http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/22/sports/soccer/22SOCC.html Scroll down to the bottom: The soccer-only cable channel discussion is here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=20392 Sachin
Makes sense. If MLS takes a year to announce expansion, they'll need an additional area to get all the logistics worked out. So that would be in 2 seasons time, which I think is pretty normal for an expanision timetable in american sports. Baseball, football, etc. all announce their expansion teams a year or two in advance.
Couldn't find the thread where you offered a mea culpa for not mentioning Tulsa's public processes for getting a team... so I'll respond with my own Colorado mea culpa after they became #1 in attendance this year (Mile High was my first/worst experience watching MLS-- that experience now second worst behind the Cotton Bowl)... but if Dallas starts averaging over 15K a game and gets an owner and a stadium, hey, why not another mea culpa??? Nope. None of that for Texans. Not yet. Probably not ever... Kinda disappointing if you ask me. Leaves MLS with the same number of teams in year 9 as year 1... It's also strange that this is the same kinda timetable that OKC and Tulsa talk about (getting stadium built by 2005). Sounds like 2 cities in Oklahoma who just started pursuing a team last summer are turning into the ones furthest along with proposals, and they're just finishing feasability studies... I'm the last one who should be depressed but... sounds like it's going to take the full "365 days" before MLS can see what proposals (if any) they have... you'd think the frontrunners in this would be places like Seattle and Philly that have new stadiums that can be used... St. Paul getting into the act would be a good starter... summer soccer games in a new outdoor facility in the Twin Cities could be a major draw... Sounds like NFL stadiums can be used but maybe not without some sort of other plans for a future SSS... otherwise, 2004 would seem to be a good timeframe to expand to a Philly/Seattle/St.Paul/Atlanta situation... Tired. home from work... need beer...
Finally, a real statement. I trust the NYT reporter who quoted him. And it fits with both Liewike's comments and and Garbers pre-MLS Cup comments. Announce two new teams at MLS Cup 03, to being play in 05. My guess is they think they can land at least two of four candidates for 05, and the other two by 06 in a World Cup year. If all four came in within a year, they'll go with all four in a single year. 14 teams with 8 stadiums (Dallas, Columbus, LA, Metro, Expansions 1 through 4), plus revenue from the rest will end the "will MLS survive" issues.
I was thinking about this and waiting until 2005 points to Houston as being a serious contender. By the time MLS Cup '03 rolls around, the Texans will have a year+ under their belt at Reliant (which was built for MLS as well as NFL) and any potential investor group will have access to the stadium. Then there is another year+ to work out all the arrangements for soccer as well as football at the stadium. Just a thought. Sachin
Well you know what it has been two years since they said expansion was going to happen....They keep putting it off every year and that is a fact.....I remember a couple of years back the dates listed were 2001, then 2003, now 2005.....And u know what in 2005 we will still have 10 teams and they will be saying expansion in the near future possible 2007....I believe it is all a marketing hoax to try to get investor interest and it isnt happening....To tell you the truth I am getting very doubtfull we will ever see expansion before the league folds.....In 2010 there will still be 10 teams. I dont want to be right but wait and see if you have the patients, but mine are running out. Four years of expansion talk and now there are less teams than before is all i can take.