital that other teams enter the league.
hey... i was churning this over... what the hell. get country singers/writers/producers interested, ramp up a team in Nashville, TN. *rolls eyes* hey, at least they would 1) have a place to play (they could play at any number of colleges in the area, top of the list being Vanderbilt), and 2) hell, country stars as owners/investors? there's your draw right there, have them sing pre or postgame and boom, butts in seats *rolls eyes again*
Well well... No-one's taking WPS away, eh? Good news? I sincerely hope this 'good news' is from the expansion front....
Have you been to the Vandy soccer field? Tiny. And a horrible parking unless you have a Vandy parking permit (even then it is bad...).
hahahahaha no i haven't, the statement was mostly sarcastic. on that note, though, i wonder if the Titans would be willing to share? *rolls eyes* i would say Trevecca Nazarene would be ok, or one of the Brentwood Soccer Club locations, but they don't even have a real stadium, just a field with riser-stands. the fields are nice and parking's good though ;-)
The most recent Sports Business Journal article on the two new WPS sponsors includes this info about expansion: Bham seems out of the blue. But if they've got an owner willing to buy in and stay in then, um, good for them.
LA pretty much seems a shoe-in at this point, considering how much it's been talked about and how well organized the group there seems to be. DAL is interesting, heard it mentioned often enough but never with definite info. Well, they've had three years, (assuming it's the same group,) you'd think they should have a stadium by now. X-D I would guess the Canadian teams would be in Toronto and Vancouver; those are the two cities I've heard mentioned before, at least. But until a name - owner person or owner group - is attached, I'm hesitant on being excited for those. I'm much more ready to think CHI will be back than think WPS will get a Canadian team at this point in time.
If I had to guess about the Canadian teams, I'd guess that the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Ottawa Fury would be stepping up from the W-League.
I don't think it is the same ownership group in Dallas. But the only thing I'm basing my thoughts on are that article from a while back about the Dallas Premier SC owner having initial mtgs w/ the WPS expansion folks. iirc, he was not the original interested ownership group. Aside from the need for a dedicated owner with deep pockets (no small matter), any prospective team in Dallas needs to find a place to play. That's been a big problem so far. Pizza Hut Park is WAY too expensive to rent for a WPS team -- not being able to get a favorable rental deal played a big role in sinking a Dallas 2009 team (according to reports).
Does anyone else think it will be interesting to see how WNY does financially? Apart from their having some pretty big contracts, I mean. Maybe WPS would be better off if its teams were not in major markets, but still in areas where there is a big youth (especially girls) soccer presence. WNY might fit that profile.
I've been thinking that since the WUSA days. WUSA didn't want to try it because they wanted to be seen as major league. WPS isn't so finicky, so finally we have a test case.