Major League Soccer Thread

[doh]

http://700wlw.iheart.com/featured/l...innati-from-mls-red-bulls-and-around-country/

These poor bastards thing Garber being there means they are getting a franchise

They're going to need to bribe Garber/Sunil like everyone else does. Their US Open Cup home matches were pretty incredible though.

I do think Cincy makes sense from the standpoint of decent owners, rivalry with Columbus, already huge following. Nippert isn't a bad venue until they build a new one.

You'd think they won't be a total disaster and joke like Minnesota. I don't think they have huge potential but they're better than probably all other expansion bids currently.

 

[kella]

Yeah I get that and agree with all of those points.

I honestly couldn't believe the atmosphere in the Open Cup game of theirs that I watched. It was like a CL final.

 

[goblue96]

Cincinnati is a good launching point into the Hiilbilly market for MLS.

 

[doh]

The biggest problems they have are tickets are cheap as hell so who knows what type of crowds they get when they double or triple prices, stadium and no "big name" will ever go there. But really other than Miami, there isn't a market without an MLS team that a "big name" will want to go to.

 

[NML]

People underestimate how shitty other cities in the world are. Cincinnati looks like fucking NYC compared to most towns these players are in now.

 

[DeadMan]

People underestimate how shitty other cities in the world are. Cincinnati looks like fucking NYC compared to most towns these players are in now.

 

[doh]

People underestimate how shitty other cities in the world are. Cincinnati looks like fucking NYC compared to most towns these players are in now.

For players like Valeri, Almiron, etc. -- yes.

For players like Villa, Giovionco, -- no.

 

[NML]

I disagree. The reason no small markets have had an established international star is a lack of funds, not location

 

[doh]

I disagree. The reason no small markets have had an established international star is a lack of funds, not location

Funds and location are closely related.

 

[Snorky's Shame]

How does Jay Heaps still have a job? Chelis got fired for less.

 

[NML]

I think his contract expires at the end of the year. Everyone knows how cheap Kraft is with the Revs

 

[silverwheels]

70,245 showed up in Atlanta for the game against Orlando City.

 

[kella]

They still had 43k for a mid-week game last night.

http://deadspin.com/atlanta-united-are-the-most-fun-team-in-america-1818605381

They also whooped that ass. Too bad MLS isn't like this every game.

 

[Snorky's Shame]

Someone’s has to tell Tata to rotate the squad though. Looks like they’ll finish at least 3rd.

I just want a home playoff game for Chicago although I doubt it will happen at this rate.

 

[doh]

Atlanta is the best MLS team I've ever seen and it's not even close. With Martinez, they've been totally dominant. Best attack I've ever seen in MLS.

 

[Southpaw]

Nashville has been selected. Time to go get my scarves and shit so I can be a proper soccer fan.

 

[Snorky's Shame]

I think the writer jumped the gun on that. No one’s been selected yet.

Also, I hate scarves.

 

[Rob's FSU]

Get your bananas ready.

 

[Karl Hungus]

MLS is threatening to move the Crew from Columbus to Austin unless taxpayers build them a new dowtown stadium. Get fucked.

http://amp.si.com/soccer/2017/10/16/columbus-crew-austin-texas-anthony-precourt-stadium

 

[Snorky's Shame]

This is a bombshell.

Either we lose the first SSS in the country or an MLS original franchise.

Garber has wanted Austin for a while.

 

[Yankee151]

They should threaten to move to Vegas instead, they just paid 80M for naming rights to a minor league ballpark (on top of the Raiders) so a soccer stadium should be no biggie

 

[Snorky's Shame]

They should threaten to move to Vegas instead, they just paid 80M for naming rights to a minor league ballpark (on top of the Raiders) so a soccer stadium should be no biggie

This was actually a rumor 10-15 years ago.

I guess that’s why the league sent out a survey to people in Austin gauging the interest of an MLS team there this year.

 

[Yankee151]

Found this on reddit, Austin has already been trademarked by the league.



Austin Athletic?

 

[Snorky's Shame]

Completely forgot that Columbus was the first MLS team announced.

From a markets and demographics perspective I get the move but it still doesn’t feel good. They’re a rival but even the biggest die hard Fire fan can’t like this.

I guess now we see why MLS was very cool on San Antonio and it remains to be seen whether a Cincinnati team can succeed where Columbus failed in drawing fans throughout Ohio. I have my doubts.

Also this is not like San Jose moving to Houston because everyone knew the league would go back there soon. This is different, Columbus probably isn’t getting another team if they leave.

 

[wolverine318]

I thought Crew stadium held roughly 20k and their numbers say they pull 15k a game, is that really that bad? I don't know the #s for other MLS teams but am googling it.

 

[wolverine318]

Yeah that is like 2nd from last.

 

[Snorky's Shame]

MLS attendance numbers are usually inflated (see Houston and New York) but Columbus has been in the bottom three in attendance for a while now. They’re also at the bottom in a lot of other metrics such as franchise value, game day revenue, etc... From what I’ve read, the stadium is very bare bones and not in the greatest of neighborhoods, that’s why they want to go downtown.

 

[Karl Hungus]

I'd be surprised if Austin votes to spend tax money on a stadium. This seems like a great way to alienate your fans.

 

[Snorky's Shame]

Austin Athletic?

If we are going to rip off European names:

Austin Villa

Also looking forward to MLS promoting the Hipster Derby between Austin and Portland.

 

[wolverine318]

MLS attendance numbers are usually inflated (see Houston and New York) but Columbus has been in the bottom three in attendance for a while now. They’re also at the bottom in a lot of other metrics such as franchise value, game day revenue, etc... From what I’ve read, the stadium is very bare bones and not in the greatest of neighborhoods, that’s why they want to go downtown.

This is quite true. It is in a weird spot, not really a shitty neighborhood, but not the best either, and very very plain.

 

[Skeeter]

I think I speak for the majority of Columbus when I say.

 

[silverwheels]

Austin Villa would actually be pretty cool.

 

[goblue96]

Did I hear the Columbus owner call Orlando a mid-market team?

 

[doh]

MLS attendance numbers are usually inflated (see Houston and New York) but Columbus has been in the bottom three in attendance for a while now. They’re also at the bottom in a lot of other metrics such as franchise value, game day revenue, etc... From what I’ve read, the stadium is very bare bones and not in the greatest of neighborhoods, that’s why they want to go downtown.

The stadium is totally bare bones... it's lived out its lifetime.

Austin is a better market really. But from a get 'big' talents an really expand the league IMO only two markets left-- Miami and Vegas.

 

[silverwheels]

What's taking so long with Miami?

 

[Snorky's Shame]

What's taking so long with Miami?

Acquiring all the land for stadium and the associated lawsuits, red tape, NIMBY’s, etc...

 

[doh]

I wonder if some of it too is the owners trying to figure out a way to get more $/pissed they put in the clause for Beckham to get a team for $25 when the next expansion team is going to go for 5x that much.

Interesting too how having a stadium wasn't a requirement for NYCFC but has been for every other new team. Then again Garber and the rest of them just make up the rules as they go.

 

[silverwheels]

Acquiring all the land for stadium and the associated lawsuits, red tape, NIMBY’s, etc...

I was just thinking about the land, I guess, because I was sure they had what they needed in that aspect.

 

[Skeeter]

Did I hear the Columbus owner call Orlando a mid-market team?

Maybe he was going by city size.

 

[Snorky's Shame]

Austin is a better market really. But from a get 'big' talents an really expand the league IMO only two markets left-- Miami and Vegas.

Is the move kind of shady? Yes
Is it a dumb move? No. A lot of MLS fans are saying this but the three NBA moves in the 2000’s were worse than this one.

I think your average sports fan has no idea how the business works. I mean only in the realm of sports do people call Buffalo and St. Louis nice cities.

 

[Karl Hungus]

Is the move kind of shady? Yes
Is it a dumb move? No. A lot of MLS fans are saying this but the three NBA moves in the 2000’s were worse than this one.

I think your average sports fan has no idea how the business works. I mean only in the realm of sports do people call Buffalo and St. Louis nice cities.

I think the threat is dumb unless you have a serious plan. Austin doesn't seem like the type of city to throw hundreds of millions of public dollars at a pro sports team.

 

[NML]

I'm not sure where you got the idea that he wants public funding, he specifically said that in either location he's not asking for that.

 

[Snorky's Shame]

Nvm

 

[Karl Hungus]

I'm not sure where you got the idea that he wants public funding, he specifically said that in either location he's not asking for that.

Alex Fischer, the president and CEO of the Columbus Partnership, a group of 60 Columbus business leaders and CEOs, said Precourt had rejected offers to buy 100 percent and 50 percent of the Crew by a group of local business and community leaders in Columbus. (On Tuesday, Precourt denied that there had been offers to buy the team.)
“We met with ownership a month ago to discuss their stadium study and plans and ideas for a new stadium in Columbus,” Fischer told SI.com. “Those conversations turned up the fact that ownership had been in extensive conversations over the last number of months with leaders in Austin about a possible new stadium and moving the team there.”
Fischer continued: “We’ve received notice from the ownership that at a press conference [Tuesday] they are going to announce they are jointly pursuing that plan in Austin as well as continuing conversations about a possible new stadium in Columbus.”
When asked if he thought Precourt was seeking public financing or support for the stadiums in Columbus and Austin, Fischer was clear. “I think there’s no question he expects public financing and or support for any stadium in either city,” he said.

 

[NML]

One thing Precourt committed to on Tuesday was the private financing of a soccer-specific stadium in either Columbus or Austin.

“This is about building a world-class soccer-specific stadium,” Precourt said. “It’s going to privately financed so we’re not asking for public tax dollars. I did not ask Columbus for anything. We need to make that step as a club.”

 

[Snorky's Shame]

Someone’s lying then. Precourt mentioned privately funded stadium in his presser yesterday. Perhaps he wants downtown land on the cheap and for the city to pay for related infrastructure costs.

 

[Karl Hungus]

If he's actually going to privately finance it, he can do whatever he wants. But the way he says specifically "tax dollars" contrasted with what the guy from the business group said makes me wonder if he was actually asking for these cities to gift him a multi-million dollar parcel of land.

 

[Snorky's Shame]

I think the threat is dumb unless you have a serious plan. Austin doesn't seem like the type of city to throw hundreds of millions of public dollars at a pro sports team.

No they don’t, but it looks like this plan was farther along than we thought. The Austin clause in the original deal has come to light, the survey MLS sent to the people in Austin in the summer and the trademark registrations show this was not done on a whim.

I think Precourt is willing to build a privately funded stadium in Austin but not Columbus. Austin is bigger, growing faster and there’s more money to be had.

 

[Karl Hungus]

No they don’t, but it looks like this plan was farther along than we thought. The Austin clause in the original deal has come to light, the survey MLS sent to the people in Austin in the summer and the trademark registrations show this doesn’t done on a whim.

I think Precourt is willing to build a privately funded stadium in Austin but not Columbus. Austin is bigger, growing faster and there’s more money to be had.

Yep, that way he can try to paint the Columbus city government/ voters as the bad guys on the way out. It's shitty.

 

[Snorky's Shame]

I think he tried to get a team in Austin without paying the expansion fee. He paid less than 70 million for the Crew.