DO YOU GUYS FEEL THAT PITTSBURGH, CINNCINATI, AND ST. LOUIS WOULD BE GREAT CITIES FOR THE MLS IN THE FUTURE?
Someone "stole" me the answer ... I'd say they have to do much more in the a-league first and build a good fan base (I read very very low attendance in Cincinnati. Am I right?) Anyway good luck guys!
You are right. But they must of had the worst owner in the history of sports up there. I don't think anyone in who knows that story can hold that against them. That guy is amazing!!
Evidently Cincy was interested back in 1996. Copyright 1996 Associated Press All Rights Reserved The Associated Press September 11, 1996, Wednesday, PM cycle SECTION: Sports News LENGTH: 518 words HEADLINE: Coming Next To Cincinnati: Soccer? BYLINE: By JOE KAY, AP Sports Writer DATELINE: CINCINNATI BODY: Mike Brown's interest in soccer runs deeper than his investment in field-goal kickers. The Cincinnati Bengals president is thinking of investing in a Major League Soccer franchise that would join his football team at a new stadium scheduled to be ready in 2000. Two other NFL families - the Krafts and the Hunts - have a financial stake in the first-year soccer league. Brown said Wednesday that his family has a longstanding interest in soccer. "We've been thinking about soccer since we first came here," Brown said, while watching his football team practice. "It doesn't make money yet. That's been its history to this point. But that could be changing." The Bengals and Hamilton County agreed Tuesday on an outline for financing a football stadium. The memorandum of understanding establishes how income from luxury boxes, club seats, personal seat licenses and other sources will be divided. It also sets sales levels that must be met before construction will begin. The team and the county still have not agreed on where the stadium would be built, and no architect has been chosen. The agreement gives the Bengals exclusive rights for the next 10 years to bring professional soccer to the stadium. Brown will wait until his team is settled into the stadium before actively pursuing the option. "It's our exclusive right, one we're going to look at seriously more and more," Brown said. "Soccer is coming on throughout the country and some NFL owners currently are operating soccer teams. We're going to take a hard look at it." Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, is an investor in the New England Revolution. Kansas City Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt is involved with the Columbus and Kansas City soccer teams. Youth and high school soccer are popular in the Cincinnati area, but there's been no campaign to bring in a professional team. "There's a lot of participation. It has less of a following as a sport," Brown said. "That part is still in the process of building."
Cincy might not be a bad place to put a team. For one you have a rivalry set with the Crew, and OVYSA is a good sized youth org that may create a good fan base. I think if they tied in with Dayton for fans that it could be a good fit.
Cinci is a terrible idea. Poor sports town to begin w/ and too much competition from the Reds and Bengals. From this point forward, MLS should look to great soccer towns and/or nice sized cities w/ little competition (Salt Lake City, San Antonio??). I Think St. Louis would be a great choice given its soccer heritage.
Only St. Louis of those three would be good for soccer. I don't see the fan bases in either Pittsburgh or Cincy.
Akron, the town that gave us professional mud wrestling. Pittsburgh has always been an enigma to me. It has taken on more of a cosmopolitan air since I first started visiting (when the skies were yellow), but it still strikes me as clannish (think highlander, not bedsheets) in an Appalachian sense (and that is no knock, just a neighborly observation). It developed such a rich soccer heritage from the 30's thru the 50's, yet the big-time Phantoms ('67) were hosting crowds in the three-figure variety by season's end. I guess burghers knew a bad deal (Well, good players, but horrible ownership). The subsequent ASL teams were virtually ignored. Seemed that every group/clan had their own reasons for not supporting it. Although the ethnic divides don't seem as great as they once were (amongst whites) in Pittsburgh, the economy and geography still play into it. Tough place to get around, even with a map. And at least those yellow skies meant plenty of jobs. I believe pro soccer really had it's shot in Pittsburgh just after WW II (NASFL). If it, and a pro league, had established itself at that boom time... well... we might not be having this discussion. Even with a I/O and SSS, I couldn't imagine an operation in or around Pittsburgh drawing any better than 10K tops. And I'm being generous and sympathetic as an old friend can be.
St. Louis, probably will in the future. Would be nice rivals, KC and St. Louis if KC sticks around. Cincy, NO! Horrible soccer town. Great fans, but they don't take much liking to soccer. Pittsburgh, maybe. Since the Penguins are gone and the Pirates are an average MLB team, they're left with only one pro team they can accually look forward to watching, the Steelers. If a team was ever to come to Pittsburgh, I think they would draw well early. Their first impression would mean the difference between high attendance and poor attendance. I they start out winning I think people would fill the stands for a while, but if they start out slow it would be tough sledding to get people interested. The people in Pittsburgh are still hooked to the glory days of the 70's when they were winning the World Series and the Superbowl left and right and the 90's when the Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups and were in the playoffs 11 straight season. If you're not a winner in The 'Burgh, it's tough to survive. They do have the Riverhounds (USL 2nd Division), who will be scrimaging the Crew in August: http://www.riverhounds.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=2 They average about 1,200 a game which is not bad for the USL. I would name them Steel City ________ I can't think of a nickname. I'd play it off like FC Dallas, just Steel City.
I agree, not that one with KC wouldn't happen, but given the whole cubs v cards the makings are all there.
The Cincinnati metro area ranks #2 in the country in soccer participants per 100 people. (source: Soccer Industry Council of America) That tells me it's got a much better shot at sustaining a potential MLS team than most seem to think.
Actually, I doubt this one. The Cards-Cubs thing is based on 100+ years of National League rivalry. Obviously the only time the Cards and Royals played was in '85... until interleague came along. Soccer wouldn't be affected by any of that. I actually think an I-70 rivalry across Missouri would catch on big. The media and KC fans would play a big role in it. Actually, a Midwestern Cup (KC, St. Louis, Chicago) would be pretty cool. The only thing that would throw a minor monkey wrench in there would be if KC was in the West and St. Louis in the East (assuming MLS still is going with the 2 conference format by that time.) But this is all purely hypothetical as I have never heard any news whatsoever of anyone in St. Louis being interested in buying a team. Although I'm somewhat surprised Busch isn't interested seeing Budweiser is a major supporter of US soccer.
Well MVYSA has a strong following. Having lived in Dayton for 9 years and I was a coach and ref in the leagues there, there is no doubt that they could potentially pull in alot of fans. Wonder how much the Crew would affect that though.
Yeah, but Indiana's in the way, plus y'all are in the eastern time zone. Sorry, we can't let you in to our club
Actually, Cubs/Cardinals is more recent than that. And believe me, Cardinal fans don't care about the Royals. We hate Denkinger much more than KC. Also, Blues/Blackhawks on a Saturday night was always an intense game back in the old Norris Division. A rivalry would take place, but it would likely be a more one way rivalry. As you said, it would be the KC media and fans playing it up, but I don't think the St. Louis fans would care as much about it. Of course, division alignment would also be a big factor, as well as a Dema Kovalenko type moment. Remember, just like in Kansas City, just because you don't hear about someone doesn't mean there isn't interest. August A. Busch III isn't interested in owning sports teams. He sold the Cardinals even after the relationship was very public and beneficial for both parties.
The forefathers had to go through what state of land BEFORE making it further midwest?? Who´s the GATEWAY of the Midwest? Not our fault that Ohio was da trendsetter. Big up.