San Jose keeps putting on airs that it's this "major city." But it never will be without major league sports franchises (or a real nightlife scene). Oh, sure, SJ has the Sharks, and as a longtime season ticket holder, I love them. But one franchise in the pro sports league that's a distant #4 does not make this a major league city. Will SJ ever get MLB baseball? Who knows, but it doesn't seem likely. Probably not, unless the A's move out of the area and SJ somehow gets an expansion team, and that would still require redrawing the Giants' "territories." I'm skeptical SJ will get an MLS team any time soon, either, what with a public vote required to secure a facility for an expansion team. Yay! At least SJ still has arena football and indoor lacrosse! Columbus, OH, a city derided by many Quakes fans as a "cowtown", is more of a major league city. Not only do they have NHL and MLS teams with their own venues, they have AAA baseball (the Yankees' top minor league team) and big-time college sports. And when I went there for MLS Cup '01, I was surprised how much more metropolitan it is than the bigger San Jose. Face it, SJ, you're not even in league with Columbus. You're Omaha West. MLS, if you come back, please play in another Bay Area city, one that might be able to handle a team. I don't care if that means a different name and the beginning of a new legacy. Perhaps a fresh start is what we need.
A stadium can be built in San Jose without needing a public vote or being 100% privately funded, though it likely wouldn't be through the San Jose city council. Yet another challenge for SSV. GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Pandering for an MLB or NFL team will never make a city "major league." Taking care of your own people, the resources you have, cultivating it and making all of it even more special -- that's what makes a city major league. I keep hearing one thing over and over again. "They want to steal the A's but they can't even keep the teams they have." I hope that kind of sentiment stings the local politicos into action.
Pandering for a major-league team is what second-rate cities do. SJ shouldn't be putting money into a soccer stadium, but rather into making a real city out of the place. I can't be the only one who feels like I'm in about three cities at once down there - it feels like a big overgrown suburb. Make a real city. If MLS doesn't want that, they can get ************ed. Of course, eventually I will own and operate the San Francisco Seals FC from my purpose built football ground in San Francisco, but they'll only play in Champions League after SF secedes from the US and joins Europe.
The reason why Columbus is a sports town is all because of OSU. that's obvious. you put a sports school like USC here and I can bet you we'll be a sports city. It's amazing what a good team can do to a city. Having gone to college at Michigan, well, things changed on football saturdays. it was a sports town because of the Wolverines. and yeah i think san jose is a sports town. the sharks probably have some of the best fans around...and they will get better this season. i think that part of the problem with san jose is that it's still growing. you may knock on San Jose for its lack of a metropolitan feel. I think differently. I really liked the city a lot. Shady tree-lined boulivards with great public transportation. This city will continue to grow and I think it will become a very nice one, along with good clubs, in 5-10 years. The problem is that it seems like the city council still considers the city a medium-sized city when it obviously isnt. but regardless of this, i still think that san jose will always be considered "that other" city in the Bay Area. I'm sure the Giants will fight to the bitter end to prevent SJ from getting the A's.
San Jose is a second rate city for two reasons: 1) proximity to San Francisco which is a first rate city even though it is smaller, and 2) no landmarks. You can't change #1 and a new city hall isn't enough to change #2. We need a whopping big skyscraper - but downtown is in the airport's flight path. Or a bridge - but nothing for it to span. Or some kind of useless giant thing like St Louis's arch or DC's Washington Monument. Something big and distinctive that will make a good miniature statue they can sell to tourists. Then it'll be a real city.
fact of the matter is SJ officials couldn't get the stadium in place and thats why San Jose is left without a MLS club. welcome Houston
hmm, New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago & Salt Lake officials couldn't get an SSS in place either, and yet there are MLS clubs in their metropolitan areas. Houston hasn't gotten an SSS in place either.