FC Barcelona's bid to bring a Major League Soccer club to Miami has long been considered the safest bet of all the expansion proposals. But on Friday, Barça director general Joan Olive said the tanking economy might threaten the club's plans to expand into the U.S. "We want to enter the American league, but not at the cost of financial risk," Olive told Spanish daily Sport. "The chances of us not joining are higher than when we announced our interest." full article: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/02/20/barca.mls/
It could be good news, although I suspect MLS would want one team from the East and one from the West, so that would mean that Maimi and Vancouver are not in direct competition with one another. From that perspective, this is probabaly better news for Ottawa, although putting a team there doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Also note the last line of the article: "It might also be a preemptive move to possibly negotiate down the reported $40 million expansion fee." This could be closer to the truth than the rest of the article would lead us to believe.
I would say there is no front runner. Portland could get their money at any time - makes them immediate front runner if it happens. St. Louis just met with Garber last week to discuss a new investor.
Personally I am pulling for Vancouver and Portland to both get in, then have Dallas and Houston move to the East. Best of luck Vancouver!
As much as I like that scenario Having two texas teams in the east just would feel weird I'd like St. Louis to get it if Barca pulls out But I'd also like both NW teams in the League and Montreal so, everything I like won't pan out all of those 4 teams by 2012. Supah Dupah
I wouldn't want to lose games v Crew but what a weak division Dynamo and Fire would rule over. West and East would dominate in attendance
I would say that Vancouver is maybe more in competition with Ottawa, because I'm as sure as can be that Canada won't be getting 2 teams, right now I would say the actual front runners are St. Louis and Portland, if you are looking at the west.
East/West will not be a consideration in this decision. MLS has moved teams across conferences in the past and they can do it again.
Right. Conference makeup is an artificial designation. MLS would not pass up a great franchise just for the sake of geographic dispersion.
Would this not bring MLS to 16 teams anyways? Would it not be time to drop the whole Division thing and go with a 30-game Single Table format?
Philly in 2010 makes 16. Two more in 2011 and you are up to 18. A 34-game single table format? It's possible but MLS seems to like the 30-game season.
Too bad. Last I heard FIFA considered an 18-team, 34 game schedule to be the preferred set-up. It's why he wanted England, France, Spain and Italy to drop two teams from their top division. You can imagine how seriously that decision was taken
COME ON VANCOUVER! It would be sweet to have you guys in! You guys will sell just as many tickets as us, heck maybe even more. I will be keeping a close eye on any news and Twittering and interesting links on my Facebook and Twitter site. Good luck! Seattlle is pulling for you! When you get in, I hope the keep the name Whitecaps it is synonomous with soccer in Vancouver like Sounders is to Seattle.
Well Miami has pulled out and it's rumored from a high source that Vancouver and Portland will be the cities who get clubs.
Good luck Vancouver! I was a Sounder fan in the NASL days and remember well the thousands of Whitecaps fans that would regularly make the trip down to the Kingdome. Oogie Oogie Oogie...Oi! Oi! Oi!
Nash wants to bring a amazing charity event to Vancouver. Starring some of the best players from Europe. Can only help our profile here in Vancity. http://www.team1040.ca/news/story/?id=1795
I hope this is happens. In fact, I hope any team that can offer a passionate fan base, with strong owners, and the opportunity to pack a stadium regularly get into MLS. I am convinced that what MLS needs to do is present the product better. Packed stadiums with knowledgeable passionate supporters will go a long way to helping make that presentation strong. Vancouver should be able to replicate a lot of what Seattle is doing in terms of support.
Moved to San Jose in 1994. Kind of followed the USL-1 Sounders, but became a fan of the MLS Earthquakes. Divided loyalties was easy when they were in different leagues. But, now when the two teams meet it will be the blue and black who I will be cheering for.
As a Whitecaps supporter I actually wish that Vancouveer does not move to the MLS, the MLS is overrated, the USL is just fine competition and does a way better job of developing players, the MLS is all about the style, the USL is all about the substance.
The USL is not in and of itself about player development. The Whitecaps as an organization are committed to player development. Your FO in fact has taken what MLS is just beginning to implement and gone a step further with it. Frankly the Caps belong in MLS at this point. I think your successful academy setup could be just the kick in the pants MLS needs to seriously revise how the academy system works currently, and hopefully when this crappy economy turns arouns strong academies are the impetus to bring back the reserve league. The league needs depth in the worst way and the Caps could help lead the way to developing that depth.
Well for me I'm a fan of the national team too, so developing mostly Canadian talent is a great thing. Also there is something special about a youth that comes up through the system; something that you don't get from a hired mercenary from a far off land.