Wiki is not the most reliable source of info. I can go in there right now and change it back to Piterman. In terms of someone else buying the club, here's the problem: They would need to assume the debt of the team, which I'm guessing would be a huge headache. It would probably be cheaper to let them die and then just buy the franchise rights and start over with no liability from the former owners. Unless USL cuts somebody a real sweet deal, the Vics franchise probably won't carry on. But that doesn't mean pro soccer in the city is dead.
There is quite a bit to digest on this thread...some of it is true, some of it is a little bit off base,..and even more is strictly rumor and gossip. There is much to be said and done about this teams future, while it may look bleak now..there is still a light burning. Let the rumors fly, makes for good interaction amongst the forum...but in all fairness, how about turning that energy into an effort to show up at Kezar on Saturday, and let the players know how much we all appreciate the effort despite what is going on. After this week...I would say it was quite an accomplishment to fly east and pull out 3 pts from a team your battling with for position in the table. It doesn't matter how many games they have in hand...you still need to beat them to give yourself the chance, and that they did. Now they come home, and a little TLC from the faithful would be the best cure all. There still will be gloom and doom, and negativity, and speculation, and of course more rumors..but for the here and now....SUPPORT THE TEAM.
Finally Mike! Now: I know some of this is hush hush. But PLEASE, clear up some of the more important stuff about the team: 1) Will we make it to the end of the season? 2) What happened to all those players? 3) What can we do to help?
Well the Wiki entry doesn't mean anything. Someone just added that without putting any references so they could have just been assuming Piterman is out. (I say that because I know the guy who made that particular edit and he was just assuming ). Piterman may very well still own the Victory.
Take a look at how many teams have been in USL 1 over the last 20 years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USL_First_Division USL for all it's benefit and good it does for soccer, is a rather "bush" league. Teams come and go like shoppers from a Kmart.
The franchise was awarded to Piterman in May 2006, before Lew Wolff's option with MLS was announced. The word at that time was that they were looking at the South Bay, thinking that MLS was gone for good. They turned to San Francisco once they realized Wolff was serious. Quote from article by Dylan Hernandez, Mercury News, May 18, 2006: Wolff's agreement with MLS was announced May 24.
Wow, this is news to me. I had no idea they were considering themselves a Quakes replacement initially. It must've hit them hard when Wolff purchased his option. And even more so now that he's exercised it.
And yet they still survive! Complete team list Atlanta Silverbacks (1997-current, as Atlanta Ruckus in 1997-98) Boston Bulldogs (1997-2000, as Worcester Wildfire in 1997-98) Calgary Mustangs (2002-04, as Calgary Storm in 2002-03) California Jaguars (1997-98) California Victory (2007-current) Carolina Dynamo (1997) Carolina RailHawks (2007-current) Charleston Battery (1997-current) Charlotte Eagles (2001-03) Cincinnati Riverhawks (1998-2003) Colorado Foxes (1997) Connecticut Wolves (1997-2001) Edmonton Aviators (2004, as Edmonton F.C. at the end of the season) El Paso Patriots (1997-2003) Hershey Wildcats (1997-2001) Indiana Blast (1999-2003) Jacksonville Cyclones (1997-99) Lehigh Valley Steam (1999) Long Island Rough Riders (1997-2001) Maryland Mania (1999) Miami FC (2006-current) Milwaukee Rampage (1997-2002) Milwaukee Wave United (2003-04) Minnesota Thunder (1997-current) MLS Project 40 (1998-2000) Montreal Impact (1997-1998, 2000-current) Nashville Metros (1997-2001, as Tennessee Rhythm in 1999-2000) New Orleans Storm (1997-99, as New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers in 1997) Orange County Waves (1997-2000, as Orange County Zodiac in 1997-99) Orlando Sundogs (1997) Pittsburgh Riverhounds (1999-2003) Portland Timbers (2001-current) Puerto Rico Islanders (2004-current) Raleigh Express (1997-2000, as Raleigh Flyers in 1997-98) Richmond Kickers (1997-2005) Rochester Raging Rhinos (1997-current) Sacramento Geckos (1998-99, as Albuquerque Geckos in 1998) San Diego Flash (1998-2001) San Francisco Bay Seals (1998-2000, as Bay Area Seals in 2000) Seattle Sounders (1997-current) Staten Island Vipers (1998-99) Syracuse Salty Dogs (2003-04) Toronto Lynx (1997-2006) Vancouver Whitecaps (2001-current, as Vancouver 86ers in 1997-2000) Virginia Beach Mariners (1998-2000, 2002-2006, as Hampton Roads Mariners 1998-2000, 2002) 1996 USISL Select League California Jaguars Cape Cod Crusaders Carolina Dynamo Chicago Stingers Connecticut Wolves Delaware Wizards El Paso Patriots Hampton Roads Mariners Long Island Rough Riders Milwaukee Rampage Minnesota Thunder New Mexico Chiles New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers New York/New Jersey Stallions Ohio Xoggz Raleigh Flyers Reno Rattlers Richmond Kickers Sacramento Scorpions South Carolina Shamrocks Tampa Bay Cyclones (becomes Jacksonville Cylones
This is false. Piterman owns this team, he has full control now that Alaves is out of the picture. Alaves wants nothing to do with the club because they have enough problems of their own.
Do you have a link that backs that information up? If so go on to Wikipedia and post it and change the info back to Piterman.
Yes...we WILL finish the season, some players are injured and probably would not have made it back anyway, a few others left of their own choice, a couple were not getting many minutes so they became a numbers crunch, and of course Josh wound up with the opportunity to go north, so he did. As to what you can do to help?....continue to come and support the team for the 4 remaining home games...and down the road there will be time for discussion with everyone for what course of action we have available to us. For now, as I said before, let the talk be what it may....but SUPPORT THE TEAM
Its pretty difficult to continue to support a team that will cease to exist....We have experience with that......
There is no link, its fact, u dont have to believe me, but if u ask around and talk to the right people, you will see its true. Who do you think is paying, or not paying for this team??? Like I said, Alaves has NOTHING to do with the Vics anymore.
I understand that, and I can see your point, however....if your passionate about it, then you won't give up until all options have been tried. Not easy since this area has been burnt before, but, deep down inside, you still have hope for the best, all not give up without a fight. At least we know where we stand NOW...and there is still time to react and try, instead of the plug pulled later with no time available to attempt anything. Just trying to put a positive swing to things.
No, that was 1999. Well, sort of; they began the '98 season still named the Ruckus, then became "A-League Atlanta" after the league pulled the franchise rights from the previous owner. John Lathem and Bob Glustrom bought the team just after the middle of the season, and announced the new name sometime around the last home game of the season. In truth, the Ruckus/Silverbacks were more or less an extension of the Atlanta Magic who played in the USISL up to 1994; the original Ruckus owner was the owner of the Magic.
Crosstable by points of teams vs teams Never go to Portland again... It was kind of unfair that California had to play a team like the Timbers 5 times in their first season. Portland should not have earned 15 points (out of their 37) beating up on a first year team. Understanding that California (like any other first year expansion team) needs to make adjustments and changes to come back a better team the next year; Portland got an unfair advantage over the rest of the teams of the league to play the Victory so many times. This unfairness in the schedule makes Portland look better than they really are. I'm not saying that Portland hasn't played good soccer this year (they have beat in their own right 7 out of 11 teams). But giving them the chance to beat up on a new team time after time seems unfair to the rest of the teams in the league. In my opinion, every team should play each other 2 or 3 times top each season.
Re: Crosstable by points of teams vs teams Amen. You call that a single table? Sheesh. 12 teams should mean 22 games and naught else. Throw in some kind of USL League Cup if you want more games, maybe.
Well I'd heard they wanted to dump the team on Piterman, but last I heard Alaves still owned the team, even if they didn't want to. Which may explain why checks are bouncing.
Re: Crosstable by points of teams vs teams That happened because the Virginia Beach Mariners suspended operations shortly before the season started and this was the best schedule they could come up with. But, look at it this way, Portland is the closest team to the Victory. It cuts down transportation costs. And Portland sucked last year. Perhaps the league thought they would suck again and be doing the Victory another favor.
Re: Crosstable by points of teams vs teams That argument is getting really tired, especially since so many teams in the top half of the table are having trouble taking full points from the Victory. And to think, I used to get heavily chastised for saying that the Rochester Rhinos buying extra home games gave them an unfair advantage. Compared to playing a schedule change that the league gave you no say in? :gasp: The horror!