I know this has been done before, but what the heck I'm still awake. 6 Philadelphia--Wilmington--Atlantic City, PA--NJ--DE--MD CMSA 6,188,463 12 Miami--Fort Lauderdale, FL CMSA 3,876,380 14 Phoenix--Mesa, AZ MSA 3,251,876 [MPSL team] 16 Cleveland--Akron, OH CMSA 2,945,831 20 Tampa--St. Petersburg--Clearwater, FL MSA 2,395,997 [Assumption is nothing works in Florida anyway] 23 Cincinnati--Hamilton, OH--KY--IN CMSA 1,979,202 [Riverhawks existence seems tenuous] 24 Sacramento--Yolo, CA CMSA 1,796,857 27 Orlando, FL MSA 1,644,561 [Florida again!] 29 San Antonio, TX MSA 1,592,383 31 Las Vegas, NV--AZ MSA 1,563,282 [MPSL team I think] 32 Columbus, OH MSA 1,540,157 [Smallest MLS Market] 34 New Orleans, LA MSA 1,337,726 [My home town - just wanted to show it] 36 Greensboro--Winston-Salem--High Point, NC MSA 1,251,509 [Do they have something?] 41 Hartford, CT MSA 1,183,110 [My current locale] 42 Buffalo--Niagara Falls, NY MSA 1,170,111 44 West Palm Beach--Boca Raton, FL MSA 1,131,184 [All these people and they can't draw flies] 45 Jacksonville, FL MSA 1,100,491 46 Rochester, NY MSA 1,098,201 [Top A-League Market] 48 Oklahoma City, OK MSA 1,083,346 [MLS expansion candidate] 49 Louisville, KY--IN MSA 1,025,598 52 Dayton--Springfield, OH MSA 950,558
Continuing 53 Fresno, CA MSA 922,516 [MPSL?] 54 Birmingham, AL MSA 921,106 55 Honolulu, HI MSA 876,156 58 Tulsa, OK MSA 803,235 [MLS Expansion candidate] 60 Omaha, NE--IA MSA 716,998 61 Albuquerque, NM MSA 712,738 62 Knoxville, TN MSA 687,249 64 Bakersfield, CA MSA 661,645 65 Allentown--Bethlehem--Easton, PA MSA 637,958 [Is this near Reading?] 66 Harrisburg--Lebanon--Carlisle, PA MSA 629,401 67 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA MSA 624,776 [Seems like Penn is ready for some soccer] 68 Toledo, OH MSA 618,203 614,128 69 Baton Rouge, LA MSA 602,894 70 Youngstown--Warren, OH MSA 594,746 73 Little Rock--North Little Rock, AR MSA 583,845 [It's Arkansas, I know ] 74 McAllen--Edinburg--Mission, TX MSA 569,463 75 Stockton--Lodi, CA MSA 563,598 77 Wichita, KS MSA 545,220 78 Mobile, AL MSA 540,258 79 Columbia, SC MSA 536,691 81 Fort Wayne, IN MSA 502,141 [Nickname: The Beasers] 82 Daytona Beach, FL MSA 493,175 [coincide opening of season with Spring Break bikini contest] 84 Johnson City--Kingsport--Bristol, TN--VA MSA 480,091 85 Lexington, KY MSA 479,198 86 Augusta--Aiken, GA--SC MSA 477,441 87 Melbourne--Titusville--Palm Bay, FL MSA 476,230 [damn Florida - I bet they are all old] 88 Lancaster, PA MSA 470,658 89 Chattanooga, TN--GA MSA 465,161 [if they name this team the "Choo-choos" someone should be hurt] 90 Des Moines, IA MSA 456,022 [best damn PDL team] 91 Kalamazoo--Battle Creek, MI MSA 452,851 [strong PDL team] 95 Jackson, MS MSA 440,801 97 Madison, WI MSA 426,526 99 Pensacola, FL MSA 412,153 100 Canton--Massillon, OH MSA 406,934 104 Shreveport--Bossier City, LA MSA 392,302 105 Lafayette, LA MSA 385,647 [has team, doesn't draw] 113 Biloxi--Gulfport--Pascagoula, MS MSA 363,988 117 Huntsville, AL MSA 342,376 121 Montgomery, AL MSA 333,055 128 Fayetteville--Springdale--Rogers, AR MSA 311,121 132 New London--Norwich, CT--RI MSA 293,566 133 Savannah, GA MSA 293,000 134 Tallahassee, FL MSA 284,539 137 South Bend, IN MSA 265,559 147 Portland, ME MSA 243,537 150 Roanoke, VA MSA 235,932 [I thought we lost this place?] 153 Green Bay, WI MSA 226,778
Okay does anyone have access to participation numbers for soccer in these areas? Anyone in any particular state want to call the local office? I'm going crazy and I think I want to start a PDL team some where. I know Tim says "Madison, WISCONSIN!", but I like Vermont Cheddar better, and I don't think I could live in Wisconsin. California intrigues me, but its got to be pricey and the competition is high. You can see by the locales in the Deep South/Gulf Coast area - that's what I'm thinking. With New Orleans having a team, Lafayette with a team, Baton Rouge might be the place to go. I know LA has about 33,000 registered youth players. I also know CT has about 75,000 give or take 5,000.
Sponsors: Who's got the money? South West CT - Would be a gold mine for sponsors. GOLD MINE! New D3 team going in New Haven, but that's not Danbury, Ridgefield, or even Middlebury.
What about the MPSL and its low entry fees, low dues, and the league is owned by the teams? Chico Rooks Utah Salt Ratz Arizona Sahuaros Tucson Tiburons N. Nevada Aces Las Vegas Strikers Is this the future of the lower divisions in the United States?
So there you have it. Who's got money? I really don't - but I think I can make something happen with the right places. So who's with me? How about we form the first Big Soccer US Leagues. each team gets a zone on Big Soccer, we do pbp on big soccer, we do press releases via bigsoccer, we tie it all in together and take over the country. Sounds crazy- but could we do it?
So you are reading this, but you aren't commenting. I know you are out there, just wanting to jump in and get this going...what's holding you back? Are you afraid? Are you thinking "Has Panic gone off the deep end?"? Most likely, but that's never stopped the big soccer community from spewing gibberish, look at the rest of the page. Come on, give me something to ponder before I fall asleep.
They have a D3 team - the San Diego Gauchos. They are the 17th rated market by the way. Thanks for stopping by.
The Las Vegas Dead From Heatstrokes. There would have to be an air conditioned indoor stadium there. Have you been there in summer? 108 is typical and sometimes 103 at kickoff time for a night game.
I'm not a gambling man, and I don't plan on going to Vegas to find out. You have to remember that I'm from New Orleans and heat and humidity are part of my makeup. I think in Vegas you would have to play at night, 11pm sounds about right.
can't resist After the VB-Atlanta game I think you have to add Atlanta to the list of cities without a team.
Bill Fetty of A-league.com has been trying to get a PDL team into Columbia, SC for some time. The University of South Carolina has turned out some great players Josh Wolff and Clint Mathis included. And there are several AAAA high schools in the area with Irmo, Lexington and Richland NE all having great teams that challenge for the state campionship each year. he has a website too www.angelfire.com/sports/scpdlsoccer/ Charleston is about the same size as columbia if not slightly smaller and we averaged around 3500 per game last year. This year those numbers are way up to aroun 4000-4200 so far. would be great to see a interstate rivalary like theone in NY is starting to grow into quickly mikey
I took at look at your list and here's where I would put a PDL team if I had the money. Harrisburg, PA - the current facitlity on City Island would meet the current standards for PDL. It would be a good market and you could slowly build your fan base and front office up to either PSL or A-League level. Omeha, NE - From what I read Creighton is building a new soccer only facility on campus. Also you are close to Des Moine, Sioux Falls, Kansas City for natural rivals. Jackson, MS - Not sure why the previous organization went under. Close to teams in LA and TN. Erie, PA - Not on your list but there is a great facility ( 3,000 seat stadium) right off 90. Have way between Cleveland, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh. Also there a couple of good schools (Gannon, Mercyhurst) in the area to build from. Now if I could just win the Big Game or Power Ball, I would be all set.
I left off Erie because we had so many in PA. Omaha: I've heard its on the way for 2005, depends on if Des Moines goes A-league or not. Jackson: Went under because New Orleans went a-league. Memphis folded, and then NO went up. Mobile, Birmingham, Montgomery, Little Rock all gone. No one to play - so they had to go as well. Great little stadium - seats about 1,200 or so. Well kept field, the mosquitos bring their own BBq sauce though.
Ok, in all honesty (and since I started the BigSoccer fantasy Team concept awhile back) how much would it take to start and operate a team at the various levels? Could a consortium of 'investors' be assembled via the BigSoccer ranks? Would BigSoccer itself sponsor the team? Could ample management from top to bottom be found in the member ranks? Really, for some of the office jobs, nowadays the person doesn't even need to be where the team is, with information connections like they are. aside from the actual coaching staff and ticket salesmen, and probably the GM, no one else would really NEED to be on-site. Just an idea, something to play with.
PDL: Well run - I'm guessing $200K PSL: Well run- $700K A-League: $1 million Helps to have media personnel at the games as well, so they can write the reports. Also need marketing staff there for schmoozing, and for the various things that need to be done.
Re: can't resist That was so funny, I laughed until I stopped . Seriously, though, the 'Backs seem to have some serious problems, some of which began off the field.
If you can partner with and established youth club and in an area close to other PDL teams you could probably do a PDL team for 100k. I know of a team that has an overall budget of 60k.
I think it can be done for less, but to do it top class its going to take money. 60K sounds low, but like you said if they are working with a youth team in the area they may be able to cut some costs.
I'm confused: does having a PDL team count as soccer for your list? I'm not seeing Detroit on your list, who have the Mid-Michigan Bucks, and nothing else, but Toledo, Ft. Wayne, Fresno and South Bend have PDL teams, too.
Hartford CT- with the new football stadium for UCONN that opens up this year. It could also be used for soccer also.