If Glazer takes over Man. U., I have to say that it's likely he would pursue an MLS team for Tampa. The Tampa Reds. Man U Tampa. It's a perfect fit for a greedy investor looking for a U.S. base to make money off his billion dollar investment. The Glazers keep the first $2 million from non-Buccaneers events & teams at Raymond James stadium, not including ticket sales. This is why there are no concerts at the stadium, and it's why the Mutiny left town. These terms were set when the stadium was built. Whatever you might think you read or believe, the Glazers made a bid to keep the Mutiny in Tampa. The league didn't bite, even though Garber said a deal was imminent. As owners of Man U., the Glazers would stand to make some massive cash from holding Man U. preseason matches at Raymond James Stadium. I'm sure the wealthy local tourism bureaus would pump them with money for the games, in addition to the hefty ticket and merchandise sales. Two games a year in Tampa would make them say, $10 million. If they owned an MLS team, then I'd imagine Man U. could pay the new MLS team a fortune to play in their Tampa stadium. Some kick ass tax scheme that would have the Glazers rolling in extra money. The former, modern Mutiny offices are built out inside the stadium, ready for the new MLS team. The Bucs staff, which spends no time selling tickets, could share resources ala the Wizards/Chiefs relationship of past years. The city of Tampa would help them bring in the MLS team, and the Buccaneers have their many sponsors by the balls. No doubt the Glazers would force them to jump on board with the soccer club. The Bucs are the game in Tampa, and the Glazers are a powerful bunch. If the Glazers are truly motivated by money, I can't see how an MLS team wouldn't be profitible and relatively easy for them. And these days in MLS, the 10,479 the Mutiny drew in their last year - with the worst record in league history - doesn't look so bad, especially considering the crappy Tampa summer weather.
no, i doubt he's interested. anyways I think a team at Lockhardt is more likely (that's likely going from 0.00000001% chance to 0.00000002%).
Why the hell do we keep bringing up Glazer in this forum? -Has he ever mentioned anything about MLS? -Has he ever mentioned anything about soccer here in the States? The guy is not in the slightest bit interested in MLS. Zero. Zilch. None.
The wee, spotty ********-head isn't even interested in soccer for anything but a way to make a quick buck. It should also be stickied on every forum involving that ******** that he didn't even HAVE the money to buy up Man United, it was all borrowed capital.
I'd have to say I disagree with you. I mean, that's a logical connection I just can't make. He's not interested in MLS. He's interested in making money. He's not even really interested in the EPL, for crying out loud. He's interested in making money. Which is fine - whatever you want to do in life, good on ya. He saw the Bucs as an undervalued investment. It was the worst franchise in the league when he got it. It's now worth a hell of a lot more. But he can make a boatload more money not operating an MLS team than he can even futzing around with it. I don't think there's any evidence whatsoever to support the notion that because he's after ManU, he'd just logically go after an MLS team in Tampa. MLS might be a more attractive investment now than it was in late 2001, but why do it? It makes no sense.
A funny thing happens when you invest money in something. You suddenly become very interested in its success. In sports investments, on field success must be had in order to gain a large return on your investment. OT: Why do MLS fans who hail this Murstein guy as a savior and who love Dave Checketts see Glazer as the devil? Maybe they're getting wrapped up in the xenophobic anti-American hype, too.
....Yeeeeahhhhhh. And? What does that have to do with whether or not he'd put a team in Tampa? And he'll be 300 million pounds in debt, but if he gets to 75% of the stock, he gets to carry that on United's books, n'est-ce pas? If I understand the news reports that aren't full of Stockholders United's sturm and drang. And if he owned ManU outright and wanted to use the US as some sort of money-making base, wouldn't he just bring ManU over for another US tour in a year or so and make one stop at RJS? ManU showed it can sell tickets in the US. He could take them on a tour of the US and use MLS that way (playing some MLS teams) and not have to get into the hassle of, you know, actually having an MLS team.
Funny thing about Glazer and MLS. There are two stories. MLS said Glazer didn't want anything to do with it after approaching him to save Tampa Bay and stave of contraction. Glazer and his son have said that they were willing to go in, but not for the 10 million asking price. They only wanted to pay 5M, but MLS wouldn't budge on the price.
Hm. Hadn't heard that second one. It sounds believable. I have to say, though, with Glazer's managing finance 600 million dollars, quibbling over 5 million seems a little silly. But hey, that's just my opinion. The only thing I hold against him is his disinterest in MLS. And I don't hold it that strongly. I find it frustrating and sad that there was a team right under his nose that wanted and needed his help, but he couldn't see his way to being interested. While it may sound like I hold it against him, I don't, really. It's more a personal frustration that grows out of my love for MLS. It doesn't make any sense to me, but there's a whole fleet of things in this world that don't make sense to me. Maybe if I had his money, it'd make more sense to me, but I don't. And don't ever expect to.
I want to blow up the Golden Gate Bridge after I pimp prostitutes and sell drugs on the street to live the "high life". I'm glad I got your approval.
Glazer could careless about soccer, he just wants to own the Money that comes with MAN U. Soccer is the LEAST thing this moron cares about.
If true I hope he never owns a MLS team. I'd rather have the league fold than have him pimp soccer solely to line his own pocketbook and fulfill his selfish needs.
Sorry I should have said he was willing to pay 5M to buy the franchise plus the Mutiny's debt, which I understood to have been huge. MLS wanted him to pay 10M plus debt. Plus there is the whole deal with the Glazers believing MLS moved the goal line on them after they believed they had an agreement. This article from 2001 tells half the story. The 5M and 10M prices was in another more recent article that I can't find, but I'm still looking. Send me an angel
Because it ain't easy to pull in numbers for a crappy lame-duck. There is a dormant market in the region, which a name like ManU would certainly be able to exploit. Having just relocated to ~2.5 hours south of Tampa, one can be sure that I'd go watch several games. But I'd still like to see El Real Miami (not to be confused with La Real Salt Lake) before too long.
Say what you want, but he's a smart and talented pimp. The bucs are worth a whole helluva lot more now than when he bought them. ...and who cares if he only cares about football (either variety) for the bottom line, the bucs have a nice big shiny trophy in their case. Please, throw some of that money and experience at a MLS team you don't care about.... Pretty Please?
Using the same logic then you hate Dave Checketts and Robert Kraft? You'd rather have the league fold than have those two invest money in the league?
Pretty Please to a smart and talented pimp with a niche big shiny trophy eh..... It's a good thing you're not a woman
This is a funny thread. The Glazer hate is nothing new in Florida. The Bucs fans hated him when he took over the Bucs. He was an outsider (from Miami ) and he didn't know jack about the NFL. Of course in less than 5 years after a brand new stadium and a Super Bowl championship, the hate went away. Now that the Bucs aren't very good any more, the Glazer hate returns. I guess it all depends on IF the team is winning. A lot of "what have you done for me lately". Hopefully the ManU fans will also get this . As for MLS in Tampa via Glazer, I wouldn't put the Seminole Indian Nation's Casino odds at favorable. Glazer wants to make money, which he can't do yet in MLS.