A little bit of an update on this, from yesterday's edition of the SJBJ. It's in an article entitled "Looking Ahead--5 Newsmakers to watch in 2006", and Lew Wolff is one of the five: While I think Mr Wolff represents a great hope, maybe the greatest, for getting the Quakes back, I think any longterm MLS observer could tell him how well blocking off sections of seats does to boost attendance.
DING! DING! DING! We have a winner! Inability? Try unwillingness in the Gonzales administration. The political agenda to discredit the political legacy of his political rival Tom McEnery. God I hate politics! Lew Wolff for Mayor!
Well, it's no secret and no surprise as to where the push for MLB is coming from. It's not from south bay A's fans. The downtown SJ business community is salivating over the prospect of 2 million fans coming into SJ for the baseball season. I worry that the SSS plan may just drop off the table if people think "15 games, what's the point". Quakes matches would be more like 18 if you include a friendly or two and a playoff game. Then add (non-Quakes) international friendlies, tournaments and World Cup qualifiers. With a first rate SSS this may (eventually) reach a level of something like 15 per year. An MFL friendly can draw 10k easily in Spartan on a weeknight. So there's a lot of potential there. So now we're into the low 30's in number of events, just for soccer. Now assuming that a smaller capacity soccer stadium would be more suitable than a baseball stadium for events like concerts, and miscellaneous sports, high school / college football championships, etc. and the number of events may run into the 50's or higher. So the gap between that and the 81 baseball games is not as huge. Of course there may be additional events in a baseball stadium as well, but I don't think it's nearly as versatile as a smaller capacity SSS. The average attendance at a baseball game will probably be higher than that for a soccer match but we have to also consider that a soccer stadium might be 4 or 5 times cheaper to build and requires less land. Really seems like with the baseball in San Jose strategy San Jose is swinging for the fences trying to hit a home run. There's a good chance they'll never connect and wind up with nothing. Whereas with an SSS plan there's a good chance they can get some base hits, score a few runs and get a win.
Yes, and all of that falls into the category of soccer not being a money maker (let alone a "primary" revenue earner). Soccer is entertainment that falls into a larger group of entertainment events. However, soccer remains the most important, merely because it requires the venue to happen at all. Not likely that an outdoor concert facility would ever happen all by itself, just as it is not likely that soccer alone could support a facility all by itself either. There are many pieces to the puzzle, and most importantly, the gamebox should belong in a local drawer.
I'm sure this has been discussed in another thread but since we've been demoted to the expansion & stadium forum, I can't seem to find it. I want to ask why anyone doesn't approach Stanford officials about playing in their new Stadium? Because its being built don't you think it would work for soccer? I mean couldn't they build it with soccer in mind or aren't they already doing that? I'm sure the school won't be sticklers like SJSU , or will they be? I know it would be too big for a SSS by MLS standards but maybe it would be good to host a lot of internationals and exhibitions against Mexican or other Continental opponents? Maybe they could properly drape sections with Quakes emblems? I mean maybe something with more flair and more up to date than the CLASH/QUAKES used to cover up the end zone seats? Hey its a thought!
Stanford wouldn't be a viable alternative for many reasons already discussed. Besides, you're assuming that SJSU and Spartan Shops are one and the same, which isn't exactly the case. The SJSU president's negative public comments about reworking a stadium deal with the Earthquakes had no true bearing on whether Spartan Shops would've rearrange its deal with the Quakes. As it turns out, Spartan Shops did offer AEG a restructured deal, but AEG wouldn't even return their calls since AEG wanted full operating control of a stadium here or nothing at all. Spartan Shops would do well to offer the same restructured deal to the eventual new local owner(s) (whether it's Lewis Wolff or anyone else) for 1-2 years until the new South Bay SSS is built. GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Do you know Spartan Shops proposal deal to AEG was like? I mean did they offer AEG a share or the profits and/or revenues? Was a split of everything down the middle or no? If that's the case why doesn't Wolfe just start his own expansion team without AEG involved and forget about the SSS for now? I mean the SSS will never get passed in this economy and with the cost of real estate in Silicon Valley. Therefore, we are talking apples and oranges here! Maybe we can first work on getting the team back and then worry about the stadium or better yet if they split the profits why then not work together and work to rebuild Spartan? I still don't know why this concept is so difficult for anyone to understand? I mean now SJSU or Spartan Shops or the city of SJ or whomever are without a professional league team and no profits or revenues whatsoever. Well unless you count hockey. Maybe I'll say 1000 times, but why can't they all just work it out?
I don't think any details of the Spartan Shop proposal have been made public. It obviously didn't matter what they were, if AEG could not achieve stadium control in this market they were not going to stay. Why would Wolff want to put himself in basically the same position AEG was? Even with an improved deal at Spartan it probably still would not give the club the profitability needed. Land, land, land. Yes it is very expensive in this area, but I have not heard anyone involved come out and say that "there just isn't any available". San Jose seems to think it has a site, Santa Clara has identified two potential sites, and then there is the fairgrounds if these politicians could stop their bickering. Regarding rebuilding Spartan. Our esteemed Mr. Purdy thinks this is the best solution for our soccer stadium dilemna, and he could be right. However, the most he can offer up to get this achieved is to say, "the city needs to do some arm twisting". Instead of writing about the "folly" of building a downtown stadium, he should write about the folly of SJSU and point out how well Cal-State Domiguez Hills has made out with the Home depot Center. SJSU did not want to give up control of their stadium. What has that earned them? They have control over a dumpy, derelict stucture that gets them little income. They could have use of a brand new facility that would be earning them more money than what they are getting now. I wonder what football recruits must think when they come to the campus and check out squalid Spartan. It is no wonder their program languishes. They don't have the vision to see that the Earthquakes could be their ticket to much greater success with their football program. What is the quote from Dante's Inferno? Better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven. This is definitely the viewpoint of SJSU.
There is no question that something can be done. Doing it is another issue completely. I doubt there will be much movement in any direction until after the election of a new San Jose mayor. At some point, in various threads, Tom McEnery's name has been mentioned. Gonzalez has made it a point to undo McEnery's legacy anytime he has had the chance. Downtown San Jose, as it sits today, is because of Tom McEnery. Of course, McEnery is an important person in the SSVE group, so it's no secret as to why Gonzalez did not move off of the dime with SSVE. At some point, hopefully the political stars will be in alignment and there will be a window of opportunity.
From the Pure Unfounded Speculation Department: Would his group be interested in a merger with SVSE? There would be a lot of synergy in the hockey-soccer-baseball relationship. Okay, now back to reality...
Ooh! A merger or a joint venture? It sounds good to me. However it gets done, we can't count on Google being a sponsor. At least for the near future. They answered my letter to them from early December. I asked them about their reported interest in sponsoring ManYouStink and their reply was that it was merely a rumor and should they want to sponsor a sports team, it would be local. Has anyone had a similar experience? Should I start a thread?
Funny you mentioned Dante Alighieri. I juist returned from living in Florence, Italy in Piazza Signoria right around the corner from Dante's house. I used to walk by there every day. And I'm telling you all right now that there is no way in NO WAY IN DANTE'S HELL that we will ever get a BRAND SPANKING NEW SSS IN SANTA CLARA VALLEY! LAND LAND LAND costs MONEY MONEY MONEY In SILICON VALLEY! LAND LAND LAND? TRY NEVER NEVER NEVER! If I am 100% wrong I'll be be the first to admit how stupid I was in making these comments! I'll swear on a stack of BIBLES! I tell you one thing we will never SEE a SSS or anything like it in SAN JOSE! I hope to GOD I'm wrong!
I tend to agree with your thoughts on this. Of course, if this is the case, then one has to look to the government agencies that already own the land. That narrows the speculation considerably. As far as I know, there is a single government entity that already owns enough land. We can go around in circles regarding the amenities, location, public transit, traffic, etc., etc., but it does boil down to having the necessary real estate to build a stadium. If San Jose State comes to it's senses, I guess there would be two locations available in San Jose.
I agree with you too! You and I are both 100% right and I'm glad you think I am right! For the first time in my life however, I wish I were dead wrong at least on this subject! I wish I were talking out of my ###! I actually cried when the Quakes moved? We are back to the days of the POST NASL QUAKES & BLACKHAWKS! Actually, we are in worse shape. We went from a Division 2 to Division 1 and now we have nothing! I think the SEals are in Division 4 so isn't it terrible? I never thought it would happen! I wish this SSS would happen! In a perfect world it would! Doesn't it suck being right?
Falvo and SJOldtimer: You guys gave a pretty good opinion on the current state of affairs in regards to a SSS in San Jose/Santa Clara county. Things change. They always do. Here's hoping you get a ton of "I told you so" statement in a couple of years.
Well, it appears that the city of Santa Clara does have land that they would like to have a stadium built on, but, at this point there is no ownership group that has expressed an interest in building a stadium there. Apparently SVS&E was only interested in a downtown site. But no one has stated that the land in Santa Clara "is too expensive".
How long has it been since you got back here? Because you're a little misinformed. There are a number of places that can accommodate an SSS in the South Bay. The city of San Jose has their fire training site, mentioned in the article cited in the first post of this thread. The city of Santa Clara wants to play ball, too, with a couple of sites, and they don't require a public vote. Neither does the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, and they have tons of open space. The issue isn't land, and it's pointless to get hysterical about it. The issue is finding someone with enough political and financial muscle to shove bureaucracies aside, grab and clear a big plot of land, and sign a BIG HONKIN' CHECK. And Lew Wolff fits that bill, so that's one hurdle done. Now we have to get him interested enough to do . . . everything else. And that's where you need to keep your fingers crossed. Baby steps, my man falvo. Baby steps.
Hey guys I'm with all of you! I want this thing to happen! But IT NEVER WILL HAPPEN! I've been living and comuting overseas for 4 years now but every time I come back it seems the prices of the real estate in the are go up $25k a year! I have a home in Campbell. I cruz all over the place and look at these land sites and properties so this is why I'm saying I doubt it will happen! My little 1500 SQ Ft home in Campbell is close to $800k. One would wonder why or how the homes in this valley are priced so much! Although I hate AEG and MR Garber and what have you with a passion, they figured they can't make a profit here. In a way I see their point and don't blame them. Therefore, the land alone is not cheap! If it were up to me I'd buy a piece of land and build a small stadium like maybe they have out in Charleston. They should start with a small club and start building by "baby steps" as you say. I think its a great idea to start with a 5k seat stadia then expand and go up to 10k then maybe 15k-20k....I just don't believe it will happen! Like I said if I'm wrong, and someone or everyone for that matter, tells me "I TOLD YOU FREAKING SO", I'll give them all free use of my villa in Florence, Italy for 1 month FREE! No foolin! Get ready guys! Your going to ITALY! Then again I think you will all be waiting a long time! I'm sorry but it will never happen! Again I hope you are all right and I am 100% wrong!
My goal is to be right about 80% of the time. I should be so fortunate that this falls into the 20% category. I hope I am wrong, and I will gladly suffer all of the "I told you so" comments.
Falvo, one more time. Yes, land is very expensive in Silicon Valley, but, it sounds like Santa Clara or San Jose would basically be donating/leasing out the land for a stadium at a low or no cost.
Woo Hoo! A whole month!. I was in Italy last year but only to Rome and Sorrento. It will be nice to visit that part of the country. Thanks Falvo!
Hey dudes! Keep dreaming! BTW , The Villa is called Villa Falvo! No foolin! I wish you could all see the link! Try checking it out! You will see the pictures on the page 3. the other one's are of another villa we bought. http://www.flickr.com/photos/villafalvo/page3/ You will all see the villa when the brand spanking new SSS and the expansion SJ Earthquakes are playing with their RED CLAD THROW BACK NASL JERSEY's (well maybe I'm asking a little too much about the jersey's! I'll believe it when I see it!