Red Bull has twice had talks about selling NY MLS team/stadium, "zero chance" Henry extending contract http://t.co/LUl1ECWPKN— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) October 1, 2014 While Marc de Grandpre, the club’s head of commercial operations, says the team is not for sale, one source says that if a buyer approached Red Bull and offered $300 million for the Red Bulls and their stadium, the deal would get done within 48 hours. In fact, team and stadium sale talks were indeed held by Red Bull a couple years ago with a New Jersey-based investor group and then again with Manchester City before the club acquired its MLS expansion franchise along with the New York Yankees, but neither set of talks led anywhere. Long story short: Don't look for Red Bull to be involved in MLS in the long-term future. Instead doing $400M for the Elmont project, use that to buy Red Bulls and get in MLS!
Throw out the pettiness, the #1 problem is that they would be in New Jersey. I'm fairly positive that's a huge issue for this Cosmos organization to solve if they did this. But yeah, $300 million < $400 million AND they get MLS.
If the article is correct, "if," then at least you can infer they believe their other soccer investments have a greater upside. Kind of odd they would think their team in Austria has more upside than a team in NY metro area.
Brand control and the MLS's single entity model which was apparently why they declined MLS and entered NASL instead would still be an issue for the Cosmos so don't see this happening, plus the New Jersey location.
That is true. Unless the Cosmos see there is no way around this single entity model for now. Play the game by the rules and down the line see if the rules can be changed or altered. The Cosmos of old played at Giants stadium in NJ. They would rather be withing NY close to the Boro's being in an already SSS still well within metro NY pro sports territory not out of the question. Red Bull just seems like its time has come and they want out. The Cosmos group is all about soccer in NY metro and the US. Would likely to make much better use of the SSS venue in bringing in some World class matches and opponents for the Cosmos as well as players for the Cosmos. Already being the only US club involved with Emirates a similar Emirates sponsored club event that in in London can be extended to the Big Apple. The stadium and NYC stage is certainly prime for it.
You'r right, I don't understand why people keep ignoring this point. They should buy NYRB and put them in the ASL.
You guys are welcome to go nuts on your own forum, however I would caution you that this is very early rumors. Granted Wahl is a good source but I wouldn't be dreaming or condemning too quickly. RB will most likely exist as is in 2015.
Yes, the question is have the 4000 person attendances at Shuart humbled them on the brand control and single entity issue as well as seeing that NYC can bring Lampard and Villa while playing in MLS. If they are wise, they call Red Bulls and make this deal. Anything else is arrogance. Cosmos have roots in NJ so no big deal on that as a location. Frankly it would be total incompetence on their part not to follow up on this.
I think it would be incompetence on the MLS not to revist some of their rules. Its not a good sign if a team in their biggest markets wants out - again.
This seasons poor attendance for sure has made them realize they have a lot of work to do to bring in more fans. Their importance of brand control and single entity dislike most likely remain. $$$ largely is what brought in Lampard and Villa. The stadium portion on the Elmont project is $200 million. A $300 million NYRB price tag could be looked at as Stadium cost + $100 million. I don't see the Cosmos necessarily seeing this as much different from when they initially decided against MLS previously. Its their view of the situation, not necessarily arrogance.
You are also getting a top notch training facility in the deal. I think the climate they are making the decision in would be different though. MLS has grown stronger in the past few years. The Elmont situation is frustrating. Heck you could put the USL pro Cosmos II team at Shuart if you want to keep a presence in LI. Getting way ahead of myself: This probably couldn't happen in time for 2015, but if it did, what Cosmos owned players do you bring to MLS? For me: Senna, Ayoze, Szetela, Guenzatti, Roversio, Diomar Diaz. Maybe Freeman and Mendes. The rest of the guys keep for the USL Pro affiliate.
so, if the Cosmos moved to New Jersey would you still call them "New York Cosmos" or just call them "the Cosmos"? there is precedent for both... i, watching from California, would have no problem with the Cosmos playing in New Jersey. they did before. but what about all the people who wouldn't support Metrostars/Red Bull because they played in New Jersey? what about the Borough Boys?
If the Giants and Jets can be "New York" two exits up the turnpike, it is a non issue to remain New York Cosmos I expect the BBs would oppose this plan and I would respect that from them.
The poor support is not because they play in NJ. The MetroStars had poor support because it was early years of MLS and they sucked. NY Metro area do not tolerate losers very well. RedBulls do not get the support they should because the team is a blatant product ad. If the RB organization changed their names to Cosmos, or back to MetroStars, you'd see a major transformation. While Harrison is a bit more of a pain to get to then the Medowlands, it is not the main reason Red Bulls are poorly supported.
One major difference is now north Jersey would be their territory whereas before, MLS was going to sell them NYC. Thats NYCFC's market now.
I hardly think it is nonsense. Red Bull GmbH has pigheadedly stuck to this overly aggressive branding initiative to their detriment. I was a MetroStar supporter in the early days and I supported them through very crappy years. My club was taken from me, plain and simple. I had no issue moving my loyalties elsewhere, which eventually landed with DC United, as my club left me first. My team doesn't exist anymore. If MetroStars were to return I'd be very torn. While my team was the MetroStars, I have become a loyal supporter of the Black & Red. I don't discard my loyalties easily. GmbH threw my support away first. I'm hardly the only person that feels this way. We put up with a lot of crap in our daily lives. Advertising everywhere you look. Magazines, billboards, buses, web banners, and so many other sources. Hell, you can't watch a TV show anymore where they don't pause on a product for a few seconds. I was watching Under The Dome and they paused, for like 5 seconds, with nothing on the screen but the logo of a car. A freaking commercial within the show, goddamn it. Somewhere a line has to be drawn where enough is enough. For me, it was a team named after an energy drink. Again, I don't think my revulsion to this aggressive production branding initiative is limited to me. I do believe that you find this holding the Red Bulls back in the NYC market. So yes, I think you'd see a transformative attitude towards the team if they rebranded to a non-product related identity. New York is not an isolated case. FC Red Bull Salzburg is so despised that fan groups recreated the original team, SV Austria Salzburg, and brought them up from club level to D2, potentially poised to enter Austria's top flight next year. Are there Red Bull Salzburg supporters? Of course there are, I'm not saying they have Hitler level hate, but it takes a large group of pissed off people to start a football club and have it rise up the ranks to get to the Austrian D2 level.
Honestly if they get the same attendance off the bat as Red Bull it's fine. It's better than a few thousand in Shuart. Maybe they get more over time. Trophies will bring the crowds. You need to be in the league first. This is their only vector in. They should go in fast, hard and make a strong offer to Red Bull to try to get it done for 2015 or 2016. Couldn't care less if the deal was struck that Red Bull kept their name on the Arena as stadium sponsor just as long as the team is the Cosmos. They have the opportunity to reverse the mistake they made a few years ago in shirking MLS.
Also, I don't believe for a second that simply changing a name makes them instant popular (aka get underpants > ? > profit scenario). A FO needs to work at selling the brand. You know, basic marketing. I just think Red Bulls is a negative and rebranding would eliminate the uphill battle Marketing Dept has to face with the Red Bull brand in soccer circles.
The Swamp also was an abomination to watch a match in, and AEG just wanted to keep a team afloat in the NYC market, but basically ignored it. The well couldn't have been more poisoned in the NYC area during those forst dozen years.
Red Bull the product also looks to have topped out. Increasing comp in the market, along with the drink being targeted more and more for the unhealthy coccoction it is hurts longterm prospects also. MLS is still a longer haul opportunity, not as long a haul as it used to be, but it sttill is. Red Bull's long term drink peospects are not what they used to be. When you are basically a marketing company fluctuations in your business can change dramatically and quickly. Folks should all be grateful they got that stadium built, I am. No one else had the will or money to do it. It guaranteed a pro team in the area, in a damn nice stadium, but RB not being in it for the long term is no surprise. CUSA was one of the only people willing to invest in MLS after contraction when the league looked done, so they got in. They played their part in MLS's survival and it is easy to scoff at them in hindsight, but it was very important someone put their money down at that point, but it didn't work out...no shock. To think MLS just got a 100 million fee for a second team in LA, while getting rid of that albatross is pretty damn impressive. The door is open for someone here...class stadium ready to go with a rival next door. Who will step up? Odds are someone will. NYC has an opp if they have the money and will. I think they would be well recieved. Interesting times.