Between Bernie Bits and the attached Timmerman article, it was a good day for the Post and SLSU/the Collinsville project. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/FB28DA5C9753BE4A8625734900094BAA?OpenDocument
From the Sub Journal: http://suburbanjournals.stltoday.co...s/sj2tn20070901-0902cvj_soccerpreview.ii1.txt Keep the momentum rolling!
I hope so.. I really hope the MLS would capitalize on all the great press and momentum here and announce the awarding a team that week. Maybe that is just my impatience. hehe
Don't be rash. If you don't think the league is going to wait and see what happens in the #4 Media Market in late September/early October before making a decision then either you know something I don't know or you have not considered all the factors a proper businessman should.
I have to disagree Bryan, while I don't think MLS would make an announcement right away, I don't think they will play "wait and see" either. I think the St. Louis bid and the Philly bid are, at this point, mutually exclusive. I think MLS is going to look at each city on its own merits. If both cities are ready, MLS would be foolish to pass on either.
I hope they are mutually exclusive and both cities get the politicians aligned with the owners' visions. But you must also remember that Garber likes big announcements. The next event is his Nov 16th State of the League address during MLS Cup Weekend. Also, I wonder which of the 3 teams (hoping that all get in) is going to have to pay the higher expansion fee. I would hope Seattle since they are apparently going to go the Wizards and MetroStars route while Philly and StL will be splashing cash for stadiums.
I agree that it makes more sense for the league to announce expansion teams at MLS Cup, and I'm sure that's what they'll do. But I also agree with Sport Billy that the StL and Philly bids are on separate tracks. Seattle seems like the wild card that could disrupt MLS acceptance of those two - hard to imagine MLS would add three teams in one season, not to mention pushing the number of teams into odd territory again (17) so soon after getting back to even with San Jose. As the smallest media market of the three, St. Louis might have cause to worry if Seattle and Philly both also have strong bids. If Collinsville does approve a soccer stadium, and MLS passes in favor of a Seattle team playing in an NFL stadium, well, it's not going to be pretty. Where would I send the pipe bomb?
I really don't think that StL and Philly are competing with each other. And I find it almost impossible to believe that, if either or both of them secure their stadiums, that they wouldn't be immediately invited to join the league. The whole Conference thing is a non-issue, as moving KC back into the West, where they had been for almost their entire existence (and where they belong), rebalances the Conferences. Both markets are very attractive to MLS - Philly because, well, it's Philly; and St. Louis because of its significant and sustained soccer heritage and because of it's extended regional appeal (think Cardinal Nation, but, obviously on a smaller scale). Beyond Greater St. Louis, rest assured that some people from Western Tennessee/Kentucky (Memphis/Louisville) and parts of Arkansas and Oklahoma will adopt St. Louis as their MLS team.
Every time I think about this, it makes my head hurt. My thoughts usually go like this "They can't pass on 2 SSS can they? But Seattle seems so sure about their bid. They can't let Seattle in, they don't have the SSS! But they let San Jose back in. How did San Jose get back so easy? Could they let three teams in before 2010? Would it go to a single table? Would they let a 4th team in by 2010?" Bottom line is I think it sucks that San Jose got in before they had a stadium, and that Seattle might too. Cooper has created a beautiful plan, and the MLS should pull the trigger. I don't think St. Louis or Philly should be punished for getting a stadium lined up. Here's to STL and Philly!
True, but don't be surprised by a quick announcement so that Cooper can get ground broken by November. That still leaves another team to announce in November.
San Jose got back so "easy" because they actually never left, they where just sort of suspended... San Jose will not even be regarded as a new franchise as the old cups and stuff still belongs to the Earthquakes and are in San Jose now. That said MLS have always been drooling at the thought of Silicon Valley sponsors... Stop being so paranoid, you will get your vote for the SSS and MLS will give some hints long before November if you are in or not. Personally I´d say that Philly are in if they get their vote because MLS are lobbying on their behalf. Huge media market... As for St.Louis competing with Seattle I would not be surprised to see Seattle included with Vancouver (Who are going to build a spectacular SSS BTW) instead...It would make the whole Pacific-NW go bananas.