Seattle group 'ready,' Is MLS?

mistake because Wolstein died?
the possible owner investing in MLS?
you're right....why the heck wasn't MLS planning for that? Idiots.

Oh, and what does having a team in play have to do with anything?

As for MLS Seattle, it's still an enigma. Who knows if the decent MLS on TV support and crap A-League support will translate into good MLS support. Personally, I want a team in Seattle, but it's going to be a situation where it has to happen for anyone to know if it will work.

 

As much as I'd love to see a team in Detroit, there just isnt an ownership group yet. If they could get a stadium in central Oakland County, like near OU somewhere in Rochester or in Pontiac the team would be a HUGE success. A downtown stadium might be a decent idea (certainly better than those damn casinos on the riverfront) but the team would have to draw better from the ethnic neighborhoods, something that MLS hasnt been good at.

 

Wow. What a horrible post.
doubt is Houston a priority?
with a huge soccer loving base? 5 hours away from Dallas (further than Metros/DC for example? likely rivalry? best MLS on TV ratings?
OK.

Rochester, because they are in NY and Metros are in NJ?
You know that Rochester is on the other side of the state, right?

Closer to Toronto, Buffalo, Syracuse, and hell probably similar or closer distance to Pittsburgh or Cleveland as NYC (just guessing).
No one is going to drive from NYC to Rochester because they are "NY's team."
That is completely ridiculous, and one of the dumbest things I've seen on BS (and that's saying something).
And this has nothing to do with their viability. They will draw from Rochester and a couple people from maybe Syracuse, Buffalo, Toronto.

Last, Rochester Rhinos ownership is getting the stadium built, so uh, they have an owner.

Wow. Just, wow.

 

Your kidding right? If Houston isnt a priority then why is their talk of the earthquakes moving here. Their is a huge soccer community in houston and a large hispancic population. I'd have to say it should be Houston and Seattle in 06.

 

Exactly right BulaJacket. New York City and Rochester are of course on opposite sides of the state. In fact it could be a fantastic rivalry if it ever got going. It's a completely different fan base, and two distinct groups of people. No one would ever drive to NYC to see a game from Western New York to see the Metros (except me to see DC United kill em).

It will be interesting to see what the Rhinos draw will be from the rest of the state. Syracuse just lost their A-league team which was building a respectable following (~6k average). Will they make the trip to Rochester? During the summer months there's not much major league competition up here. There's no MLB or NBA here, although the Yankees are pretty popular. To me it's an untapped sports market, and with the Rhinos and Syracuse Salty Dogs attendance has shown an interest in soccer.

It's nowhere near as "sexy" a market as Seattle and Philly, and that it still the problem. It's a perception issue here.

 

Patience, folks, patience.
The San Jose situation needs to shake itself out. If a new ownership group is found, that will solve one problem.
Then, Club America must decide - Houston or San Antonio? If San Jose doesn't get resolved, this factors in here as well.
Then, Seattle seems like the next logical choice.
In the end, any owner able to pony up the $100 million necessary to join and build a stadium will be welcomed in regardless of east, west, etc.

 

If Chivas USA is a success and does not harm,(or possibly energizes) the Galxay then surely a Mexican themed team playing in the new Chicago stadium must be a possibility in 2006. I think Chivas stated when they were choosing their location that it came down to Chicago and LA in the end.

 

Not if San Jose goes kaput or gets moved...

Anyway, there are no more West Coast teams than East Coast, so what was the point, really? Especially when there are NO MLS teams in the PNW market.

 

The Earthquakes are committed to staying in San Jose through the 2005 season... which buys potential local owners the time to get their house in order and secure the team's long-term future in the Bay Area.

I sincerely doubt that the Earthquakes are going to be relocated. I think that the franchise "dodged the relocation bullet" by committing to San Jose for the coming season.

 

Now that San Jose will definitely be back in Spartan Stadium for 2005, let's get back to the Seattle discussion.


I think it would be VERY wise for the Sounders FO and the city of Seattle to petition to USSF to get gold cup games held up in Qwest Field over the summer! Seeing our national team face off against Mexico, Canada, BRAZIL in the nation's second best facility for soccer (behind HDC) would be incredibliy beneficial towards Seattle getting a franchise for 2006.


MLS'ers are gonna be on that team playing.

 

That's cool for SJ fans that the team won't be moving. Now hopefully they can get their stadium and ownership issues resolved in the next year -- and hopefully with a solution that doesn't involve Club America!

 

Interesting & well-reasoned thread on all sides. I think that that concensus is that Seattle, Houston/San Antonio and Rochester are the prime candidates for the next round of expansion -- probably in that order. Can't believe that MLS could go wrong by putting a team in one of those cities.

Philadelphia seems to lag quite a bit behind the other three prime candidates because the NFL stadium is currently being rented out to Temple for college football and because I haven't heard of any solid I/O who has come forward. I've driven past the Linc a few times -- very nice facility from the outside that was highly praised by Man U. players on their ripoff "Champions World" tour last summer -- I doubt if the narrowness of the field would keep MLS from shoe-horning a franchise into the Linc until a SSS could be financed. In the end, while I think that MLS would like to get into Philly, but it doesn't seem to be a possibility in the next round of expansion -- and maybe not in the round beyond that. We should all just write Philly off for now.

Of course, a dark horse may rise up again like Fake Salt Lake if the right combination of solid financial backing and enthusiasm comes together. That's what Cleveland was all about. Heck, MLS might even consider putting a franchise in Indianapolis if a Wolstein-like I/O popped up. (Maybe, not an entirely stupid idea several years down the road). It's really too bad for Cleveland area soccer fans that Wolstein died.

My guess is that somehow or another things will work out for the Quakes in the Bay Area. Just an educated guess but things seem to be breaking in that direction -- the only "if" is whether a solid I/O can be found. That's a pretty big "if" isn't it?

I think that the franchise to watch over the next two or three years is the Galaxy. If the Goats cuts deeply into the Galaxy's attendance, this franchise simply will have to hit the road. I simply refuse to believe that MLS really wanted to have a 2nd L.A. franchise. It will be verrrrrry verrrrry interesting to see how this situation plays out.