MLS itself needs to go on offensive to make sure Sacramento gets an expansion buddy this round

Discussion in 'MLS: Expansion' started by OWN(yewu)ED, Nov 4, 2017.

  1. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    12 candidate cities. 12. Surely in the time MLS allotted at least two of them were gonna step up, right? Whether it be self inflicted wounds (San Diego, St. Louis), getting screwed (San Antonio), dead on arrival (Indy, Charlotte), this has gone very badly for MLS constantly getting undone at the local government / financing level. I cannot under any circumstances imagine how the Ford Field thing in Detroit is a good thing. Quite the contrary, I think that it’s time to hit the panic button. Nashville snd Cincy are what’s left for this round, and frankly, MLS needs to do more to make sure they get over the finish line. Nashville has a possibility to be held up at the city council level, and Cincy isn’t completely sure where the in-between funding between private and public is gonna come from. Garber really needs to be on the ground in both these cities to close it out, and frankly given the Miami situation, just get sac, Cincy, and Nashville all in. Anyone else getting this feeling (note I don’t consider Tampa or Phoenix serious candidates and I don’t think the league does either)
     
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  2. Sport Billy

    Sport Billy Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 25, 2006
    Why should MLS give Sac a "buddy" over any other city?

    Also, I wouldn't be shocked to see STL get a team. In the big picture, $60M is not a lot of money.
     
  3. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Whose to say SacTown is guaranteed an expansion spot? They could still be passed over this round, or altogether. The owners/investors of MLS are going to do what is in their and the league's best interest, not what a bunch of Internet Soccer/Football nerds want or feel is best.

    Sure to outsiders, and folks who live in Sacramento it looks like it's only a formality that MLS will award them an expansion team. Then again none of us are in MLS HQ, or present during the myriad of expansion conference calls and meetings that scrutinize all of the criteria and the details of the expansion bids/applications.

    I seem to remember St Louis being a shoe in/slam dunk for an expansion team back in 2008..........right up until MLS announced Philadelphia.....

    There's a reason that the league waved the SSS requirement for NYCFC but not Orlando. They knew the NYCFC ownership group was committed and had the necessary resources to eventually get a SSS down the road. They weren't so sure about Orlando/Florida as a market, ownership group etc...

    MLS is maturing as a league and a business. They must now be VERY choosy when deciding WHO to let in. Who being ownership groups. They want to make sure that they fit with the other owners, and are as committed to MLS long term, as the amount of money one will need at the start (let alone on a yearly basis) to just compete on a long term basis, and more importantly keep the league's overall value increasing is quite staggering in 2017/2018 compared to what it was in 2010.

    MLS is looking for more LAFC, Merrit Paulson, MLSE, CFG, Hunt Family, SKC type ownership groups over say the Rocco Commisso and Ricardo Silva's of the world (talk a great game, but don't actually have the follow through). In other words, not just any one is going to be given an expansion team just because they want one, and can write a check.
     
  4. Cincy Liverpool fan

    Fc Cincinnati
    Jun 16, 2015
    Cincinnati, USA
    Club:
    Cincinnati Kings
    Lindner family net worth of 1.7 billion, previously owned the reds, would seem to fit.
     
  5. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Bro, your world of denial is something to behold I gotta say lol, it’s actually impressive. This is reality baring catastrophe , and even the most ardent anti Sacramento people know this. Is it official? No, but I think you are literally the only one on the whole message board that hasn’t put 2+2 together. Follow the signs...... it’s reality. I know you’re strangely upset by it, but it’s reality. it Doesn’t fit the reality of corporate mess and sponsors that fits your idea of reality, but, have you bothered to consider your mindset is well...... wrong?

    It’s reality because even the widely believed number two favorites are on flimsy footing , just read around the message board it’s widely reported that mls “big 4” in the discussion are not doing well except for Sacramento, and after events In Detroit, is now the big 3. And Nashville and Cincinnati are not on the sturdiest of ground. Just read, do some research. It’s very very easy to arrive at this conclusion with the evidence presented
     
  6. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    First: take your own advice and READ what I wrote, and more importantly COMPREHEND what I wrote.

    Second: I NEVER wrote that Sacramento wasn’t getting a team.

    Third: Unless I missed it, please post a link of the MLS press release stating that Sacramento will be the league’s 25/26 team.

    Fourth: All I wrote is that there is CHANCE that Sacramento might not be awarded an expansion team, which is true. That chance might be very slight, but it still exists.

    My bad, I forgot that if something is on the internet it must be true. I simply offered my vantage point and views on things. I don’t have any skin in this game, and am not emotionally invested in this as you and others here are. Taking a step back, and looking at things without the emotion gives you a better perspective. You should try it sometime.

    Anyways, we’ll find out just before Christmas who the two newest MLS cities will be. You’ll probably be right, and Sacramento will be one. Then again, the majority of the country was certain Hillary was gonna be the next president too.......
     
  7. Coyote89

    Coyote89 Member

    Atlanta United
    United States
    May 18, 2017
    I don't think the shift to Ford Field is bad at all for Detroit. That stadium has already hosted US international games 4 times. Regulation FIFA pitch fits perfectly and they can use any number of different seating configurations depending on the size of the crowd, using branded curtains to close-off the upper deck (and the mezzanine if necessary) to create an intimate environment for soccer. It's already in a great location, right near the downtown business district, the stadium is quite nice, they already have the parking and mass transit issues worked out, and they don't have to wait several years for the stadium to be built. Plus, adding a deep-pocketed, highly-committed, local owner to their ownership group can't hurt either.

    I realize playing indoors on turf is not ideal, but Detroit may actually benefit from selling themselves as the next Atlanta or Seattle rather than the next Chicago. In fact, as MLS grows, they could come full-circle on this issue. NBA and NHL teams share arenas. The main reason for not doing so with the NFL and MLS is that historically, MLS couldn't come close to filling the building. But Atlanta and Seattle have proven it can be done. And sharing a venue creates a situation where the owners can spend on other things like training facilities, development academies, and DP salaries. Plus, the fans benefit from all the amenities of a $670 million venue (one that has seen an additional $100 million in upgrades just in the last year).

    As a side note, being able to play indoors has its advantages too, especially for a stadium in a cold-weather climate like Detroit. Takes the risk out of playing those games in March, October, or playoffs in November. Attendance will still be good when it rains, when it's 90 degrees, etc.

    Just the lower bowl...
    [​IMG]

    All but the upper goal sections open...
    [​IMG]

    You can fit a 75X120 soccer pitch in that space perfectly. They even have huge windows to let in natural light.
    [​IMG]
     
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  8. TheRealBilbo

    TheRealBilbo Member+

    Apr 5, 2016
    Wanna follow the signs... OK, Sacramento was founded in 2012, wanting into MLS. Since that time, MLS added 4 teams (Montreal joined in 2012, or they'd be 5). In that time, NYCFC showed up and got in, Minnesota got the loons, Orlando! and ATLANTA!! Also, Chivas out and LAFC back in (that would make 6, or 25% of the league). Sacramento had plenty of chances to seal the deal, but remain on the outside looking in.

    Sacramento's "signs" were that they should have joined the league in 2015. Not sure they are up to the competition for 2020.
     
  9. The Franchise

    The Franchise Member+

    Nov 13, 2014
    Bakersfield, CA
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Sacramento did not approach MLS the day it was admitted to USL, or after its first home game. They did not have the ownership or the stadium plan in place yet. They were not under consideration before Miami, NYC, Orlando, Atlanta, or Minnesota. LAFC is a continuation of the market rights that were held by Chivas. There are, in fact, zero teams which have cut in line ahead of Sacramento.
     
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  10. stanger

    stanger BigSoccer Supporter

    Nov 29, 2008
    Columbus
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Unless you include the attempted move of Columbus to Austin.

    If you want to fight something, fight the process of moving Columbus to a city that wasn't even on the expansion list.

    #savethecrew
     
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  11. Cincy Liverpool fan

    Fc Cincinnati
    Jun 16, 2015
    Cincinnati, USA
    Club:
    Cincinnati Kings
    Without crew to Austin, wouldn't adding sac city create an imbalance in the west?
     
  12. The Franchise

    The Franchise Member+

    Nov 13, 2014
    Bakersfield, CA
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Transfer Minnesota to the East. MLS has had no problem switching the teams' conferences. A brief history of conference alignment, expansion, relocation, and folding:

    1996: West is LA, SJ, Colorado, Dallas, KC; East is NE, NY, DC, Tampa, Columbus
    1998: Chicago (West [?!]) and Miami (East) added
    2000: Realignment with the addition of the Central Division, taking Dallas and Chicago from West and Columbus and Tampa from East.
    2002: Miami and Tampa folded; Central Division ends with Chicago and Columbus to East and Dallas to West.
    2005: Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake added to West; KC moved to East (?!?!)
    2006: SJ to Houston, but stay in West
    2007: Toronto added (East)
    2008: SJ returns (West)
    2009: Seattle added (West)
    2010: Philadelphia added (East)
    2011: Portland and Vancouver added to West; Houston moved to East (?!?!?!)
    2012: Montreal added (East)
    2015: Chivas USA folded, NYCFC and Orlando added to East; Houston and KC returned to West
    2017: Minnesota (West) and Atlanta (East) added

    If the league was content to have Chicago in the West or Kansas City and Houston in the East, putting Minnesota there for a while would not be even a faint surprise.
     
  13. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Looks like this thread either needs a new title, or should be closed now.....
     
  14. flyfresno

    flyfresno Member

    Fresno Fuego
    Apr 2, 2017
    Fresno, Minneapolis
    So many people in Sac were so smug about getting a team. You’re not in until you are in...but it could still happen. Just hope this gives them all a little pause.

     
  15. When Saturday Comes

    Apr 9, 2012
    Calgary
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    But Bro, the question is are you still in a world of denial?
     
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  16. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It’s a wonderful world too I must say. I see that Nashville’s bid is still on unsturdy ground as well.......

    I’m not sure who’s worse on twitter and message boards: The Pro/Relots or the MLS Expansionistas?
     
  17. Auriaprottu

    Auriaprottu Member+

    Atlanta Damn United
    Apr 1, 2002
    The back of the bus
    Club:
    Atlanta
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    The Pro/Relots, by far.

    The USA needs two things in place for pro/rel to work: 1) support that does not drop off when a club is relegated, 2) a single table. #2 is simple enough if the leagues are divided, but #1 isn't happening anytime soon.
     
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  18. When Saturday Comes

    Apr 9, 2012
    Calgary
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Interesting. I always thought #2 was the hard part given where MLS is going with expansion. Say they go to 36 clubs and separate into East and West. Each team plays home/away in their own division (sorta single table). Do you think they would relegate 2 western teams and promote 2 western USL D2 teams? Wouldn't that be problematic if a team in the East gets relegated with significantly more points? Can you ever see a time where MLS has a balanced schedule?

    Mods: Sorry for going off topic
     
  19. Auriaprottu

    Auriaprottu Member+

    Atlanta Damn United
    Apr 1, 2002
    The back of the bus
    Club:
    Atlanta
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    I think they went that way specifically because they know they ain't gonna try pro/rel.

    This country does not support lower-level pro sports. They have college sports for that.
    My HS football team played in front of 12K EVERY home game, whether the opponent was local or out of town. SRO, every Friday night, If you can't draw more than a HS football team, you have no business being in my top-flight soccer league.

    I can't see them picking a year and saying, "After the 2021 season, we are going to cull eight teams from MLS and make it one division. The top 20 clubs will remain part of MLS, and the bottom 8 (10? 12? I guess we'll know when they stop adding teams) will drop down to USL. From that point forward, the bottom three MLS team will be relegated and the top three USL teams will be promoted.

    This is where #1 comes in. Any MLS team except maybe Portland that got relegated would be dead. Dead. They'd never come back to MLS again. No fans, no nothing. Who'd care? Why should they?

    Soccer isn't going to affect the way Americans view lower-level sport. The way lower-level sport is viewed here has affected the way MLS is run. That's smart on MLS' part.
     
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  20. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    soooooooooooo................Sacramento's Date to the MLS Expansion Dance must have left them standing in the driveway..........:rolleyes:
     

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