Could Northwest Arkansas support a MLS team? Considered to be one of the biggest growing areas in the world north west arkansas has grown substancially in the last 10 years. This is partly atributed to wal-mart and tyson whos headqaurters are found in this area. With 5 major cities all with populations of 40,000+ northwest arkansas is home to the Arkansas University. Its Razorback Donald W. Reynolds stadium has a 72,000 person capicity and recently installed the largest video screen of any sports venue in the country! Most notably also is the large latino population over 25,000 in the city of springdale alone! Noticed also is lack of soccer venues and output/entertainment for that large latino population. Money and Financial status would be no problem wal mart and tyson have funded everything else that have grown in the area if the team gets enought support they would even fund a construction if its own stadium!! another interesting tidbit is that wal mart now requires all the companies that sell them thing have people living in that area that alone has created some very hight standard living areas in rogers, and benton area where wal mart headquarters are found.
you dont need a metropolis as long as you have enoght money and fans and the northwest arkansas total area population is around 1 million the city sizes only count the population in them there around around 400 thousand in the citis not to mention the 40,000+ on the u of a campus then we can count the suburban areas outside them
If that # is right, will 1 in 10 show up for games? Probably not. Prepare for a lot of jokes to follow. I'm sorry if this was a serious question. MLS already has a WalMart team in Denver! Just read your argument, but instead of asking why not, I think you ought to tell us a little more of why so. I don't think it's an obvious expansion market to most here so the burden really falls on arguing for it. Razorbacks probably draw from all over since they have 5-6 home games a year and people are willing to travel in for games. Where will the fans for attendance come from? Will WalMart really back a stadium? And of course, what TV markets are brought into the picture? (not everything - SLC - but not sure NW AR is close to that). This may really test the argument, is a SSS everything? Is an investor everything? What is MLS looking for in expansion markets. Really not convinced NW Arkansas could support a team.
bentonville, rogers, springdale, siloam springs, fayetville and close by fort smith like i said springdale alone has a 25,000 latino population mostly mexicans and and many of these are new to the area dont like american sports love soccer and have hight paying jobs from the likes of tyson and wal-mart plus if wal-mart supported a team here they could practically give discounts to all of the latin americans. that alone said we also have a huge school district with over 115,000 students most who play soccer and lack good representation heck i know the cousin of tony sanneh! he was a ace at soccer but had no way to play at a highter level so he had to go play football if you build it they will come and i beleive if you build a mls team in northwest arkansas they will come!
Dear Ilovecolombia, Let's face it, Bill Clinton was/is/and will be the greatest thing to ever come out of Arkansas, and that's it. So, no, NW Arkansas cannot support an MLS team. Thanks, Marchetti
Why are you so obsessed with this idea? Even if Bill Gates were to come forward as an investor/operator/owner, and build a privately funded soccer-specific stadium, MLS officials would STILL reject expansion into Arkansas. Honestly, the fact that you even brought this upp upsets me. ARKANSAS... are you kidding? Thanks, Marchetti
no doubt NW Arkansas has a lot of wealthy big shots but ya know what,so does Austin, San Antonio, Phoenix, New Orleans, Seattle, Charlotte, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Detroit.... get the picture? There is a teany bit of a difference (pop. and tv market) from those mentioned cities and Fayetteville/Springdale/Benton/Rogers. I will give you this though, that is one beautiful area of the country I never get tired of seeing. Here is to Fayetteville Hillbilly FC: 2008 MLS Cup Champs!
call them the razorbacks and the hillbillies will pay plus with a stadium of that size and technological advancement you cant go wrong
no. just according to population alone i dont think that arkansas can support a team. i think charlotte, nc deserves a team more
Bring back Clint! Cletus would fit in right nice in Arkansas with his keginator and Chrysler limousine.
A small market is not out of the realm of possibility for MLS. I think it's healthy to have a mix of big, medium & small market teams. Rochester, NY has been discussed at various times. However, Rochester, in contrast to NW Arkansas, has demonstrated a real regional passion for soccer. I don't doubt that there's a growing Latino population which should have an affinity for an MLS team. But from where will the rest of the fans come? We're talking Razorback country. Football. Soooooeeeee!!!
just to support the fact we could fill a stadium like i said here there is more passion for soccer than other places most of our small school soccer teams have won trophies that have opened awareness now i dont say the whole area had 25 thousand latinos only springdale...now you can imagine how many live in the other areas
Dude, aka Ilovecolombia, I just don't get why you keep supporting this as if MLS is going to announce NW Arkansas as an expansion team tomorrow? It's not gonna happen dude, forget it. Seattle, Rochester, Oklahoma City, Detroit, Houston and Charlotte are all expansion possibilities within the realm of reality. The fact that you keep mentioning this is going to keep me awake tonight, tossing and turning in my bed thinking why someone would suggest an MLS team in Arkansas. Please, in respect for the game of soccer, do not ever again mention 'Arkansas' and 'expansion' in the same sentence. Thanks, Marchetti