Discouraged

Mods, delete thread. Don't need another "pissing match" and no one is allowed to hate on Victory as a whole.

 

Hey sko I know its all rehash but some of Bills points are valid. I to would hope that the team would take on a more unique San Francisco centric nickname than California Victory and the hope for a committed owner is one that we all share. I to would hope we still have a USL1 team in San Francisco next year and I also hope it is something uniquely San Francisco. After this Piterman debacle I would hope any new owner would change the name, change the colors, and change the atmosphere around the team. All these things would be great improvements over the situation we have now. I will be there for the last to games because as I have stated in other threads that have touched on this subject, none of what has happened has been the fault of the players or the FO staff that has done there best with nothing. The fault lies with one man and one man only Piterman.

 

All I know is that with or with out the Vics next year we in the 1906 have plenty of local professional soccer to support. There will be our new alliance with the new Quakes and the other groups involved as well as more emphasis on supporting the Seals as well as our hope to get our south bay members out to the Frogs games as an organized 1906 group. If the Vics or whatever they are called next year are still in the picture then we will have that as well. 1906ers be ready to very busy next season if you are truly committed to the cause of local soccer support in Northern California

 

What Piterman did (more like didn't do) to the Victory is absolutely disgusting. This could have been the start of something really special, but from the get go the writing was on the wall with zero investment in marketing the team -- it just plain sucks for the fans/players/coaching staff. Everyone has a right to be pissed off.

 

Pissed off at Piterman to be sure. But this really has been a fun ride for 1906. C'mon...we all got to know each other and now we can support Bay Area soccer together! That's you Tony...I'm talkin to you big guy. I just don't like people trashing on the Vics FO. Sitting in the press box today really made me realize how much the few people left really have to do, and what brilliance they do it with. Big props to them. The club just simply doesn't have any money.

 

Appreciated.

Oh, and by the way, the 06ers were epic tonight -- didn't stop singing the whole 90!

 

I can't say Im discouraged actually. Its been a fun ride.

Pitterman is a jack**s but he did get the team here to start with in SF and there is a chance that someone can help take over the team and keep it local that would be great.

We got over 150 people to sign up in support of keeping the Victory in San Francisco last night which is a good start in my book.

We gotta stay positive, and keep hope alive!

 

I was happy to see my German & Greek friends show up (Big thanks to Thomas). They showed up for both games and brought their own drums and noise makers. They even took the effort to write some songs. If anything, it proved to me that we could be so much bigger and better.

I understand that everyone is going through the motions right now. But until I see the tombstone set in the ground, the Vics aren't dead yet. Comatose, maybe, but definitely not dead yet.

Bill, the following is to inform you of whats going on. I understand that you are pissed, but I am sure that you, as a businessman, understands that information concerning possible investors will not necessarily be plastered on the team's website. Many possible investors would want to stay in the shadows while they are pondering their move. They don't want to come into the light in case things don't work out, or cause some kind of unnecessary friction. I know I don't want any false hopes.

Now, I am not quite sure what exactly what you want to see or hear, but as someone who is in constant communication with the front office, I can assure you that the front office is working their asses off. In the last three games, there have been potential investors who came to the games or been watching via the web.

As far as sponsors are concerned, that is a bit more complicated to explain. When Pieterman bought the Vics, he waited until a week before their first exhibition game to staff the front office. When it became evident that Pieterman wasn't going to give the Vics their proper due, the boys in the Front Office had to take matters into their own hands and find sponsors.

However, most corporations have sponsorship policies that takes months to squeeze out even a nickel. So, by mid-season, it was damn near impossible to get even one. But that hasn't stopped them from seeking out sponsorships for next season. In fact, they already have most of the work done in time for next season, which should be more attractive to potential investors.

Despite the fact that we, the 1906, are working closely with the Quakes for their campaign next season, we have not abandoned our efforts to keep the Vics in San Francisco. As of last night, we obtained 200 names of fans who are willing to make the effort. The ball is starting to roll.

Believe it or not, I feel that I owe the Vics something. If it wasnt for the Vics, I wouldnt have met the likes of Sam, Dougie, Alvin, Alexi, Rosenthal, Tony, Brendan, Morgan, etc. If it wasnt for the Vics, I wouldn't have been the chairman of the 1906. In fact, I feel that we all owe the boys (not Pieterman!!!) something. Win or lose, we all had a blast this summer. And yeah, the Quakes coming back is nice, but where else will you get a chance to know the boys and have a pint with them. That feeling is just something... man, I don't even know how to explain it.

 

I gotta stop writing these long goddamn responses. Too bad that's just how my mind works.

 

I agree with you Mike (you need to stop with the long ass posts ) No seriously it has been an absolutely outstanding summer and a great ride. I am almost in awe of what we have managed to create out there and next season is going to be epic. My only fear is that between the Quakes and the Vics I may do permanent damage to my vocal chords next season. We should all be proud of what we have created, I had a guy tell me last night as I was walking out that he and his family come as much to watch us as to watch the match, to me thats the highest compliment. I am sad that we will not have the entire 1906 for the season finally, Brendan you will be missed as will you Max. Morgan its only 90 miles I expect you there . I hope that if some of our boys play indoor in Stockton we can make a road trip and support them. We have come along way boys we have a lot of dedicated members and whoever we support will get 100% effort from us that I can guarantee.

 

'Bolton,' over on USLdiscussions.com is reporting that the league leaders have met to discuss club 'defections' to MLS. They also confirmed that California will not be back in 2008, he says.



http://www.usldiscussions.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=004147;p=2

For the first time, the league governors met to discuss the issue of teams leaving for MLS.

The concensus was that Vancouver, Montreal, Seattle, Portland and Rochester should do what's best for their franchise, but that USL would carry on and that there would always be a need for a league just below MLS.

I'm guessing that eventually, there'll be a mix of current USL 1 teams like Charleston, Carolina, and Atlanta with some of the top USL2 teams.

The other issue that was confirmed at the meeting was that California would not be back. Suprise surprise.

 

Maybe a lower division but not in Division I. The MLS side is going to get the attention next season so I doubt a good investor/owner would come forward right away. The economics in Division I are not that straight forward (unless you are in business to lose money) so it turns off some potential owners.

 

I am sure the consensus is the Vic's will not return unless a new investor shows up soon.

 

I would think that the main concern for any potential USL investor would have to be operational cost, in particular, the cost of travel. Division 1 would be cheaper than Division 2 for a west coast team because you have Vancouver, Portland, and Seattle. Division 2 doesn't have any west coast teams.

Europe has it easy in this regard. In European countries, unless you are going across the continent, travel expenses are low in comparison. Italy is the size of California, England is even smaller. Europe also has an efficient mass rail system (that I highly recommend), and doesn't solely rely on air travel.

America is a VERY large country. Our nearest rival is Portland. Amtrak sucks and is expensive, almost costs as much as a flight except it takes an additional 10 hours.

Unless Divison 2 branches out to the west with more than one team, it is not a great situation for the Vics.

 

Only 10 hours? I love Amtrak (the Surfliner, anyway), but it took my nephew and I 5 hours to go from Atlanta to Birmingham, and another five or so hours to get back. The freight lines have Amtrak by the short hairs (can I say that? ), but what they're doing is actually against US code, according to an article I read (passenger rail still has precedence over freight, but no one will enforce it).

Back to the topic, keep your chin up guys. I really can't say anything, seeing that I haven't been to a 'Backs game in about 4 years, but maybe somebody will step in and purchase the team, and actually make a go of it, either in SF or somewhere close by. If I had the $$$ and lived out there, I'd at least try it.

 

I think USL, across the board, should go to a League East/League West (or National/American, Paper/Plastic, Smoking/Non-smoking, whatever), and play regional schedules, with possible limited inter-league play at D1. That would allow D2 to expand to the West, and not incur the travel costs of a national schedule (D1 as well--back in the 70-80s, the ASL had 3 teams in the LA area for a while). Sure, you may lose some national rivalries (Seattle/Rochester, etc.), but it'd be way better than losing teams. And before someone yells "bus league," think about this; I imagine that a lot of even the EPL is a "bus league," albeit a very nice bus .

 

That is true that the lack of leadership on the part of the owner has put the Vics into the hole they are currently in. But where I was going with my travel point is that if there were more local rivalries (and by local, I mean within a 3-4 hour travel time), that can only expand soccer's overall potential in America.

For example, some of the best English rivalries have been in the Midlands where you have Wolves, Birmingham City, Aston Villa, and West Brom (forgive me if I forgot anyone else). There you have 4 large/medium sized cities beating the crap out of each other for close to a century.

That is why the Portland v Vancouver v Seattle rivalry is great. The fans get to travel. Galaxy v Chivas USA started their first game against eachother with a fist fight in the stands. DC United v NY Red Bulls? Still good, but watch what happens when Philly gets a team. That will spice things up.

You can even look at the NFL. SF v Oakland. NY v Philly. Chicago v everyone. Local rivalries just make things better.