Is Baltimore still a possibility?

Discussion in 'Baltimore' started by PTFCfan, Apr 6, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. oneeyedfool

    oneeyedfool Member+

    Nov 17, 2012
    Club:
    New York Cosmos
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The One X repped this.
  2. FootySkeptic

    FootySkeptic Member

    Sep 24, 2015
    Club:
    Cardiff City FC
    That means he certainly has looked at the NASL at least once.

    Would be interesting if we got more noise from a local about it.
     
    The One X repped this.
  3. Bluesfan

    Bluesfan Member+

    DC United
    Aug 12, 2000
    Tampa
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Scotland
    Kevin Plank had shown no interest in taking a role in pro sports other than selling them Under Armor merchandise. Many in our fair city were hoping his development plans would include a new arena to replace the ancient one downtown. Those folks have their own fantasy dreams of him bringing the NBA to this unbuilt arena. Nothing doing there.

    First, cool your jets, it will be years before the stadium gets built. Second, it wouldn't likely be up to NASL quality. Last, you still need an owner. Plank isn't going to be the guy.

    In other words, this won't be any Field of Dreams
     
  4. mng146

    mng146 Member

    Jul 19, 2011
    Rochester, NY
    Whatever you do, don't go anywhere near the expansion news, rumors, and wishful thinking thread with content like that. You've been warned! :cautious:
     
  5. Bluesfan

    Bluesfan Member+

    DC United
    Aug 12, 2000
    Tampa
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Scotland
    Oh I have fought those wars for years. I stay out of it for the most part nowadays. It's really shocking that some folks on there are able to cross the street safely despite their constant daydreaming.
     
  6. Bluesfan

    Bluesfan Member+

    DC United
    Aug 12, 2000
    Tampa
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Scotland
    http://southbmore.com/2016/01/28/un...or-new-4-million-sq-ft-port-covington-campus/


    'Under Armour is also planning a stadium at the southeastern tip of the property. The field will have a football, soccer, and lacrosse alignment with a surrounding running track. Under Armour originally eyed 5,00o as a capacity for the stadium, but noted that it keeps growing and could go up to 12,000 (for comparison, Towson’s Johnny Unitas Stadium has a capacity of 11,198). Jurgens said they are looking to host local high school sporting events and tournaments at the facility. The stadium is proposed for future phases of the development and currently sits at the site of the recently-closed Walmart.'

    I hate to bring this up as development plans are always fluid until shovels hit the ground, but it seems that the UA stadium plans may be evolving already. Caution should be used though as just a few weeks back they were much different. One thing has not changed, the stadium will be part of a later phase of development. Could be five years away, ten years, no time line has been set.

    I still believe it wouldn't be an ideal place for an NASL club. It is almost guaranteed to be an artificial turf field which is strike one. It would be lined for soccer, lacrosse, and football, strike two. It seems it would have a track, strike three. Could it house a NASL team? Sure, but should it?

    Having a stadium that is the right size helps. It certainly wouldn't be ideal with the three strikes I previously mentioned. Location could be great or a bitch. It is in the city, south of the CBD, but I 95 forms a formidable barrier between the site and South Baltimore then the CBD. Many of the hipster urbanites that many on BS think guarantee success live across the harbor and would require an eight dollar round trip toll through the tunnel to get there. Plank's plans would include a light rail spur which would provide access but the light rail sucks. Suburbanites from the south would have the best access.

    Hey, the NASL should still try to get a meeting with Kevin Plank now, before the plans and design are set in stone. Could get some soccer friendly features included. Might even spark an interest in ownership. Not necessarily from Plank, but possibly someone he knows.
     
    The One X and oneeyedfool repped this.
  7. Nick79

    Nick79 Member

    May 4, 2015
    Club:
    Olympiakos Piraeus
    They should put a team in Howard County/Columbia area, southwest of Baltimore, along the US-29 corridor, soccer is huge there. If you had a stadium it would work. Even a 8-10K stadium. They could partner with all the youth soccer organizations, there are literally thousands of kids teams in that area.
     
    FootySkeptic repped this.
  8. kiddx33

    kiddx33 Member

    Nov 30, 2009
    Annapolis, MD
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #33 kiddx33, Jun 16, 2016
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2016
    30 miles away from a team that barely draws 15k in attendance. Can't see anything wrong with this plan.

    Oh and c0ugh cough Real Maryland cough cough

    Not intending to be mean, but there is relatively ZERO interested in another pro team in Baltimore. Sure a handful of us online people would be happy with a team but there isn't any real desire. After the Ravens, Os, Maryland, minor league baseball, Bayhawks, DC teams, Philly team, and even the Blast; the area is max'd. I was with a team of investors looking to bring a team to Baltimore before the CP Baltimore fiasco. It was quickly realized that there was no chance of profit. Want to know how quick that meeting ended?
     
  9. oneeyedfool

    oneeyedfool Member+

    Nov 17, 2012
    Club:
    New York Cosmos
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You could have said most of those things about Cincinnati. Also I don't think DC / Rockville is really relevant to Baltimore. A team would probably need to be in Baltimore city. Would be great for NASL.
     
    bnyc repped this.
  10. bnyc

    bnyc Member

    Jan 20, 2015
    New York
    Club:
    New York Cosmos
    Who could have guessed that Sacramento, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati would be as well supported as they are before the teams started? Where's the research for that?

    I can remember when Minnesota averaged a solid 20K a year in the NASL so I guess that could be groundwork for the future success but it has taken a few tries; one doesn't just show up and the crowds follow. You have to have ownership [or Peter Wilt] committed to all the details of marketing and stadium/game day experience etc. to keep folks coming back with a vested interested in the club.

    The Blast have been able to do well with indoors; why couldn't someone do as well outdoors? Are there obstacles? Sure, but the above all have them too.
     
  11. song219

    song219 BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 5, 2004
    La Norte
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Vanuatu
    None of these cities had a MLS team in there metro area and in many ways Baltimore & Washington are part of one metro area. I lived in the Baltimore metro area when I first became a DC United fan in '96 and I'm back there now.
    That doesn't mean a NASL or another division 2 or 3 team couldn't exist in Baltimore but Howard County would be the worst place to place it.
     
  12. The One X

    The One X Member+

    Sep 9, 2014
    Indiana
    Club:
    Indy Eleven
    Baltimore/DC is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the US. I think there are more than enough people to support a NASL. It would be more about getting the right ownership.
     
    bnyc repped this.
  13. kiddx33

    kiddx33 Member

    Nov 30, 2009
    Annapolis, MD
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Wow these are all valid points... except they mean
    [​IMG]
     
  14. BarcaBrad

    BarcaBrad New Member

    Jul 17, 2016
    Club:
    Beijing Guoan
    haha just read this thread and you are so funny. have you ever been to a house warming party and one of the families has a retarded son? Because that is you, adults having conversations using valid logic and bring to bear valid stats and then out of nowhere you hear it, that odd noise that is interrupting that adult conversation. That noise most humans don't know how to make. That retard noise is you my friend.
     
  15. kiddx33

    kiddx33 Member

    Nov 30, 2009
    Annapolis, MD
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yawn. If you, new troll that joined yesterday, have some insight on Baltimore politics, the soccer culture here, the impact of multiple sporting clubs on a mid size city, or anything else valid; feel free to post. Otherwise, I wipe things off my shoes with more environmental purpose than you.
     
  16. The One X

    The One X Member+

    Sep 9, 2014
    Indiana
    Club:
    Indy Eleven
    Mid size city? 21st largest MSA? 4th largest CSA? We are talking about NASL here right? A league with an average attendance of 5k? Maybe Baltimore can't support an MLS team with DC right next door, but a 2nd division team I have no doubt they could support. It is just a question of getting a good owner and stadium.
     
    New_York_Cosmos repped this.
  17. kiddx33

    kiddx33 Member

    Nov 30, 2009
    Annapolis, MD
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It has failed miserably twice. And while you may have no doubt, anyone that lives here and has money does. There are no supporter groups, no news articles pushing for it, no ownership groups, no proper stadiums, and again no desire from the public. Literally the only people asking for it are on this board; that's it folks.

    I know things looks good when you look at wikipedia and google maps. But that's not how things work.
     
    Bluesfan and chris570 repped this.
  18. Sam U El

    Sam U El Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 31, 2013
    Seoul Korea
    Club:
    New York Cosmos
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Let's not make personal attacks... That is all.
     
    brentgoulet and oneeyedfool repped this.
  19. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  20. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    How's the largest metro area in the US working out?
     
  21. Bluesfan

    Bluesfan Member+

    DC United
    Aug 12, 2000
    Tampa
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Scotland
    Yeah, so makes perfect sense to post it here.

    Ugh. The 'right ownership ' mantra again. It's like me saying the lottery is my retirement plan, I just need to find the right ticket.

    The success of MLS and then the recent success of some minor league clubs makes people think that there is a huge number of owners out there just waiting to 'do it right' in x,y, or z city. For every Cincinnati or Sacramento you have a Charlotte. What constitutes success isn't even readily apparent until years in the future. Remember when San Antonio was the darling of the nasl with its initial attendance and building it's own stadium? How did that work out for the league? The Cosmos are exhibit A for what went wrong. They have more money than maybe all teams in the league combined, international press coverage (but I would suspect very little local coverage on a regular basis which is more important), a great timeless brand (hard to say that with a straight face), and Pele himself. Now they are talking about moving to a baseball stadium to rescue their attendance.

    The Ussf guidelines have ensured that most new clubs are adequately capitalized, but that still doesn't make the owners spend the money (Strikers) or keep them from changing their minds (Rayo OKC). The other magic components to a good club are debatable. I would boil it down to having a stadium that you can maximize revenue and the ability to sell tickets.

    So back to Baltimore. Not sure why the USL and the Hammerheads owner are interested in this market but who knows. I wouldn't give the effort much chance for success unless they had a stadium in the works. There is no other long term solution in this town that would be suitable. The good news is if a group with the cash and a plan to build a stadium did roll into town, the city government would just about blow them in their eager gratitude.

    If they end up at Towson it is a 20 to 25 minute drive for me. I have lived in this town for two years and have only gone to Towson once for anything but work related meetings. Watching them play in a college football stadium will get me over there a few times a year. Honestly, I would be more likely to have DC United season tickets then FC Baltimore FC tickets. Put the team in Catonsville and you can count me out all together. Build your own crib anywhere in the city limits and count me in as STH. Bonus points if I can take Baltimore's pathetic public transportation to the game.

    But I am just one guy with an opinion
     
  22. New_York_Cosmos

    New_York_Cosmos Red Card

    Nov 10, 2010
    Monza
    Club:
    AC Milan
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Considering that Nasl needs to expand quickly they should relaunch this option, and Cleveland too maybe with old name Stockers
     
  23. annapolis

    annapolis Member

    Jul 3, 2001
    MLLacrosse team wants to build a 10,000 seat stadium in central Maryland.
    http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimor...ive-chesapeake-bayhawks-seeking-to-build.html
    Would be perfect to have NASL team there and split costs. All that's needed is a millionaire owner who's unaware of:

    • 2 NFL teams (Ravens 21 miles, Redskins 22 miles)
    • 2 MLB taams (Orioles 21 miles, Nats 33 miles)
    • 2 D I Colleges (Navy 7 miles, Maryland 28 miles)
    • 1 MLS team (DC United will be 33 miles)
    • 1 Minor League Baseball (Baysox 12 miles)
     
  24. New_York_Cosmos

    New_York_Cosmos Red Card

    Nov 10, 2010
    Monza
    Club:
    AC Milan
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Well it could work despite all these pro sport franchises
     

Share This Page