Hello all. Long time reader, first time poster here. I was wondering if the Earthquakes getting moved to Houston hurts our chances of getting an MLS team in Milwaukee. As far as I can tell from the articles I've read here on BS the Earthquakes didn't really get moved, but put on hold, and Houston got an MLS team. I'm not sure about that but as far as I can see, but we are currently looking to join the league in the 2007 or (probably) 2008 season, right? Well is the league wanting to expand 2 teams at a time like it did with Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake this year? If so I worry that Toronto will most likely get a team leaving one more expansion city open. San Jose has most everything set up already except owners/a stadium right? If they work and find those in the next few years they will most likely come back into the league. Does that mean Milwaukee will be set back a few years as far as getting a team? I know none of the stuff above is official or anything, but I was just wondering what you all had to think about this! PS. Please don't hurt me too much this is my first post/thread. I wouldn't have made a thread but I didn't really see one appropriate for this.
Toronto was already rewarded a team for 2007. San Jose might return to the league in the same year seeing as how the Oakland A's are interested and now are in the picture. Milwaukee might have to wait until 2009 and join with Montreal, Vancouver, etc.
I'm not sure that Houston/San Jose either help or hurt Milwaukee's chances. If a stadium becomes a reality in Milwaukee, owners will follow. And, a stadium + owners = a MLS team. That formula hasn't changed or been affected by anything from the Houston deal.
Roggie, welcome. I guess it could potentially hurt but 1) I agree with Zach, that if we have owners and a stadium we will land a team regardless of the San Jose situation; 2) Right now I'm having a hard time buying the line that San Jose will have a team resurrected. I'm out of my depth in terms of any details about San Jose but it makes no sense to rip the team out of there if there really are legitimate owner/stadium options. For the sake of the San Jose fans I hope something positive happens but it just doesn't look good.
It's just speculation, but the reason why the A's owner didn't buy the Quakes is because AEG would of wanted in on the Stadium deal and the fact that getting an Expansion team is cheaper than buying an existing team.
But the point is these are the two most important things, and San Jose has neither of them. Certainly I would hope the MLS returns to San Jose, but don't make it sound like they have almost all the hurdles cleared. I think losing the Quakes will make a stadium project a harder sell in San Jose. Milwaukee has to be considered ahead of San Jose atleast in the ownership area. We will know more about stadium site ideas as that progresses.
Get an owner and a stadium deal and you are off and running. Pretty simple formula. Being privy to a few more details here in San Jose has me optimistic MLS will be returning soon. SVS&E were very close to buying the team. The city of Santa Clara, which is San Jose's immediate neighbor to the northwest, is very interested in getting a stadium built for a team. Apparently SVS&E wanted the Quakes in downtown San Jose, but the deal the city was willing to give came up a bit short. I think if the A's owner is not adamant about having the "new Quakes" in downtown San Jose we could easily find the team based in Santa Clara. I also think Garber really wants to have an MLS team in the San Jose area, and his comments in the press conference and news releases lead me to think it will be a priority for him. But, only time will tell!
Personally, I have a hard time putting much weight into MLS' statements about getting back into the Bay Area quickly. Oh, I'm sure Garber et al would like to be back in Northern California, sure. Thing is, they'd like to be in Philly, Detroit, St, Louis, Seattle, Portland, the Twin Cities, etc, etc. etc, too. But do you see the league doing very much about those "goals?" Not really. MLS is very hands-offish when it comes to expansion franchises, if you ask me. If SJ can come up with its OWN investor and its OWN solid stadium plan, then I think the league will be back there. But don't expect Don Garber to do you any favors. There is a double standard at work in MLS and, despite its seeming unfairness, it may even be defendable: I.e., MLS believes it must be in certain (especially the greater NYC, LA and Chicago) markets, simply as a cost of doing business, to be truly considered "major league"; and it's willing to lose a helluva lot of money pursuing that strategy. Clearly, it's the MetroStars where we see this double standard on display most evidently. I would love to know what percentage of MLS's total losses over the years stem from that single franchise. On the other hand, if MLS can't succeed in the biggest, most important, market in the country - where the league's HQ is located, after all - it would make the league look pretty amateurish. To the question at hand, no, I don't think MLS being in Houston and there being a possible new SJ franchise (eventually) affects Milwaukee at all. The prospects for the Milwaukee bid will probably be known in a few weeks or months; we either get a suitable plot of land on which to build the stadium and related development or we don't. If we get the land, the heretofore secret group of investors (or a sub-set of them) comes forward in the wake of that land purchase option, and no new obstacles emerge, then I think we're in. Despite the lack of public news around here, I believe Peter when he says that a lot of positive, tangible, stuff has been happening behind the scenes. I think Milwaukee is far ahead of most cities in this regard.
I think the upcoming Bradley Center saga is going to do more to damage Milwaukee MLS' chances than anything.