http://www.soccertimes.com/wagman/2003/nov08.htm What the fruck? This stuff is getting totally out of hand. If Chicago is taken over by Club America, most Fire fans will revolt! How could MLS even think of this? San Jose being taken over by Bayer L? Strange, but the LD conection makes some sense. At least they probably would not target a whole new fan base. Rochester coming in next year? Cleveland in trouble? AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! This is a mess.
This is as interesting as hell! Some short takes on it: Cleveland sounds like a feeling-out process. The guy's trying to get all he can from the city, and may very well pick up the rest of the tab when he finds out exactly how much the city is willing to kick in. I think he's just squeezing right now to get the lay of the land. He may very well be sincere. Why go through all this bother if you're not really interested in owning an MLS franchise? And he may actually be interested in having some of his cash on hand to run the club, instead of having every dime going into construction of the stadium. I'd prefer America to run an expansion franchise. Will the league and Anschutz please let Vergara put his club in San Diego if he wants. I hope Vergara pushes hard on the matter of contracts. The league needs to get out of this business of holding all the contracts. They can still have caps and restrictions yet permit the clubs themselves to own the players. Who knows, it might even inspire more loyalty from players if they are under contract to a club instead of to a league. You can get very loyal to a company or institution if you feel they are treating you right. If you or I wanted to play for the New York Yankees or the Los Angeles Lakers, then that's who should be paying us and that's were our hearts should be. Who wants to play "only" for MLB or the NBA and have them move us around as they see fit, as can happen now in MLS? It might be all right for youngsters entering the league to have to play someplace they aren't happy in, until they pay their dues, so to speak. I'm sure LeBron James isn't nuts about being with the Cavs, but he'll someday be able to move on his own. But, in MLS, let's give the vets and the clubs some well-deserved freedom. Vergara pushing this issue will help end the current practices that much quicker. I hope he continues fighting.
well maybe it is true, Soccer in america will never make it without foreign help. I want American soccer to stay american soccer, not just a league pandering to all the euros and mexicans who want to see their home teams duplicated here in the states. If this is the current trend, I'll have to say goodbye to my beloved MLS.
Go then, and good riddance. And let the door hit ya on your way out. Some MLS love you have. Investors for the league - a chance to break the single-entity stranglehold that has stifled legitimacy and diversity (even as it kept the league afloat) and you're quibbling about where it's coming from? Say goodbye, better, to the country and press who minimize and mock the sport, not outside investors who respect and value it - nor their fans here in the U.S. that have kept the sport's profile up, made it profitable in certain markets and are the reason for the investors being interested. It's a global game - and a true league is global as well, with players and investment. Or did you notice a Russian buying into the EPL? Man, the isolationist attitude of some people is frightening. Get over yourselves. It's going to help the league. It's going to make it better, more competitive, popular and more and all you can do is whine, whine,whine.
1,121,089 mexicans live in the Chicago area. Mexicans actually WATCH futbol. Go figure. And most ppl are reasonable and don't abandon their teams b/c THE MEXICANS ARE COMING, THE MEXICANS ARE COMING! Yeah, SJ doesn't need to tap into the 981,311 Mexicans into the Bay Area. They don't need any fans, they're doing quite well on their own. Only b/c you're paranoid. Breeaathe. Exhale. Breathe. Exhale. Read books to cultivate the mind. Exhale...
Calm down... calm down.. Don't curse the yack owner before you ask for it... Wait till we cross the bridge before passing judgment about the river...
We, in the Republic of Texas are crying as of now... Pierces our heart such a melodramatic goodbye... See you in heaven..
We should iron-cast your words and place at the Home Depot's entrance... Well said. Some MLSers are the biggest whiners on this side of the Atlantic...
Re: Re: Newest F'up Chivas/Expansion I totally understand this, and my apprehension has nothing to do with the nationality of the new owners(I happen to be a mexican american). I think the most important thing to note, in regards to new ownership in Chicago, is that unlike most other MLS fans, Fire fans by in large are 100% happy with our management. Things are great the way they are, and they are only getting better. The idea of some new owners(foreign yes, but really any owner from outside of Chicago) coming in and possibly fundamentally changing the team we love is a very scary thought. That's why I am really against America buying the Fire. Now San Jose is a different case. It is well known that the quake fans are not at all happy with their current management. Maybe America can help.
Reasonable here? Ha. But change it to The English, The Germans or The Dutch Are Coming!! and a lot of people would be rolling out the red carpet. Discuss.
Re: Re: Newest F'up Chivas/Expansion Yes, they would roll out the red carpet. Why? Because they wouldn't try to load the roster with all Dutch, or all English! THAT'S WHY!!! And to anybody who wants to call me racist, paranoid, isolationist, xenephobic, or anything else...piss off.
Re: Re: Re: Newest F'up Chivas/Expansion well put. I won´t piss off (due to the fact that I agree with you)!
Quite frankly, I don't care who owns the teams as long as MLS adheres to the roster guidelines and the league ownership of player contracts. BUT, if Club America does buy the Fire and decides to rebrand and make it "Club America of Chicago" that will be a real shame. Love them or hate them, the Chicago Fire are one of the best branded teams in the league, they have great fans of "the Chicago Fire" and they've always had pretty classy looking gear. If Club America owns the Fire and runs the Fire and decides to leave the Fire as the Fire, fine. I think we've already seen that Mexicans as a whole do not respond to "Mexican Players" (See Luis Hernandez). Why should they necessarily respond to a team with 3 Mexican internationals and a few young Mexican-Americans? It will still be an American MLS team.
It isn't like Abromovich is loading Chelsea down with Russians. I don't care if the money comes from Martians as long as everybody adheres to the league's rules. If these guys can do something to put more butts in chairs and make more people love soccer in this country, then go for it.
exactly....while some of those against Chivas go over the edge...some of the pro Chivas people don't get that the majority are in line with this statement IMO....
Another good post...the point is leave 'the Chicago Fire'....It would be absurd if anyone buys Chicago (or DC United for that matter) and alters them. I would be apalled....I agree; they are maybe the best branded team in MLS. All they have are stadium and possible ownership (only b/c AEG wants to unload 3 teams) issues, not really attendance, fan support, kits, or horrible name issues....Management seems really great in Chicago too. They aren't my favorite thing, but they've quite possibly got the best thing going in MLS. Why mess with it? That's beyond me....Just the same as with Columbus and Rochester (outside of being in MLS )....leave em alone
      I agree with this sentiment. Plus, none of the MLS teams should be re-branded at this point, regardless of ownership! -G
Rather than make up rumors Xfiles style why not just wait and see what happens and why not wait and see if the mexican investment works out..who knows maybe it will all turn out 4 the better my point...wait and see
GOOD BYE SAN JOSE, WELCOME AGUILAS USA GO FIGURE, no mention of chicago from team president perez Teuffer http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/story?id=196544