Any thoughts on how the team might be marketed, in and out of the stadium environment, depending on the the local ownership that comes in? Is it correct that the "local owner" (as an operator/investor of a team in the MLS single entity league ownership concept) has full or great leeway in the marketing of the team? I've only had the chance to attend one MLS game (in Foxboro 2004) and I didn't notice any gimmicky off field side activities. Hopefully this is the norm for MLS games, i.e. where the on-field action is the focus. Chronicle writer John Lopez commented (12/21) on "the usual suspects when it comes to ownership - Chuck Watson, Jim McIngvale, Tilman Fertitta, etc" and also new president Oliver Luck being "contacted by potential owners from Mexico". Of the three named individuals I believe only Watson has any sports team ownership experience with the hockey Houston Aeros of the AHL. The games I've gone to for the Aeros inlcuded a lot of side entertainment like cheerleaders, mascot running around the seats, live band playing at time outs, etc. Yeah it was fun, but I guess I'm a little traditional and I actually attend games for the sports value vs the entertainment value. I respect McIngvale and Fertitta for their participation in civic and philanthropic activities, but in my opinion their promotional perspective can lean toward being a bit plasticky...ex: a ferris wheel and sharks at a downtown restaurant by Fertitta. McIngvale has been associated with tennis on the west side of the town for some time and honestly I haven't attended any of the matches/tournaments put on by McIngvale (aka Mattress Mac) so I can't fully comment on his sports marketing. But his advertising and furniture store location is surrounded in cheesy hoopla. As for the potential of Mexican ownership I'd guess that the focus would lean towards our Hispanic population. Anyone know how Chivas USA is marketed in Los Angeles? Do you think it might have been different if there wasn't a cross-town rival with the Galaxy? I'd personally hope there is a focus on the sport itself rather than lots of off field circus action, but if it means more soccer fans coming to the games and supporting our team I can live with that.
When Lone Star Sports & Entertainment hosts soccer games at Reliant, they usually have a lot of activity outside the stadium (radio station promotions, sponsor tents, sometimes a stage for bands, etc.), but tend to keep the in-stadium presentation fairly simple. They've had kids from local youth clubs playing a short game at half-time and I think I recall some sort of fan drawing to kick a goal and win a prize, but those types of promotions aren't that bad. Hopefully, Luck for now, and then the eventual owenership group, will follow that example. But the trend in pro and college sports seems to be for more side entertainment and in-game promotions. Of course, if Mattress Mac gets in on the ownership, then they'd probably have one of those sofa in a corner set ups that some stadiums do.
Hopefully that there is some modicum of taste. Remember, this is the town that brought you short skirted women with vacuum cleaners on the astroturf at the Astrodome. Okay...that was decades ago, but I just get worried about the level of "plasticness" that I can handle.