Major League Soccer (MLS) Thread

[Scuba Steve]

Yeah, he was. So in another ten years or so, he won't be with us anymore. Oh well.

Thats Blacksburg for ya.

Also, on another note, Raphael Wicky retired. Was on Chivas, not so much anymore.

[dena]

Ugh, 10 years, almost as slow as the MLS is with dealing with it's problems (*zing*)

I barely know who he is... I think he played in the Bundesliga right?

I'm going to bed, Sportscenter just showed another soccer highlight in it's top ten plays, a dummy that led to a goal during a Boca match, and the whole highlight was done without a total **** up, kudos.

Last week Linda Cohn called Lyon "Lion"... one step at a time

[Scuba Steve]

Yeah, he is Swiss I think, but I know he played for Hamburg.

He only played 5 games last year for Chivas due to injury.

[idancecolored]

So lets expand to more cities that we know that can do this.
More traditional football cities, less Mi-ah-mi/Barca fan boys.
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Sounds FC sells out home opener. Team to cap season ticket membership at 22,000

Due to the anticipation and tremendous enthusiasm from soccer fans, the seating configuration for the March 19 home opener has been expanded to 32,400. Sounders FC will also cap season tickets at 22,000. The team recently surpassed 20,000 season tickets, the largest season ticket base in Major League Soccer.

The seating configuration for regular season matches will be increased to 27,700 seats, making it one of the larger venues in Major League Soccer.





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I believe the article is from yesterday, and today confirmed sell out for opening game. Here's to bringing in Portland and Montreal!

[Scuba Steve]

Good catch man. Nice pictures.

Not only do they look set with their stadium, but there team is stacked as well. Should be exciting for them this year.

[dena]

Oh so they did put a cap on the attendance, stupidly I thought for a sec that they sold like 50k tickets

Qwest is known for being crazy loud during Seahawks games, I wonder if they'll have something similar for the Sounders, could make it one of the tougher stadiums to play in.

[SirReal Madrid]

Sounders have their own stadium???? I saw a seahawks banner their.

[Scuba Steve]

No, its the football stadium.

Not sure if they have plans or what about getting their own stadium.

[dena]

MLS not to move forward with Miami expansion

After collectively exploring the option of a team in South Florida, Major League Soccer, FC Barcelona, and Marcelo Claure have agreed that timing is not right



NEW YORK -- Major League Soccer, FC Barcelona, and Marcelo Claure have jointly agreed that Miami is no longer a candidate to be one of the next two MLS expansion teams. After extensive discussions and collaborative evaluation a decision was made that at this time because it was determined that it was not feasible to launch a Major League Soccer team in South Florida in 2010 due to adverse market conditions. Notwithstanding, FC Barcelona remains committed to Major League Soccer and the U.S. market and will continue to work with MLS and Marcelo Claure on other soccer-related projects.
"I want to thank both FC Barcelona and Marcelo Claure for the tremendous effort to bring an MLS expansion team to Miami," said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. "FC Barcelona is one of the best managed and strategically operated sporting clubs in any sport in the World and I appreciate the opportunity that we have had to work with them and Marcelo Claure over the last few months."
"The U.S market continues to be a priority for FC Barcelona," said FC Barcelona CEO Joan Oliver. "We will continue our comprehensive game promotion and marketing agreement with Soccer United Marketing and will look for additional ways to strengthen our relationship with MLS and America's soccer fans."
"I remain a believer in MLS and the future of professional soccer in America... particularly in South Florida," said Marcelo Claure. "Although we have not been able to move forward at this time for a wide variety of reasons, I will work with FC Barcelona on other soccer projects in South Florida."
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Another time then, Miami.... St. Louis, Portland, Vancouver... step up!

[Scuba Steve]

Wow, big set back I think, but the MLS really wanted Barca..... wonder if that puts the other prices down a bit.

And wonder what this does with the timing of when they announce the teams.

[dena]

Yeah it's huge, this financial crisis has just set everyone and everything back. I think Garber and Barca will resume talks once things look up, and I hope the Barca front board don't decide to end the expansion franchise all together, they aren't just a football club, they have a basketball team and a handball team along with some other stuff, so they know how to run effectively and it would be great to have a brand name like them affiliated with the MLS, but yeah another time.

The expansion fee should be dropped imo, at least by 5 million, it's already made a few others shy away (Vancouver showed us how much of an asset they could be to the MLS last week), either that or halt expansion for now until the clouds clear.
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Ives' quick little article about it, he obviously found out about it at the same time I did, from someone who screamed "REAKING NEWS! MIAMI OUT OF EXPANSION RACE!!!!!!!!!!!!" in the CONCACAF CL article.

Miami's MLS expansion bid is dead

The Miami MLS Expansion bid has been taken off the table after the league and the ownership group agreed that the time wasn't right for an expansion team in Miami, MLS announced on Tuesday.
The bid began to crumble as the global economic crisis left FC Barcelona cautious about going forward with its involvement, while also leaving billionare investor Marcelo Claure concerned about the viability of a soccer team in the Miami area in the current shaky economic climate.
Miami's exit from the process leaves Vancouver, Portland, St. Louis and Ottawa as the final four candidates for two expansion spots for 2011.
What do you think of this development? Surprised to see Miami go from apparent front-runner to out of the race? Who would you pick from the remaining teams to be the two cities chosen? Are you starting to wonder if the league will expand at all?
Share your thoughts below.

[Scuba Steve]

Montreal, but yeah.

Its too tough to tell now. St. Louis seems ideal, but MLS does not trust the owners over there.

So who knows. Maybe Portland and Montreal.

[Tio Nicci]

I defintinitly think Portland is gonna get it. If Seattle has one I assume MLS is gonna open more to the Northwest.

[idancecolored]

wow, Thank you Don or should I say AC Milan. I'm pretty excited to see who gets the expansion slots, I'll be happy with any of the top remaining bids.

Now if we could only relocate/rebrand/sell Chivas and move them to San Diego..

Originally Posted by denapro

Yeah it's huge, this financial crisis has just set everyone and everything back. I think Garber and Barca will resume talks once things look up, and I hope the Barca front board don't decide to end the expansion franchise all together, they aren't just a football club, they have a basketball team and a handball team along with some other stuff, so they know how to run effectively and it would be great to have a brand name like them affiliated with the MLS, but yeah another time.

why would you want Barca imposing on our league? What are they going to do? The rules of MLS are too strict for them to out-do/spend anyone. There's no point for them other than to impose and market their brand for North America which I think demeans our league as being a busch league that will continue to lack its own identity.

[M1ZZ0U]

Miami/Barca talks, dead

I couldn't be more pleased and I hope this officially kills off any chance Miami gets a club (before more deserving / well proven cities).

Come on Vancouver or St. Louis!

[M1ZZ0U]

Originally Posted by hokiegooner

No, its the football stadium.

Not sure if they have plans or what about getting their own stadium.

From everything I've understood, the Seahawks franchise were big proponents in getting the Sounders off the ground and into the class club they are becoming.

I heard an interview with Drew Carey (who is an idiot) where he described the willingness of the Seahawks orginization to work with the Sounders. He listed several perks, most notably of which was:

There won't be any American Football lines on the pitch when the Sounders play home games.......ever.

Quest Field looks fantastic from those pictures provided and I'm looking forward to seeing the club get going with some games.

[Kire2oo6]

m1zzou I coulda sworn you were a Wizards fan...

[idancecolored]

Originally Posted by Kire2oo6

m1zzou I coulda sworn you were a Wizards fan...

wizards don't have fans

[Scuba Steve]

Originally Posted by M1ZZ0U

From everything I've understood, the Seahawks franchise were big proponents in getting the Sounders off the ground and into the class club they are becoming.

I heard an interview with Drew Carey (who is an idiot) where he described the willingness of the Seahawks orginization to work with the Sounders. He listed several perks, most notably of which was:

There won't be any American Football lines on the pitch when the Sounders play home games.......ever.

Quest Field looks fantastic from those pictures provided and I'm looking forward to seeing the club get going with some games.

That works then.

As for expansion, I can see any combination of Vancouver, Montreal, or Portland getting it.

I think St. Louis falls short again.

[Tio Nicci]

Originally Posted by hokiegooner

That works then.

As for expansion, I can see any combination of Vancouver, Montreal, or Portland getting it.

I think St. Louis falls short again.

how about Montreal *cough* 50,000 attendance *cough*

BTW did you hear the World Soccer Daily Podcast on how the MLS is becoming a disgrace because of USL teams in international competitions?

[Scuba Steve]

It was good on Montreal for getting that for the CL game. But they don't usually draw that. But MLS might be intrigued. The problem there though, is that the owner does not want to pony up the $40 million for the expansion.

So, thats why I think it will be Vancouver and Portland. But that is if they even decide to do it all, considering the conditions at the moment. I would not be surprised if they came out and announced that no expansion would be taking place.

As for WSD, that does not surprise me. But I think they should be given another year, considering that last year, teams had SuperLiga and the CL to worry about. This year, there will be no overlap, so Houston, DC, NY, and Columbus can just concentrate on that, and not SuperLiga.

[M1ZZ0U]

Originally Posted by Kire2oo6

m1zzou I coulda sworn you were a Wizards fan...

Perhaps you'd recollect better if you were in this thread more often/at all?

[M1ZZ0U]

Originally Posted by hokiegooner

As for WSD, that does not surprise me. But I think they should be given another year, considering that last year, teams had SuperLiga and the CL to worry about. This year, there will be no overlap, so Houston, DC, NY, and Columbus can just concentrate on that, and not SuperLiga.

Spot on.

I love the WSD guys but I noticed Steven ask on FFF Monday night, to Frank Yallop, why MLS isn't on the European Calendar. This, of course, after acknowledging countless times the ridiculous weather in certain parts of the country.

I don't believe I've personally ever witnessed a match whilst it's -20 degree and snowing.

Sometimes, they become typical Euro-snobs, but generally they're very fair and level headed. Which, is the reason I continue to listen.

[Scuba Steve]

Yeah, don't think we will ever change our calendars. Although to counter the weather issues of the winter, same could be said of some of the temperatures in the summer in certain areas.

Although, I suppose that warmer weather beats out colder weather. If that makes sense. Plus, most of the kickoffs are at night, so, that does reduce some of the problems.

Usually, they are less of the euro-snobs on FFF, only because of the MLS guys that are on the show though.

[dena]

Originally Posted by idancecolored

wow, Thank you Don or should I say AC Milan. I'm pretty excited to see who gets the expansion slots, I'll be happy with any of the top remaining bids.

Now if we could only relocate/rebrand/sell Chivas and move them to San Diego..




why would you want Barca imposing on our league? What are they going to do? The rules of MLS are too strict for them to out-do/spend anyone. There's no point for them other than to impose and market their brand for North America which I think demeans our league as being a busch league that will continue to lack its own identity.

I don't think Barca would "impose" much, as you said they of course would be trying to expand their brand, but isn't Chivas trying to do the same thing? (to an extent, and I did notice you want them re-branded/moved) But because of the strict rules of the MLS they wouldnt be able to out-spend, which in my eyes would put things on the playing field even, they would have to operate like every other MLS team... with the exception of maybe a high profile DP.

Originally Posted by M1ZZ0U

From everything I've understood, the Seahawks franchise were big proponents in getting the Sounders off the ground and into the class club they are becoming.

I heard an interview with Drew Carey (who is an idiot) where he described the willingness of the Seahawks orginization to work with the Sounders. He listed several perks, most notably of which was:

There won't be any American Football lines on the pitch when the Sounders play home games.......ever.

Can us in New York get a piece of that? Please?