Now that's an exciting thought! Clearly, if we are to have an academy, we will need practice fields for them, plus the pro-team, so Morgan Hill and practice fields near the New Stadium!! Yeah, that makes a ton of sense. thanks!! Go Quakes!! - Mark
That does make sense, and I want that to be the case so badly that I have to be the one to advise that be be cautious with such speculation. However, we should not shy from letting the FO know that we really would love for the Quakes to have an academy. A legit one, not a summer camp. Of course, I want them to do it if it can fit in with a plan for a sustainable business.
Most MLS teams don't from what I've read. Chicago and NY have NPSL teams and Chicago is the only one with a PDL team.
The Galaxy have a USL Super 20 team as do DC United, Chicago and RBNY. But I don't see that FC Dallas even has that. There's appears to just be part of their own youth academy.
Some sort of league structure that US Soccer considers important for players development. I don't pretend to understand the youth soccer structure, but aside from us and Sounders, every other MLS team seems to have a team.
I think it's just their youth academy. Which is something our FO is working on from what we've been told. Which makes sense now that the city is getting involved and providing those funds to make the youth fields happen.
another shot across our bow ... http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-philadelphiaunion-stadium&prov=ap&type=lgns
This is good news. It shows that when you actually start building a stadium, you can get a naming rights sponsor even in this economy. When you only talk about building a stadium, you cannot.
Absolutely! If you build it, they (the sponsors) will come. Unfortunately our ownership is obsessed with building a baseball stadium to the point that they have actually already spent fully one third the amount needed to construct a SSS ($20 million) on their imaginary baseball stadium that doesn't even have a city or land upon which to sit. BUILD THE DAMN STADIUM NOW!! Worry about baseball later.
Yeah, I think this is probably so. My guess is that Wolff has some potential sponsors lined up, but they aren't likely to commit until he actually gets started on the construction. Lew is going to have to bite the bullet and just do it. I'm getting a bit down by the whole situation. The Quakes are doing a number of things right, but they are also blowing it on several fronts, mostly the stadium, team performance, failure to sack Frank and JD, lack of media attention (I know that one's tough), black jerseys (which is more about keeping their core market happy). Go Quakes!! - Mark
The Quakes have a tendency to play everything very close to their vests until they have actually accomplished something. Thus, we heard no rumors about Robles (other than JD saying: "I'm trying to get a creative right side middie") until the guy was in camp. Same for Eduardo. Same for Gjoey. There were no rumors about the practice field until they broke ground. So, with that track record, I ought to be more relaxed. But I'm not. Maybe I should just drink a lot more. Go Quakes!! - Mark
I think they're doing something right by investing the money it takes to bring the squad to London in pre-season. Not that I know what all the advantages may be, but it still like a willingness to put some money into preparations.
Yes, another good point. It's not like they are blowing it completely, or that they don't care. I just get frustrated when stuff that seems like a no brainer to me goes undone, or performed poorly. Perhaps I'm just depressed today and that's leaking into my view of everything else. Go Quakes!! - Mark
Yeah, as long as a walk-out doesn't sink the whole thing. There isn't much ground to criticize Lew on the construction until after all the red tape is clear. Why would a sponsor commit to sponsoring a project when it remains uncertain that it will happen at all. If he has a sponsor(s) lined up already then I can't see what would hold us back.
Uh, actually I posted links to city documents detailing the Quakes intentions weeks before it was announced.
Yes, YOU found something. But it wasn't in the press, it wasn't on any of SBI, or MLS-R, or anywhere else. Just here, just you. Now we all know that you are an excellent source of truth, but the rest of the universe has failed to take notice. What I was getting at was that the Quakes tend to keep their plans very quite until they are fulfilled. It could also be that they are waiting until the CBA is settled before proceeding. Perhaps Lew does have a sponsor lined up, or 90% lined up. He'll want to know that the league hasn't imploded underneath him before he commits to lots of spending. If the league and players can get it together and carry on with the season, then that may well help Lew close the deal on sponsorship. Or, it might be that he can't get anyone to cough up any money for soccer in a region where the local press craps on the local team and national league on a regular basis. Go Quakes!! - Mark
PHI has a baseball, football, & basketball team. Therefore, there are a lot of sports teams to support in that city (unlike in SEA). IMO, our city & team are running out of excuses (ever time a new expansion team succeeds where we can't).