Certainly, most of the top6 market-sizes in the US could (eventually) support a 2nd (or multiple) MLS teams. But, it's far more likely, imo, that MLS would focus on getting Chicago1 back into the city (and out of Bridgeview) before they considered adding a (2nd) team to Chicago.
Who's going to pay for building a stadium in downtown Chicago?. Hope you not going to say the city will.
Sorry ironkick, but whenever I read this kind of statement about a NY team I immediately become skeptical of its success. And I bet many other non-New Yorkers feel the same way. You are basically saying that an outstanding MLS team will be successful. What I want to know is, how about those many years that a team is not successful? Or would the 2011 Galaxy, a truly dominant team, but not an "attractive" one, be successful? How about a team with returning USMNT stars - would the immigrant population turn up their noses? It's a no-brainer to say that this team would be successful if all the cards turn up trumps. What about the times this doesn't happen?
Even if the only effect was to bring in fans from Nassau and Suffolk counties: each of those two counties has more population than the Salt Lake City metro area. Taken just on its own, Queens has a higher population than any other U.S. city except for Los Angeles and Chicago. The argument that a team in Queens won't succeed if it has "only" Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties to draw from doesn't strike me as a particularly convincing one. Brooklyn will still have the Knights.
With a well-placed stadium in NYC, I'd assume MLS (with team20 specifically in Queens) is targeting the kind of (overall business) success that has recently been seen in places like Portland and Toronto (even though those teams haven't been on-field wonders, yet have operated as necessary within the parity-driven league).
We may have a higher population, but we also have about 8x the amount of professional sports teams in the area, which has had way more to do with RB's struggle to catch on than its stadium location. Sorry, I just think that the stadium location is farther down on the list of problems in the NY market than others do, and I think that don't think adding a second team will help solve the problems higher up the list and will in some cases make them worse.
I'd honestly be surprised if that did much to help anything, you have to get people to give a shit about MLS before you get them to care about whether their home team is winning it or not. Unfortunately most soccer fans in NYC aren't satisfied with the current level of play in MLS, and its their right to have that opinion and on MLS to continue to improve to the kind of standards that would draw people away from Nevada Smith's and into RBA or potentially this new stadium. I think we'll get there eventually given how quickly the league is improving, but no new team or stadium is going to be a quick fix for it.
Most soccer fans don't have a clue about the current level of play in MLS. They have their minds made up before even considering it.
Hell, most soccer fans don't have a clue about the level of play period. If you took all the labels and signs off of teams and put two teams on the field most soccer fans couldn't tell you the difference between WBA and Portsmouth.
Which is the most important thing regarding the popularity of the sport in this country. Ultimately, one of the most important things for soccer hasn't happened, and that's having a world famous US soccer player (note: I said world famous, which doesn't necessarily equate to world class).
To an extent, and yellow has a point that surely there are those who don't even give the league a shot, but you don't have to be a master of the game to be able to identify the difference in quality between MLS teams and the top European teams... There's no shame in the admittedly large gap in quality, we're a VERY young league that intentionally (and rightfully) limits quality in favor of parity, but NYC is a city where most of the residents are transplants from other cities/countries and everybody expects the highest quality of everything. Its frustrating but its not totally surprising that many people who don't have roots in the city would forgo the hometown pride and stadium atmosphere to watch the highest quality play on television. That's why I think the only true way to drum up interest in the league in this market is to improve the quality of play and when we get to that point I'll probably be happy that there are two teams in the area, but I don't think that adding the team right now will do a thing to improve MLS's reputation.
I think the whole point of the NYC2 is to foster the growth in attention that leads to growth in quality for what needs to be available in a market like NYC. MLS seems very intent on seeing this through. I'm sure all their research has shown this.
Decades upon decades to build a sporting culture in the community? Don't forget that soccer is just in the last few years started gaining mainstream popularity in the US
1. That's fair. However, if you want to pander to the immigrants, you have to treat them like a European audience. They expect attractive play. It isn't hard to instill a style into a team, and the style will show even when the team is not winning championships. That is how most teams around the world do it. If Barcelona suddenly lost Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, and Villa, they would just find (or develop) lesser replacements and still play tiki taka style soccer. That style is instilled in that club from U8 to the senior team. That is the kind of organization that is needed to successful captivate the immigrant population in the area. The clubs academy would have to play attractively, the clubs reserves would have to play attractively, and the first team would have to play attractively to ensure the stadium is filled every year regardless of the talent on the team. That way, the fans know what they are going to see. For anyone that thinks this is too much to ask, why? One of the biggest factors that will stunt the growth of the domestic league will be being satisfied with the growth we've had, as great as it's been. We need to expect that teams will actively try to continue to raise the level.The reason immigrants aren't interested in MLS to the extent that most want them to be is that they do expect this and don't see it. (or choose not to look, but in my experience this isn't the case as much as people think) 2. If the team is successful but not attractive, nope, that probably wouldn't cut it. But again, to get the growth we want out see out of the league, the average MLS fan has to be like the Stoke or Sunderland fans that whine about a midtable finish (very good for them) because they played the long ball too much. 3. If the team had returning USMNT stars, the stadium would probably fill initially. But then, as good as they are supposed to be, they would still have to show that they could play well, not just do well. Overall, the league needs teams that focus on quality as well as results. They would find that the two will begin to go hand in hand more often than not.
Haha, no way. No, I meant (eventually) MLS could pay for it and then fill it, similar to what would happen for this queens site. There are plenty of rich people in Chicago that would buy the team if the opportunity to make money presented itself.
I agree that the number of sports teams in the NY/NJ area probably hurts the Red Bulls. But I don't think that effect will be as great in Flushing. Queens =/= Manhattan. I'd say that a very good proportion of the borough doesn't even care about any of the other sports in the area. The average bar/restaurant in Queens is more likely to have FOX Deportes on TV than YES/SNY/MSG.
also playing in new jersey especially the meadowlands your whole existance makes it near impossible to get the New York City market.
I really think if DC United can get a stadium in DC, people are sleeping on Maryland's quest to have a MLS team in Baltimore. Maryland is pullling out all the stops to attract DCU. I would like to see DCU stay in DC and I think DC is finally showing their committment to DCU in having serious dialog to find land and build a stadium in DC. So if that happens, I see Baltimore making a big push, a la Real Salt lake -out of nowhere, to have their city's legislation build a stadium next to Camden Yards. Baltimore would support an MLS team "yesterday". Another natural rivalry would form with DCU. Baltimore's serious, wants to be a player in the American soccer scene, and I think MLS has been impressed with their drive and dedication in attracting DCU brass. If Baltimore commits to building a soccer-specific stadium. I could see Baltimore rise up out of nowhere and push to come in with Orlando. I see this happening before Chicago 2, Minnesota, Las Vegas, or San Antonio. MLS will be working with a very willing city and Maryland has significant US soccer roots as well (think of Beckerman, Goodson, Onyewu, Adu, Univ. of MD soccer program that recruits most of its talent locally from MD). DC, VA, and MD is a hotbed for US soccer and MLS enthusiasts. The fans will be there, building a stadium would be supported by State and City level, only need an investor (could easily be an International investor), which may prove easier with a NY2 taking the US sports landscape (and with soccer, and specifically MLS, rising in the global landscape). Had to have a DCU - Baltimore expansion post on a NY2 thread...come on!
I don't really think Chicago2 is a plausible idea for at least a decade. I was just responding to the call for 6-8 NYC teams. I think right now, NYC2, Orlando, Baltimore, and a city like Memphis or Nashville in the midwestsouth area (not really what Tennesee is considered) would be the best options, in that order, provided there is an organization in place and an owner willing to spend.
FWIW, a video story on the proposal from NY1 News: http://queens.ny1.com/content/top_stories/163912/major-league-soccer-eyes-stadium-in-flushing