What Now, Baltimore?

Discussion in 'Baltimore' started by Sherman_Peabody, Apr 10, 2011.

  1. TheScarfMachine

    May 1, 2007
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It appears that the silence is deafening.
     
  2. jakcfl

    jakcfl Member

    Mar 5, 2007
    Maryland
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    With the Austin Aztex reforming under new ownership as a PDL side, after having their NASL team spirited off to Orlando and then joining and winning USL Pro, a question is raised. What level of outdoor soccer would you be willing to settle for in order to have live outdoor soccer return? Is college enough? Loyola does have a beautiful facility and the JHU women are nationally ranked. NPSL? I've never seen a game in that league but it would give us regional rivals. PDL? If Real Maryland returns this coming year it gives us a local rival as well. USL Pro? You'd be paying salaries, and with their growth aspirations travel costs could be an issue though there are regional rivals. Traveling to California or the Caribbean could cause a financial headache. NASL? Will they receive D-2 sanctioning for 2012? No regional rivals, higher salaries and travel costs make this a problem for a start-up.

    On a semi-related note what would anyone think of a stadium site by Bayview medical center? The Pemco industry site may be available. It would put the stadium on the red line route. You could lease parking to Bayview during the week to offset costs and you could house a convenience store or breakfast/lunch facility on the back of the stands along the street facing Bayview that could draw customers from Bayview and the Police precinct across the street.
     
  3. TheScarfMachine

    May 1, 2007
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Is the Westport stadium and harbor front dead, then?
     
  4. jakcfl

    jakcfl Member

    Mar 5, 2007
    Maryland
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm sure both are still in the conversation as opposed to the Bayview site which was more my musing then anything. When the Westport development proceeds, after the economy recovers, it would still be the better site. Its clear, city-owned and leased to a developer with a plan that would integrate a stadium or entertainment venue. I was always fond of the Port Covington Walmart site, it has nice water views, but there really isn't anything else there as far as bars, restaurants that you could tap into as before/after game locations. You'd have to go into Federal Hill and the parking regulations there are getting pretty tight. The main reason I mentioned the Bayview site is it could provide ancillary income from other uses supporting neighborhood businesses without having extra fields surrounding the stadium. My vision for other fields was always to have tournament/practice fields somewhere on the east side of Baltimore County, Dundalk/Sparrows Point, where there is slightly more open land and highway access.
     
  5. Buffaloindoorfan

    Buffaloindoorfan New Member

    Aug 8, 2010
    Now by my count this is no less than the third time that an article about the NASL indicates in the league's backround information something about Baltimore potentially coming back. This article clearly puts the Baltimore information outside of the interview section, so it's not a quote from the Commisioner, but the fact that the interviewer provided the information in the league information to me seems to indicate that they were provided the information somewhere, somehow, from someone!

    http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/01/q-and-a-n-a-s-l-commissioner-david-downs/

    Just hoping for some expansion news, if I win the MegaMillions you can bet there'll be interest in putting a team in Buffalo!
     
  6. Jossed

    Jossed Member+

    Apr 23, 2011
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    The interviewer didn't seem that familiar with the NASL, and like the other media outlets, looked no deeper than Baltimore's Dec 2010 announcement that they are coming back in 2012. We know better since there hasn't been a peep about Baltimore since that announcement.

    Steven Goff of the Post would certainly know if Baltimore was really returning. The last article he did on them was about the youth coaches winning the lawsuit against the team in April of this year. Just recently Randall Medd filed for bankruptcy with $21.8 mil in debt.
    http://www.bizjournals.com/southflo...crystal-palace-baltimore-soccer-bankrupt.html

    At this point I think it is pretty safe to say this team is not coming back in 2012, 2013, or any other year. It is deader than dead. Nothing to see here.
     
  7. jakcfl

    jakcfl Member

    Mar 5, 2007
    Maryland
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'd agree with that assessment. Unfortunately most journalists version of background research involves the first three responses from a Google search. There has been no public mention of anyone coming forth with plans for an outdoor pro soccer team in Baltimore at any level.

    If I hit the big money I'd set-up a team here too. Of course my most important hire would be a coach who wasn't me.
     
  8. brentgoulet

    brentgoulet Member+

    Oct 12, 2005
    PuertoPlata, DomRep

    Deader than dead, unless a local soccer fan wins the Powerball of course, though I wouldn't count on that too much
     
  9. SoccerPrime

    SoccerPrime Moderator
    Staff Member

    All of them
    Apr 14, 2003
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would agree that CP Baltimore/USA aka the FC Medd is deader than a dodo. But Baltimore as a market certainly has a decent chance for NASL (or USLP) in the future. But maybe not 2012.
     
  10. brentgoulet

    brentgoulet Member+

    Oct 12, 2005
    PuertoPlata, DomRep
    ''pro soccer'' must be a bad word in Baltimore since CP left a lots of debts and unpaid bills
     
  11. grs8313

    grs8313 New Member

    Jul 1, 2010
    Baltimore, MD
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I was listening to a podcast recently and one of the hosts said that if Baltimore wants any sort of team a supporters group should be started similar to the way to Sons of Ben were setup before the Union existed. Is there a large enough support base to create a group before a team here?
     
  12. CFL-fan

    CFL-fan Member

    May 1, 2006
    Maryland
    I think if anything is going to happen on the outdoor front it may come from the new merger of the MISL and the I-League. For those who may not know, the I-League is under the USL umbrella. So the Baltimore Blast are now in the USL. If USLP gives them a fee break for also playing outdoor, that may be our only hope in the foreseeable future. Of course if someone on BS hits Powerball hires competent people and sits back and watches the matches that would also work :)
     
  13. Lowecifer

    Lowecifer Member+

    Jan 11, 2000
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Belgium
    Maybe.
     
  14. TheScarfMachine

    May 1, 2007
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    All it takes is ambition and coordination. There was a group called "Lords of Baltimore" that wanted to bring a MLS team here, but I don't think it ever got past a group of friends that hang out in the county and drink beers together (No offense to them).

    There's a number of soccer bars in this city, and a lot of amateur leagues. If I were interested in starting a supporters group, I'd start there. Go out and start chatting people up. Tell them your name, what you're interested in, and if they'd be interested in doing volunteer work.

    Because first things first, you'll need a core group of passionate fans interested in volunteer work. And make no mistake about it, it's a lot of work. Getting the people to show up is easy, compared to getting your core group of passionate and devoted people that will work an additional 20-hour a week job for free.
     
  15. Macsen

    Macsen Moderator
    Staff Member

    Nov 5, 2007
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The article actually has Medd claiming they'll emerge from bankruptcy protection "in time for the 2012 NASL season".

    With those debt numbers, and the lawsuits still pending, I seriously doubt it.
     
  16. Jossed

    Jossed Member+

    Apr 23, 2011
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    I think they are referring to the December 2010 announcement they would play in 2012. I don't see any new quotes. We haven't heard anything about the club or a direct quote from Medd since then. A money pit soccer club is probably the furthest thing from his mind right now.

    We pretty much know the club is kaput. Really, the club was dead when they lost the lawsuits brought by the coaches and staff.
     
  17. TheScarfMachine

    May 1, 2007
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just got this e-mail:

    Looks like DC is continuing to look at Baltimore. Hm.
     
  18. Lowecifer

    Lowecifer Member+

    Jan 11, 2000
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Belgium
    There's still no money for a stadium.
     
  19. grs8313

    grs8313 New Member

    Jul 1, 2010
    Baltimore, MD
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Here is the link to the survey if anyone wants to fill it out, and has not already.

    Baltimore MLS Survey
     
  20. Lowecifer

    Lowecifer Member+

    Jan 11, 2000
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Belgium
  21. jakcfl

    jakcfl Member

    Mar 5, 2007
    Maryland
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not looking forward to the drive from my side of Baltimore County if they play any weeknight matches. Baltimore is so hard to grasp with so much of its population in outlying suburbs. If you cater to one area you almost certainly exclude another. Plus, city areas offer their own concerns for families. What a quandary!
     
  22. B to the Bop

    B to the Bop New Member

    Jan 21, 2010
    Baltimore, Md
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    According to google maps, from my house in Baltimore City:

    To Cedar Lane Park: 41.3 mi, 54 mins
    To RFK Stadium: 39.4 mi, 58 mins

    This is a Baltimore team?

    I like the name and crest a lot though.:)
     
  23. buzz99

    buzz99 Member

    Mar 29, 2007
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Just another example of the USL selling a franchise to anybody, anywhere, anytime - especially a PDL team which is a minimal budget to operate.

    Not only is the team NOT in Baltimore, or even Baltimore County, it will compete with Real Maryland in Montgomery County and DC United to the south, Harrisburg City Islanders to the N/W, Lancaster, Reading and Phil. Union to the North. All of these established teams are within easy driving distance (60-90 min.) in a very competitive market for players and fans.

    You can bet that if someone stepped forward and wanted to locate a PDL or other USL team in Baltimore City proper, the league would sell the franchise if the necessary money demands were met.
     

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