However, when you read read Michael Lewis' article, that's certainly not the conclusion you come to: http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/article.php?article_id=1547 Not surprisingly, Nick still won't admit that a stadium, regardless of where it's built, is out of the question for the 2006 season. An interesting exchange between him and a reporter (not identified in the article): "It is most important that the MetroStar fans get a soccer-specific stadium of their own because they deserve one," Sakiewicz replied. "Our organization after nine seasons and after some real positive developments of the sport in Major League Soccer in this area has its own soccer-specific stadium. We see what these buildings do for teams." Unsatisfied with the answer, the reporter pressed Sakiewicz on the question. "It matters that we have our own soccer-specific stadium," Sakiewicz said. Still unsatisfied, the reporter asked again. "It matters where it is," Sakiewicz said. "We like to have it in New Jersey. We feel we are a New Jersey team." But does it matter to him? "It matters that we have a soccer-specific stadium," he replied.
not sure if these were posted in this forum http://www.theobserver.com/currentissue/raw.shtml http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/19/n...n=764ef3656cc7e634&ei=5006&partner=ALTAVISTA1 at least Nick S commented. I can understand his not wanting to debate the two sites in public. he did reiterate that getting the SSS and getting it soon are priorities 1 and 2. but no way should it have taken this long to make a statement. not sure this was adequate but things might take a month or two to play out. at least no 60-90 days. unfortunately we don't know much about the behind the scenes negotiations
Nice job by Michael Lewis pushing the issue and not just taking Nick's spin as spewed, even if ultimately the answer is still not forthcoming. The whole exchange tells us a lot about what is not happening (such as, Harrison or 2006).
From the sound of it, Nick is seriously considering staying in the Meadowlands, and that worries me a great deal. I'm sure Codey and the NJSEA will promise the Metrostars anything they ask for, then pull the rug out from under us as soon as the thing gets built. We'll be in nearly the same position we are in now. The only differences will be that we'll play on grass and there will be fewer seats in the stadium.
I just wanna cry. Who here doubts that Checketts will build a stadium before we are even approved to start one?
Sounds similar to what the NE Patriots did with respect to Hartford. Get them to offer a stadium, then get a sweeter deal from your current landlord.
Nor is the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, or the Tooth Fairy. Sacko must be comended on the masterful way he has manuvered himself between a rock and a hard place on this one. If only he had come clean back in the spring when the Harrison deal died instead of that highly informative no news is big news press announcement that a lot of people bit on, the news might have been met with a little less vitrole.
It is good that he finally commented, but yes, this should have come faster. And, if you read between the lines, it looks a lot more like Harrison is dead, and there is some major covering of bases going on. We spent 4-5 years hearing about getting a new stadium, about the other places they were going to put it...why in none of those 5 years was the "We're willing to stay in the meadowlands with the right deal, and pay for it ourselves" agenda brought up? So far, what has Codey really offered? He wants everyone to stay put and to build new stadiums largely with their own contributions. McGreevey had a principle that no state tax money would go toward stadium finance. But the NJSEA has always had money. If Metro 5 years ago proposed a new stadium on land behind the bubble, near the heliport, if they had proposed that they put in $ 50 million for a stadium and the NJSEA throw in something like $ 10 million in infrastructure improvements, parking, lots, and dredging of the land (cause it's swamp, etc), couldn't they have worked out a deal then? Metro own the stadium, get exclusive rights to run it, keep the money from inside the park. NJSEA gets the money from parking, has limited rights on scheduling their own events on non-game days for which a 15% fee goes to AEG, Metro pays NJSEA a flat fee on game day of $ 25k for use of the Meadowlands complex, etc...couldn't something like that have been done? You'd need someone to work out the actual numbers, of course, but that was always a possibility- or could have been. Only, the Meadowlands is a dump. No one wants to be there. The Nets and Devils want to leave. The Giants will stay because of the deal they have, but no actual "tenant" wants to stay. It's hard to get to w/o a car, it's in the middle of nowhere (there's no neighborhood, no reason to go there or stay there other than the game,etc). The whole reason for moving to Harrison is to change all of that. To put it in a soccer mad area, walking distance to ethnic populations of soccer fans, to put it in a neighborhood that would be a destination on it's own. You could go to the neighborhood, hang out at a bar, go to the game, then go for dinner, etc. It was presented as the complete antithesis of the Meadowlands. After 3 years of hearing about that, for us to now go back to the meadowlands and talk about staying...it's a major step backwards. Major. Step. Backwards.
Actually the NJSEA operates at a loss. Every year. The Racetrack is the only real revenue generator, and that is decreasing every year as well.
Or vice versa. From earlier reports, the Hudson County officials wanted the Metros to put up more money. Sack-o-sh!ts, if has a brain, is trying to play both sides in order to get the best deal possible. Harrison works for a lot of off-field reasons like urban community and access to public transportation; if the deal is better at the Meadowlands, don't expect the Metros to move. FWIW, I'd rather have seen the reporter ask a different question, than get into an exchange of repeated-question, repeated-answer. Try exploring, Sack's motivation for obfuscation, call him on it or let it drop. Repeating the question gets you nowhere. My $.02.
I don't have their financial documents, but this was in NJ Biz magazine, fwiw. It is a shady state agency, I don't know that anyone really knows the truth other than Zoffy. I have a feeling that if they thought they could keep Metro at the meadowlands long term (30+ years), they would have found the money to pony up and make the needed improvements to keep them there, as long as they felt the deal was structured such that it would allow them to make it back. Hence the scheduling-rights sharing deal. Metro play ~ 20 games (incl. poss USSF games), AEG schedules another 20 dates with concerts or whatever, and say NJSEA puts another 10-15 dates in there with high school tournaments, some smaller championsworld games and whatever else...they could make back their money, assuming they'd have to spend a bunch in the deal in the first place, which is just an assumption (on roads, infrastructure, etc). What Metro get: - Stadium of their own, 25-28k seats, slightly nicer than Crew Stadium. - Control of scheduling - Control of the majority of revenue streams - use of meadowlands complex, for a flat fee NJSEA gets: - revenue from Metro (not as much as they were under the current structure of hosing metro to the tune of $ 250k+ a game arrangement, but they would get $ 0 if Metro went to Harrison, so $ 30-50k in revenue from parking and fees, etc isn't all that bad) - rights to schedule their own events - purchase fee of land to build stadium on, say $ 8-10 million of $ 50 million construction cost
I do. ;-) The racetrack is for sale also. Xanadu will be the final attempt for the Meadowlands, if that goes thru finally. (Remember when Trump wanted to build his own "mountain" there 6 years ago? That died too)
Just to explain a bit more about the NJSEA. More from the same article: Who knows if those losses are "real" losses or not, but if the Devils and Nets move and they can take 7 plus million off of their cost line, all things being equal (and who knows if they would be) they just jumped from 9 million to 16 million in profit. In 2003, Giants Stadium was the # 1 top grossing stadium worldwide (per billboard magazine). So...they've got cash running through the joint. That point is undeniable. It may not be the case, but I believe that they have some money to throw at a Metro deal if they think they can make more money out of it. Say they sell the racetrack, build Xanadu, and Metro put a stadium on the land next to lot 13. It would be accretive financially. But anyway, all of this is pointless. Metro can find a way to put a stadium there, NJSEA can swing a deal to benefit them dollar-wise. But what fan wants to stay there? Not this one.
God bless the MFO.....fuking up metropolitan professional soccer since 1996. It's a good thing I support this team though, cause otherwise I might be celebrating winning a cup final or something.... and that would really really suck........
This is beyond depressing....Although it must be admitted that while hearing Nick's take was something that fans needed to know, after what he said i doubt anyone hates him any less.....
Correction: It wasn't Lewis who was asking the tough questions. If the reporter who did push Nick wants to make himself known, he will, probably by ringing a bell or something.
Nick says "Harrison is not dead". Really? Using an historical analogy, President Harrison died after 31 days in office. He took sick at the inauguration and never recovered.
This is becoming such a joke that I am starting not to care anymore. I was pissed at first, now apathy is starting to set in. Too long, too many excuses, too little communication, too much incompetence and too much heartache... A question: Who here is planning to renew their season tickets for next season?
Picked me up a yellow card a few weeks back because I haven't renewed yet. Got me to wondering. If I don't renew by 12/17, thereby relinquishing my place in line for priority seating at the Stade de '06, would I get a second yellow or would that be considered a straight red offense? And if I do get carded, does that mean I have to miss the first home game of next season?
i am in the same boat as you, sitting here with the notice in front of me thinking they pressing me to renew on a promise of the 2006 stadium if i renew and they fail on their end , would i/we have a case for a lawsuit ?
Dont get tickets on the basis of a promised seat. THink about it... How many season tickets do the Metro sell? 5K tops? IF the stadium is 25K thats another 20K seats left to choose from. And that is with all 5K season tickets renewing and thats even IF they sell 5K. The day you see them breakground you can go and get your season tickets and I bet you, that you will still get midfield seats. No reason to support a Front Office at this point that is running the team to the ground. By giving them your money up front you are basically telling them that everything they are doing right now is ok. Instead go to the stadium on gameday and buy your tickets, it might cost you an extra buck or 2 but now you have more power with your money.