Makes me sad.... Thank you. Thank you to all the fans for coming out and the community for embracing us for these four years.Thank you!#AllForOurCity | #VamosAzuleshttps://t.co/lF9T6RJkKD— SK Holdings (@SKholdings_) November 6, 2020 According to The Athletic, the inability to host fans during 2020, plus the cancellation of AAA baseball (shared ownership) severely impacted the club's financial viability. Average attendance dwindled from 5,590 to 4,413 from 2017 to 2019. San Jose was expected to end its affiliation agreement, perhaps that might have driven up expected payroll. They were a fun team to watch. Too bad.
Can I be optimistic in these trying times? Second, the USL will return to Fresno, possibly as soon as next year, though not the USL Championship. I'm told that it's likely that Fresno will compete in the USL League One— Evan Ream (@EvanReam) November 4, 2020 Fresno, CA is coming back.
REPORT: High Point Investment Group in Talks for League One Franchise By USLLeagueOne.com Staff, 02/04/20, 2:49PM EST
I saw that. And I think that’s good for Fresno, but I’m not sure why it would be different this time? Presumably they’d still be playing in Chukanski (which was supposedly the problem last time) in a league with even worse travel costs for west coast teams. But, obviously, you have to start somewhere so hopefully this can inspire more to fill in. Reno is half the size of Fresno and 1868 was owned by the MiLB owner - not sure how the economics would be better for another team.
New Hampshire in League 1 in 2022 https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http...9n9Ms-4zyQ9fXrLgFOvRmPg2OTaw0oHl_DzOPMgPxjUAY
It was a two year deal initially, which I guess they extended by a year. If San Jose join the mooted MLS reserve league then Reno's owners would have to start paying salaries Its a pity, there seemed to be so much promise there.
Yeah, Herb Simon owns Simon Properties, which are a bunch of retail malls and other real estate, not to mention an NBA franchise (one of the smallest in the league, mind you, but one nonetheless). He would have to struggle to make ends meet for sure. /sarcasm
It’s hard not to look at Reno’s situation as being very similar to Lansing’s: MiLB owner sees what looks like a relatively cheap opportunity to fill more dates in the stadium’s event calendar only to pull the plug when they don’t see the returns they hoped for.
The best soccer pitch in Reno belongs to the local community college- TMCC. They added a men’s and women’s soccer program just a year ago and built a new pitch just for them. Minimal seating though and no nearby parking- so couldn’t handle any more than a few fans.
Reno needed an owner committed and passionate for soccer in northern. Nevada. Herb Simon showed from the start he never really was. The team never had its own practice pitch and didn’t even get its own locker rooms until after the second season. The Quakes put minimal effort in as well. An assistant coach position was never filled after the third season and Reno never had a GK coach even when playing 2 young very inexperienced keepers the final season. Simon was an invisible un-engaged out of state owner who had no long term plan for going independent or building a needed soccer specific stadium. He was just looking to fill empty dates in a baseball stadium. Notice ownership never even put out a statement when the team folded. That’s how little he cared.
The NCFC/NC Courage MLS-ready Stadium effort hits an inflection point this afternoon. Here's a recap of where things are: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article247890360.html
Kind of, they bought the rights of the Fuego name. Instead, the new team is called Central Valley Fuego FC.
North Carolina FC has informed players that it will not be participating in the 2021 #USL Championship season, sources tell The Athletic. Future TBD.The club (founded as the Carolina RailHawks) had been in the second division of U.S. soccer since the start of the 2007 season.— Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) January 9, 2021 North Carolina FC is shutting down for 2021 and possibly beyond. 1. Great reporting from Jeff2. This possibly culminates ruminations I've had with many, including Steve Malik, for 2 years now about the escalating losses associated with operating the club and the limits of how long that could endure without other investors. https://t.co/eeT5Dphc0k— Neil Morris (@ByNeilMorris) January 9, 2021 Doesn’t seem great for their future.
Sounds like the demise was greatly exaggerated. INBOX: North Carolina FC will play in #USL League One in 2021. They mimic a self-relegation which has served the Richmond Kickers well. pic.twitter.com/iUm76cTAPF— Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) January 10, 2021