Dear SSV members – We were pleased to host over 75 of you at the Almaden Brit on Saturday afternoon February 25. For those of you who were not there, we have an audio recording of the proceedings which you can access on the SSV blog at <http://blog.soccersiliconvalley.com/>. It’s two hours long, so we thought we would also give a brief written overview of what transpired. SSV president Colin McCarthy announced that he was stepping aside as president to devote more time to his family (he recently became a father of a baby boy, Owen) and his law practice. He will still be actively involved in SSV, heading up the committee on potential investors. Colin has existing relationships with a number of the potential investors (including Ajax America), cultivated over the last couple years. He is looking for additional SSV members to assist on the committee. Reply to this e-mail if you may be interested. SSV vice president Don Gagliardi assumed the presidency of the group. Tony Huston will be the new vice president. SSV is strategically adding four new board members, bringing the board to a total of 11: (1) Lori Hibbett, who will be our liason to the youth soccer community; (2) Dave Chamberlain, South Bay Adult Soccer League, who will be our liason to the adult soccer community; (3) Freddy Adames, who has been our liason to the Hispanic soccer community; and (4) Ned Zuparko, who has been actively involved in our efforts to work with San Jose’s chamber of commerce and convention and visitors bureau. We are open to additional board members, recognizing that the board must remain small to be nimble. Nevertheless, SSV is cognizant that it represents all of the thousands of Earthquakes fans who are its members, and we intend to be as open as possible in sharing information and in utilizing the talents of our members. WE, and we use the term advisedly, are all in this together. McCarthy and Gagliardi gave an overview of where things stand currently with regard to bringing back the Earthquakes. The board remains encouraged that the Oakland A’s are interested in purchasing the team. McCarthy reported on his lengthy and productive conversation with A’s president Michael Crowley in which Crowley stated that there was a serious interest on the part of the A’s in this regard. Crowley’s statements were consistent with reports we have received from MLS and from the City of San Jose, who have reported likewise following separate discussions with Lew Wolff of the A’s. SSV is hopeful that the A’s interest will crystallize in something more concrete in short order, but we have no specific timeline at present. SSV announced that it will shortly be kicking-off a “brick campaign” for a new stadium, similar to efforts for Lambeau Field in Green Bay, and for the Rochester Raging Rhinos and Red Wings minor league soccer and baseball teams. (See <http://www.brickmarkers.com/packers/ packers.htm> for more information on the Green Bay campaign.) Fans would be able to purchase bricks engraved with their names or a personal message, to be incorporated in a new stadium walkway or wall. SSV hopes, consistent with other such efforts, to raise a considerable amount—at least $2 million—in this way to give the fans an opportunity to have a way to memorialize their love of the game and to help defray the cost of a new stadium. We would escrow the purchase price so that it could be refunded in the event a stadium is not built or the bricks are not needed or desired by the team ownership. Purchase information will follow soon. SSV also announced that it is exploring the concept of a creating a limited liability company (LLC) allowing average fans to invest in the new team. Although MLS will not allow a fan group to be the primary owner of a team, MLS has indicated that it would permit investor syndicates to purchase a minority interest in the team. Our concept is that together with a majority owner (whether the A’s or some other party), and the other minority investors (Ajax and others we have cultivated), the fans themselves should become involved. SSV has explored this idea for some time, but, previous counsel we have received about securities law issues indicated that it would be difficult to proceed. However, we have recently received encouragement in this effort. Quakes fan Paul Marotta, with The Corporate Law Group in Burlingame, who has been in discussions with Gagliardi for several weeks, came to the meeting and told SSV members that he believes a public offering strictly limited to California residences in the form of an LLC, might work for our purposes. The idea is entirely conceptual at this point, and the details need to be sorted out. Again, a formal escrow of funds would be part of the equation in case there is no team to invest in or the league and/or primary ownership is not interested in the fans’ investment. Marotta has offered to provide the corporate legal work pro bono (i.e., for free), and SSV is extremely thankful to him for his generous gesture. Marotta observed that we will likely also need pro bono accounting services (for auditing work), and banking services (to administer the escrow). If any of our members can assist in securing such services, please reply to this e-mail and let us know. SSV also announced that we may be calling on our membership to assist during this election season in supporting candidates who are friendly to our cause with your votes, donations and/or volunteer participation through, for example, walking precincts to deliver literature. Although SSV does not endorse candidates, we encourage our membership to become informed about who are friends in elected office are and to offer them assistance. Also, SSV announced its position regarding the environmental impact report (EIR) and anticipated November 2006 San Jose ballot measure for a downtown Major League Baseball stadium. SSV’s position, which we ask all our members to adopt as their own, is that soccer must receive equitable treatment with baseball from the City of San Jose. Whatever the City of San Jose does to promote bringing Major League Baseball to San Jose it must also do to promote bringing back Major League Soccer to San Jose. We are not opposed to baseball, but if soccer does not receive equitable treatment, we ask that you act and vote accordingly. SSV also reiterated its desire to support the Bay Area soccer community in all of its manifestations. We must remain united as one community. In unity there is strength. SSV will be supporting the Frogs and the Seals and the needs for recreational fields throughout the Bay Area. Let us know how we can help. Yours in soccer, Don Gagliardi and the SSV Board: Freddy Adames Dave Chamberlain Lori Hibbett Jay Hipps Tony Huston John Jussen Carol Vartuli Marin Colin McCarthy Mike Turco Ned Zuparko
Nice work Colin... Your efforts have been very much appreciated as President of SSV. Best of luck on your continued law practice and more importantly... Congratulations on becoming a Dad!!!
Not sure if this is the right spot or not, but y'all should check out what Peter Wilt is getting done in Milwaukee: He's landed a youth soccer season ticket deal that will guarantee 3500 full season ticket equivalencies for the expansion franchise, plus w/ an enticing option for adults to accompany their kids. It seems like a landmark deal, and it seems like something that is entirely w/in SJ's grasp. We all know how successful the youth ticket sales were, especially in the fall and especially in '05.
Clarification I noticed the following paragraph: "McCarthy and Gagliardi gave an overview of where things stand currently with regard to bringing back the Earthquakes. The board remains encouraged that the Oakland A’s are interested in purchasing the team. McCarthy reported on his lengthy and productive conversation with A’s president Michael Crowley in which Crowley stated that there was a serious interest on the part of the A’s in this regard. Crowley’s statements were consistent with reports we have received from MLS and from the City of San Jose, who have reported likewise following separate discussions with Lew Wolff of the A’s. SSV is hopeful that the A’s interest will crystallize in something more concrete in short order, but we have no specific timeline at present." Are the A's people interested in being the I/O of the "new" Earthquakes, or was this discussion about the possibility of purchasing the "old" Earthquakes, the team that is now the Houston........? Forgive me if I am missing something that is obvious (after all, I am well past 50, so that sort of thing goes with the territory).
Re: Clarification New, or "expansion," Quakes. The A's didn't surface until after AEG took the existing team to Houston. Mike SSV
Re: Clarification Now that would be something...Wolff or someone buys the Houston Whatevers and moves them back to San Jose. But I doubt it would happen since I'm sure AEG has designs on building a venue in Houston and then selling the team while holding rights to the venue. Then also I think it would require that the team does poorly in Houston (financially) and SSS prospects there look dim, and there is a lack of local ownership prospects there as well.
Everybody keeps calling the new Earthquakes an expansion, I don't like it. This is a team that already have everything except for a team and a stadium. AEG and Houston's newspaper says that this is not an expansion, but where is their fanbase, records, and its history? Instead of expansion, I call the new Earthquakes a resurrection. I didn't go to the SSV meeting because I'm out of town, but I would like to say thanks to Colin for his time to keep our team in San Jose. I know for sure that when this team come back, they will honor Soccer Silicon Valley for their commitment.
Once the Earthquakes complete the 2006 season, I don't think they should move back to San Jose. The Earthquakes should stay in Houston. The fans in Houston deserve a chance to support their team and assuming the team is supported they should stay. San Jose should focus on gaining an expansion team, then signing as many former Quakes (except for...I can't remember his name but he played like a prima donna) as possible.
There is no Earthquakes in 2006 (and it wouldn't be the Earthquakes staying in Houston - it would be the Houston Whatevers staying in Houston), though your overall point is understood. It'd be great if the team came back, but I doubt that anyone expects that to happen, particularly the most important person to come back: Dominic Kinnear. The next incarnation of the San Jose Earthquakes will be as an expansion team. GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
Re: Clarification No big deal here... Lew Wolff or whoever gets the team in San Jose will have to build a front office staff and so forth from the ground up. My leaning is towards the "new" Quakes... ----- No way that ALL of the former Quakes players will return. We should be able to get at least a few back by way of draft, and hopefully a few more by way of trade.
An absurd statement that somehow makes sense to me, which probably says something about my mental state. And this of course begs the question, "If a team doesn't have a team, is it still a team?" Seriously though, I understand where sf1986 is coming from. I suggested a while back that SSV might want to consider putting down in writing the essential characteristics of Earthquakes soccer (e.g. emphasis on teamwork and character, no prima donnas, attack, try to dominate possession, quick passing, always play to win, never give up, etc.) Basically the system / concepts put in place during the Yallop / Moore / Kinnear era. Basically this is an attempt to define what the "team" is even w/o an actual team. It can be more than a group of individuals - a concept. And then when the "team has a team" hopefully there's a better chance that it will actually bear the characteristics of "Earthquakes soccer" because the fans will require it.
Great! I think its those characteristics that keep the fans loyal and it's how a team is defined. I can think of a few very important ones to start. 1. teamwork 2. Never give up 3. FUAEG 4. LA svcks 5. Boo the Traitor 6. Boo the Little Fish
A number of ex-Quakes have said they want to return to SJ if the team comes back--Ching has been the most vocal, but I believe Kelly Gray, Wade Barrett, Pat Onstad (although he'd likely be retired by the time that happens), and Brian Mullan have expressed similar sentiments. Kinnear would likely stay in Houston (unless he gets the US job post-Germany, which IMO is unlikely) but my prediction is that the first head coach of a new Earthquakes club, if it happens within the next few years, would be John Doyle.
This sounds like a worthwhile idea to me. Perhaps you could take the lead to refine a draft statement of what "Earthquakes Soccer" means: forward what you believe to be your final draft to me at dpg2003@aol.com. We might then circulate to the SSV membership for comment and further refine and post the finished work on the website. (I make no promises since the board has not weighed in.) Ultimately, it might serve as a reference point for the ownership and management of the new team which, if we are successful in our efforts to create an LLC-minority holder, would include a fan component dedicated to seeing that these ideals are followed. My recommendation is that you try to be concise, elegant yet pointed in your draft. Something like the Raiders' "Pride and Poise" and "Commitment to Excellence" are perhaps overly concise, and somewhat vague, but neither should you write "War and Peace."
Don, OK I don't mind taking the lead on this. However I would like to get a lot of input before attempting to write a draft. I tossed out a few things off the top of my head that I thought Quakes fans might value in their team, but I'd like to know if there is a consensus on some of these things or others (and I believe there is). I will probably start with the most scientific of all studies: the BigSoccer poll
http://english.ajax.nl/show/id=118171 this is the Ajax history page, but you get the idea. Something that includes attacking, possession oriented soccer, teamwork, youth development, more than a club, etc. Tony
Going to steal a line here, if we can get away with it. (You're the lawyer here so don't know if that will pass...) "Passion lives here!" (especially among the Quakes masses...)