If Steve Nash likes soccer why don't we ask him for help to bring a soccer team to Phoenix? He has money and I am sure he and other rich guys from the valley can sponcer and give the money to have the francise here right?
As posted on StL thread referring to this article on espn http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=505170&cc=5739 he is actually going to invest in the new womens' league. Anyway he would be a perfect partner for many MLS franchises too ...
Or he could invest in USL 1 for less. I saw this earlier in the week here in my local paper. http://www.newsok.com/article/keyword/3200766/ http://www.newsok.com/article/keyword/3200774/ Phoenix is mentioned with San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Omaha as potential expansion cities. What do you guys think?
probably some of you will not like my answer but I don't like USL. they have not coverage, no one even talks about them. Maybe because I watch all soccer news in Spanish.....but the last thing I heard was when romario was playing for miami fc since then no idea what's going on with USL. that's just my point of view...
Well anyone who invests in a team in Phoenix has to build a stadium with a retractable roof. Costs for a stadium like that are way more than some of these other SSS. Not to mention that Phoenix doesn't even support all the other teams it has.
I love soccer more than any other sport but I support the Suns. Not the cardinals or cayotes but since we have the new stadium the cardinals games are sold out and I am not sure about cayotes. But we have a big latino community, I know that's not all we need but I seen a lot of white, not trying to be racist ok just saying it to give my point of view, that get into this sport more and more here in the valley. I live in Queen Creek and I see kids playing on a park by 202 and Gilbert has a soccer facility right by Germann and Greenfield. So, Soccer will be a hit and as we see even the US Soccer team is doing better. Look at the mexican team almost 10 years since they beat the US. I know Phoenix will do really well.
I would also like to see Steve Nash and/or Arte Moreno and others getting involved in bringing pro soccer to the valley. The Minneapolis area, with 1,000,000 fewer people than the valley has teams at the top level of the four 'major' sports, plus a USL team. In the end it will be business decision by any investor. As for the USL, last year's champion is the team in Seattle, having won the double. The same team will be joining MLS in 2009 and playing in Qwest Field and a new team in Austin will begin USL play in '09. Any USL owner in Phoenix would have to consider playing in U of P stadium. Glendale is the official owner of the stadium(as far as I can tell) and I have no idea what kind of rent and revenue distribution would be involved. I had read the the Seattle owner Adrian Hanauer lost $2,000,000 year keeping the team afloat while it played(and paid rent) in Qwest Field. Here is a table of the MLS/USL attendance for the last two years.
Let me say first that I like the site. Also, the attendance table was cool. I think it is valid to say Phoenix would do well with MLS. However, the question is does MLS want Phoenix. To me it seems like they have their sites sets elsewhere which seems like a mistake. While they are talking about adding St. Louis and Philly as the next expansion teams, they are ignoring you guys which seems stupid to me. I always wondered why they put Chivas USA in Phoenix instead of LA. It seems like they are willing to waive their soccer specific stadium rule (see Chivas and Seattle) if an owner just has a lot of cash. Regardless of what league it is, I think Phoenix should have pro soccer.
It would take PHX a LOT of effort to reach the average figures in USL, let alone MLS averages. Just my opinion.
According to those currently negotiating to put a USL 1 team in Phoenix that isn't the case. At they aren't actively begging for investors. It's more like the other way around.
I know it would offend the purists, but I'd be giddy if Nash would bring a damn INDOOR (MISL) soccer team here (to avoid the stadium issues). Here's what I said about it last month: http://itaintintramurals.blogspot.com/2008/02/come-on-steve.html