Worst franchise in MLS history?

Discussion in 'MLS: General' started by SweetOwnGoal, Nov 9, 2012.

?

What's the least successful MLS franchise of all-time

Poll closed Dec 9, 2012.
  1. New York

    26.7%
  2. Toronto

    30.3%
  3. Dallas

    5.5%
  4. Chivas

    37.6%
  1. Jough

    Jough Member+

    Jul 30, 2007
    Kansas City
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They also broke the -100 all time goal differential mark this season. The only team to have that.
     
    soccersubjectively, henryo and Stereolab repped this.
  2. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Except for that last year, yeah. And it's ridiculous to say "they were so bad they got rid of them," because it shows a stunning lack of understanding of what actually happened.

    The Mutiny had no owner. The league (the other investors, collectively) owned them (and Dallas, and, for a time, San Jose), but after six years of that, as part of the changes after 2001 that brought forth SUM and the World Cup rights scenario and the rest), it was decided "no more league-owned teams."

    Hunt stepped up and took over Dallas. The lease with the Tampa Sports Authority was onerous, and the Mutiny had little chance (at least in MLS 1.0) of being viable. The Glazers were not convinced it was a good investment (and, at the time, it was hard to fault them for that) and Steinbrenner could not be convinced to do it, either (despite his love for all things Tampa). No owner, no team.

    And Ken Horowitz, despite having the most successful and entertaining team on the field, didn't have the stomach for the cash calls anymore. He didn't see a way forward (unlike the others, whose vision - or hubris or stubbornness - was more robust) and called it quits. Goodbye, Fusion.

    It is simply not true that the franchises were so bad the league got rid of them. The combination of circumstances made the restructuring necessary. Those who were around in January 2002 (a full five months before SOCCER WAS INVENTED HERE) remember it as a painful time, with many saying the league would fold any day, or surely by 2003. Not everybody agreed, but we were in the minority, it seemed.

    But the Mutiny and Fusion weren't the worst franchises in league history.
     
    triplet1, davidrpaige, henryo and 3 others repped this.
  3. deejay

    deejay Member+

    Feb 14, 2000
    Tarpon Springs, FL
    Club:
    Jorge Wilstermann
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    They were no worse than the Wizards and look at Kansas now!
     
  4. Stereolab

    Stereolab BigSoccer Member

    Jul 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Poor Toronto FC. I actually make it a point to watch each of their games (condensed) hoping they will win, because hell, their fans deserve it. But they continue to prove themselves more of an embarrassment to the city than Toronto's illustrious crack-smoking mayor Rob Ford. (Well, maybe not as much as that...)
     
  5. Tejas

    Tejas Member+

    Jun 3, 2000
    Tejas
    MetroBulls, and not so much the current Bulls (who have a made some clear strides to improve the sport and fan following), but the Metros who were just epically tragic. There are 7 Elevens with better management, less turnover and more consistency than the Metros franchise. The potential that should have been inherent in fielding The MLS club in New York was completely pissed away for quite awhile. You can't top that sort of fail.

    Runner Up: Miami Fusion (Do your homework Becks. Tampa Bay is the better play.)
     
  6. henryo

    henryo Member+

    Jun 26, 2007
  7. henryo

    henryo Member+

    Jun 26, 2007
    Brand new thread on this topic too "CD Chivas...":
    https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/cd-chivas.1990841/

     
    Mutiny RIP repped this.
  8. bunge

    bunge BigSoccer Supporter

    Oct 24, 2000
  9. Ghost

    Ghost Member+

    Sep 5, 2001
    FC Dallas - The Kansas City Chiefs of MLS. A strict "Let's go for the playoffs!" mentality. Rarely horrible, but never champions. First team to have a DP run off the field (Denilson). Present DPs include legends Fabian Castillo and Erick Hassli.

    It's not that Dallas is bad. It's that it's all been so halfass.
     
    TacoKid repped this.
  10. The 92nd Fish

    The 92nd Fish Member

    Jan 16, 2007
    London, England
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Chivas USA are a hundred times worse than Toronto. At least TFC can still draw fans to the stadium.
     
  11. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    "History" <> "Now."
     
  12. ElJefe

    ElJefe Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 16, 1999
    Colorful Colorado
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    ...except that neither is actually a DP.

    Their DP is a player that you didn't actually deign to name, even though he was league MVP in 2010.
     
  13. Khkevin

    Khkevin Member

    Sep 16, 2012
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Toronto FC is clearly the worst since existence.

    Chivas USA is the worst in comparison to other MLS teams.

    New England Revolution is the worst in MLS Cup Finals.

    New York Red Bulls is the worst in success in relation to their star players + existence.
     
    henryo repped this.
  14. rafa_13

    rafa_13 Red Card

    Jul 6, 2013
    Salinas
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What Toronto needs to do is give all player decisions over to Garber. He vetoes half of their acquisitions as it is. Toronto is under the illusion they control their team. All the do is sell tickets.
     
  15. looknohands

    looknohands Member+

    Apr 23, 2009
    Louisville, KY
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Name them. I'll wait.
     
    henryo, Oobers and JasonMa repped this.
  16. USFootiefan1980

    LAFC
    United States
    Aug 19, 2005
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's cute, when was the last time you went to/watched a game in Toronto?
     
  17. henryo

    henryo Member+

    Jun 26, 2007
    Trivia:
    • Since 2007, TFC have finished above Chivas just once during Regular Season (2010).
    • TFC have never made the playoffs, while Chivas made it 4 seasons-straight in 2006-09.
    • Chivas also topped the Western Conference in 2007, just 2 points off the Supporters' Shield.
     
    USFootiefan1980 and chapka repped this.
  18. lerxst

    lerxst Member

    May 23, 2007
    Toronto
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    I think Olof Mellberg was one.
     
  19. marc2L

    marc2L Member

    Jul 26, 2007
    Welland
    So far as I know, the only one that has happened. It probably also knocked some sense into them, and started the motions for Payne's arrival.

    As for attendance, it certainly isn't what it used to be, but far, far out draws Chivas USA. The biggest stand at the stadium (and often times most full aside from the south end) is the west stand, it's double decked and has the press box, Broadcast booth, etc. and subsequently not on camera very often.

    http://instagram.com/p/cAEwb_LTES/

    Toronto, like most major NA cities, is also currently a nightmare to get around, more so around downtown due to it being construction season. Games are empty compared to the 15th onward at kickoff.
     
  20. The 92nd Fish

    The 92nd Fish Member

    Jan 16, 2007
    London, England
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Last time I checked Toronto wasn't drawing 7k people. Toronto is a successful franchise it just sucks on the pitch. Chivas sucks both on and off the pitch aside from a 2/3 years.
     
    Flex Buffchest repped this.
  21. Flex Buffchest

    Jan 25, 2010
    Orange County, California
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I mean really.....is this even up for discussion anymore? ......seriously?
     
  22. TrueCrew

    TrueCrew Member+

    Dec 22, 2003
    Columbus, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'd nominate Miami and Tampa Bay, surely. There is a reason they are gone.

    Of the teams still remaining, Toronto for sure. On the field, they've been unprecedented in their ineptitude even though they've been great in attendance though I loved putting down the grass. Chivas next. Then NYRB. Then Dallas/NE.

    EDIT: A couple more years of Chivas sucking, or some on the field improvements in TFC (actually making the playoffs) and we'd have a new leader among the teams left.

    Still, Miami has to be #1, Tampa #2.
     
  23. Revolusean

    Revolusean Member

    Aug 27, 2009
    Worcester, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    The confusing nature of MLS roster rules notwithstanding, both Castillo and Hassli came into the league under DP contracts ("young DP" in Castillo's case). FWIW, Wikipedia still has them listed as current DP players although I couldn't find other confirmation as to whether they are still regarded as such officially
     
  24. Revolusean

    Revolusean Member

    Aug 27, 2009
    Worcester, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Worst ever just by going by on the field results = Toronto hands down. No one has been as consistently bad. Adding in other things like attendance, FO ineptitude, etc. and Chivas becomes a contender. Those should be the only two really in the discussion.

    Other teams have had their bad years (or bad run of years) on and off the pitch, but at least have some positives to balance the equation out a little more over time.
     
  25. William Flores

    United States
    Apr 17, 2013
    Garland, Texas
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Chivas
    They've done everything to get rid of their fans lol
     

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