Part of the problem you have with the Sockers too, is that they're an indoor brand these days. They've spent the majority of their life indoors in the various incarnations and have been damned successful indoors. They're not really an outdoor commodity anymore.
Yeah, I get that. However, a club is really nothing more than a sporting society where soccer may only be the main activity amongst many. Back in the old NASL days, teams would have both and outdoor and indoor team. Although I'm certain MLS probably has rules to against it, it would be cool for the Sockers to operate as both indoor/outdoor. Any way you slice it, IMO the only perfect scenario for San Diego to join MLS would be the Sockers. Anything else might be good.. but not perfect. Actually, for a new team I always liked the name, San Diego Sea Monkeys (combining the two most prominent tourist attractions in SD, Seaworld & the Zoo) but everyone else hates it and makes fun of me. Oh well!
Wasn't sure where to put this but I guess here will do. http://www.delmartimes.net/news/2014/nov/11/san-diego-surf-cup-economic-report/ Whomever gets a pro team in San Diego can also piggy back off the youth soccer here and organize something like this. 30 million added to the coffers isn't something to sneeze at and could be ammo to woo government support.
I don't think that would be a big issue. Most people who like indoor soccer are just soccer fans. Obviously the biggest issue would be getting the naming rights, guessing the current owners aren't going to be happy to give them up. But personally would love any MLS team to be called the Sockers, they were still my first introduction to the sport and probably the reason I am a fan today. (and along with the Gulls the only San Diego team to actually win anything).
And SD may be getting the Gulls back sooner rather than later if the rumored western AHL expansion is going to happen (and the Ducks placement of their AHL affiliate in San Diego). It is possible the Sockers could end up being the name of a team in SD, but it's just as likely that it won't be given the indoor team isn't likely to give up the name. We've seen it go both ways in various former NASL markets over the years. Some use the old name, some don't.
Maybe they can be brought in as minority team owners. I think Seattle did something similar with the NASL team they had before they joined MLS. As far as old NASL team names go, I think the Sockers is definitely a keeper. Fine, it may not be the most brilliant name, I'll give you that but it holds a certain amount of nostalgia for the area and is synonymous with winning championships (albeit mostly in indoor). Even the team color scheme is nice. For these reasons and more, MLS Ultras give the official seal of approval to the Sockers and hope they can join us one day in MLS.
Cool idea. I really think San Diego could get an LAFC type ownership group (maybe not as flashy and rich but good enough) together to make an MLS or NASL team work.
Doesn't mean they wouldn't join as minority owners, especially if all they had to do was allow the use of the name to join. I know where you are coming from but if a strong ownership group went about this correctly, I don't see how they would want to refuse.
Are you saying they were approached by an ownership group who wanted them to join as minority owners? I know they were asked previously to field an outdoor team as the majority owners. These are two different scenarios so I'd be interested in hearing about it if they were indeed asked to be minority owners and declined.
The only way I see it happening is if the indoor team ceased to exist which might give them incentive to liquidate the last thing of value (the name) otherwise it's probably just a pipe dream. But let's be honest the whole idea of San Diego getting a team at the moment is just a pipe dream.