I don't know why I was thinking about this, but given the architecture around the city, namely our love of bricks, I was thinking of a stadium that sorta looked like Highbury on the outside. Ok, so I'm a Gooner and that plays into it, but it just popped into my head 5 minutes ago.
The architects and planners on this board could build a great stadium out of renovated warehouse facades in this city with one hand tied behind their backs.
Crap, there is nothing goin' on in here these days. No rumors floating around these days...is it time to rehash the name situation over again...haven't hit that in a while...
We could do what a lot of people do and just make sh** up... A friend of my cousins father in-law said that he saw Jeffrey Lurie's nephew kicking a soccer ball.... *GASP!*
http://www.nwherald.com/SportsSection/stevenson/331216786965042.php once again, Philly is mentioned as an expansion candidate. Exactly who is Garber talking to?
I really do think one of the key's to this might be to find the owner/investor looking to expand into Philly and then stuff his inbox full of encouragement from as many people as possible
No, there is no PDL team playing at MCCC. The SJ Barons played there two years ago, played at Winslow High School last year, and will play in Ocean City this year. The NJ Wildcats in the W-League play there.
I've heard some GREAT things about MCCC's stadium. I'm doing some broadcasting for the W'cats this year, so I'll see it at their home opener...but if it lives up to the hype...there should be AT LEAST a USL-2 or a PDL team there.
Its not a bad place at all. It has a very large nexturf field. I'm not certain that a PDL or a USL-2 team (which are not much different from what I've seen) will sell really. I don't see where the connection is to the local fans, the field is sort of out of the way, and you need an owner who's willing to lose a lot of money on something he loves.
Damn, I drove by that huge lot on Vine St. yesterday, that fvckin' thing is just begging for some kind of development...
Damn Nick and I get ************ every Tuesday night. Ahhhhhh it'll be a good sleep tonight. Josh, you have to come out out to Jenkintown one night and join us and Ass Dimples (whenever Nick gets the courage to talk to her!)
Greatttttt, there's no pressure now is there, besides she's with the douche who supports Spurs. You can't really want me to go near anything that's been infected with that, could you? Hell, if I ever get admitted, it could become Temple night!
Without an I/O with deep pockets willing to build his own SSS, this city does not fit into the MLS' stated model. So if we are to get a club, we need to have an alternative, equally acceptable model. In that vein, I've found another location to consider: east of Broad St, west of the Blvd above Hunting Park. I guess that's part of the Logan section, but there is nothing. There are at least four square blocks with only one or two small structures on each. It's probably already being prepped for development, but bear with me. The area may not be big enough for a stadium and, though close to the Blvd, the infrastructure is not great (nor is the neighborhood), but what about a practice/reserve/youth facility (sans stadium) model used elsewhere? Lurie so far has made no moves towards ownership, but what if a favorable lease at the Linc could be arranged for the 1st team while the city/state/investor combine to build the practice facility. We are not going to get a publicly funded SSS anytime soon, but what if: 1) the city kicked in for the land 2) the state some grant money marked for the School District/after school/youth programs 3) investor/owner footing the bill for the structure housing his team's locker rooms/offices. I would guess there is space for 10 pitches - a couple all-weathers, a couple top quality pitches for the MLS team, and a handful of pitches of vaying sizes for a youth club/league. Yes, it would be a hard sell for an I/O, but short ponying up his own money for a stadium, I think it would be a great way for an I/O to show his commitment to the city. Anybody ready to jump on my bandwagon? There's plenty of room! On another note, channel 6 had the score of the Pirates game a couple of Saturdays ago. No video, but mention that women's soccer was back in the Philly area...and no smart-ass comments.
I like the idea of having a group of soccer stadiums together. I think it would definitely seperate philly from everyone else. It would cost alot and take time but it would be worth it.
I'm assuming you're talking about the area just north of where the BLVD ends/starts before it becomes more of a highway around Hunting Park/9th Street. If this is where you're thinking, I'll rule it out now. There will be no development there anytime soon. Not sure how familiar you are with that area (yes, its part of Logan), but the ground is not stable. If you drove around that neighborhood, you'd see houses boarded up and many sinking. Back in the 80s and 90s the city knocked down some city blocks due to their sinking nature. Unless someone has since filled in the swampy/soft land that is there, I don't see much being built there. Huh? The HDC in California has a good amount of fields and is used by the national teams for training. The new Frisco stadium for FC Dallas is also being developed as a huge soccer area with fields for all types of teams, especially youth teams. I'm not sure about the Bridgeview stadium out near Chicago, but I think they're getting a few fields as well. We would be ground breaking, that's for sure.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!!!!!!! NO taxpayer money for stadiums. P-E-R-I-O-D. If there is no one willing to put up money for a team and stadium, then we go without a team and stadium until someone does. We don't go raiding tax coffers and accepting handouts from the state or city govenments, whether in direct cash handouts or free land. That was never what taxes were supposed to be for. Taxes are the way the government pays for programs, such as national defense, that are SO important that if you don't pay them you go to prison. Do you think funding a soccer stadium is such an important issue that people should go to jail for not paying for it? I don't. I like soccer, but I'd rather support it on my on terms, not at the business end of the gun that the government points at me when it collects my taxes. Of course taxes have been used for that in other sports, and it is wrong that they have. I was against using taxes for the linc and the bank, but I was outvoted in the referendum. such is life in a democracy. If you want the government involved, they could create an incentive for such things to get built, tax breaks, etc. but no handouts. I think tax breaks should be given to anyone who contributes to the growth of the city. they get their tax money on the back end by cutting it on the front end and expanding the tax base.