Here's the text of an email I sent to Garber during the teleconference: Mr Garber, I'm listening to your conference. You are OUT OF YOUR MIND if you think that San Jose fans are going to rally around MLS now that you've ripped our team and hearts out. Why would we do that? You gave OUR team to Houston. You want to make us feel better with an expansion team? That's a bunch of crap. You've made a terrible mistake. Good job letting AEG run YOUR "business." My family were Quakes season ticket holders for 6 years and we have attended almost every single Clash/Quakes home game since the very first MLS game in 1996. You lost me and my family and thousands in the Bay Area. This IS a black eye for your league. Becky ****** Cupertino, CA --------------------------------------------------------- Here's the reply: Becky – First let me start by saying thank you for supporting the Quakes. MLS did not give the Earthquakes to Houston. The owner moved the team and we retained the name for the future. The owner of the team invested $20 million in the team since 2002. In total, we have invested over $50 million in the team. Without a stadium, there is no owner that will continue to invest with no path towards financial viability in any market, in any sport. Now we have the ability to really get a stadium done and find a local owner who will be committed to the team and the market. I hope we can count on your support. In the event we can’t, I do appreciate your support in the past. Don Garber Commissioner Major League Soccer The part that bothers me the MOST is the bolded part. He's basically saying to me, fine then we don't need you. I sent this email while in the midst of pure raw emotion. While I do understand many of the "business" points, I will NEVER, EVER understand the way that MLS treats their patrons - not an ounce of understanding of what it means to be a devoted fan. Business is business, but business can be successful AND compassionate.
I don't get garber. Him and his board of govenors approved the move so basically he did take our team and move it to Houston.. You should of included that we want our players back for the 2007 season.
I think he's actually just acknowledging the obvious: that the pain that this decision has inflicted is real and that there are some fans that MLS will never get back following what's happened.
Come on Becky, Spin it any way you want and critique every nuance you can. You just received an e-mail 'FROM THE COMMISIONER OF THE MLS' and you still bitch? Try that with Tagliubue or Stern. I am very sorry for your loss but this has to be a business (revenue) decision. It sounded like a very considerate e-mail to me.
Actually not that bad a response. The part alluding to a team here in the future is bullshtt. What's he supposed to say? What's he supposed to do for that matter?
The fact that he took the time to write should give you some solace. I doubt Paul Tagliabue responded to fan email when the Browns went away. I feel very bad for you guys. Very bad. But the market was given ample warning and, outside of the passionate supporters, it did not respond. I sincerely hope this action will lead to a better situation down the road.
Really. How am I suppossed to feel? "Oh thank you Mr. Garber, for everything!" Wish he would have replied to an earlier email that I sent about a week ago. Less emotional, well written asking questions and begging a stay of execution. MLS has some bridge repairing to do if they want me back. That's just the way it is right now.
I understand. Hope your pain subsides and your love of soccer overcomes the pain this caused and you'll be a big fan of your beloved local Earthquakes. Players come and go, so hopefully you can love the great players that will be in the new Earthquakes jerseys in your new beautiful stadium. I loved watching large crowds on TV at Spartan. Hopefully they return. By the way the business numbers lost your team, not Garber.
Some of you guys need to step back into reality. AEG wanted to move the team, so they did. Pure and simple. There is no way the rest of the owners were not going to support them. Garber is just along for the ride. I think he really wants to see a team in San Jose, but it remains to be seen if he will make the efforts he said he would.
Like others have said, the fact is that an extremely important executive of the 12th (?; roughly) largest soccer league on the planet took the time to write to you personally to reiterate what was said in the press conference. The guy makes over $1mill/yr, and took the time to respond to your heartfelt message to try to reassure you as a fan that has supported SJE/MLS... that this move is a way of hemorraging the heavy losses, regrouping and starting this over the right way. I know that it sucks right now, but the fact that he took the time to respond gives even more credence to the assertion that MLS is deeply committed to the future health of the SJE. This really is good news, yalpstel. Cyberhug, o.k.!!
Or maybe, unlike his bosses, he's still capable of a shred of remorse and he acted on it so he could sleep tonight.
Great. Keep on trucking with your negative e-mails. The man has done everything right so far IMO. Keep on showing MLS why we shouldn't have a team in 2007.
Let's be fair here. AEG took over the team at the request of MLS to be a temporary and money-losing owner while the league tried to find anyone (preferably local) to take the team. They did this for several years as a favor to MLS and to the fans in SJ. But MLS couldn't find anyone to make the situation work. Instead of blaming AEG, SJ fans should be thanking them for giving them a chance to keep the team.
agreed... what did you expect him to say? "well if there were more of you, we wouldnt have moved the team"... come on... thats a quality response from a commissioner of a league that just had a major press conference about moving a team.. and he took the time to respond to you, thank you for supporting the team, hoped you would come back once MLS came back to SJ, and understood if you dont... but thanked you for your support you had shown the team while it was there.
And in what way can he say "we're taking your team away" so that you say "well that was understanding and compassionate"? I venture that there isn't a way to move a team that people love in a happy way that pleases the fan base that is alienated. I understand your pissed and you have every right to be. I definitely didn't want to get a team in Houston like this, but Don Garber is not the bad buy in this situation. There are a lot of other people more at fault than the commisioner here if you are looking to shoot off irate emails. I'll be hoping for the rebirth of the Earthquakes in one year...
Never. Should I thank Shell for letting my fill my car with overprice fuel as well? AQ - Shouldn't you be filming for tomorrows General Hospital?
How about the truth for a change? But he can't because he speaks for AEG. So, he just had to go on and on with that disingenuous stuff about expansion as some form of what...."damage control?"