In my Google news alert I have set up for USL, was the blurb below. It would appear they are looking at USL 1. But since I can't get into the subscription site, I don't know for sure. Has anyone heard anything about this. My first thoughts are that maybe the Bucks got an investor to come in. A team in Detroit would be a great travel partner for Cleveland. Hope this is true. Low costs, deep-pocket owners help minor league sports in tough ... Crain's Detroit Business - Detroit,MI,USA ... with investors over the next 90 days as part of a $7 million plan to launch a top-tier Detroit affiliate of the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer. . .. link to article in CrainsDetriot, but you need a subscription to read it. http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090111/SUB01/901120334/1069
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? That bold part is an interesting way to put it. I'm intrigued. Been wondering whether anything could/would happen in Detroit.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? Someone else shared a logon and got to read the article. It's the Bucks working with additional investors looking to add I think a USL 1 team. They also mention building a 5,000 stadium. Below is the link and section about soccer. http://www.crainsdetroit.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090111/SUB01/901120334/1069 Others are investing in local minor league sports, as well. Dan Duggan, who co-owns the Michigan Bucks soccer team in Pontiac, is meeting with investors over the next 90 days as part of a $7 million plan to launch a top-tier Detroit affiliate of the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer. That translates into a $2 million investment to start the team, which could be moved from Europe, and to build a $5 million 5,000-seat outdoor stadium. “I'm willing to do that because it's not about making money,” said Duggan, who is president of sales for Health-Mor Inc. in suburban Cleveland. The Bucks, who play at Pontiac's 1,600-seat Ultimate Soccer Arenas and are an unpaid mix of college and professional players, have a $150,000 annual budget, Duggan said. The team is a lower minor league affiliate of the Crew. The Bucks draw nearly a full house for their games, Duggan said, but the season ended just before the financial crisis erupted in August. He doesn't yet know how the economy will affect the team. “We're going to find out real soon,” he said. He paid $25,000 for the team in 1995 and moved it to Detroit from Saginaw five years ago, and added that he's willing to take continued losses on it because he enjoys ownership. “If we can almost break even with the Bucks, I'm a happy guy,” he said.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? What exactly would they mean by moving the team from Europe? Buying an entire existing roster and convincing all the players to move to the US?
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? The author was most assuredly a bit lost in translation. It would be a "Crystal Palace Baltimore" type of thing, not a literal move.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? Exactly. We've been talking about it on the Detroit Soccer Thread and we all think it would be a great idea. A soccer team in Detroit will really be great for the Midwest and will definitely create instant rivalries in USL-1 with Minnesota and even Montreal, or with Cleveland and Pittsburgh in USL-2.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? Right, I forgot Cleveland just made the move up. I was looking at the 2008 USL standings.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? As it stands, the Michigan Bucks are an affiliate of the Crew, albeit in the PDL. Duggan probably wants to continue to develop the relationship at a higher level. Everyone around here is quite excited about the idea, and we definitely hope something comes through.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? I would really love to see Detroit move into the USL 2. It would be a good fit being close by to Pittsburgh. Not to mention the Indianapolis is looking to join as well. The USL 1 would also be a nice fit as well. Either way I see Detroit as a good location for a club.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? Why the midwest? It's 5hrs from Rochester, probably 4 from Cleveland and probably 7-8 from Montreal. It'd be a great eastern addition to USL1. Hopefully the owners are willing to do things right and it goes off as a hit. Personally, I'd like to see another USL1 team in Ontario. Hamilton would be another great go between for Rochester and Detroit and Cleveland.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? Detroit's even closer to Cleveland...you can make it there in less than 3 hours. And yes, Hamilton or London would be a nice addition as well should Detroit enter the fray.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? Could they be looking to partner with Derby County??? The Michigan Wolves academy just did. This would make sense since the owners of Derby are headquartered in downtown Rochester.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? This is certainly a possibility. The ownership group of Derby--who, like you stated, are from Michigan--have wanted to begin to make Derby a worldwide brand, and getting a foothold in a team in America would be part of that. I'm sure Duggan is investigating many investor options, with the Derby owners likely being one of them.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? I agree. I like the ring of it. Wouldn't be my first choice, but I do like it.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? I would settle for the Detroit Flare brought to you by Flingers if it got a team here.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? ....ohhhhh...Michigan. I was confused. Manchester United's owners have offices in Rochester, NY. They haven't offered any help with our floundering team, but one of the dad's at my kid's daycare is a lawyer for them and said he'd get me free tickets anytime I head over to the UK.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? Maybe they can re-use the Rockers name and bring Pato back to coach. Although isn't Sean Bowers in the coaching ranks now out in CA.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? Well London is gona get its foot in the door this year with a PDL team, maybe that will translate to something bigger. It needs to be a USL-1 team in Detroit, USL-2 I think wouldn't really take hold. But for those of you who don't know much about Dan Duggan (the potentional owner) he does everything right, and he has always had a goal of bringing the highest level soccer to Detroit so whatever it is, it will be a good product.
Re: USL 1 or 2 team in Detroit? The Bucks have been a damn good team in the PDL. They gave us a hard game in the Open Cup this past season.