Speaking of noobs. Baseball stadiums are not good for soccer, regardless of the newness of the venue. Fresno, as noted above, does not charge for tickets. Here in Phoenix, the Peoria Sports Complex is, arguably, a "better venue" than Sun Devil Soccer Stadium (it's just had $20M in renovations, it's clean, it's great), but it's a baseball stadium. (And, in point of fact, when SDSS was in its full buildout before the owners pulled the extra seats out, it was a fabulous venue.) Crowds are about the same (might be better if they weren't in the northwest corner of the Valley instead of the southeast corner, nearer the population center). Point is this: you've just drawn a conclusion based on faulty data and your comprehension of one PDL team and extrapolated it to an MLS team. Silly. So what is writing, then?
And if you want to have a debate about this, try to keep it classy please. Personal attacks aren't necessary.
Honestly, as someone who actually goes to Cosmos games, it would be more appropriate for them to play at Belson Stadium than CitiField right now. At least Belson would be full.
I think the Cosmos need to actually get 10k - ok, make it 8k - to actually go to the damned games they are playing right now before they start thinking about building any stadium of any size. With the attendances they have registered this year, it's obvious that this venture is a very sick puppy indeed. Talking about the Cosmos' new stadium is equivalent to a leukemia patient who urgently needs Hail Mary chemo treatment talking about that lovely new suburban home the family has always dreamed of. It gives a nice warm optimistic feeling, but doesn't substitute for treatment.
My point is that more people would show up if they played at Citi Field. Maybe partner with the Mets somehow and get more coverage in the area. Fans would think that the product is more professional.
What would be in it for the Wilpons? Do you really think there is enough reason for them to accommodate a D2 team? Well, you might, but that would show your naiveté. NYC would have a much, much higher rental cost, cost to run the stadium, pay the personnel and to accommodate and change the field from soccer to baseball. They would still be second class citizens, and their costs would skyrocket. Do you really think that makes sense? Do you really believe that all of a sudden 15 to 20K would probably show up for D2 soccer. my guess is they would probably need 12-14K juts to cover the costs to the Mets. Why would a MLB team want to cross promote and help a D2 soccer team? If you don't want folks treating u like a kid...think, learn, understand....then post. Maybe you just think NYC ownership should just toss a ton of money at it to see if it works. Not your money of course. I could give you another dozen factual reasons.
If 20k more people show up, the revenue streams go up. Sponsorship will double, tv rights will go up as well. You can personal attack me all you want, im still entitled to my opinion and ideas.
Just noticed this from the Cosmos Links/New/Blogs, etc. thread. They hired a PR firm on April 29th! Not January 29th, but April 29th! They have obviously realized that there is a real problem, but it's like recruiting a member of the cabin crew pilot after the plane has taken off.
Why would 20k show up? Why not 25k? 35? Even if 20k more did show up, would they show up for 90% of the games? 80% of the games? What about next season? The season after? (You'll need at least 2 seasons to be serious enough for a stadium deal). If only 10k extra show up, all your assumptions about extra revenue are blown out of the water, but the extra costs will still be there. With 20k extra through the turnstiles, gross stadium revenue streams will go up. Net revenue won't go up by anything as much, because a) since the Mets will control the concessions stands, they will take circa 85 cents on every concessions dollar b) ticket prices will go up, but by less than the per ticket cost of renting out Citi (assuming you get that extra 20k) c) in-stadium billboard revenues will be controlled by the Mets d) you're just left with the Jumbotron revenues and touchline advertising hoardings. Why double? If 20k extra show up - continuously - that means the Cosmos 2.0 are no flash in the pan but really are a revival of the glory days, so sponsorship would more than double. Way more than double. By enough to justify the increased costs of a) renting Citi Field?? b) promoting the beJesus out of the fact that the Cosmos - THE NEW YORK COSMOS!! - are playing at Citi Field???? (If you don't spend that extra money, you'll never get 20k more fans) It's still selling TV rights to D2 soccer. Minor league sports in a Major League city. THE Major League city. Under the 1st Ammendment you most assuredly are. Just like other people are entitled to point out that your ideas can't really be called thoughts, more the sort of fantasies that have bedeviled this project from the get-go. Thoughts require, well, thought.
Just for the record, here are the stadium promises dangled by Sakiewicz to Metros/RB supporters from 2000 (when he was hired) to 2007 (when he was sacked): http://www.metrofanatic.com/story.jsp?ID=2222
Then why are NYCFC playing at Yankee stadium? I know they are D1 but if they could both draw the same numbers then whats the difference?
I don't want to come over all Kenn, but this is batshit crazy . First of all, teams like Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday or Wolves have histories that stretch back to the 1870s in unbroken continuity. Even so, their attendances drop off - quite significantly - when they're relegated. The same in Spain, Germany, France, Italy, etc. America isn't Europe, but I doubt it's so different that a D2 team can draw as well as a well-managed and heavily-resourced D1 team. Second, D1 teams will have higher ticket prices, meaning more revenue per fan, meaning more revenues to plough back into marketing, PR, community outreach. Quite a difference there. Third, the Yankees are co-owners of NYCFC. There is going to be a sweetheart deal on Yankee Stadium - certainly on the concessions - because anything that builds the value of NYCFC Inc. boost the value of NY Yankees Inc. You're talking about the Cosmos renting Citi Field on commercial terms. Another significant difference there. Finally, a New York soccer fan, living in the biggest Major League City in the world, is looking for a team to support and has two alternatives a) NYCFC, co-owned by Man City (EPL champions in 2011-12 and 2012-13), with 3 "name" DPs (City will spend $ on DPs, have no doubt about that), playing in North America's recognized major soccer league, backed by an enormous marketing and PR budget, plus endless cross-promotion from Man City's budget and (euro) pre-season tournaments involving City and other top Euro clubs. b) NY Cosmos, NASL Champions in 2013, with a fading-away holding midfielder for DP in Marcos Senna, that you have to be 40 to remember were important, a roster stacked with MLS has-beens/might-have-beens/never weres, that wouldn't/couldn't spend on a PR firm until the end of this April. Why will he choose the Cosmos over NYCFC? Get real.
I"ll go for Belson Stadium if St John's allows an increase in seating 6-7000. I don't teh size of stadium foot print, but it would be great if seting reaches 10,000. Only drawback It's the F-train/to bus. To be honest if I was working for the Cosmos I would go heavy on a regular season game in Coney Island at MCU Stadium,(Mets minor league team's Stadium) and promote it like it is the second coming.
BTW, the Cosmos paying in the 5 boroughs would instantly give them more media attention, than they currently get. Keep in mind tht getting out to Hofstra is extra for some of these news statiions. That's the reality. At Citifield media profile would increase regardless of Division. That is a NEW YORK fact. Need an example. Watch what happens to the NY Islanders when they get to Brooklyn. The Islander's value has risen since announced move. More billionaire are bidding to buy 'em. Long Island v. Queens. Citifield's not a bad idea at all, but I think rental cost would be too much & skiddish Mets fans would go crazy about their poor owner taking on soccer to pay light bill. But not a bad idea at all
I'll remind our wonderful posters here that this is the Cosmos forum. If your plan in posting is to educate Cosmos fans or deride their team, you are posting in the wrong forum. This thread will be edited with extreme prejudice as soon as we have the time. @atlanticTFCfan
this is how you get a new stadium built: http://deadspin.com/ooh-ooh-cobb-county-commissioner-bob-otts-leading-cor-1582571450
As others came in through a back door: "When Atlanta balked at replacing the nearly 20-year-old Turner Field, team executives approached Cobb County secretly, because as the team president said, if people knew about it, they would have said no."